WHAT SHE SAW
849 Words
Lira ran.
Her wings beat fast as she moved through the trees. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest.
But she could not stop thinking about what she saw.
Kael.
Standing in front of that creature.
Not afraid.
Not running.
Fighting it.
Lira slowed down.
Her breath was heavy.
“I… I can’t just leave him,” she said.
She stopped.
The forest around her was dark and quiet again. But the sounds of the fight still echoed far behind her.
A loud crash.
The ground shook.
Lira turned back.
Fear filled her chest.
But something else was there too.
She didn’t understand it.
She barely knew him.
But…
“He helped me,” she whispered.
Without thinking anymore, Lira turned and ran back.
The closer she got, the louder the sounds became.
Roaring.
Crashing.
Magic in the air.
Lira hid behind a large tree and looked ahead.
Her eyes widened.
The creature was huge, with dark skin like stone and glowing eyes full of rage. It swung its arms wildly, breaking branches and tearing through the forest.
And Kael—
He was different now.
Dark energy moved around him like smoke. His eyes burned brighter than before. His movements were fast and powerful.
He was not just fighting.
He was controlling the darkness.
Lira covered her mouth softly.
“What… is he?” she whispered.
Kael jumped back as the creature attacked again. The ground cracked under its weight.
Then Kael lifted his hand.
The dark energy rushed forward like a wave.
It struck the creature hard.
The creature roared in pain.
Lira’s heart raced.
Kael was winning.
But then—
The creature stood again.
Stronger.
Angrier.
It let out a loud, terrible scream.
Kael stepped back slightly.
For the first time—
He looked tired.
Lira’s eyes widened.
“No…” she said softly.
Without thinking, she stepped forward.
The stone in her hand began to glow.
Bright.
Very bright.
Kael noticed.
“Lira, no!” he shouted.
But it was too late.
The light from the stone burst outward.
It spread across the forest like a wave.
The creature stopped.
It let out a strange cry.
Then—
It disappeared.
Gone.
Like it was never there.
Silence filled the forest.
Lira stood frozen.
The light slowly faded.
Her hand trembled.
“I… I didn’t mean to…” she said.
Kael stared at her.
Then he walked toward her slowly.
“You used it,” he said.
“I didn’t know how!” Lira replied. “It just happened!”
Kael stopped in front of her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then he looked at the stone.
“It’s reacting to you faster than I thought,” he said.
Lira frowned.
“Kael… what is this thing?”
Kael hesitated.
For the first time, he looked unsure.
“It’s not just a stone,” he said.
“Then what is it?”
Kael looked into her eyes.
“It’s power,” he said. “Old power. Dangerous power.”
Lira swallowed.
“Then why did it listen to me?”
Kael did not answer right away.
Instead, he asked:
“Why did you come back?”
Lira blinked.
“What?”
“You ran,” he said. “You were safe. But you came back.”
Lira looked down for a moment.
“I couldn’t just leave you,” she said quietly.
Kael watched her.
Something in his expression softened.
“That was a mistake,” he said—but his voice was not as cold as before.
Lira looked up, a little annoyed.
“Well, you’re alive because of that ‘mistake.’”
For a second—
Kael almost smiled.
Almost.
Then his face became serious again.
“This isn’t over,” he said.
Lira’s chest tightened.
“What do you mean?”
Kael looked around the forest.
“They will come again,” he said. “And next time… there will be more.”
Lira held the stone closer.
Fear returned.
“So what do we do?”
Kael looked at her.
This time, his voice was calm.
“You come with me.”
Lira’s eyes widened.
“What?! No—I have a home! A village!”
“If you go back,” Kael said, “you will lead them straight to it.”
Lira froze.
The truth of his words hit her hard.
Her home.
Her people.
In danger… because of her.
“No…” she whispered.
Kael stepped closer.
“You don’t have a choice,” he said gently. “Not anymore.”
Lira looked down at the glowing stone in her hand.
Then back at him.
Her life had changed in one night.
Everything felt different.
Uncertain.
Dangerous.
She took a deep breath.
“…Okay,” she said.
Kael nodded once.
“Then we leave now.”
Lira looked at him one more time.
Still unsure.
Still afraid.
But somehow…
She trusted him a little more than before.
And as they began to walk into the dark forest together—
Neither of them knew…
This was only the beginning.
- Writer
