When you can create from nothing—
when no one can match you—
Wouldn't you be excited…
to use something as simple as a rock again?
Up close, she was even smaller than I'd thought.
Even more… focused.
Determined.
I stepped aside, letting her pass.
Followed close behind.
Something in my core tightened.
Stay close.
The others moved out of her way as she approached.
Her hair—
Had it always looked like that?
Liquid gold.
It shifted as she walked—
gold to red—
red to blue—
like the magic I'd seen her use.
The air around him distorted.
His armor darkened—
twisted—
became more… sinister.
The closer she got—
the worse it felt.
He stood.
His aura exploded outward.
The others dropped—forced to all fours.
I didn't.
�
His pheromones slammed into the clearing.
Before anyone could react—
He grabbed her.
His hand swallowed her forearm as he yanked her forward—
A distortion tore open in front of the boulder—
and he dragged her through.
Gone.
A faint glint flashed through the air.
Something struck my chest.
I caught it.
A ring.
Before I could react—
It melted into my skin.
Reforming.
A golden band.
Wrapped around my arm like a natural shackle—
ancient—
alive—
wrong.
It pulsed.
I looked up—
The tear in space hadn't fully closed.
I could still see him.
Dragging her.
Faster.
Angrier.
Then—
everything else began to disappear.
The world behind me—
fading.
Breaking apart into nothing.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Except me.
I stood alone.
In it.
And yet—
I wasn't blind.
My vision shifted.
Blue.
Outlined in faint white.
The path ahead—
still visible.
—Elsewhere—
How?
How?
HOW?!
I stared at her.
The resemblance—
It had to be her.
It had to be.
But something was wrong.
There was something else in this child.
Something…
Sinister.
She was supposed to die.
She had to die.
The River had to be corrected.
They had to return.
Everyone who believed in her—
died for nothing.
My brothers—
My squad—
I will avenge you.
Even if it means—
ending her.
—Darkness—
"Are you going to stand there…
or are you going to save her?"
The voice hit me like a strike.
Deep.
Familiar.
I turned.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
"…Who said that?"
Laughter echoed.
Not cruel.
Not kind.
Just… knowing.
"I used to sound like that."
"…What?"
"I am you."
Silence.
"I'm interfering with the timeline," the voice continued calmly.
"To save that child… while she dreams."
Something in me—
broke.
Hard.
My mate.
He was going to kill her.
While she was defenseless.
That—
wasn't happening.
Not now.
Not ever.
I moved.
No hesitation.
No questions.
I stepped into the distortion.
And the darkness—
followed.
No—
It became mine.
It surged behind me—
then wrapped around me—
Armor.
Dense.
Heavy.
Alive.
The tunnel warped as I ran.
I didn't look down.
Didn't need to.
My eyes locked forward—
on her.
A pale figure—
like a candle in the dark—
hair flickering like flame.
And him—
dragging her away.
Rage rose—
not from thought—
but from something deeper.
Older.
Something inside me had been unlocked.
And it was furious.
The darkness responded.
It thickened—
climbing my legs—
my torso—
my arms—
Speed surged.
The golden band burned—
glowing red-gold—
feeding the rage—
amplifying it.
I moved faster.
Closer.
Closer.
The darkness sealed over my head.
My vision sharpened—
my eyes burned blue—
filled with something that wasn't entirely mine.
And then—
He turned.
Saw me.
His face—
went still.
Like he had just seen a ghost.
And the words came out—
unbidden—
but true.
"Long time no see, brother…"
I stepped forward—
darkness coiling around me—
voice dripping with venom.
"Mind getting your filthy paws off my mate?"