Chapter Six: Shadows Close In

The forest seemed darker that night.

Lyra woke to the sound of soft voices outside her tent, low and tense. She sat up slowly, straining to hear the words, but the thick canvas muffled them. A strange heaviness lingered in the air, the kind that prickled at her senses and set her nerves on edge.

"Stay here," Rowan murmured as Lyra peeked outside. She stood near the entrance, her expression unusually serious. "Kieran spotted something in the woods—scouts, maybe. The elders are deciding what to do."

"Scouts?" Lyra asked, her heart skipping a beat.

"Harmonium," Rowan said grimly.

The word sent a jolt of fear through Lyra. The memory of the village flashed in her mind—flames, soldiers, and the Commander's cold, unyielding voice. She swallowed hard, her hand instinctively moving to the birthmark on her collarbone.

"Are we safe here?"

Rowan hesitated. "For now. But if they find us…"

She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't have to.

Before Lyra could respond, Kieran appeared out of the shadows, his expression unusually serious. The faint glow of his crescent-shaped birthmark caught her eye as he moved closer.

"Trouble," he said simply.

"What kind of trouble?" Rowan asked.

"They've sent a small patrol—probably a scouting party," Kieran said. "They're still a good distance away, but it's only a matter of time before they stumble onto us."

"Then we need to move," Rowan said.

"No," Kieran said sharply. "If we move now, we'll leave a trail they can follow. We hold our ground and make sure they don't leave this forest alive."

Rowan's eyes widened. "You can't be serious. That'll just bring more of them!"

"Not if we're careful," Kieran said. His gaze shifted to Lyra. "This might actually be the perfect chance for her to practice."

Lyra froze. "What?"

Kieran smirked. "Come on, rogue. You want to learn control, right? No better way to figure out what you're made of than a little real-world experience."

"That's insane," Rowan snapped. "She's not ready!"

"She'll never be ready if we keep coddling her," Kieran shot back. "The Harmonium won't wait for her to figure things out. She needs to learn now—or die later."

The words stung, but Lyra knew there was truth in them. She clenched her fists, forcing herself to breathe steadily. "What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing too complicated," Kieran said. "We set a trap. You create a barrier to block their path, and I'll handle the rest."

"And if I can't do it?"

"You can," Kieran said, his confidence unsettling. "I've seen what you're capable of."

Rowan hesitated, glancing between them. "If you're going to do this, at least let me help."

Kieran sighed. "Fine. But stay out of the way. This is her fight."

They moved through the forest in silence, the moonlight barely breaking through the thick canopy. Kieran led the way, his movements swift and deliberate, while Rowan stayed close to Lyra, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of a small blade at her side.

When they reached the edge of a narrow ravine, Kieran stopped and knelt, motioning for them to do the same.

"They'll come through here," he whispered. "It's the easiest path through the forest, and they'll assume no one's stupid enough to block it."

He turned to Lyra. "Create a barrier across the ravine. Make it strong enough to hold, but leave space at the edges. I'll handle the rest."

Lyra's palms felt clammy as she stepped forward, her heart hammering in her chest. She closed her eyes and reached for the energy within her, the fractured power that always felt just out of her grasp.

The first attempt fizzled, the Echo flickering weakly before vanishing. She bit her lip, frustration building.

"Focus," Kieran said softly. "Stop thinking about what you're supposed to do and just feel it."

Lyra inhaled deeply, letting the tension drain from her shoulders. She thought of the village, the children she'd protected, the fear she'd felt as the flames closed in. The memory surged through her, raw and unfiltered, and the energy responded.

A barrier flickered into existence, translucent and jagged, stretching across the ravine like a broken mirror. It wasn't perfect, but it held.

"Good enough," Kieran said, his lips curving into a faint smile.

He motioned for Rowan to move back, then crouched near the edge of the ravine, his dagger glowing faintly with Echo energy.

They waited.

The first scout appeared moments later, a shadowy figure moving cautiously through the trees. Kieran tensed, his grip tightening on the dagger.

The scout froze when they saw the barrier, raising a hand to signal the others. Two more figures emerged from the darkness, their weapons glinting in the moonlight.

"Now," Kieran whispered.

Lyra didn't have time to think. She released the energy holding the barrier together, and it shattered with a sound like breaking glass. The fragments surged forward, catching the scouts off guard as they stumbled back.

Kieran moved in a blur, his dagger slicing through the air with precision. Rowan stepped forward, her hands glowing faintly as she used her Joy-based Echo to create a burst of blinding light.

It was over in seconds.

Lyra stared at the fallen figures, her chest heaving. The remnants of her barrier still glittered faintly in the moonlight, dissolving into the air like mist.

"Well done," Kieran said, his tone oddly approving.

Lyra didn't feel like she'd done well. Her hands trembled as she looked down at the shards of Echo energy that still lingered on the ground.

This was just the beginning.