The Warden’s First Strike

As a warning, the Warden conjures a violent storm over the city. Liora, trapped in her apartment, hears whispers carried by the wind voices warning her to forget, to let go. Meanwhile, Elias stands outside in the downpour, knowing that this is only the beginning of fate's attempt to reclaim what was lost.

The wind howled through the streets, carrying with it the first whispers of an approaching storm. Liora stood at her apartment window, staring at the dark clouds gathering on the horizon. Something about the air felt wrong, charged with an energy she couldn't quite name.

Elias had left hours ago, slipping into the night with nothing but a vague warning. Be careful, Liora. The past isn't done with us yet.

She pressed her fingers against the cold glass, frustration bubbling beneath her skin. She was tired of half-answers, of warnings shrouded in secrecy. If Elias had known all along, why had he waited until now to reveal the truth? And if this cycle had repeated before, why couldn't she remember?

A sharp knock at the door jolted her from her thoughts.

Liora hesitated. Elias wouldn't have knocked. He had a key.

Another knock, more insistent this time.

Heart pounding, she approached, fingers tightening around the doorknob. "Who is it?"

Silence.

Then, a smooth voice, unfamiliar. "Miss Everhart. I'd hoped we could speak."

She didn't open the door. "Who are you?"

A pause. Then, "A historian. Like you."

That was a lie. Every instinct in her screamed not to trust the voice on the other side.

"I'm not interested," she said, stepping back.

The stranger chuckled. "Oh, but I think you will be. You've been playing a very dangerous song, Miss Everhart. One that does not belong to you."

Liora's blood ran cold.

The air in the apartment shifted. The lamps flickered, shadows stretching unnaturally against the walls.

She backed away from the door. "Who are you?"

"I am someone who ensures balance." The voice darkened, taking on an edge of authority. "And you are unraveling something that should have remained buried."

The Warden.

The realization hit her like a blow. Elias had warned her about forces that wouldn't want the past uncovered. She had assumed he was speaking in metaphors.

Apparently, he had not been.

Liora turned and bolted for the kitchen, heart hammering in her chest. She yanked open a drawer, fumbling for anything she could use as a weapon.

The door burst open behind her.

A cold gust of wind swept through the room, extinguishing the lamps completely. Shadows pooled into the space where light had once been, coalescing into a figure standing in the doorway.

A man. Or something that had once been a man. His presence distorted the very air around him, his form flickering like a candle caught in the wind. His eyes voids of endless black settled on her with something between curiosity and disdain.

"You are interfering," he said. His voice no longer came from his mouth but from everywhere at once. "You do not understand the weight of what you are awakening."

Liora gripped the kitchen counter, forcing herself to stay upright. "Then explain it to me."

The Warden tilted his head, as if amused. "You seek truth, but truth will not save you. It never has."

The shadows at his feet slithered toward her.

Before she could react, the front door crashed open again this time, with force.

Elias.

He didn't hesitate. A sharp movement of his hand sent a pulse of golden light crackling through the air, colliding with the shadows and forcing them back. The Warden hissed, retreating slightly, his form distorting.

"Liora, move!" Elias barked.

She didn't need to be told twice. She darted around the counter, reaching Elias just as he raised his other hand. A second wave of golden energy erupted from his fingertips, filling the room with warmth.

The Warden let out a guttural snarl as the light struck him, his form twisting violently before he dissolved into nothingness, leaving only the suffocating weight of silence in his wake.

Liora sagged against Elias, her breath coming in short gasps. "What the hell was that?"

He held onto her, steadying them both. "A warning."

Her pulse thrummed against her ribs. "From him?"

Elias's jaw tightened. "From them."

Liora forced herself to stand straight, pulling away to look him in the eyes. "Elias, I need answers. Now."

His gaze darkened, and for a moment, she thought he might refuse. But then, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded.

"Then we don't have much time."