[A New Threat]

The battle was over, but the tension in the air wasn't.

I stood among the fallen attackers, their bodies sprawled across the blood-soaked ground. The smell of smoke and blood clung to the air, mixing with the earthy scent of the forest. My heart still pounded in my chest, the adrenaline not quite wearing off. But I couldn't afford to rest yet. Not now.

Lyra was wiping her blade clean, her green eyes scanning the surroundings like a hawk, ready for the next fight. She had killed with cold precision, every strike landing exactly where it needed to. The others, the old man and the remaining fighters, were catching their breath, but their vigilance never wavered. They, too, knew that this wasn't over.

A twig snapped nearby.

I whirled around, my sword raised, ready to strike, but it was just a squirrel. My body was on high alert, and I was starting to hate that feeling. My mind raced, trying to piece everything together. Who were these attackers? Why were they after us? And most importantly, why had they targeted me?

Lyra noticed my unease. "You okay?" she asked, her voice soft but with an edge of concern.

"I don't know. Something's not right," I said, keeping my sword in hand, eyes darting around. "I feel like we're being watched."

The old man, standing off to the side, frowned. "We're not safe here. Move. Now."

Without waiting for us to respond, he began marching through the woods, his staff tapping against the ground with every step. Lyra and I exchanged a glance, then followed closely behind.

We didn't speak much during our journey through the dense forest. Every crack of a branch, every rustle of leaves had me on edge. I kept checking over my shoulder, expecting the worst. The fight had been too easy, too quick. This couldn't have been the full force of whatever was coming for us. No, they were testing us.

We had only walked a few miles when Lyra suddenly stopped. Her hand shot up, signaling for us to be silent.

I froze. My breath caught in my throat. There it was again. That feeling. We were being watched.

"You sense it too, don't you?" Lyra whispered, her voice barely audible.

I nodded, my grip tightening on my sword. "Yeah, but who…?"

Before I could finish, a flash of movement came from the trees. Figures cloaked in black darted through the shadows, faster than I could react. They came at us from all sides, their movements fluid and silent. This wasn't a surprise attack—they were ready for us.

"Ambush!" the old man shouted, raising his staff. A bolt of energy shot from the tip, crashing into one of the cloaked figures. The man fell, but more rushed in, surrounding us.

Lyra didn't hesitate. She drew her sword, her eyes narrowing in focus. With a swift movement, she sliced through the air, taking down two attackers with one clean swipe.

I didn't have time to think. I charged at the nearest enemy, my sword flashing in the moonlight. He was fast, but not fast enough. My blade sliced through his cloak, cutting deep into his side. He stumbled back, but I wasn't finished. I spun around, bringing my sword down on him in a quick, deadly arc.

More appeared, faster than I could count. They moved like shadows, blending into the night, but their eyes were unmistakable—glowing with an unnatural light.

"They're not human!" I yelled. "Watch out!"

Lyra's sword cleaved through another figure's neck, but the body didn't fall. Instead, it seemed to dissolve into a black mist, vanishing into thin air.

I stumbled back, taken off guard. "What the hell?"

"They're not real," Lyra said, her voice cold. "Illusions. They're testing us."

But before I could respond, one of the figures lunged at me, its hand grabbing my wrist in a vice-like grip. I swung my sword at it, but it phased through the figure's body, as though I was striking air.

"Get off me!" I yelled, struggling to free myself. My heart raced. I was being overwhelmed.

"Focus!" the old man shouted from behind me. "Use your power!"

My mind raced. I had learned some control over the Abyss, but could I really tap into it now, in the middle of a fight? I had no choice.

I closed my eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep breath. I reached inside, feeling for that dark power. It was still there, like a sleeping beast waiting to be awakened.

I didn't hesitate this time.

A pulse of energy erupted from my chest, slamming into the figure holding me. The black mist that had surrounded it shattered, and the figure collapsed to the ground, its form dissipating like smoke.

I staggered back, still feeling the aftershock of using the Abyss. My limbs felt heavy, like I had just run a marathon. But I couldn't stop. Not now.

More attackers closed in, their eyes glowing brighter, their forms more solid. It was a fight we couldn't win if we kept going like this. We needed to get out, fast.

"Lyra, we need to go!" I shouted.

She nodded, her face set in determination. She cut down another figure before turning to the old man. "Cover us! We're retreating!"

The old man raised his staff again, chanting something under his breath. A bright shield of energy expanded outward from him, pushing the attackers back. The remaining enemies hissed in anger but retreated, unwilling to risk getting caught in the blast.

"Go!" the old man ordered. "I'll hold them off. Get to the clearing!"

Without thinking, we ran. My legs burned, but I pushed through the pain, knowing that if we didn't move now, we wouldn't get another chance. The attackers were regrouping, but we couldn't risk stopping.

We burst into the clearing, breathless and exhausted. The old man arrived a moment later, sweat dripping from his brow but a fierce look in his eyes.

"We'll be safe here for now," he said, panting. "But this isn't over. They'll come again."

I looked at Lyra, who stood silent beside me, her sword now sheathed but her body still tense.

"What do they want from us?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

Lyra's expression softened for a brief moment before she answered. "They want you, Kieran. They'll keep coming until they have you."

The weight of her words settled over me like a dark cloud.

And for the first time, I realized how truly deep this fight was going to go.