' Shadows Of The Past '.

---

Aria jolted awake to the shrill blare of her alarm. Heart pounding, she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to shake off the lingering fear. Xavier’s voice still echoed in her mind, his warning clear as day:

"Be careful, Aria. They're coming for you."

She exhaled sharply and pushed the covers aside. It was just a dream—wasn’t it?

After getting dressed, she grabbed a quick breakfast and headed out. But as she stepped into the cool morning air, unease slithered down her spine. The street felt too quiet, the air heavy with something unspoken.

Emily was already waiting for her at the corner, sipping her coffee and scrolling through her phone. She looked up as Aria approached.

"You okay?" she asked, noticing the tension in Aria’s face.

"Yeah," Aria hesitated. "Just a bad dream."

Emily studied her for a moment before nodding. "Well, let’s hope today doesn’t make it worse."

They walked in silence, but something about the morning felt off. The trees swayed gently in the wind, their branches curling like skeletal fingers. A distant rustle made Aria pause.

Then—

A figure stepped from the shadows.

The woman was tall, unnaturally so, with alabaster skin and eyes that glowed like embers in the dark. Her black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of ink, and when she smiled, Aria’s stomach twisted.

Run.

The thought slammed into her mind a second too late.

The woman moved—fast.

A blur of darkness, and suddenly, she was inches away.

"Move!" Aria hissed, grabbing Emily’s arm.

But the woman was already lunging.

Aria barely had time to react before an unseen force knocked Emily to the ground. A sharp gust of wind cut through the air as Aria staggered back, bracing herself.

Then, out of nowhere—

A second figure appeared.

He was tall and lean, his dark hair tousled, his presence crackling with an almost electric energy. His pale skin mirrored the woman’s, but his eyes—his eyes were different. They burned like wildfire.

With a single, fluid motion, he intercepted the woman’s attack. Their clash sent a shockwave through the air, rustling the leaves and kicking up dust.

Emily scrambled backward, wide-eyed.

Aria could only watch in stunned silence.

The fight was fast—too fast. The woman struck like a viper, her movements unnaturally sharp, but the newcomer matched her blow for blow.

Then, in a blur, he drove his fist forward. The woman let out a guttural hiss before collapsing onto the pavement.

Silence.

The boy exhaled, his fiery gaze flickering toward Aria.

"My name is Hunter," he said, his voice low and steady.

Aria’s breath caught. Hunter.

Xavier had mentioned him.

"So," she murmured, eyes narrowing. "You’re Hunter. The one Xavier told us about."

Hunter stilled. For the briefest moment, surprise flickered across his face before vanishing. "You know Xavier?"

Emily, still catching her breath, nodded. "Yeah. He’s our friend. He said you used to be close."

Hunter’s jaw tightened. "Used to be," he echoed, his tone unreadable.

Aria stepped closer. "What happened between you two?"

Hunter hesitated, then cast a wary glance around them.

"I can’t explain here," he said finally. "But I’ll be back. And next time, I won’t be alone."

Then, before Aria could respond, he turned and disappeared into the shadows.

Later, at school…

"Hey," Xavier called as Aria and Emily approached him in the hallway. He frowned. "You two look like you’ve seen a ghost."

Aria exchanged a glance with Emily before turning back to him.

"We were attacked," she said quietly. "On our way here."

Xavier’s face darkened. "What?"

"Hunter saved us," Emily added.

At that, Xavier stilled. His expression shifted from shock to something unreadable.

"Hunter," he muttered, almost to himself. "I didn’t think he’d show up so soon."

Aria folded her arms. "Xavier, what’s going on? What’s happening with Hunter and these attacks?"

Xavier exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I’ll tell you everything," he said. "But not here. After class, meet me in the cafeteria."

The weight in his voice made Aria’s stomach tighten.

Something about this felt bigger than she had realized.

Later, in the cafeteria…

They found Xavier sitting at a corner table, arms crossed, a serious expression on his face.

"Alright," Aria said as she and Emily slid into their seats. "Talk."

Xavier studied them for a moment before speaking.

"Hunter, Freya, Scarlet, and I… we used to be inseparable," he began. "We grew up together, learning how to control our powers, facing things no one else even knew existed."

Aria leaned forward. "What changed?"

Xavier’s expression turned somber. "We started to disagree—especially Hunter and me. There was… an incident."

Emily’s brow furrowed. "What kind of incident?"

Xavier hesitated, then shook his head. "A dangerous one. It involved a powerful artifact, and we had different ideas about how to handle it. That disagreement tore us apart."

Aria processed this. "And Freya? Scarlet?"

"They had their own agendas," Xavier admitted. "Scarlet always wanted power. Freya… well, she was unpredictable."

Emily crossed her arms. "So where does that leave Hunter? Is he here to help us or help himself?"

Xavier’s gaze turned distant. "Hunter’s complicated," he admitted. "He doesn’t trust easily, and he’s always been a lone wolf. But one thing about him? When he cares about someone… he’ll protect them with everything he has."

Aria absorbed his words. Hunter had saved them—without hesitation.

But why?

She glanced at Xavier, catching something in his expression—concern.

"Xavier," she said softly, "you’re worried."

His gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. There was something unspoken in his eyes—something deeper than just fear.

"I think we’re in more danger than we realize," he finally said. "And Hunter showing up? That’s just the beginning."

A shiver ran down Aria’s spine.

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Xavier stood. "We should go. It’s not safe to stay in one place too long."

As they stepped out of the cafeteria, Aria felt Xavier’s hand graze hers—just for a second. A fleeting, accidental touch.

Or maybe… not.

She glanced up, their eyes meeting briefly before he looked away.

A slow, uncertain heat curled in her chest.

Was she imagining things?

Or was there really something between them?

Before she could make sense of it, a cold gust of wind whispered through the hallway.

And for the first time, Aria had the unsettling feeling…

That someone was watching them from above.

---