The wind had stopped.
Not slowed — stopped. The trees no longer swayed. The leaves no longer rustled. Even the birds had gone silent again, like something had pressed pause on the entire forest.
Everyone stood around the fire, eyes still locked on the journal's newest message:
"It fell to feed."
"It is still hungry."
"And it knows your names."
⸻
Shoto closed the book and stepped away, trying to breathe through the tension building in his chest. He could feel it — that deep instinct inside him, the one that had screamed when the Hollowfang first appeared.
Something was wrong again.
⸻
Braydon sat nearby, sharpening his blade. He glanced up as the group moved restlessly.
"You all feel that?"
"Yeah," KJ muttered. "It's like the air's waiting for something."
Elizabeth stood, scanning the woods. "This isn't like last time. This… knows we're here."
Pate flicked a ball of light into the air — it didn't drift. It just hung, frozen in place.
Brandon looked at the trees. "What the hell is going on out there?"
⸻
And then Riley spoke.
Quiet. Nervous.
"Guys…"
They turned to her. She stood stiffly, hand outstretched, pointing.
"There's someone watching us."
⸻
A rustle in the brush.
All weapons raised.
But when the branches parted — it was nothing.
Or… no one.
Just a sound.
A presence.
A low whisper that only one person could hear.
⸻
Braydon's POV
He froze mid-step. The others were still looking around, shouting into the trees.
But all Braydon heard was a voice inside his head.
Not his voice.
Not Riven's.
Something deeper. Older. Wet with hunger and calm with certainty.
"You drew your blade for me."
Braydon's fingers twitched around the hilt.
"You woke the gate. You woke me. I remember your name… Braydon."
His heart pounded.
"Come to me. See what you've become. See what I will make of you."
⸻
Back with the group
"Braydon?" Shoto called out. "You good?"
Braydon turned back toward the campfire — slower than usual.
His expression was blank.
Too blank.
But then he blinked hard — snapped out of it — and nodded.
"…Yeah. I'm fine."
Shoto didn't look convinced.
Neither did Elizabeth.
⸻
Later, when the group finally drifted off into a tense rest, Brandon and Riley took the first watch.
He glanced at her as they sat on the steps.
"You're quiet."
Riley didn't meet his eyes. "Just tired."
Brandon nodded, but his hand rested near his weapon.
Because something Riley said earlier had finally clicked.
Something she shouldn't have known.
Something he never told her.