Chapter 47 – Echoes of the Past
The night was thick with tension as Mary and her companions made their way through the darkened forest. The air felt heavier now, as though every step they took was pushing them further into a world of shadows. Her heart beat a steady rhythm in her chest, but her mind was elsewhere—far away, where the enigmatic woman had vanished into the night.
Her words still echoed in Mary's mind. "Everything has a price." The weight of the statement hung over her like a storm cloud, threatening to break at any moment. Who was she? And why did she feel so… familiar?
"Mary?" Lela's voice cut through her thoughts, drawing her attention.
Mary turned to look at her companion, who had slowed her pace, her brow furrowed in concern.
"You're not saying much," Lela said softly. "I know you've been through a lot, but… are you okay?"
Mary offered her a small smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine. Just… thinking."
Lela didn't look convinced, but she nodded and fell into step beside Mary. "About what?"
Mary hesitated. The weight of her new power, the shard that now pulsed within her, felt like a constant presence inside her. She could feel it thrumming with the same rhythm as her heartbeat, alive and insistent.
"I'm trying to figure out what it all means," Mary said, her voice quiet. "The woman who spoke to me… she knows something. Something about me."
Lela's face hardened, and Mary could see her friend's concern turn to worry. "Do you think she's after the shard?"
Mary shook her head. "I don't think she's after the shard. I think she's after me."
A shiver ran down her spine at the thought, but before Lela could respond, Loosie, who had been walking ahead, turned sharply, her face pale and wide-eyed.
"There's something out there," Loosie whispered, her voice trembling. "I can feel it. Watching us."
Mary stopped in her tracks, her body suddenly alert. She scanned the surrounding woods, her senses heightened. The air felt charged, like before a storm, but she could see nothing in the darkness.
"What do you mean?" Mary asked, her voice low.
"I don't know," Loosie murmured, her gaze darting about. "It's like a presence, a weight in the air. I don't know how to explain it."
Mary's heart pounded, and her senses went into overdrive. The shard inside her seemed to react to the unease in the air, the hum of its power growing louder, almost demanding to be unleashed. She clenched her fists, trying to control the pulse of energy that surged through her.
"There's nothing here," Lela said, looking around. But her voice held a trace of uncertainty.
"I think Loosie's right," Mary replied, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the forest. "We're not alone."
They continued moving, but the oppressive feeling in the air only grew stronger. The shadows seemed to deepen as they pressed on, the trees around them growing taller and more twisted, like silent sentinels watching their every move.
Suddenly, a sound broke the silence—a low, guttural growl that seemed to come from every direction. The sound wasn't natural, it was… wrong. The hairs on the back of Mary's neck stood on end, and she felt the blood in her veins turn cold.
Loosie stiffened, her eyes wide with terror. "What was that?"
"I don't know," Mary said, her voice tight. "But I think it's time we started running."
Without another word, they turned and sprinted through the forest, their footsteps pounding the ground. The growls grew louder, closer, and Mary could hear the rustling of leaves as something—or someone—moved through the trees at an alarming speed.
Her heart raced in her chest, and the pulse of the shard grew stronger, louder. The hunger gnawed at her again, but now, it wasn't just a hunger for power—it was a hunger for blood. She fought to control it, to keep it at bay, but the darkness that had taken root within her was relentless.
The growls grew closer, and Mary felt a sharp tug at her senses—a presence closing in on them, and fast.
"We need to get out of here!" Lela shouted over the sounds of the pursuit, her breath heavy. "This is a trap!"
Mary's mind was spinning. She couldn't fight something she couldn't see. But the shard—it was powerful, it was her weapon. Maybe she could use it. She could feel the energy coursing through her, the raw power that wanted to break free.
But just as she was about to draw on the shard, a figure emerged from the darkness, blocking their path.
It was a man—tall, with broad shoulders and eyes that glowed with an unnatural, violet hue. His skin was ashen, and his face was twisted with an eerie, predatory grin. The air around him crackled with dark energy, and his presence alone seemed to suck the warmth from the air.
"You're not going anywhere," the man said, his voice a low rasp.
Mary froze. This wasn't just any enemy. This was something else. Something far more dangerous. The shard pulsed in her hand, as if in response to the figure in front of her.
"Who are you?" Mary demanded, trying to sound confident, though her pulse quickened with fear.
The man's grin widened. "I am Nethra, the one who has been waiting for you."
The words hit Mary like a physical blow. She knew that name. She had heard it before, though she couldn't quite place where. But the recognition was undeniable. Nethra. He was connected to the woman from earlier.
"You… you've been waiting for me?" Mary asked, trying to steady her breath.
Nethra nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "Yes, Mary. You are the one who will tip the scales. The one who will fulfill the prophecy."
The hunger inside Mary roared to life at the mention of the prophecy, but she pushed it down. This was not the time. "I don't know what you're talking about. And I don't care. Get out of my way."
Nethra chuckled darkly, a sound that sent chills crawling down her spine. "You think you can stop me? You are nothing but a pawn in a much larger game. You are not in control here, Mary. And you never will be."
Before Mary could react, Nethra raised his hand, and a dark pulse of energy shot out from his fingertips, slamming into the ground in front of her. The shockwave threw her backward, and she hit the ground hard, gasping for air.
"Mary!" Lela screamed, rushing to her side.
But Nethra wasn't done. His eyes glowed brighter, and another wave of dark energy surged toward them.
"Run!" Mary shouted, pushing herself up. "Get out of here!"
But the energy was closing in fast. The world seemed to slow around them, the space between the group and the darkness narrowing with terrifying speed.
Just when it seemed like there was no escape, the shard in Mary's hand pulsed again, this time with blinding light. She didn't think—she just acted.
With a roar of defiance, Mary slammed her hand forward, unleashing the shard's power. A surge of brilliant energy erupted from her, crashing into the dark force that was Nethra.
For a moment, there was only light.
And then, silence.