The forest swallowed the scream.
One moment Leah's hand was inches from his, warm breath in the night.
The next — nothing but broken branches and violent silence.
"LEAH!"
Daniel didn't think. His body launched forward, feet pounding dirt, lungs burning with shock and fury. The world blurred into streaks of shadow and moonlight as he ran, heart hammering like a war drum.
Something growled up ahead — low, wet, and hungry.
He burst into a clearing.
Leah lay on the ground, scrambling backward, dirt on her palms. Two shapes crouched around her — wrong shapes.
Bodies like wolves, but taller, narrower, bones jutting too sharp, and eyes glowing with sickly pale fire.
One lifted its snout, dripping saliva like black tar.
Daniel froze — breath sawed out of him. His veins iced. His knees wanted to buckle.
Move.
He couldn't. Fear clawed up his spine.
The nearer creature lunged—
—and something deep inside Daniel snapped loose.
Time cracked.
His perception sharpened and everything slowed:
The creature mid-pounce.
Leah's eyes wide with terror.
Moonlight glinting on claws.
Daniel's heartbeat slowed to a monstrous, ancient thump—
Boom. The same pulse from his dream.
His muscles tightened in instinct beyond logic. He launched forward, shoulder slamming into the beast mid-air.
The impact shocked him — like hitting stone. Pain flared down his side.
They crashed to the ground together. Dirt sprayed. The monster snarled, jaws snapping inches from his face. He shoved its throat upward with everything he had, arms trembling with raw force he never knew he possessed.
Its breath stank of death.
The second one charged.
Leah screamed, "DANIEL!"
Adrenaline roared in his blood. He rolled aside as claws tore the earth where his head had just been. The first creature slammed into a tree, bark exploding.
Daniel staggered up, vision pulsing with gold flecks.
He didn't feel like himself.
He felt heavier, stronger — like someone older was wearing his skin.
"Run—" he gasped at Leah. "Run to the village!"
"I'm not— leaving you!" she cried.
The second beast circled, snarling. Daniel's chest heaved.
If he ran, she died.
If he stayed—
His fingers curled. No choice.
The first creature shook dirt from its fur and lunged again. Daniel didn't think — he ducked low, swept its legs the way instinct whispered, and drove his elbow into its jaw with bone-jarring force.
It yelped — actually stumbled.
Daniel blinked.
I did that?
The second beast charged from behind—
Daniel spun, arm raised—
CRACK.
Its claw raked across his forearm. He shouted, pain lightning through him. Blood beaded — but something glimmered under his skin, a faint silver spark knitting flesh faster than natural.
Leah saw it. Her breath caught.
"What… what are you?"
"I don't— know!"
The first wolf-thing recovered and snapped at his throat —
Searing heat shot through Daniel's wrist.
The Mark.
It burned white-silver — pulsing like a star trapped under skin.
The creature recoiled with a shriek, flesh smoking where its face got near the glow.
Daniel stared at his hand in horror and awe.
The mark flared again — instinct surging through him.
Move. Strike. Protect.
He obeyed.
He slammed his glowing palm into the monster's skull.
Light seared. The thing convulsed, shriek ripping through the night like tearing metal.
Daniel stumbled back as the creature collapsed twitching — not dead, but stunned and smoking.
The second beast hesitated now — watching him with something like fear.
Wind shifted.
A hush fell over the trees.
Then — a rush of wings.
The second creature jerked — then a flash of silver scale and claw tore across its neck. The beast collapsed, throat ripped open, fading into shadowy dust.
Daniel blinked, panting.
Xavier stood there — eyes faintly slitted, scales rippling down his arm, breath steaming in the cold night. Not fully dragon — but not human either. He stared at Daniel like he'd just seen the sky split open.
"Dan…" Xavier breathed. "What did you just do?"
Daniel couldn't answer. His vision spun. Knees buckled.
Leah caught him by the shoulders, fear and wonder tangled on her face. "Daniel— are you okay?"
"I…" his voice shook, mind a storm. "I don't know what's happening to me."
Aunt Maren's voice cut through the trees like steel wrapped in grief.
"I do."
They turned. She stepped from the shadows, staff glimmering, eyes burning with power and dread. The forest seemed to bow around her presence.
"You were never meant to awaken this early," she whispered, voice cracking. "The seal is weakening faster than we feared."
Daniel's blood turned to fire and ice.
Seal.
Awaken.
Fear.
Destiny.
Words he was never ready for.
Leah clutched his arm tighter. Xavier stared at him like a brother watching the world change.
Daniel swallowed hard, voice barely more than breath.
"What am I?"
Maren looked at him not like a guardian — but like someone about to lose someone they love.
"The universe's last hope," she whispered.
"And its sharpest weapon."
A distant roar shook the night — unnatural, furious, echoing through the forest. The demon lord's minion had sensed the flare of power.
This was only the beginning.
Daniel's mark pulsed once more — like a heartbeat of a star.
And the forest held its breath.