Night settled heavier than usual.
Not simply dark—
but thick.
Dense.
Like the forest was holding its breath.
The campfire crackled low, flickering against the shadows stretching between the trees. Every few minutes, Zerrei's glow pulsed faintly as he lay curled against Lyra, his arms wrapped around her waist, cheek resting on her shoulder.
He was calmer than earlier—
but still tense.
Still listening.
Still afraid.
Arden sharpened his sword with relentless focus, every scrape echoing sharply in the quiet.
Lyra stroked Zerrei's hair softly, humming under her breath to keep his breathing pattern steady.
Oren sat cross-legged in the dirt, spectacles reflecting the firelight, several pages spread out around him in an intricate circle of notes.
He didn't speak for a long time.
He rarely hesitated.
But tonight—
He did.
Lyra looked at him.
"Oren?"
He finally lifted his head.
"We need to talk about the Creator."
Zerrei stiffened immediately, fingers gripping Lyra's cloak.
"…no…" he whispered shakily.
"…don't want…"
Lyra kissed the top of his head.
"It's okay. You're safe."
Zerrei buried himself deeper against her.
Oren took a slow breath.
"I finished my analysis on why the Creator is accelerating his attacks."
Arden froze mid-movement.
"Accelerating? He's already trying to kill us!"
"No," Oren corrected, voice low.
"He's trying to retrieve Zerrei. Not kill. Retrieve."
Zerrei trembled violently.
Lyra held him closer, rubbing gentle circles on his back.
"…Lyra… not go… not go back…"
"You won't," she whispered fiercely.
"I won't let him."
Zerrei's glow steadied a little.
Oren continued.
WHY THE CREATOR IS MOVING FASTER
"The Creator," Oren said, "never planned to attack this early."
Arden raised an eyebrow.
"And you know this because…?"
Oren tapped one of the symbols drawn on his notes.
"Because vessels evolve.
And evolution requires time, resources, and preparation."
He pointed at Zerrei.
"A puppet escaping this early should have been impossible."
Lyra blinked.
"Because he wasn't ready yet?"
"No."
Oren shook his head.
"Because the Creator wasn't ready yet."
He laid out three pages side by side.
"This symbol—a rune embedded in Zerrei's original puppet form—was designed to restrict his growth for several months. Maybe years."
Arden frowned.
"But it broke faster."
"Exactly."
Oren leaned forward.
"Something forced Zerrei to evolve rapidly. Something the Creator didn't expect."
Lyra instinctively placed a hand on Zerrei's cheek.
He leaned into it.
"…Lyra…" he whispered, soft and warm.
Oren's voice cut through the quiet.
"It was you."
Lyra froze.
Arden choked on air.
Zerrei blinked slowly, confused.
"…Zerrei… because… Lyra…?"
Oren nodded.
"Your resonance. Your emotions. Your bond.
It shattered the Creator's timing."
Lyra stared at him in shock.
"So you're saying… I sped up Zerrei's evolutions?"
"Yes."
Oren spread his papers.
"And that is precisely why the Creator is panicking."
Zerrei whispered:
"…Creator… angry…"
Oren shook his head gravely.
"No. Not angry."
He leaned forward.
"Afraid."
THE CREATOR'S FEAR
Arden nearly dropped his sword.
"The Creator—afraid? That cold demon-mage who almost obliterated us?"
Oren nodded.
"Because he lost control."
Lyra swallowed.
"What does that mean?"
"It means Zerrei is no longer a predictable tool.
He doesn't follow commands.
He evolves unpredictably.
He gains power from emotion—something vessels were never designed to handle."
He met Zerrei's dim blue eyes.
"You aren't what he created anymore."
Zerrei flinched.
"…not… vessel…?"
Lyra quickly cupped his face.
"You're Zerrei. That's who you are."
His glow warmed slightly, trembling.
"…Zerrei… Lyra's Zerrei…"
Arden muttered:
"He's so precious I'm going to die."
Oren continued, tone flat:
"This bond created a new evolution logic. Something the Creator never accounted for."
He tapped another chart.
"The more Zerrei feels, the faster he grows.
The more he grows, the less control the Creator has.
The less control he has…
the more desperate he becomes."
Lyra frowned.
"So the Creator is sending vessels faster now because…"
"Because he's losing the war before it starts," Oren finished.
Arden whistled low.
"Damn."
ZERREI REMEMBERS SOMETHING
Zerrei lifted his head weakly.
"…Creator… fear… Lyra…?"
Oren shook his head immediately.
"No. Not fear OF her."
He pointed between them.
"Fear of both of you. Together."
Zerrei's eyes widened—soft glow trembling.
"…together…"
Lyra held his hands.
"We're stronger together."
He leaned into her chest.
"…always…"
Oren cleared his throat.
"There's more."
Arden groaned.
"Oh gods, there's more?"
Oren nodded.
"The Creator is accelerating his timeline not just because of Zerrei's growth…"
He flipped another page.
"But because another vessel awakened."
Silence.
Lyra's breath hitched.
Arden almost dropped his sword.
Zerrei tensed so violently Lyra felt every crack pulse.
"…another…"
"…vessel…?"
"…awake…?"
His voice trembled with pure fear.
Oren nodded.
"Vessel Four is active.
And unlike Vessel Two or Three…"
He hesitated.
"This one is intelligent."
Zerrei clung to Lyra, shaking, whispering:
"…no… please no…"
She wrapped her arms around him fully.
"I'm here, Zerrei. I won't let them take you."
Arden stood, sword drawn.
"Then we prepare."
Oren closed his notes.
"For Vessel Four, for the Creator, and whatever nightmare he sends next."
Lyra kissed Zerrei's forehead.
"I'll grow stronger."
Zerrei tightened his hold.
"…Zerrei… protect… Lyra…"
Lyra whispered:
"We protect each other."
The forest rustled suddenly—
A cold breeze swept past the camp.
Zerrei jerked in fear, clutching her.
"…they're coming…"
Oren's eyes snapped toward the darkness.
He nodded grimly.
"Yes."