Nomad and I had just finished up the ‘Arena Barrier’ training, the sweat beading off of my forehead like a waterfall.

“You did good,” he said, holding out a towel. I grabbed the towel and dabbed it against my forehead.

“We’re running out of time, we need to find Aura,” I opened the water bottle and took a swig. I sloshed it around before spitting it onto the ground.

“About that, I have good news,” he pulled out a map and laid it across the table inside the shack.

He grabbed a red bobby pin and jammed it into the right side. In a small city named Nersbeach.

“What about it?” I asked, confused.

“That’s where my contact will be, he’s more than likely to have information on the whereabouts of the Shadows,” he clasped the cup’s handle and lifted it to his mouth. He took a giant swig before slamming it back down on the table, “we’ve been tracking them for a long time, kid. It just so happens that our interests align,” he smirked at me.

This man knew my parents. My real biological parents. He was a refined man, horrible hygiene but nice. He used his words with precision, cutting to the heart of whatever topic he wanted to share with me.

“When do we head out?” I sat down on the stool, opposite him.

“We head out at sunset. This shack isn’t safe anymore. It’s not far from where I found you and the girl, they’ll be here soon.” He walked over to his makeshift closet and grabbed the items he deemed necessary for travel.

“How long does it take to get to Nors—Ners—Nersbeach?” I struggled to remember how to properly pronounce the name of the city located east of here.

“2 days and some change,” he tossed me a tattered cloak.

I held it up in front of me. The cloth was once a vibrant purple, now dulled and tarnished by layers of dirt and grime. Jagged holes marked the back, their edges scorched from the impact of powerful magic attacks. The bottom edge hung in tatters, shredded beyond repair and clinging to the main fabric by mere threads, a ghost of its former splendor.

I looked at him blankly. I blinked then looked at him. Then I looked at the robe in front of me.

“What the hell is this?” I gestured to the robe, pointing at it up and down.

“That’s a disguise. We’re two hermits, traveling through Eastern Declan. The fact that it’s dirty attests to that,” he rummaged in his closet and pulled out a robe the exact same as mine, “if it makes you feel better, mine is in the same condition.”

“Whatever,” I walked into the other room and changed into tattered attire.

SUNSET.

SUNSET.

Kasen walked next to me, constantly looking back and forth behind us.

“We’re so dead,” he said, muttering to himself.

He must be referring to the vice principal. We tended to our wounds after that battle and continued on our way. The Principal isn’t after us so there’s something positive in that. Although, I can’t get rid of this feeling. This anxiety that spread throughout me. The chills that ran up my back, leaving my hair standing on end.

“You’re the one who did most of it,” I hissed at him.

“ONLY BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO BE IN DEEP SHIT IF SHE CAUGHT US!” he yelled at me.

I put my hand over his mouth.

“You need to be quiet or we will be caught,” I reached into my pocket and grabbed the piece of paper.

“Meet me here,” the map read over a circle around Nersbeach.

“Nersbeach? What’s that?” Kasen asked, peeking over my shoulder.

“The next place we’re going. It’s an independent city, operating outside of the Inner Declan Empire’s rule,” I muttered, rolling the map back up and stuffing into my backpack.

We walked in silence for a few hours, those hours dragging on for an eternity. We couldn’t risk talking, so we snuck around—avoiding any and all people. It wasn’t entirely difficult but the long length of the hike made Kasen and I grow tired.

After we escaped the woods, Kasen faced me.

“Do you think Mr Lainhart is okay?” He questioned.

A question that had been pestering me the entire time as well.

“I think so, Mr Lainhart is strong,” I tried my best to reassure him but it felt more like I was trying to reassure myself more than him.

“What about Dominick?”

His question caused a tightening in my chest. A sense of impatience and urgency. Hopelessness grabbed hold of me as I couldn’t answer that question. The one who worried me wasn’t him. It was Aura. My best friend, my sister, is in trouble. I looked at the opening at the end of the trees.

“We have to hurry,” I darted past him.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Kasen looked at her, worried but decided it’d be best to not ask questions.

THWACK

A solid black steel baton crunched against Aura’s knee, her face crunching into one of anguish.

“FUCK!” She screamed before biting down onto her tongue. She didn’t want to give them the luxury of knowing that they were hurting her.

“Tsk, tsk,” the figure in plum robes muttered as he tapped it against the wall. He was the overseer of Aura Hunt.

The prisoner that would get them to Dominick Blackburn.

“This would be easier if you gave us the information, Aura,” he brought the baton against her chin and lifted her head so he could see the desperation in her eyes. It was his favorite when the look in their eyes would slowly turn from pride to despair.

Breaking down your subject down at the mental level, giving them hope then snatching it away.

But that wasn’t Aura.

Her eyes were flooded with an unbridled rage, a pride that was too strong to be overcome with violence alone.

One of the survivors.

His fingers twitched as he lifted his arm up in the air.

The hissing of air entering through the door interrupted him, mid swing.

“Ah, General Rivas. Good to see you, sir—” General Rivas struck him with a backhanded strike with his right hand.

“Don’t you,” he corrected his posture, “‘Ah, General Rivas’,” he mocked, sardonically, “me.”

The guard held his jaw as he trembled in fear in the far right corner of the room. General Rivas walked over to where Aura was being detained.

He grabbed her chin—holding her face to where she could look him in the eye.

“Remember me?” He flung his hood off.

Aura lunged forward—only to be flung back by the restraints of her confinement.

“JOSH, I WILL END YOUR INSIGNIFICANT LIFE!” She struggled against the bonds that bound her to the chair.

“Oh, but only if you could—” He propelled her back into the prison that was the chair she had been confined to.

His boots clicked against the marble as he made his way over to the guard.

“Do not. I repeat, Do. Not. Kill. Her. She is to be guarded with your life.” He bent down and tilted his head to the side in the guard’s face, a dark unsettling look in his eye, “Do you understand me?”

The ominous aura that had poured out from Josh or General Rivas as he’s known in the Shadows, his power permeating in the room.

Aura’s hair stood on end, her instincts warning her. Everything in her was telling her that he was not to be trifled with. That he is on a different level entirely than any enemy they’ve faced before.

She closed her eyes, retreating to a place in her mind where she was free—sharing laughter and warmth with Rose and Dominick. It was a world far removed from this oppressive, sinister place, heavy with the stench of chemicals and blood. Despair clung to the air, and an aching emptiness lingered in the aftermath of heinous acts that refused to fade.

The Shadows may sound like a cringey, edgelord kind of group but the things that these people have done. But they’re serious. They’ve killed in front of the entire world at Enchantopia, making their names known. The Shadows are a world-level threat and the longer the world chooses to ignore their actions, the more danger they bring upon themselves. Every moment that passes without action only strengthens their resolve, and soon, no one will be safe.

DAWN

DAWN

“Get up,” Nomad shook the sleeping bag that I was wrapped in.

“Are you serious?” I yawned, rubbing my eyes. The weight of the day settled upon me as I groggily woke myself up. We’re nearing Nersbeach, and thankfully for the time being, we haven’t run into any problems.

The tolls haven’t been an issue and we’ve been able to find a carriage willing to take us from town to town but Nomad decided it was best to stay in the woods and camp out. We couldn’t risk being in the open, we needed to be away from prying eyes—those being The Shadows. He took a majority of the shifts as he let me the sleep I needed since it seemed like he was experienced in this whole debacle.

“Hey, Nomad,” I walked up next to him, grabbing my sword from my backpack—putting it onto my waistband, into its sheath.

“Yes?” His words were slooshed as he was gargling on some sort of liquid before spitting it behind a tree.

“How do you know so much about this?” I asked him.

“About what?”

"About staying hidden, about all the Shadows and their movements," I clarified, my brow furrowing as I adjusted the sword at my side. "You seem like you know exactly what we're doing.”

Nomad paused for a moment, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes met mine, a brief flash of something unreadable in them before he glanced away.

“Experience,” his tone was distant, “I’ve been on the run for a long time. Many organizations have risen and fallen in my time. Some were as relentless, they were willing to go so far as to kill during a nationally publicized event but…not a kid,” he said nothing more, his eyes remaining unfocused.

“So you’re some kind of expert in evasion?” I asked him, a shiver running down my spine.

Nomad, an unusual but kind soul, was following the Shadows for a long time but I didn’t realize they were this heinous.

“Not an expert.” He grabbed the backpack from off of the ground. He slung it onto his back, adjusting it to the perfect fit, “but I do know what it means to survive. And knowing when to survive means when to fight,” he sighed, “or when to disappear,” a longing look spread across his face.

“Then why haven’t you fought them before?” I shouted.

He bolted over to me, his hand ghosting over my mouth.

“Lower. Your. Voice,” His eyes were glowing. It wasn’t fear. It was an anger I’d never seen from him before. Something behind those eyes told me not to press the topic any further.

We walked down the beaten pathway of the trial outside of Bavale, a small village on the outskirts of Nersbeach. The longer we walked, the more anxious I grew—this nagging feeling of someone watching us. I’m pretty sure Nomad felt it because he looked back right as I did.

Rustling in the trees caused us both to turn our heads up to the source of the sound.

Nothing.

Suddenly, a deafening scream from a woman nearby drew our attention. Her stall had been knocked over as men in black robes, 3, scoured from the rooftops causing the locals to disperse.

“I knew it,” I grabbed my sword, my hand gripped around the hard leather handle. I unsheathed the sword and held it in front of me.

Nomad threw his backpack to the side and put his hands in front of him, spread evenly. Blue magic circles appeared from his palms as he shouted,

“MENTAL MAGIC: INDUCE NIGHTMARE!”

All 3 of the adversaries fell onto the floor, writhing and screaming. Not from physical pain but mental. Each of them had just had their worst nightmares sprung onto them in a moment’s notice.

I looked to Nomad, who had already gone and grabbed his bag.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Must be nice,” I sighed.

“It has its perks but that’s enough of that. They know we’re on the way, we need to get to my contact in Nersbeach. Now,” his voice dripped with urgency.

I nodded at him as we both ran down the streets of Bavale.

“SORRY, MA’AM!” I yelled as I looked back at her, staring at the men who were clutching their heads—screaming.

Kasen and I arrived at Nersbeach fairly quickly—no problems or anything. We took the map that Mr Lainhart gave us and followed it down a back path where little to no people traveled.

“Thank god for that map,” Kasen said, relieved.

“I would’ve never known where to go without it,” I grabbed the map that we were talking about and determined where we needed to go next.

“It says we need to go to the Three Angels’ Inn,” a name of an inn that seemed like it was trouble.

“I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure that’s a brothel,” Kasen pointed to the Three Angels’ Inn—which was actually right in front of us.

I stood there, mouth agape, looking back and forth between the map and the inn.

“I can wait out here—”

“NO! For Aura and Dominick!” I steeled my nerves and walked in through the large wooden doors.

All of the women in very revealing clothing looked at us like we had interrupted something as the clients were receiving treatment from the workers there in rooms blocked off by curtains.

“Hello, are you lost?” A beautiful woman with long golden locks walked up to me, her amethyst eyes capturing my gaze in a trap. I need to look away. If I don’t, I’ll leave here with more questions than answers.

“No, ma’am. We’re looking for someone,” Kasen stepped in between the two of us.

“Oh, I may be able to help you. What’s their name?” She asked, her voice was polite yet it carried authority. Gentle but powerful. It was high pitched which completely threw me for a loop.

“I don’t have their name but their initials are V.D.”

Her eyes flared in surprise as she quickly composed herself.

“Ah, I may know who that is. Please, follow me,” her voice was sweet but something felt off.

“Kasen, I don’t trust her,” I leaned over and whispered as she walked away.

“She seems fine besides I could probably take her,” he smiled at me, a smile that would usually reassure me but this time it didn’t.

Kasen walked past me, motioning me to join him. I guess if he follows her so will I. We walked past the beads that lead into the kitchen. She wasn’t there.

WOOSH

She dashed across the room, grabbing Kasen by the face and slamming it into the table. She grabbed the knife from her bra and leveled it parallel to his neck.

His eyes were scared but nonetheless, he lifted his hands up to his sides slowly as the mana began building up in his hands.

“That will be the last thing you ever do,” He stopped charging the mana. Kasen’s breath hitched as he tried to lift out of her grip. She slammed him back onto the table with a sickening THUD. He gulped loudly, his throat dry, the trickle of blood on his neck glinting under the dim light.

“Now,” she locked eyes with me, “where did you get that information from?”

“It’s on this map,” I handed her the map, my hands trembling as I made eye contact with Kasen.

She scanned the back of the map, reading the message inscribed in it.

“Oh, okay. I see what’s going on,” she let go of Kasen. He ran over next to me—grabbing his throat.

“May I ask why you took my friend hostage?” I nervously chuckled.

“I’m who you’re looking for—Valora Dagon. And yes, V.D., not E.D. Don’t even think about making that joke."

I didn’t want to make the joke but Kasen barely stifled a laugh, his face turning redder than a tomato.

“Only a few people know my initials so I naturally grew curious. I didn’t know if you were a spy or if you were an enemy trying to kill me but coming into the brothel asking for that information told me all I needed to.”

“Then why did you put a knife to his throat…?” I asked, confused.

“It’s been awhile since I got to be so… badass,” she sighed wistfully.

“Okay…” I looked at Kasen and he simply shrugged, dabbing the cut with a cloth.

“I know now what happened. I’m assuming he was going to join you in your little… expedition but he got caught up in something and he gave you this. I remember him saying his new job was as a teacher in Tretton at Lixarts Academy. No matter how many times I tried to convince him to come back, he wouldn’t. He loved teaching more than killing, it made his life feel complete or at least helped fix him a little when he lost his wife,” she continued.

“Well, I send my condolences to him but you were right. He ran into our principal when the two engaged in combat. He told us to go and we knew we’d only get in his way if we were to try and stay. Well…” I sighed and looked to the ground, “I knew I would. Kasen would probably have been able to help.”

“Enough. I’m not going with the whole ‘feelings’ thing but you’re a damn good mage. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve seen in the entire academy. Don’t put yourself down,” he put his hand on my shoulder.

I looked at him and smiled. I nodded before continuing. Or I would’ve but Valora interrupted me.

“You said the Principal? And Edgar wasn’t here with you?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Edgar’s the strongest mage in the 102nd battalion or what was the 102nd battalion of the Magic Defense Force. His name used to be Edgar The Honorless. He stooped to any level to defeat whoever stood in his way deeming him to have no honor, he racked up an impressive mage kill count anyways. A monster on the battlefield. The Monster of The 102nd battalion is what we personally called him in the Magic Defense Force.” she rubbed her chin, “and your principal managed to defeat him? He must truly be a monster amongst mages.”

“Woah, Mr Lainhart was seriously like that in his younger days?” I asked.

“Yes, very much so. But you don’t know the reason that I was going to meet Edgar. It’s information regarding the group known as—”

“The Shadows,” Kasen crossed his arms, a dark expression hanging.

“How did you know—” she stopped as if she remembered something, “right. Edgar had informed me about their invasion of the school and most of the country saw the student get killed before the footage was cut out. I do have the rest of the footage and that boy—he’s intriguing.”

“Dominick? Yeah, he’s something else…” I trailed off.

“What’s that ability of his? I’ve never seen anything like it?” She pulled out a small silver sphere which projected the footage of the colosseum lifting from the ground and him fighting Dugal hand to hand, “see, it’s extremely rare—near extinct—to find someone who fights using martial arts,” she pointed to him landing a right hook, “the power is his strikes are superhuman, nothing I’ve ever seen in someone so young.”

I looked at Kasen and he nodded.

“He has no mana.”

She turned to me, her eyes wide and her mouth agape, “None at all?”

I nodded at her.

“That’s impossible. There’s no one in the history of the Declan Empire who has no mana and yet he stands against mages as if he were one? He,” she thought to herself, “Mana has forsaken him. Yet against a world full of magic and power where he should be at the bottom of the hierarchy and he challenges a world full of powerful beasts and ferocious mages. A world that should’ve put him down and he gets up, fights a fight that isn’t even his. Dominick The Forsaken,” she mumbled to herself.

“Dominick The Forsaken?” Kasen queried.

“I’m sorry, I just like to write fairy tales. This just gave me inspiration and I tend to get carried away,” she apologized.

“Now, to discuss the plan,” she grabbed a map and rolled it onto the table.

“Here is where we’ll be heading,” she pointed to an unnamed location on the map, “you’ll need to be careful because this is where it’ll get difficult,” she spoke, her voice carrying a weight that sent a chill down my spine.

Meanwhile…

I ducked just as a sharp blade hissed through the air, splintering the wooden post behind me. I adjusted my stance, my senses heightened. Nomad’s quiet voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Careful. We aren’t out of the clear yet."

“Gee, I hadn’t noticed,” I gestured to the knife in the wall as the man jumped at me. I grabbed the sword and our steel clashed, sparks flying with each parry. The sound reverberated throughout the alley as I jumped over the wall and onto the stairs hanging above.

“ICE MAGIC: ICICLE!” A needle made of solid ice materialised above him as it locked onto me, zipping past my face. I moved my head to the side, barely managing to dodge the spell. I ran up the stairs and onto the rooftop—separated from Nomad.

“KID, STAY SHARP AND MAKE SURE YOU STAY ALIVE!” He shouted as he blocked the attackers’ wrist and kicked them in the stomach.

I caught myself hyperventilating and calmed myself down. The rooftop’s tile stretched out beneath me as the attacker clawed his way up, like he was emerging from hell. The look in his eyes burnt an azure blue as he came into view over the tiles. He propelled himself up and over, onto the rooftop.

“END OF THE LINE, BRAT!” He shouted, cackling.

I looked around, trying to find something to aid me in this. If I could just get him into open space, I can use Colosseum of The Damned. Right now I can’t, it’ll damage the building and people could possibly get hurt.

“Kid, we need to rendezvous,” his voice echoed into my mind.

“Yeah, but I need an open field. I can’t use Colosseum of The Damned here,” I responded in kind.

There was silence.

The attacker dashed forward, his hands giving off a sapphire glow. He was charging mana.

I darted forward, staying as close as possible to avoid any long range disadvantages I had with his magic against my sword. I sliced the sword skybound. He grabbed it with his hand,

“FREEZE!” The silver steel turned into ice as it made its way down to my hand. I threw the sword behind me and squared my stance. I wish I could properly use the sword but everyone seems to have a counter for it. That’s when it hit me. I reached into my pocket and put the brass knuckles onto my fists.

“What are you gonna do with no magic?” He goaded.

“I’ll show you what I can do,” I moved forward, bobbing side to side, avoiding his assault. I brought my left fist back, preparing a punch. He was ready to dodge instantly.

“Sike,” I pulled back my left fists and sprung a right hook into his mouth, a lightning quick strike. His head cocked back before he adjusted himself right. He swung left, I ducked under his strike and went in for a right to his ribs.

He smiled sinisterly as he held his hand above me.

“FLOWING ICE: ZEALOUS FLOW!” Ice began to flow out from the magic circle on the ground below. I tried my best to run from it but the relentless pursuit stayed on my tail. I darted left to right, attempting to lose the mana but it followed me like a heat seeking missile. They began to converge at one point but I managed to jump out of the way where an explosion of ice was in my place.

If I can’t get him to stop the spell, it’ll eventually catch up to me. The ice would pierce through my body or freeze me, at best.

Idea.

I dashed around the edge of the rooftop, I placed my hand on the roof and directed my body towards the mage. I raced at him, eyes warning him, I was coming to kick his ass. The best way to fix something? Fight like hell.

I was face to face with him once more. I landed blow after blow to his abdomen as he grunted and stiffened trying his best to hold on.

A sharp pain inflicted into my shoulder. Ice had pierced through my bone. I wanted to scream. I wanted to fall right there and clutch my shoulder. The pain felt like a lightning bolt had struck me, tearing into my shoulder with a seering, frozen agony. It wasn’t just pain—it was a cold pain that had pierced through my bone in a chilling frenzy. The bone-chill pain crawled outward, numbing my arm even as sharp pains radiated from the wound. My shoulder clenched involuntarily locked in a vice of cold steel and raw nerve. The sensation was incongruous; a war between a fiery heat and frigid cold, leaving me gasping for breath. It felt as if winter itself had clawed its way into my body, its icy grip grabbing hold of me—threatening me to try and test its grip. I pushed down the pain, ignoring the blood pouring out of my shoulder. I gritted my teeth and pushed forward, swinging both arms. Each blow landed sounded like I was punching a hollow tree as we both clashed with each other. My steel against his ice.

I landed attack after attack, strike after strike as we stood face to face on the rooftop. The punches landed on him left his body purple and bruised as every few seconds a new tendril rooted into a limb of mine. I tried to ignore it and it hurts like hell but Aura needs me. I need to finish this guy off and go to her.

Screw the open field. We finish this here and now.

Nomad struck the opponent with a blow to the chest that boomed as his adversary fell to the ground with a loud crash. He looked up to me and stepped over the two of the fallen enemies.

“You got this, kid. I’ll be here if it looks like you need it,” he whispered to himself.

My attack was relentless as I brought down the force of my entire strength onto him. The pain was nothing more than an afterthought right now. I was so focused on dodging while attacking that I wasn’t landing any decisive blows. Everything was superficial as I tried to battle him in a battle of attrition but that was stupid. He has more mana and physical strength left than I do. I have to end this.

I ducked under the next tendril of ice and gathered my strength into my legs. The roof tiles cracked beneath me as I focused on the enemy in front of me. I burst forward, aimed for the mage’s chest. He exploded into the air with a force that could’ve shattered stone as I landed a devastating blow—his body’s silhouette outlined by the sun.

His body floated in the air, like it had been suspended by time before falling back down. As he fell back down, I bent my knees and charged a punch. I waited for the perfect moment as he managed to save himself from landing against the roof. He looked and there I was. My eyes burning like rubies, smoke exhaling through each side of my mouth as I brought my fist into his ribcage with force that felt like a sledgehammer. The sound of his ribs breaking boomed throughout the area. Nomad cringed from his spot below. The enemy flew back into the air. I followed through—spinning in a perfect rotation in the air, planting a devastating kick in the mage’s side. He flew backwards, his body thudding against the roof before tumbling onto the ground backwards.

I breathed heavily. My body was in so much pain, the only thing keeping me standing right now was the adrenaline coursing through my veins. It doesn’t matter.

This fight is over.

Nomad jumped onto the roof and landed next to me.

“Good job, kid,” he put his hand on my shoulder, giving me a thumbs up. Through these past few days, he and I have grown closer than I thought we would’ve ever been. Maybe it’s because we share something, whether that be revenge or something else. We looted the bodies of the enemies before tying them up and tossing them into a river nearby, allowing them to drift to sea. All they had were their weapons, coins, and we grabbed the robes off of them. We wrapped up their bodies as much as we could, it wasn’t a lot but we didn’t have time for anything else because now we know the Shadows are onto us.

We cannot afford to lose any more time.

The walk through the woods was eerily quiet compared to the fight that had ensued before. The birds chirping filled out the quiet mixed with the sounds of leaves crunching beneath us. The sun had lowered since we set out from the small village of Bavale and finally made it to Nersbeach. Nersbeach was a lot busier and bigger with the street vendors shouting over each other, trying to sell their product to the local passerby. The inns towered high over the other buildings next to them, one of them catching our eye in particular. The street lamps lit up the stone paved road as we walked down the street from the entrance to a place that locals loved. The Three Angels Inn.

“Nomad—”

“Yes,” he interrupted, “it’s a brothel. My contact is the owner.”

Something had filled my heart. Anxiety? Maybe but it wasn’t a bad anxiety, one that made me excited as we finally got closer to learning the whereabouts of Aura. We walked in through the wooden doors, the moans and shouting along with the aroma of food and scented candles wafted around us.

“Hello, how may I help you?” A woman with pointed ears, her hair was tied up in a perfect bun that accentuated her beautiful skin, revealing her eyes that shimmered like a canary whirl vibrant and full of life, with golden flecks that danced like sunlight caught in motion.

“We’re looking for Valora Dagon. Tell her Nomad’s here with a guest,” he said, the woman strutting into the back.

We stood there for a moment, our awkwardness building up as the workers gave us fleeting glances. She returned a short while after.

“Follow me,” she ushered us to the back.

We walked in through the curtain. I held my arm as Nomad held the curtain open for me to pass through—my limp slowing me down from where the ice had pierced through my legs.

“Here is where we’ll be heading,” she pointed to an unnamed location on the map, “you’ll need to be careful because this is where it’ll get difficult,” she said.

“Hope you’re not starting without us,” Nomad cut over her—his voice booming, louder than I’d ever heard.

I stopped. I clutched my arm as I saw Kasen and Rose standing across from her. They turned around when they heard a voice appear behind them before they saw me. Rose stared at me, covering her mouth as tears flowed down her face. Kasen smirked at me with a knowing look, a proud one, something I never thought I’d see from him either. Rose sputtered through her tears—running towards me.

“DOMINICK! OH MY GOD! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!” She jumped into my arms. I held her, my emotion overcoming me—a few tears of my own coming out.

“I’ve been,” I winced. She noticed and let go. She scanned over me and saw my arm. The frost had covered the wounds where they punctured my flesh, “here and there.”

“Oh my god! Are you okay?” She asked, worried.

“I’m fine,” I said, gritting my teeth as I lowered into a seat.

“Nomad, what happened?” Valora glowered at him, “How could you let a kid get hurt like this?”

“I had my own fight. He can handle himself,” he looked at me before looking back at her, “you should see the other guy.”

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Whatever,” she walked over to me and got down on one knee, level with me, “so you’re Dominick The Forsaken,” she spoke, her eyes locked onto mine.

“Dominick… The Forsaken? When did that become a thing?” I asked.

“I made it up,” she smiled at me before standing up, “you like it?”

“It’s cool,” I said, a sharp pain in my leg.

“What happened?” Rose asked.

“That’s what we need to talk about,” Nomad waltzed over to Valora, “the Shadows, they know where we are. We need to move quickly.”

For the first time Rose seemed to realize. She looked around behind us.

“Where’s Aura?”

A sharp pain in my heart struck me. It felt awful that I had to tell her Nomad only saved me and let the Shadows take her away. That he tried but she would just blame us anyways and I wouldn’t blame her. That’s her best friend—

“I rescued Dominick from the clutches of the Shadows in a dungeon. I rescued him and I was going to rescue her but I was overwhelmed due to their numbers and I couldn’t grab her. I’m sorry,” he said, apologizing. His apology was cold but that was the most honest thing I’ve heard from him yet.

Her lip quivered. Tears streamed down her face before she wiped them away. She steeled herself, her face contorting from one on the brink of breaking down again into one of determination as she looked at Nomad, Valora, Kasen, and I.

“Let’s go save Aura,” she fixed her gaze onto mine.

I nodded.