Nyx stood by the village gate at dawn, her breath curling into faint clouds in the chill air. The horizon shimmered with pale streaks of light, the sun creeping toward the edge of the sky. Beneath her cloak, her fingers traced absent patterns over the fabric of the Veil of Stormweaver, its faint hum grounding her.

“Why are you restless, Nyx?” Uriel’s voice, calm and measured, resonated softly in her mind.

“I’m not restless,” she whispered, scanning the road ahead. “I’m just… waiting.”

“For the hunters?” Uriel asked.

“And Till,” she admitted, her silver hair tucked under her hood. “He said he wanted to talk to them before we left.”

Uriel paused before replying, its tone slightly curious. “You are concerned. About Till? Or about the mission?”

Nyx sighed, her gaze flickering to the guards standing at ease near the gate. “Both,” she murmured. “He’s just a kid. He doesn’t need to be worrying about me.”

“The boy cares deeply for you,” Uriel said evenly. “His concern is not unwarranted. You are entering uncertain terrain.”

Nyx’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I know.”

“Remember Nyx you’re a kid too.”

A light chuckle escaped into the breeze.

The quiet murmurs of the guards stationed nearby filled the silence.

“Morning, little one,” one of the guards said, his spear propped casually against his shoulder. “Out early, aren’t you? Planning to slay dragons today?”

Nyx offered a polite smile. “Just waiting for the hunters.”

“Hunters, huh?” the younger guard remarked, leaning on his spear. “Well, watch your step out there.”

Before she could respond, the distant crunch of boots on gravel reached their ears. The guard straightened, squinting at the figures emerging from the trees. Three hunters came into view: two men and a woman, their faces sharp and weathered from a lifetime outdoors. The woman waved as they approached, her bow slung casually across her back.

“Sorry we’re late,” she called out. “Had a little trouble breaking camp.”

Nyx straightened. “It’s fine. Where are the others?”

“Already ahead,” the scruffy-bearded man replied brusquely. “They set out at first light to scout. Let’s go.”

Nyx’s lips pressed into a thin line. “But Till wanted to talk before we left.”

The hunters exchanged quick glances, and the woman’s smile faded. “Look, we’re already behind. If he’s got something to say, he can tell us later on the road.”

“No,” Nyx said firmly, her gaze steady. “I promised him he’d have a chance to speak with you first.”

Uriel’s voice cut in, cool and analytical. “Note their body language, Nyx. They are eager to depart—perhaps overly so. This warrants attention.”

Nyx’s eyes narrowed slightly, observing the hunters more closely. The second man shifted impatiently, muttering under his breath, while the woman’s arms crossed in frustration.

“Your resolve is commendable,” Uriel noted quietly. “But do not allow it to blind you. Trust your instincts and remain aware.”

Before Nyx could respond, a faint voice carried through the air. “Nyx! Wait!”

She turned sharply, her heart clenching as Till came into view, sprinting up the road. His face was flushed from exertion, his breath coming in short gasps.

“You couldn’t wait five minutes?” he demanded, glaring at the hunters as he bent over to catch his breath.

The woman raised an eyebrow, her tone laced with sarcasm. “Well, you’re here now. Make it quick.”

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Till straightened, his blue eyes fixed on Nyx. “Promise me,” he said, his voice breaking slightly. “You always keep your promises, right?”

Nyx knelt slightly to meet his gaze, her voice soft but steady. “I do. And I will.”

Uriel’s voice chimed in her mind again, its tone clipped. “The boy is sincere in his concern, but this delay will only increase their impatience. Watch them carefully as you leave.”

Nyx nodded slightly, both to Till and to Uriel’s warning. The hunters shifted restlessly, and the woman gestured toward the road.

“We really need to go now,” she said.

Nyx turned back to Till, her heart heavy. “I’ll see you when I get back. I promise.”

He stepped back, his gaze lingering on her as she turned and followed the hunters beyond the gate.

Uriel spoke once more, its voice a quiet undercurrent to her thoughts. “Their urgency suggests more than simple haste. Trust your instincts, Nyx—the forest conceals more than shadows.”

As the group moved into the shadowed forest, Nyx followed at a distance, her senses tuned to the rustle of leaves and snap of twigs.

The forest swallowed them in its vast silence, the kind that pressed down on the ears and made every step feel heavier. Nyx moved cautiously, her senses attuned to every sound, every shift in the air. The hunters ahead walked with an ease that spoke of routine, but Nyx felt the weight of Uriel’s warnings echoing in her mind.

“Nyx,” Uriel said softly, its tone measured, “there are no immediate threats, but I advise you to stay alert. Their urgency earlier was… unusual.”

Nyx glanced at the hunters, her gaze lingering on their casual movements. They showed no sign of apprehension. “Noted,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The path wound deeper into the forest, its shadows growing thicker. The air carried the faint, earthy tang of moss and damp wood. Nyx kept her eyes scanning the terrain, her fingers brushing the edge of her veil out of habit.

“Do you sense anything, Uriel?”

“No,” it replied. “However, neither they nor I can detect the other hunters nearby. It is peculiar.”

Nyx nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Keep an eye out.”

“Always,” Uriel assured her.

One of the hunters, the scruffy-bearded man, fell back, his steps deliberate as he slowed to match Nyx’s pace. “So,” he said, his voice low but friendly, “have you ever been this far out in the forest before?”

Nyx shook her head. “No.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry,” he said with a grin. “Only low-class monsters in these parts.”

“What kinds?” Nyx asked, keeping her tone neutral.

“Slimes, ant colonies, maybe a rogue critter here or there,” he replied with a shrug.

A flicker of amusement crossed Nyx’s face as she remembered the Dark Forest—the slimes and ants she had encountered there and dominated effortlessly. The memory brought a faint smile to her lips.

The hunter noticed before she could wipe it away. “What’s that grin about? Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little slime!”

Nyx’s expression hardened instantly, her voice flat. “No.”

“Oh, come on,” he teased, clearly enjoying himself. “What’s the story? A slime stole your lunch? An ant made off with your boots?”

Nyx didn’t rise to the bait. “I’m not in the mood for jokes,” she said curtly.

The hunter raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. No need to bite my head off.”

The group walked in silence for a time after that, the soft crunch of leaves underfoot the only sound. Nyx trailed behind the hunters, her focus drifting back to her surroundings.

“Stay vigilant,” Uriel murmured. “Their behavior remains odd.”

The same hunter slowed again, this time his eyes fixed on her face. “Hey,” he said casually, “what’s with the veil? Your eyes—why cover them up?”

Nyx stiffened, her steps faltering. “I prefer it this way.”

“Let me see,” he said, reaching out toward her veil. His hand moved quickly, but Nyx moved faster, stepping back and out of reach.

Her voice was cold as ice. “Don’t.”

“You just don’t see eyes like that every day. Just curious,” he said, but something in his tone lingered—like he wasn’t telling the whole truth.

“Remember to remain calm,” Uriel advised, its tone measured.

Nyx said nothing, falling further behind the group. The hunter didn’t try again, though his occasional glances suggested he hadn’t dropped the matter entirely.

She clenched her fists beneath her cloak, her pulse steady despite the growing unease. Whatever lay ahead, she would face it without faltering.

The walk stretched on, uneventful but heavy with unspoken tension. The soft crunch of leaves underfoot was the only sound until the forest began to thin. Ahead, the edge of a dark cave loomed, its gaping entrance swallowing light and exhaling cold air. The oppressive silence deepened, and Nyx’s steps faltered.

“Nyx,” Uriel’s voice returned, sharper now. “I detect something within, but its nature is obscured. My scans cannot penetrate whatever cloaking skill is in use.”

Nyx activated Echo Vision, her irises swirling with faint silver. The world shifted, revealing layers of magic in intricate patterns. But when her gaze swept the cave’s entrance, there was only a swirling haze, thick and impenetrable.

“It’s some form of advanced cloaking,” Uriel concluded. “Be cautious.”

Nyx turned to the hunters. “Where are the others? Shouldn’t they be here by now?”

The female hunter glanced back, her tone casual. “Some of them are already inside. The rest are on their way.”

“Do not press further,” Uriel advised, its tone firm. “Remain calm and follow them for now.”

Nyx nodded, though her unease deepened. The hunters entered the cave first, their movements confident despite the heavy air. Nyx hesitated briefly, her fingers brushing against the edge of her veil. She stepped forward, each footfall slow and deliberate.

The darkness swallowed her whole. Uriel’s voice was the last thing she heard before everything went black.

“Stay alert. Trust your instincts. This place… it defies natural order.”

And then everything went dark.