Elyra stirred awake to the faint crunch of leaves outside their makeshift camp. Her silver hair glinted in the dim light of the dying fire as she sat up, every sense on edge. The stillness of the forest seemed unnatural, as though the very air was holding its breath. A guttural growl shattered the silence.
Shadow-beasts surged from the treeline, their glowing red eyes and jagged forms barely visible in the pre-dawn gloom. Elyra scrambled to her feet, reaching for her dagger as Dain sprang into action beside her.
"Matthew, stay back!" Dain shouted, his voice sharp and commanding.
But Matthew, clutching a thick branch, limped forward to join them, his expression grim. "I'm not sitting this one out."
The fight was chaotic and brutal. Dain's movements were raw and instinctive, each strike fueled by a primal drive to protect Elyra. His fists connected with the beasts' shadowy forms, scattering them into plumes of darkness. Elyra, her heart pounding, channeled her powers with growing confidence, sending bursts of silvery light to blind their attackers.
One beast lunged for Matthew, its claws aimed for his chest. Elyra's scream tore through the air as Dain intercepted it, the sound of bones cracking beneath his fists reverberating through the clearing.
The battle felt endless, but as the first rays of sunlight pierced the canopy, the remaining beasts retreated, dissolving into the shadows. The clearing was littered with scorch marks and broken branches, the aftermath of their desperate defense.
Elyra swayed on her feet, exhaustion crashing over her. Dain caught her just before she fell, his arms steady around her.
"You're safe now," he whispered, his voice low and filled with relief.
Elyra looked up at him, her breath hitching as his hand brushed her cheek. The tenderness in his eyes, the way his thumb lingered near her jaw, made her heart race.
But before the moment could deepen, Elyra pulled back, her resolve firming. "We need to keep moving. The forest isn't safe anymore."noveldrama
Dain nodded, his jaw tight as he released her. The unspoken tension between them hung heavy in the air as they packed up their camp, each of them acutely aware of how fragile their sanctuary had become.