With every step we took, the road grew quieter. Too quiet. Something felt wrong. The wind had gone still. Beside us, Lyra's vision blurred again. She pressed a hand against her head as another wave of pain throbbed through her.
"Wait…" she whispered.
We didn't hear her. We kept moving. I clung tighter to Alphonso's back, careful not to let my injured ankle touch the ground. Sabrina walked beside us, her breathing shallow and uneven. Every few steps, she'd grit her teeth, trying to hide the pain in her broken ribs. Ophelia stayed close to Lyra, one arm wrapped around her while her free hand rested protectively over her stomach. She looked pale from exhaustion. Only Ethan, Alphonso, and Payton were truly capable of fighting now. I hated feeling so useless. Even they looked exhausted. Up ahead… Figures stood scattered across the road. They didn't move. Alphonso narrowed his eyes.
"Do you guys see what I see?"
Ethan stopped. "Yeah."
Payton instinctively stepped closer to Alphonso. "They're not moving," she whispered.
Lyra squinted into the distance despite her blurred vision. "I can't make them out," she murmured.
One of the figures suddenly jerked forward. Its head tilted sharply to one side. Much farther than any normal person could manage.
Lyra's breathing hitched. "Something about them isn't right." She tried focusing again. "They aren't vampires… and they aren't werewolves either."
"Maybe witches?" Alphonso guessed.
Another figure lunged forward. Then another. Their movements were wrong. Their limbs moved unnaturally, like puppets hanging from invisible strings.
Sabrina's eyes widened. "Guys… I don't think those are witches."
"They've been possessed," Lyra finished.
"What?" Ophelia asked, confused.
"The shadows," Payton explained quickly. "The ones attacking the kingdoms. They possess bodies whenever they please."
For one long second… Nobody moved. Then one of the possessed witches ran toward us.
"Move!" Ethan shouted.
Everything exploded into chaos. The first attack came so quickly Ethan barely had time to react. The impact slammed him into the ground.
"Ethan!" Sabrina cried.
He groaned as he pushed himself back up.
"Sabrina," he warned through clenched teeth. "Don't."
She froze.
"If you fight, you'll only make your ribs worse."
She clenched her fists. As much as she hated it… he was right.
"Get back!"
Alphonso carefully lowered me onto the ground before stepping protectively in front of Payton. The first possessed witch rushed him. He slashed at it. Nothing. It didn't flinch. It didn't even react.
"What?" Alphonso's eyes widened.
The witch's smile stretched unnaturally wide as it charged him again.
"Well that's not creepy at all." I muttered, backing away.
Another possessed witch burst from the trees. Alphonso barely dodged before his foot slipped on the uneven road. He stumbled.
"Alphonso!" Payton shouted.
"I'm fine! I'm fine!"
He jumped back to his feet just in time to block another strike. Then more appeared. From the trees… from behind rocks… from every direction.
"We're surrounded!" Ethan shouted.
I tried stepping forward. Pain exploded through my ankle.
"Damn it!"
Sabrina grabbed my arm before I could fall.
"Zac, don't!"
"I'm not standing here doing nothing!"
"Zac... no."
A witch charged straight for us. Sabrina winced, clutching her ribs. Despite the pain, she yanked me aside just before the attack connected.
"Behind you!" Lyra shouted.
Ethan spun around, blocking another strike aimed directly at Payton.
"Keep your guard up!" he yelled.
"Right!"
Alphonso ducked beneath another swing. Payton threw a punch. The witch barely moved.
"There are too many!" she cried.
"They just keep coming!"
"Aim for the joints!" Ethan shouted. "You know what to do!"
Payton nodded. She rushed forward. Her foot slammed into the witch's knee. A loud crack echoed. The body collapsed. A shadow burst out of it like black smoke.
"Got one!" Payton gasped.
"Dang, Payton," Sabrina said, stunned.
"You've got one heck of a kick."
"I learned from the best."
For a brief moment… it worked. Then even more possessed witches appeared. One grabbed Ethan from behind.
"Ethan!" Sabrina shouted.
He struggled as the grip tightened around his chest.
"Get off me!"
Payton charged. She slammed into the possessed body with all her strength. It staggered backward, releasing Ethan. He stumbled away, coughing.
"Thanks."
She smiled nervously.
"You protected me before."
Alphonso kicked another witch away before nearly tripping over one already lying on the ground.
"Guys… I don't think we're winning this."
"I unfortunately agree," Ethan admitted.
More kept coming. It was like they never stopped.
"We don't have a choice!" Payton shouted. "Run."
Everyone obeyed. Ethan grabbed Ophelia before she could fall behind.
"Move!"
Alphonso lifted me back onto his shoulders. Sabrina forced herself to keep running despite every painful breath. Behind us… the witches chased us relentlessly.
"They're still coming!" Alphonso shouted.
"Don't stop!" Ethan yelled. "Keep running!"
Branches snapped beneath our feet as we crashed through the forest. No one dared look back. We simply ran and ran and ran until our legs couldn't carry us anymore. Slowly… the sounds behind us faded. One final voice echoed through the trees.
"This isn't over."
Silence followed. The witches had stopped chasing us. Ethan gently lowered Ophelia to the ground. Alphonso set me against a nearby tree. Sabrina braced herself against another tree, breathing in slow, painful breaths. Alphonso collapsed onto the ground.
"I hate this journey."
No one laughed. Payton looked around. Her expression slowly changed.
"Um guys?"
"What?" I asked.
She swallowed.
"Where's Lyra?"
Everything inside me froze. I looked around. Ethan looked around. Sabrina looked around. No mint green hair. No black cloak. No Lyra.
"Oh no…"