The forest felt different that night.
The wind wasn't merely cold—it carried voices, whispers brushing against Elara's ears like invisible fingertips. She kept walking beside Lucien, but every step sent a quiet tremor through her legs.
"Lucien," she whispered, "the forest… it feels alive."
"It is," he answered calmly. "This land remembers every creature that has bled on it. Including me."
His voice was steady, but Elara sensed a shift in him. His shoulders were tense, his eyes sharper, constantly scanning their surroundings. It wasn't fear. It was readiness—like he expected danger to reach for them at any moment.
Her chest suddenly throbbed.
The Bloodbound Mark glowed faintly beneath her clothes, pulsing with a heartbeat that wasn't hers. She stopped walking, pressing her hand against it.
Lucien instantly turned. "Your mark reacted again?"
She nodded, biting her lip. "It feels… like something is calling me."
Lucien stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"That is the echo. A Bloodbound reaction happens when another force tries to reach your life-force. It means someone—or something—is searching for you."
Elara's breath caught.
"But who? Why?"
Lucien looked away, jaw tightening.
"There are only two reasons someone would search for a Healer with blood like yours. To use you… or to destroy you."
Her stomach dropped.
Before she could speak, a sharp, distant howl rose through the trees—long, low, and filled with warning.
Lucien's eyes darkened into a deep crimson.
"They've found us," he murmured. "Stay close to me, Elara."
Branches snapped somewhere ahead. Shapes shifted between the trees—shadows moving with unnatural speed.
Elara swallowed hard. "What are they?"
Lucien's gaze remained locked on the darkness.
"Trackers. Half-breeds who hunt energy—especially rare blood."
Elara stepped back instinctively, but Lucien's hand reached out, steadying her without touching her directly. His voice softened.
"Do not fear. You are under my protection."
Before she could respond, a figure lunged out of the shadows. Lucien moved before she even saw him shift—one second beside her, the next standing between her and the creature.
His arm swept forward, forcing the attacker back.
"Elara," he said without looking back, "your blood reacts when you are afraid. Keep your mind steady."
"I—I'm trying," she whispered.
Another creature rushed toward them. The forest exploded into motion. Lucien fought swiftly, his movements precise and controlled, his presence like a wall of shadow shielding her completely.
But her mark burned hotter.
Light flickered beneath her palm—glowing brighter every time her fear rose.
Lucien sensed it. "Elara! Calm your thoughts!"
But she couldn't. The mark was too hot.
Then—
A burst of red light shot from her chest, spreading like a wave. It wasn't fire, but it wasn't normal light either—more like living energy.
The attackers froze mid-movement.
Lucien turned toward her, shock flickering across his face—a rare, unguarded expression.
"Elara… you activated it."
She stared at her trembling hands. "Activated what?"
Lucien stepped closer.
"The Bloodbound Echo. The first awakening of power inside you."
The forest had gone silent. Even the wind had stopped.
Elara swallowed, her voice barely a whisper.
"Lucien… what's happening to me?"
He looked at her—really looked—his face softening in a way she had never seen before.
"Fate is claiming you," he said quietly.
"And now… nothing in this world will ever be the same."