Chapter 78: Storm on horizon
The forest was still—too still.
Cain paced the perimeter of the camp restlessly, his boots crunching against the frost-kissed ground. Morning was just beginning to stretch its golden fingers through the trees, but the light didn't bring peace. It felt fragile. Temporary.
Selene sat beside their mother, sipping warm herbal tea with trembling hands. Her face was pale, her body weak, but her eyes... her eyes held something new. Power. Buried deep, but undeniable. It frightened her.
"You're scared," their mother said gently, brushing strands of hair behind Selene's ear.
"I felt everything," Selene whispered. "The dark... the light... the in-between. I wasn't myself anymore. I was everything. And nothing."
Their mother placed a steady hand on hers. "That is the burden of power born from both shadow and soul. You walked through the fire and lived. You are stronger than you know."
Leo broke through the trees then, twigs snapping beneath his boots. "We've got movement."
Cain turned to him sharply. "How many?"
"Too many," Leo muttered. "At least two squads. Full gear. And not human."
Eren appeared behind him, quiet as a ghost. "They're sweeping in a wide arc. They're hunting."
"For us?" Selene asked, heart clenching.