Chapter 2: The Alliance

Faji crouched near a stream, his dark skin blending with the shadows. The werewolf’s ears twitched, catching every sound: the distant murmur of human voices, the crunch of boots on dry leaves. His muscles coiled with tension, ready to spring into action.

Behind him, Harper hovered a few inches above the ground, his angelic wings faintly luminous. “They’re closing in,” the angel whispered, his voice calm yet urgent. “We need to move.”

Jakison stood apart from the group, his faceless head tilted toward the sky as if he were listening to something the others couldn’t hear. The grey-skinned being exuded an aura of quiet menace, his stillness more unnerving than any overt display of power. Along with Regan-Ilov following behind, stumbling over the mud, it being hard to control the mannequin body he's possessing so he has a physical body.

“We don’t run,” Faji growled, baring his teeth. “We fight.”

“And die?” Harper countered, his golden eyes flashing. “If we’re caught, there’s no mercy. Not for any of us.”

From the shadows, Quinn stepped forward, his translucent form flickering in and out of visibility. “We don’t have to choose one or the other,” the ghost said softly. “We can outsmart them. Lead them away.”

“And then what?” Hadezi rasped, his undead voice chilling. “This forest isn’t endless. They’ll find us eventually.”

“Not if we find a way out,” came a calm voice. Petra stepped into the circle of light cast by Harper’s wings. The young prince adjusted the silver crown on his head, his dark eyes filled with quiet determination. “There’s a place beyond these woods—a sanctuary. If we can reach it—”

“They’ll follow us,” Jakison interrupted, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. Though he rarely spoke, when he did, the others listened. “They won’t stop until we’re all dead.”

A silence fell over the group, heavy with the weight of their predicament. It was Cartza who finally broke it, his deep, raspy voice tinged with bitter amusement. “Then we make them stop.”