Chapter 3: The First Hunt
By morning, the city felt different.
It wasn't just the lingering glow in the clouds or the faint hum in the air. People moved differently. Like they could sense something had shifted but didn't have the words for it. Like their instincts were trying to catch up to what reality refused to explain.
Rayven stood on the cathedral's rooftop, watching the skyline. Even the wind felt strange now—colder, heavier. His fingers traced the rune on his palm. Still glowing. Still warm.
Selene stepped up beside him, handing him a thermos. "Drink. You'll need energy."
Rayven sniffed it. "This isn't poison, right?"
She rolled her eyes. "It's ginger and rootflower extract. Helps steady your nerves. Enhances clarity. You'll need both."
He took a cautious sip. Bitter. Burned his throat. "Tastes like dead leaves."
"That's because it is dead leaves," she said flatly.
"Lovely."
She didn't smile. "We've got a problem. A big one."
Rayven tensed. "Let me guess—another monster?"
"Worse." She held up a small crystal shard. Inside, swirling shadows formed the shape of a snarling beast. "An Echo Beast. Rogue. It slipped through the Vein Line breach last night after the monolith activated."
Rayven raised an eyebrow. "Echo Beast?"
"They're corrupted remnants of past energies—emotions, pain, rage. When the city was sealed long ago, many of them were locked away. But now that the seal is breaking…"
"They're escaping," Rayven finished.
Selene nodded. "This one's already feeding on fear. It's hiding in a residential zone near the old subway station. And if we don't stop it, people will die."
Rayven stared down into the city. "And you want me to help?"
"You're not just a bystander anymore, Rayven," she said. "You're marked. That means the city's power will respond to you. You can channel it—even if you don't know how yet."
He folded his arms. "You're saying I've got magic now, but no idea how to use it."
"Exactly."
"Great. What could possibly go wrong?"
The old subway station had been out of use for over a decade. Cracks snaked through the pavement. Trash littered the steps. A faint, unnatural fog curled at the entrance—dense and cold like dry ice.
Selene moved silently, her blade already in hand. Rayven trailed behind, eyes darting around nervously.
"How do we find it?" he whispered.
"We don't need to. It'll find you."
He stopped. "That's not reassuring."
She gave him a look. "Don't run. No matter what happens. If it senses weakness, it'll consume you."
Before he could respond, a low growl echoed through the tunnels.
Then came the screams.
Human.
Real.
Selene broke into a run. Rayven followed, his heart hammering in his chest.
They burst into the main terminal—dimly lit, covered in graffiti and debris. A small group of civilians—three teenagers and a young couple—were backed against a wall, wide-eyed, trembling.
And in front of them… it.
The Echo Beast stood nearly eight feet tall, hunched and skeletal. Its body shifted like smoke and tar, with tendrils of shadow lashing out from its back. Its face was a mass of teeth and flickering flame.
It turned its head slowly toward Rayven.
Its voice was a hiss, echoing in his mind.
Heir…
Rayven froze.
The beast lunged.
Selene moved like lightning, intercepting it mid-leap. Her blade cut deep, slicing through its chest in a burst of violet energy. The beast shrieked and recoiled, swiping with claws longer than her forearm.
"Move, Rayven!" she yelled.
He snapped out of it and ran toward the civilians. "Go! Get out of here, now!"
They didn't hesitate. The young couple grabbed the others and bolted toward the stairs.
But the beast wasn't focused on them.
It wanted him.
It roared and charged again.
Rayven stumbled back. He raised his hand, instinctively putting his palm between him and the monster.
The rune on his skin flared.
A pulse of energy exploded outward, knocking the Echo Beast off its feet.
Selene blinked. "That was… good."
Rayven stared at his hand. "I didn't try to do that."
"You responded. That's enough."
The beast howled and lunged again.
This time, Rayven stepped forward. Fear still gripped his chest, but something deeper—something older—was rising. Like a memory just out of reach.
He dodged a swipe, the movement feeling almost natural. Like someone else had trained his body without his permission.
He touched the ground with his marked hand.
A glowing circle of runes spread outward—a sigil etched in light and stone.
Selene's eyes widened. "You're activating a Terrabind Seal? That's… advanced!"
"I don't even know what that is!" he shouted.
But the energy worked.
Chains of light erupted from the ground and wrapped around the Echo Beast, pinning it in place. It screeched and thrashed, but couldn't break free.
Selene didn't waste the moment.
She leapt, blade spinning, and drove it straight through the beast's core.
With a final scream, it burst into shadowy mist—and vanished.
Silence fell.
Rayven sank to one knee, gasping for breath.
Selene sheathed her blade and walked over. "You did well."
He looked up. "I had no idea what I was doing."
"You listened to the city," she said. "It'll teach you. If you're willing to learn."
He let out a shaky laugh. "I guess I passed the first test?"
"Barely," she said, but her tone was softer now. Almost… proud.
As they walked out of the station, Rayven turned to her. "That thing… it knew me."
Selene nodded. "Echo Beasts feed on emotion. But the stronger ones—like that—they remember the old wars. They remember the Heir. Even if you don't remember who you were."
He looked down at his hand again. The rune had faded slightly, but the heat remained.
"I'm starting to think I was never meant to live a normal life."
She met his gaze. "You weren't."