Plague Of Shadows

The Final Stand in the Vision

The battle had descended into sheer chaos. The clash of steel, the electrified hum of aura energy, and the guttural growls of the undead filled the underground chamber. The air was thick with the stench of blood and mana residue.

Seraphine, Aldric, and Lucian moved with incredible speed—flashes of shadow, lightning, and water clashing against the mutated beast. But no matter how fast they were, the creature was faster. It moved with an unnatural grace, evading their attacks with ease, countering with devastating precision.

One by one, the knights fell.

Ethan watched in horror as Aldric, his most trusted knight, his father-figure, was struck down. The monster's blade-like fingers pierced straight through Aldric's chest, lifting him off the ground before tossing him aside like a broken doll.

"NO!" Ethan lunged forward, but it was too late.

Aldric collapsed, his blood pooling around him, his gray eyes dimming as he struggled to breathe. He reached out weakly, his hand grasping Ethan's forearm.

"Ethan…" His voice was barely above a whisper. "Protect… her."

Then, his body stilled.

Rage ignited inside Ethan like an inferno. A scream tore through him, raw and filled with grief. His hands clenched into fists, his aura flaring wildly as he turned toward the monster.

The others were still fighting, but it was clear they wouldn't last much longer. They needed a final move—something powerful enough to end it.

Ethan's grip tightened around the aura bomb.

He turned to Annalise, his gray eyes filled with desperation and resolve. "Annalise, RUN!"

Tears streamed down her face, but she hesitated. "Ethan—"

"GO!"

Then, without waiting for her response, Ethan slammed the bomb against the ground. The explosion roared through the chamber, swallowing everything in blinding light.

Present Time: Annalise Awakens in Terror

Annalise jerked awake with a scream, her body drenched in sweat.

Her breathing was ragged, her chest rising and falling unevenly. Her hands trembled violently, as if still feeling the aftermath of the battle.

Ethan was already awake, his gray eyes filled with concern. He had been staring at her for hours, unable to sleep after their vulnerable moment earlier that night.

At first, he had simply been watching her, thinking about how much had changed between them. Then, her breathing had turned erratic. Her body had started to twitch violently in his arms.

Now, as she gasped for air, he reached for her, his grip firm yet careful.

"Annalise!" His voice was urgent. "Wake up!"

Her body convulsed once more before suddenly going rigid. Still. Unmoving.

Ethan's heart pounded, his mind racing in pure panic.

"Annalise?" He shook her—hard. When she didn't respond, fear gripped him tighter.

Without thinking, his aura surged unintentionally, cracking the wooden bedpost beside them. He didn't care. He shook her again, this time pouring some of his own aura into her.

Then, finally—a gasp.

Annalise jolted awake, her eyes wide, her pupils dilated. A piercing scream ripped from her throat, raw with terror.

Ethan exhaled sharply, relief flooding through him, though it did little to calm his nerves.

Her terrified gaze darted around wildly before locking onto his. Her expression was one of disbelief, of fear so profound that it sent a chill down his spine.

"Is it you?" she whispered, her voice hoarse. "Ethan?"

His brows furrowed. "Yes, it's me."

She didn't seem convinced. Her trembling hands shot forward, gripping his face as if trying to confirm he was real. Her fingers pressed against his skin, her touch ice-cold.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't seem aware of them.

Ethan's heart twisted painfully at the sight. Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest. His hand cradled the back of her head, his fingers threading through her damp hair.

"It's okay…" His voice was low, soothing. "You're safe."

Annalise shuddered against him, her breath hitching.

Minutes passed before she finally whispered, "I saw something."

Ethan frowned, tilting her chin up slightly so he could look into her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Her hands fisted in his shirt as she tried to steady herself. "It wasn't just a nightmare," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "It felt real. Too real."

Ethan's expression darkened. "What did you see?"

She hesitated, swallowing hard. She wanted to tell him, to explain every excruciating detail of the battle she had just witnessed, but something held her back.

"I…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "I don't know."

Ethan studied her carefully, but instead of pressing further, he simply held her tighter. "It's okay," he repeated. "You don't have to talk about it now."

Annalise closed her eyes, exhaustion overtaking her trembling form. But deep inside, fear gnawed at her.

Because she did know.

She remembered every single moment of the vision.

And the worst part?

It wasn't a vision of the past.

It was a warning of what was yet to come.