The temple is silent, the only sound being the distant rustling of leaves outside. The air is thick with the scent of old stone and something unexplainable, something watching. A massive window behind them frames the full moon, casting pale silver light over the scene.

  …

  Aftwo days after Theo learned, they decided that they need a team, for the stuff they are trying to learn isn’t a peace of cake. So to tell Nyx’s friends.

  …

  Ash stands rigid, his breath uneven. Nyx, barely inches from him, lifts her hands to his tie, adjusting it with slow, precise movements. The cold night air doesn’t reach him—he’s burning up from how close she is

  “Don’t worry,” Nyx murmurs, voice steady, low. “We’re here together.”

  Ash swallows hard. His pulse is loud in his ears. The way the moonlight spills over them, their matching black suits blending into the shadows, it’s as if they do belong together.

  Nyx finishes with his tie and tilts her head slightly, examining him. Then, without warning, she lifts her fingers and traces something on his forehead. Ash flinches at the touch, her fingers are cool against his skin, but the act itself feels oddly… intimate.

  “What are you—”

  “Shh.” Nyx’s voice is barely above a whisper. She steps back just enough to admire her work: a perfectly drawn eye, sitting in the middle of his forehead. “If someone sees us, they won’t know you’re human. Just in case.”

  Ash exhales slowly. His nerves are still wrecked, but Nyx’s confidence grounds him. He grips his own wrist, trying to steady himself.

  Nyx, without hesitation, pulls out a strange-looking device and presses a button. It crackles slightly before she speaks into it.

  “Theo.”

  A moment of static, then Theo’s voice comes through, smooth and unreadable. “ Hey N.”

  “Bring the others. Tell them to meet us at the temple. Now.” said Nyx. “Understood.”, said Theo, as a reply. The connection cuts. Ash stares at Nyx,“That’s it?” Nyx, “That’s it.” She turns to the temple’s entrance, gaze cold, calculating. “Let’s see how they take it.”

  Behind them, the full moon glows brighter, illuminating the beginning of something huge.

  The temple is still, the air thick with unspoken tension. The only light comes from the full moon behind Nyx and Ash, casting long, dark shadows against the cracked stone walls.

  Then, the doors groan open.

  Theo steps in first, cool and composed as always. Behind him, Orion, Lucius, and Celeste follow, their footsteps echoing in the vast space.

  Orion’s sharp eyes scan the scene, flicking between Nyx and Ash. His gaze lands on their matching black suits, their solemn expressions, the way they stand so close.

  And then “Ooooo, matching suits, serious faces… Who is this guy of yours, Nyx?”, said Orion.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  He gives an exaggerated blink, smirking. “Something you wanna tell us?”

  Nyx doesn’t even hesitate. She doesn’t roll her eyes. Doesn’t smirk back. Just a single, razor-sharp:

  “Hello to you too, Orion.”

  Orion blinks again, this time in actual surprise. “Damn, don’t be mad so easily.”

  Lucius tilts his head slightly. “That’s new.”

  They all go to a side.

  And before anyone else can make another comment, Nyx takes a single step forward. The moment she moves, the atmosphere changes.

  The moonlight outlines her figure as she speaks, voice cutting through the cold air.

  “Listen, don’t speak. Just listen.”

  Then, she tells them everything.

  About Ash. About how he got here. About what he is.

  About the truth.

  By the time she’s done, the weight of her words has settled like thick fog over the group.

  Silence.

  And then,

  “That’s nuts!” Orion explodes, hands flying into his hair.

  Lucius lets out a slow, controlled exhale before deadpanning, “Are you kidding…”

  Celeste? She just stares at Ash. Her breath hitches, then her eyes roll back, and she drops like a stone.

  Lucius, already on edge, just barely catches her, so she ends up sprawled halfway across his lap. He stares down at her, lips pressing into a tight line. “You gotta be joking.”

  Theo crosses his arms. “I told you to prepare for something weird.”

  Ash, standing stiff beside Nyx, suddenly realizes, oh no, they’re all looking at me now.

  …

  The temple is dead silent after Nyx’s revelation. The only sounds are the distant howling of the wind through broken windows and the faint drip, drip of water leaking from the stone ceiling.

  Ash feels the weight of every single pair of eyes on him and Nyx. It’s suffocating. Think, think, think!

  Then, without even looking at Nyx, without a single ounce of hesitation, he steps closer, slides an arm around her waist, and pulls her against him.

  Effortless. Unbothered. Confident. As if he’s done this a thousand times before.

  But in reality? Ash is panicking internally.

  Nyx stiffens against him. Her heart jumps straight into her throat. She slowly turns her head up to him, whispering through gritted teeth, “Ash. What are you doing?!”

  Her face is burning.

  Ash? Still doesn’t look at her. He keeps his gaze fixed forward like an unshaken warrior.

  And then—

  “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”Orion grins like he just won the lottery.

  Lucius wrinkles his nose. “Ew.” Celeste? Still unconscious.

  Theo, whispering slyly in Orion’s ear, “Seems like Nyx found herself someo-“ Nyx whips her head around and roars before he can even finish. “Don’t you dare to finish that sentence!”

  Ash blinks. Wait.

  …Wait

  …WAIT.

  His eyes widen as realization slams into him like a freight train. He immediately lets go of Nyx as if he just burst into flames.

  Both of them quickly step away from each other, awkwardly fixing their hair, clearing their throats, doing anything to act normal

  But Orion? Orion still has that freaky smile on his face.

  So they decides to sit somewhere in the temple, even though it's cold and dangerous.

  While they were talking, Ash and Nyx are still red, Lucius is jst looking at the girl on his lap.

  Orion keeps pushing it. The moment Nyx and Ash try to get serious again, he’s just like, “Soooooo, Ash, do you like,”

  “NO.”, Nyx cuts him off immediately. “Didn’t even finish my sentence.” “I don’t care.”

  Ash, “…Like what?” Orion smirks so hard his face might break. “Nothing~”

  …

  Someone’s watching…

  Unbeknownst to them, the villian isn’t far away. Somewhere, hidden in the shadows of the temple’s ruins, a single, unblinking eye watches them. The moment Nyx speaks Ash’s name, the eye twitches. The creature smiles. It thinks, “So, he’s real…” But don’t say it out aloud, or couldn’t?

  Ash and Nyx Talk’s Alone Later

  After the meeting, everyone leaves, expect for Ash and Nyx Ash, stays back, watching the full moon through the temple window. Nyx finds him standing there, looking… different.

  She walks up to him, arms crossed. “You okay?” Ash, hesitating. Then, quietly, “What if I don’t belong anywhere…?”

  Nyx stares at him. “You belong next to me.” And Ash’s heart does a little flip but he won’t admit it.

  …

  The eye twitches again. Watching. Studying. The creatures thoughts, “He was chosen.”

  Just when Ash and Nyx was about to leave, Nyx feels a sudden chill crawl up her spine, like something just breathed behind her. But when she turns around… There’s nothing there.

  There’s nothing there.