It happened like a glitch in reality — not a sound, but a pressure. The streetlights dimmed and buzzed before flickering out, one by one. The ground didn’t shake. It thrummed.

  Devika’s book snapped shut. Rian stood up fast enough to topple his chair.

  “What the hell was that?” Zara asked, already halfway to the sidewalk.

  Rian’s breath caught. The street was rippling — not visibly, but viscerally. Like every instinct was trying to run in a different direction.

  [Canon Sync] Overhead, a barely audible tone rippled through the sky — not natural. Not local. Something woven into the air itself.

  ?? LOCAL NOTICE: Interference Field Detected – Origin Unknown.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Devika stared at the center of the street, her eyes wide. “There.”

  A single crack had formed in the concrete. Thin, almost elegant — but it glowed. A pale blue fissure that shimmered like ice under pressure.

  Zara stepped forward, but Rian caught her wrist. “Wait.”

  The glow pulsed once. A burst of energy rippled outward. Not air. Not fire. Something else. It passed through them like a vibration through bone.

  The windows of nearby buildings spiderwebbed instantly.

  Devika’s breath hitched. “I felt it inside.”

  Rian knelt, palm grazing the edge of the glowing crack. “What is this… energy?” he whispered.

  Devika’s eyes locked on his. “You felt that too.”

  The light began to fade — not vanish, but recede, like the crack had inhaled and was waiting to exhale again.

  Zara looked up at the sky. “Is it over?”

  “No,” Rian said. “It just started.”

  A sudden wind whipped through the street. Trash danced. Pigeons exploded into the air. In the distance, someone screamed — not frightened. Agonized.

  Thanks for reading Chapter 2!

  Froggy