We barely got two steps into the overgrown yard when the air turned heavy—thick, electric, wrong. The sun hammered down, but the world felt colder; every shadow stretched long across cracked pavement, swallowing sound. I scanned the ruins—a toppled jungle gym to the left, a rusted swing set to the right, weeds curling around our ankles. Jamie hovered at my side, breathing hard, Ethan pressed flat against the swing’s peeling chains, and Luis stood apart, half in sunlight, half in shade, like he belonged to both.
The system’s voice jolted through my head, sharp and metallic:
DANGER DETECTED.YOU ARE NOT ALONE.PREPARE FOR HOSTILE CONTACT.
My chest tightened. Jamie’s ears twitched, green eyes darting. “Something’s out there,” she whispered, voice thin. “Watching us. Close.” Her hand pressed to her ribs—blood slipping through her fingers, her power a faint shimmer on her skin. She tried to stand taller, but pain pinned her in place.
Luis barely breathed, blue eyes fixed on the weeds. There was something uncanny about his stillness, like he was listening for a language only he could hear. For a second, the sunlight caught his gaze and I saw a flicker—stormlight, restless, waiting.
Then, with a hiss that scraped the nerves, the grass split open. A snake, massive and coiled with muscle, surged from the weeds—scales glinting bronze, jaws unhinged, filling the air with the stink of iron and rot. The ground shook beneath its weight. It stopped between us—Ethan frozen behind the swing, Jamie and I crouched low, Luis unmoving and silent.
Ethan’s scream cracked the air. Jamie gritted her teeth, trying to shield me, but her knees buckled. I wanted to help them all, but my hands trembled, useless.
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The system’s voice screamed, slicing through panic:
UNAUTHORIZED PREDATOR.RECOMMENDED RESPONSE: PASSION FIRE.
I had no time to choose. Rage and terror spun together, hotter than the sun. My hands snapped up and flame erupted—red and wild, raw as my fear. Heat roared up my arms, searing the hairs from my skin, but I forced it forward, shoving everything I had at the beast.
The fire hit the snake’s jaw, burning brighter than daylight. The smell of scorched meat clawed at my throat, smoke stinging my eyes. The snake shrieked, scales blistering, but instead of fleeing, it whipped its tail—metal screeched as the sandbox frame buckled, and I felt the shockwave rattle my bones.
Ethan sobbed, paralyzed. Jamie’s lips moved—maybe a prayer, maybe a curse. Luis just watched, head cocked, eyes shadowed and ancient.
The snake lunged, fangs bared.
RECOMMENDED RESPONSE: GREEN BARRIER.
The system’s command wasn’t a voice now, but a force—pushing, urgent. I slammed my fists together and light exploded out—a dome of emerald, wrapping us tight. The snake struck, venom spattering the shield, cracks spiderwebbing under the impact. The world vibrated, but the barrier held firm. Warmth spread through me, steadying my hands.
Inside the shield, Ethan’s breath slowed, and Jamie’s shoulders dropped, relief flickering in her eyes. Even Luis looked almost… impressed. But his gaze lingered on the snake, as if he was measuring something I couldn’t see.
The snake circled, scales hissing against burned earth, eyes burning with hate. For a heartbeat, it met my stare—then slowly, it slid back into the weeds, vanishing with a promise: not gone, just waiting.
The shield faded, the fire guttered out. I dropped, knees sinking into scorched grass, sweat chilling my skin. The air reeked of smoke and fear.
Luis stepped forward at last, his hand solid on my shoulder. His smile was brief, almost proud, but his eyes were distant—haunted by something wild.
Jamie let out a ragged breath. “Not bad, Tyler,” she said, voice rough but shining.
The system’s static faded, leaving only my heartbeat, pounding with leftover fire and fear.
We’d survived. For now. The world outside was hungry, and it wasn’t finished with us yet.
