Chapter Forty-Six

  "Time isn’t just a gift; it’s the foundation upon which all bonds are built." – E.B.

  Nadia & Tuck

  Tuck sat in silence, his resolve firm. He wasn’t about to think of anything beyond the task at hand—protecting Nadia. She’d given him little direction, but before she descended into meditation, the spark in her eyes had said enough. He understood; all he needed to do was follow her lead. And so he waited, dusk settling over the northern divide where Nadia had insisted they go despite James' heated objections.

  Necessary, she'd said. And when Nadia deemed something necessary, Tuck trusted her.

  Now she was deep in a trance, her breathing steady, her presence almost otherworldly amidst the heavy must of the northern mountains… of Vrax, which seemed to seep into their very bones. The air felt oppressive, charged with an unspoken threat, yet Tuck never faltered. His repulse was always active, ready to shield against unseen dangers. But Nadia wasn’t going anywhere soon—he could feel it. Trust was trust, and Tuck wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

  Hours passed without change in Nadia, and Tuck found himself pacing an invisible circle around her. He shifted from foot to foot, alert for every rustle in the brush or flicker of rogue energy on the periphery. It wasn’t vigilance that drove him—the stiffness creeping into his legs, the gnawing boredom that had set in as the minutes bled into hours. He’d expected more by now—movement, a signal, or even the occasional glimpse of the Northern Villagers. According to Rose, the Fire Tribe wasn’t far. A quick trip to the lake or a hike west might have found them easily. Yet there was nothing. Nothing but Tuck, Nadia, and the taint that hung like an invisible mist, slowly embedding itself further into every breath of this forsaken place.

  Another hour crawled by, time pressing in on Tuck, judgmental and relentless, mocking his lack of preparation. He should have brought something—books to pass the time? No. A game? Definitely not. What was he even thinking? Sitting still, doing nothing, waiting—he scolded himself—it was his current purpose. He was protecting Nadia; any tangent from that was-

  The thought was cut short.

  A sudden blast of energy erupted from the Northern mountain, breaking the stillness like a clap of thunder. Tuck staggered, caught entirely off guard as an overwhelming wave of emotion crashed into him. Hunger. Craving. A deep, primal yearning gnawed at his chest, tearing into him with a ferocious intensity. Then came the pain—searing, relentless needles piercing every inch of his skin, twisting deeper with every breath. Tuck gasped, his knees nearly buckling beneath him.

  “What the hell is happening?” he choked out, his voice strained with panic. He whipped around, his gaze locking on Nadia. She hadn’t moved an inch. Stoic, immovable, like a statue carved from stone. Damn it.

  His panic sharpened as something moved—just beyond the treetops. Leaves trembled, branches swayed violently, and dark shapes skittered through the shadows. The faint cries reached him first, distant yet unmistakable: screams of pain and rage, blending in a chilling harmony. The events had stirred things out there, primal and dangerous.

  Tuck’s hand instinctively went to his weapon, feeling for his Warhammer and realizing it was no longer with him as he stepped in front of Nadia, his body forming a shield between her and the looming chaos. His energy swirled within him, erratic but steady, quickly reforming into that with which he could trust. He looked at his fists; they were all he had, but he wasn’t leaving her, no matter what came out of that forest.

  The wind shifted, carrying the distinct metallic tang of blood and the earthy decay of taint. It was bad—Tuck knew that much. But how bad, he couldn’t yet tell. His mind raced, every instinct urging him to run, to get Nadia out of here. But Nadia wouldn’t be moved. Whatever she was working through now was bigger than the creatures circling them. It was bigger than him.

  From the depths of the forest wall, eyes began to emerge, glinting faintly in the dim light. At first, they were scattered—small, watchful—but with each passing second, more appeared, growing larger, closer, and more menacing. Tuck's heart sank as recognition struck. These weren’t just any creatures. These were eyes he’d seen before on the first chaotic day here. Eyes that had targeted Kael. Creatures of the forest.

  Vul’Raxx.

  And now, there were plenty of them.

  Tuck’s hand sparked with erratic energy as his thoughts drifted to his father. He could still see him so clearly—fighting vine creatures in the streets of Reno, his movements fluid and precise without any weapon in sight. It had been more than a battle; it had been art. Every strike and every dodge formed a seamless dance through the chaos. But Tuck wasn’t his father. Not even close. He swallowed hard, clenching his fists as the Vul’Raxx closed in. Seven of them now encircled the pair, their black coats melding into the shadows of the night. Two loomed larger than the rest—Nightshades, massive and grotesque, their corrupted energy radiating a suffocating presence.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  A panther-like Vul’Raxx burst forward, slicing through the dark with razor precision. Tuck barely had time to react. Lighter now, without his weapon, he met the attack head-on, slamming his fist into its chest. The force reverberated through the night as ribs cracked beneath his strike. The creature yelped, retreating with a limping gait to the safety of its pack. Tuck snarled, slamming his fists together as a crackle of energy flared around him—a warning to the Alphas lurking on the circle’s edge.

  It didn’t work.

  Two lunged in unison, claws glinting with blackened energy. The first, a towering Nightshade Alpha, struck with terrifying speed. Tuck twisted, barely dodging as the claws grazed his back, leaving jagged, glowing trails of corrupted energy in their wake. Pain surged through him, sharp and invasive, the energy clawing its way into his body like venom. Gritting his teeth against the burning, Tuck lashed out, seizing the Alpha’s matted fur and yanking it downward with all his strength. A guttural roar erupted from his chest as he hurled the beast to the ground, the force shaking loose the earth.

  The second Alpha was faster. It lunged, its fanged maw snapping inches from Tuck’s face. He planted his foot firmly, energy roaring to life within him. Electron Surge flowed into his legs, amplifying his power into a raw, electric force. With a vicious kick, he sent the creature skidding back into the pack, arcs of lightning dancing across its dark form.

  < Health is at 93% and dropping >

  The notification seared into his mind as the corrupted energy spread, invasive and destructive, eating away at him from within. Tuck staggered but forced himself to focus, locking his gaze on Nadia. She remained stoic and unmoving, utterly indifferent to the chaos around her.

  The Vul’Raxx regrouped, their frenzy amplifying as the corrupted energy in the air thickened, twisting the night into something savage. Eyes gleamed in the treetops, and dark shapes shifted beyond the circle, their low growls blending with the oppressive weight of impending violence.

  Tuck crouched low, energy crackling across his limbs as he summoned every ounce of power within him. His body blurred with speed as he leaped high into the air, soaring over the pack of Vul’Raxx. The sky churned in response, clouds twisting as lightning streaked across the heavens with a deafening crack. Bolts slammed into the ground, splitting the earth and scattering the creatures in a frenzied retreat. For a brief moment, the chaos subsided, and Tuck thought he had gained the upper hand.

  But it didn’t last.

  Through the chaos, a shift emerged—a calculated movement amidst the panicked pack. The Alphas had not scattered. They waited, watching the battlefield with predatory precision. Tuck barely registered the sudden stillness before it struck him—one of them surged past, its lithe form darting through the carnage with terrifying speed. Its target wasn’t him.

  It was Nadia.

  The beast closed the gap, its claws gleaming with corrupted energy as it became a blur of lethal intent. Tuck gritted his teeth, driving himself harder. Surge and Repulse merged into a blazing force that wrapped his entire form, propelling him forward like a bolt of living lightning. He intercepted the Alpha mid-strike, slamming into it with thunderous power. The impact echoed through the forest, and electricity erupted from Tuck's fists, throwing the creature backward in a violent arc.

  < Level up! Tuck is now a level 12 Accelerator >

  Breathing heavily, Tuck staggered, the corrupted energy gnawing at him as three Vul’Raxx continued to circle.

  < Health is now at 46% and dropping >

  Before he could recover, the pack attacked as one. But they weren’t after Tuck. They moved toward Nadia, their predatory instincts locking onto her as the vulnerable point. They had realized Tuck’s weakness lay in what he protected. Fear twisted in his chest as he launched forward, his body colliding with two creatures in mid-air. He struck them down with sheer force, but it wasn’t enough. His momentum faltered as he turned, too late to intercept the final Alpha.

  The creature lunged, its fangs descending toward Nadia’s neck. Tuck’s breath caught, panic blinding him as he forced himself into another surge, desperate to stop the attack. But as the fangs closed in, they met something unexpected—a gleaming midnight armor forming over Nadia’s body in an instant. The dark metal enclosed her from her feet to just below her jawline, the helm curving protectively over the back of her skull.

  Nadia’s eyes snapped open, their focus razor-sharp as she emerged from her trance. Before the Alpha could react, a pulse erupted from her body—a shockwave of energy that struck the Vul’Raxx and Tuck alike. Mid-air, Tuck felt the energy coursing through him, but it didn’t harm him. Instead, the sensation shifted. The taint no longer invaded—it merged, strengthening his muscles, his very being.

  THAT’S WHAT I CALL A HARD RESET! 189 Points!

  < Double Level up! Nadia is now a level 13 Cellulator >

  < Skill Identified – Nadia – Cleansing Radiance >

  The Vul’Raxx stumbled under the pulse, their minds seemingly clearing. Awareness flickered behind their glowing eyes as the remaining Alpha glanced around, realization dawning. With a shrill howl, it commanded the pack to retreat. The Vul’Raxx darted back into the forest, their silhouettes vanishing into the shadows.

  Tuck dropped to the ground, panting. His gaze darted to Nadia, her metallic armor shimmering faintly under the moonlight.

  “What was that? And... what is this?” Tuck gestured toward her metal form, his voice breathless and sharp.

  Nadia smiled faintly. “A gift. Something that gives us a better chance.”

  Tuck frowned, his frustration building. “What does that mean? A gift from who?”

  “There’s no time.” Nadia’s tone turned serious, her gaze shifting to the distant mountains. “We need to get back to the village. The mountain wakes.”