I didn't bother speaking up as the others argued over which path to take. The weight of the decision pressed heavily on their shoulders, but I knew that no amount of debate would make the choice any easier. A wrong turn could mean disaster, but at this point, even standing still felt like a risk.
My thoughts drifted elsewhere. I wondered about my big sister Jia, my younger brother Devon, and our grandparents. Were they safe? Were they even alive? A dull ache settled in my chest as I imagined them huddled somewhere, frightened and alone, waiting for me to return to the group.
The truth was, I didn't want to be here. I didn't trust the three men leading us, and I didn't trust this plan.
They could be leading us straight into a trap, for all we know. My instincts screamed at me to leave, to break away from the group and find my family.
But Tianyi's resolute gaze and Baihe's quiet warning echoed in my mind. The group needed me. Abandoning them now would feel like a betrayal.
Something churned within me, tightening my chest and making it hard to focus on the hushed conversation around me.
My thoughts lingered. If this path led to destruction, if this group fell apart, what would be left for me?
"We can't stand here all day," Yike said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Every second we waste, they could be getting closer."
The scarred man—our supposed guide—bristled at his tone but didn't respond. It was Tianyi who finally stepped forward, her calm presence commanding attention.
"We'll take the left path," she said decisively, her voice steady. "It's narrower, but that also means it's easier to defend if we're attacked."
"Or easier to trap us," Yike muttered under his breath, but he didn't argue further.
I nodded quietly, agreeing with Baihe's suggestion of the left path. Any semblance of unity felt fragile at best. Baihe's logic made sense to me—it was narrow, easier to defend. But before Tianyi could signal the group to move, the scarred leader of the three men raised a hand.
"No," he said firmly, his voice cutting through the silence. His expression twisted as if a memory had just resurfaced. "I remember now. The left path leads to a dead end, overrun with debris. We have to take the right path."
Baihe's face fell, her confidence shaken. "The right path?" she repeated, her voice trembling slightly. "But it's open… exposed…"
"Which is why I didn't recall it at first," the man admitted, his tone gruff. "But it's the only way forward."
The words hung heavy in the air, each of us grasping the implications. An open road meant we'd be vulnerable to an ambush.
Attackers could strike from any direction, and we'd have little cover to protect ourselves. The weight of the decision pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket.
"Great," Yike muttered, his voice laced with sarcasm. "An open road. Just what we need. Why don't we paint targets on our backs while we're at it?"
Tianyi ignored his outburst, her sharp gaze fixed on the scarred man. "Are you certain?" she asked, her voice measured but firm.
The man hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "I'm certain."
I glanced at Baihe, whose expression was a mixture of worry and frustration.
My heart pounded in my chest as I mulled over the options. Every being inside of me screamed to turn back. But I didn't move.
Instead, I drew in a deep breath and followed as Tianyi signaled the group to move down the right path.
As we stepped onto the open road. The air felt heavier, as if the landscape itself was holding its breath.
The scarred man led the way, his hand gripping a rusted piece of metal fashioned into a weapon. It made me wonder, what power do they have?
I felt my pulse quicken as I scanned our surroundings, my senses on high alert. Again, it felt that the type of silence was unnatural. I couldn't stop myself from glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting to see movement in the shadows.
And then I saw it—a flicker of motion, so quick it might have been my imagination. But the way my stomach twisted told me it wasn't.
I focused on the spot where the movement had been.
"Taryn, keep up," Baihe whispered, her voice laced with concern.
I tore my gaze away and quickened my pace, falling back into formation.
The memory of my grandparents' words played in my mind, their voices filled with a mix of awe and warning. Aether, they had called it—a rare and powerful force that lay dormant within me.
If their stories were true, it was both a blessing and a curse. It gave me strength beyond imagining, but it also marked me as a target.
If anyone discovered the truth, I would be hunted. Chased. Or worse.
I swallowed hard, pushing the thoughts aside. For now, no one knew. As far as the group was concerned, I was just another survivor, struggling to stay alive. And that's how it had to stay. If I used my powers, even in desperation, it would only bring more danger upon us.
"Hey," Baihe's voice came softly, tinged with concern. A gentle hand wrapped around my arm, pulling me closer to her side.
"Taryn, snap out of it," she whispered, her tone firm.
I blinked, startled by the sudden touch.
I realized I had been lagging, lost in my thoughts, and now the group had shifted to accommodate my lapse in awareness. Baihe's grip on my arm was steady, her presence grounding me in the moment.
"You can't drift off like that," she murmured, her eyes scanning the trees as she guided me forward. "It's dangerous here. We need you."
Baihe's concern forced me to focus on the present. The group couldn't afford distractions—least of all from me.
"You okay?" Baihe asked, her voice low enough that only I could hear.
"Yeah," I replied, though my voice didn't carry the conviction I wanted it to. "Just... thinking."
"Thinking's good," she said with a faint smile.
"But right now, we need your eyes open and your head in the game. Spacing out in the middle of an open road isn't exactly survival 101."