The war for Evernight could no longer wait.
Caius stood in the underground war room, staring at the maps stretched across the table. Two weeks had been the original plan—to gather their forces, cut off supply lines, and weaken the Hollow Legion before striking the inner city.
But now, with the Veil watching and his power slipping, two weeks was too long.
By then, he might not have his abilities at all.
By then, it might already be too late.
"We move in three days," Elias said, his tone firm. "That's all the time we have to prepare."
Around the table, Selene, Garran, and the other rebel leaders nodded grimly.
Three days.
Three days before they marched toward war.
Caius clenched his fists. If his power was weakening, then he had three days to figure out why—or to find another way to win.
And he didn't have a single second to waste.
The underground hideout had an old storage hall that had been converted into a training ground. Caius found himself there now, standing in the dim torchlight as he faced Selene.
She twirled a dagger between her fingers, smirking. "Alright, Timeboy. If your magic is going to fail on us mid-battle, I wanna know if you can actually fight without it."
Caius rolled his eyes. "I can fight."
Selene tossed the dagger into the air and caught it. "Prove it."
She lunged.
Caius barely had time to dodge as the blade whistled past his ribs. Selene was fast. Faster than he remembered. No, not faster—he was slower.
He ducked as another slash came for his throat, rolling to the side. His mind screamed at him to freeze time, to create distance—
But when he reached for it, nothing answered.
Damn it.
Selene didn't give him a chance to breathe. She spun, kicking him in the stomach and sending him staggering backward.
He had to focus. He had to find a rhythm. If he couldn't rely on his powers, then he needed to fight like any other soldier.
Gritting his teeth, he shifted his stance. This time, when Selene attacked, he didn't try to dodge. He moved forward, blocking her strike with his forearm and throwing a punch straight at her face.
She twisted away just in time, but her grin widened. "There you go."
Caius didn't let her recover. He pressed forward, forcing her onto the defensive, ducking and weaving through her strikes until—
He caught her wrist.
In one fluid motion, he twisted her arm, yanked the dagger from her grip, and slammed her against the stone wall.
They stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. The dagger was in his hands now, held just inches from her throat.
Selene blinked, then laughed. "Not bad."
Caius exhaled, stepping back. His muscles ached. He hadn't realized how much he'd relied on his powers before. He needed to get better—not just as a Timeborn, but as a fighter.
Selene stretched. "Well, I was gonna say you'd be dead in five seconds, but you made it ten."
He gave her a dry look. "Thanks."
She smirked, then her expression softened. "Hey… you okay?"
Caius hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah."
It was a lie. But it was one he had to tell.
Because if he admitted—out loud—that his time was running out, he wasn't sure he could keep moving forward.
That night, Elias gathered the leaders again. The rebels had scouts posted across the city, watching every movement from the Hollow Legion.
And something had changed.
"Their patrols have doubled," Elias said. "They're fortifying the gates." He tapped a section of the map. "This wasn't supposed to happen for another week."
Caius frowned. "They know we're coming."
Selene scoffed. "Let them know. It won't change what's coming."
Elias didn't look convinced. "It might. If they're moving faster, it means they're planning something we don't see."
Garran crossed his arms. "Then we find out what."
Caius agreed. "A small group can infiltrate the inner city. We get information, confirm their movements, and get out before they notice."
Elias sighed. "It's risky."
Selene grinned. "Good. I like risky."
In the end, it was decided. Caius, Selene, and two others would sneak into the city before dawn.
If the Hollow King was moving faster, they needed to know why.
Before it was too late.
Before dawn, Caius and his team slipped into the streets, moving under the cover of darkness.
Evernight's outer districts were mostly abandoned. The deeper they went, the more patrols they saw—Hollow Legion soldiers in black armor, their faces hidden beneath emotionless silver masks.
Caius hated those masks. They didn't just hide the soldiers' identities. They made them look inhuman.
Selene took the lead, weaving through the alleyways, avoiding the patrols with practiced ease. She had always been good at this. Caius, on the other hand, had to focus—without his powers, he felt exposed in a way he never had before.
They reached the inner city wall, where the old nobles' district had once stood. Now, it belonged to the Hollow King.
Caius signaled for them to stop. "We find the command post," he whispered. "That's where we'll get our answers."
Selene nodded. "Then let's move."
They climbed the rooftops, moving like shadows. The city stretched out before them—towers of dark stone, banners of the Hollow Legion swaying in the cold wind.
And then, they saw it.
In the palace courtyard, a figure stood alone.
Not a soldier.
Not a general.
The Hollow King himself.
Caius's breath caught in his throat.
Even from a distance, the power radiating from him was suffocating. He stood there, hands clasped behind his back, his cloak billowing slightly.
He turned his head.
And looked directly at Caius.
A chill ran down his spine. That wasn't possible. They were hidden. They were too far. There was no way—
And yet…
The Hollow King smiled.
Not a cruel grin. Not an arrogant smirk.
Just a simple, knowing smile.
Then—the shadows moved.
The Veil itself rippled around him, distorting the air. For a split second, Caius swore he saw something else standing behind the Hollow King—a shape, a presence, something ancient and watching.
Then, the Hollow King raised his hand.
The air collapsed.
Caius barely had time to shout before the world folded inward.
He hit the ground hard.
For a moment, everything spun. The rooftops were gone. The sky was wrong—twisting, shifting. His breath came in ragged gasps.
Selene was beside him, eyes wide. "What the hell just happened?"
Caius pushed himself up, his pulse racing. They were still in the city—but something was off. The streets were empty. The buildings looked distorted, like they weren't quite real.
A voice echoed from behind them.
"You walked too far, Timeborn."
Caius turned sharply.
The hooded figure from his vision stood there, their form flickering like a mirage.
The Veil hadn't just touched him.
It had dragged him somewhere else.
Selene unsheathed her daggers. "Caius… what did you do?"
He didn't know.
But as the shadows around them began to shift, as whispers filled the air, one thing was certain—
They weren't in Evernight anymore.
And they weren't alone.