The world outside the Temple of Zagan had changed.
It was subtle at first—the shift in the wind, the uneasy tremor beneath the trees, the way the snow now fell in slow, spiraling sheets instead of natural flurries. The very air held a tension that hadn't existed before Mara touched the Seal.
The two of them descended the mountain in silence, each step weighed with the enormity of what had been set into motion. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a pale orange glow over the sharp peaks. A hollow stillness stretched across the Carpathians, a silence that spoke not of peace but of a storm gathering unseen.
Mara adjusted the staff strapped across her back and glanced at Adrian.
"Do you feel it too?" she asked.
"Yes," he said without turning. "It's begun."
She frowned. "What exactly has begun?"
"The Reckoning," Adrian replied. "The moment the First Seal was activated, it sent a signal through the leylines that connect all Seals—an ancient web of magic buried beneath the earth. The other dormant Seals… they've stirred. And others will be drawn to them."
"Others like the Revenants?"
"And worse," Adrian said, his voice grave. "Creatures locked away since before recorded history. Beings that once ruled under the guise of gods. Some have waited eons for a chance to rise again."
They continued down the slope, navigating icy paths and broken stone bridges barely wide enough for a single foot. Mara's mind raced with questions she couldn't yet shape into words. The power she had felt in the temple still lingered in her blood like warm lightning. It was intoxicating and terrifying in equal measure.
By midday, they reached a narrow gorge that led back into the forest, the same way they'd entered. Adrian paused beside an old stone pillar marked with runes, running his fingers across its weathered surface.
"This was once a marker for the Guardians' path," he said. "Before the Order destroyed the maps."
Mara studied it. "Can they be restored?"
Adrian gave a faint smile. "I already am."
They continued into the woods. The air grew colder, the sky darkening despite the early hour. Thick clouds boiled above the mountains like bruises forming across the heavens.
Suddenly, Mara stopped.
She turned slowly, eyes scanning the trees.
Adrian noticed. "What is it?"
"I… heard something. A voice."
He stepped closer, alert. "What did it say?"
"I don't know. It wasn't in words," Mara whispered. "It was like a memory... that didn't belong to me."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "We need to move. Now."
They picked up their pace, veering off the main trail into a deeper part of the forest. But the further they went, the more distorted the world became. The trees grew twisted and blackened, their trunks scarred with claw-like marks. The snow beneath their boots turned grey, absorbing sound instead of reflecting it.
Mara gripped the staff tighter. "This place feels wrong."
"It's not a place," Adrian said. "It's a pocket."
"A what?"
"A pocket in reality—torn and folded. Something is trying to trap us between here and somewhere older."
A shriek tore through the trees—high-pitched, echoing in unnatural directions. The sound pierced Mara's ears, and she dropped to one knee.
Adrian spun around, his blade drawn. "We're not alone."
Figures emerged from the mist—not Revenants this time, but creatures formed of bone and shadow. Their eyes glowed with sickly green fire, and their movements were jagged, like puppets cut from reality.
"Wendigos," Adrian muttered. "Corrupted spirits of the ancient world. They feed on fear."
Mara staggered to her feet, blood roaring in her ears. "What do they want?"
"You," he said. "And the Seal you carry in your blood."
The first wendigo lunged. Adrian met it with a vicious upward strike, splitting it in two. But three more followed. Mara raised her staff and swung, unleashing a pulse of golden light. One creature shrieked and disintegrated.
"They don't like your power," Adrian called out. "Use it."
Mara nodded, breathing hard. The air around her shimmered again. She closed her eyes and felt for the energy she'd tapped into beneath the temple. It responded instantly—rising through her chest, arms, and fingertips. When she opened her eyes, they glowed faintly with the same light as the Codex.
A second wave of creatures approached. This time, she didn't hesitate.
She moved with purpose, striking with arcs of force, blasting wendigos into dust with every swing. The staff danced in her grip like it belonged there, each movement echoing with knowledge she hadn't yet understood. Her heart thundered—not in fear, but in focus.
When the last of the creatures fell, silence returned.
Adrian stepped beside her, sheathing his blade. "You're learning fast."
"I don't think it's just me," Mara said. "It's the staff. The Seal. The Codex. They're… teaching me."
He nodded. "They were always meant to. The Caelestis weren't warriors, but they could become them when the world demanded it."
"And now?"
"The world is screaming."
They pressed onward, eventually emerging from the twisted forest and finding a frozen river winding through the valley. A small stone cottage sat along its bank—ancient, crumbling, and covered in moss. Smoke rose from the chimney, curling into the darkening sky.
Adrian stopped. "We rest here."
"Someone lives there?"
"Not anymore," he said.
The interior was surprisingly warm. A fire still burned in the hearth, maintained by old enchantments that required no fuel. Dusty tomes lined the shelves, and dried herbs hung from the rafters. Mara removed her coat, sinking into a low wooden chair.
Adrian crouched by the fireplace, poking the embers with a metal rod. "This was once a safehouse for Guardians. Few remain now. The Order burned most of them."
She looked around. "It feels… peaceful."
"That's the magic," he said. "It wards against nightmares, both living and dead."
She pulled out the Codex and set it on the table. "What now?"
"We plan our next move," Adrian said. "There are six Seals left. The closest is beneath the sands of Egypt. Buried under a city that no longer exists."
Mara raised an eyebrow. "How do we get there?"
"First, we survive the night."
As if summoned by his words, the wind outside howled louder. Shadows danced across the walls. Mara turned toward the Codex and froze.
It was glowing.
Soft at first, then brighter. The panels began to shift again, forming new patterns. A symbol pulsed into life on its surface—an eye surrounded by a circle of thorns.
Adrian stood, tense. "That's not one of ours."
"What is it?"
"A warning."
Suddenly, the light shot outward, projecting an image into the air.
A cloaked figure stood in the center of the room—tall, pale, and veiled in silver chains. Its voice was like glass breaking underwater.
"Child of the Seal. Blood of the Witness. Heed my voice."
Mara stood, eyes wide.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"I am the Sentinel of the Broken Gate," the figure said. "I was once a Guardian. Now I am its prisoner."
"Where?" Adrian demanded.
"In the tomb of Al-Mazra, where fire meets sand," the Sentinel said. "The Second Seal has awakened—and it weeps."
The image flickered.
"Beware the Mirror King. He moves beneath your steps."
"Wait!" Mara called. "What do you mean?"
But the vision shattered.
The Codex dimmed once more.
Adrian exhaled slowly. "Well. That answers nothing and everything."
Mara sat down, her hands shaking. "The Mirror King… who is he?"
Adrian's face darkened. "A traitor. Once a vampire elder. He sought to unify the Seals—then break them. He vanished centuries ago. Some believed he died."
"And now?"
"He's hunting the same thing we are."
Mara looked into the fire, the flames casting golden light over her face.
"We have to stop him," she said.
Adrian nodded. "And we will."
He placed a hand on the Codex.
"Tomorrow, we go to Egypt."
And outside, the stars watched in silence.