It was a quiet evening at Zarin's home. Too quiet.
Helious's ears twitched. The wind had no sound. The insects were silent. The moonlight was cut — as if reality had torn open.
Then came the shriek — a sound that wasn't from any world.
From the sky descended a humanoid figure, skin covered in glowing runes, mouth sewn shut, eyes blind yet burning — a Gatebound, a creature that lived between realms, kept locked away since the first war of the gods.
Helious leapt forward instantly, placing himself between it and Zarin.
"What… is that?!" she gasped.
The Gatebound raised its hand — and space twisted. Trees bent, glass cracked, her vision blurred.
Helious fought hard — faster than lightning, teleporting, slashing. But the Gatebound was not alive. It couldn't be bitten, couldn't bleed.
"This thing… it's made of the void," Helious growled.
Then Zarin did something unexpected.
She ran toward the Gatebound. Her rune glowing brighter.
"If I'm the key… then maybe I can close this gate!"
She pressed her glowing palm to its chest.
A massive shockwave erupted.
The Gatebound shrieked and turned to dust — swallowed back into the rift it came from.
Zarin collapsed.
Helious rushed to her side.
She was alive — but barely.
And the mark on her hand was no longer faint.
It was burning.