In the dense silence of the night, Seth moved through the narrow streets of the city, keeping his senses sharp as a blade. Victor and Lucas were safe in the makeshift shelter, and now he needed to find a place to prepare for what was coming.
He didn't need a palace.He needed something close.To the Council.To the boys.And most importantly, a place where he wouldn't be easily found.
Apex Eye, still subtly vibrating from its last activation, caught sight of an old, abandoned building. Its facade was worn by time, but the structure remained solid.Without hesitation, he slipped through a half-open door and climbed rusty stairs up to the third floor.
The apartment was almost intact.
Old furniture, covered with thick sheets, cast diffuse shadows under the pale moonlight.On the floor, dusty carpets still held the faint outlines of footsteps from long ago.Cracked mirrors reflected distorted images, and a heavy wooden table leaned crookedly in one corner. The air smelled of old things, of forgotten times.
Perfect.Hidden, but functional.
Seth took a deep breath and closed the door behind him.He gave the room a quick scan, then pulled out an old notebook he carried in his pocket. On it, written in shaky letters, were a few survival rules, painfully learned over the past bitter weeks:
Never stay in one place too long.
Always have an exit plan.
Trust only what you can see and touch.
Tonight, rule number one could be broken.He needed a few hours. Just a few.
With careful movements, Seth pulled out some pieces of metal and rope from his backpack—quickly improvising rudimentary traps at the door and window.A warning system, in case someone tried to get in.
He sat down on the edge of an old couch and ran his hands over his face, feeling the deep exhaustion of the past days.But he knew he couldn't let his guard down.
Not now.Not when so much had changed.
With a slow exhale, Seth activated his ability once more.Apex Eye—the gaze that could see beyond masks and lies, even though each activation tore at his mind.
The ethereal screen appeared before him, like a window between two worlds.Information about Victor, about Lucas... and now... about the world around him.
For a moment, Seth hesitated.He could feel the cracks in reality vibrating under his closed eyelids.
But he had no choice.
If he wanted to protect those who remained, he needed to know more.
He needed to understand who the enemies hunting them really were.When his eye opened to the invisible realms, Seth felt the real world begin to fracture.Thin cracks formed in the air around him, like fissures in a giant mirror.Time slowed. Colors faded, and the shadows in the room seemed to stretch, reaching for him.
A sharp pain shot through his temple.
—"No... not now..." Seth muttered, clutching his head, but it was too late.
Reality was betraying him.
From the scratched walls of the apartment, strange silhouettes burst forth.Long shadows with hollow eyes and dark faces lunged at him.
His reflexes saved his life: Seth jumped sideways, rolling across the floor to avoid a ghostly claw that almost grazed him.He got up in an instant, fists clenched, breathing hard.
He knew it was just a vision.But the pain felt real.
Their strikes were like invisible whips against his skin.Each touch burned, each whisper in his ear made him stagger.
He had to fight.He had to stay lucid.
In his mind, a voice began to scream—a voice that wasn't his own:—"Give up. You're not ready. Let them die."
No!
With a strength born of desperation, Seth tensed his whole body and brought his hands up, visualizing invisible barriers around him.A circle of pale light formed on the floor, keeping the shadows at bay for a few precious seconds.
But it was fragile.Too fragile.
Another silhouette appeared—larger, darker than the others: a twisted version of himself—a Seth with hollow eyes, torn skin, and bared fangs.
—"You haven't protected anyone," the creature hissed. "You're going to lose them all."
Fear and fury mixed in his blood like poison.Seth gritted his teeth, stepping forward.
—"Maybe... but I'm not falling here."
He hurled himself at the vision, striking with all his strength.His fist passed through the nightmare figure, shattering it into shards of darkness that dissipated into the air.
Silence fell over the room.He was breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead, and his eyes burned from the strain.
The ethereal screen was gone.Apex Eye had deactivated.
But he had paid a price.
His knees buckled, and for a moment, Seth leaned against the cracked wall, trying to gather his strength.
He was still here.He was still breathing.He could still fight.
And now he knew one more thing: every use of this power could cost him more than he had ever imagined.