Beyond the Veil

Chapter 37

Sera's eyelids fluttered open, and she found herself breathing in fresh morning air. Confusion washed over her as she tried to piece together her surroundings. The last thing she remembered was the rain, the chase... and then the kiss. Saul kissed her.

As she slowly pushed herself up from the ground, her head throbbed, and her vision was hazy. She looked around, taking in the towering trees and the sunlight streaming through the leaves. It looked beautiful from the outside, but it didn't feel the same as the forest that she knew. It felt very different. This wasn't Saul's forest. The magic of the mountain was missing, she didn't feel safe here. She didn't feel welcome.

"Where am I?" she murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

A rustling in the nearby bushes caught her attention, and she instinctively tensed. Her hand reached for a nearby rock, her only makeshift weapon, she needed to be ready for attack.

From the shadows, a figure emerged. It was Tyler. His face etched with concern as he looked at her. Something was very different about him now. Looking at him he had a completely different aura, the ice she felt upon seeing him was far attenuated, and as she studied him she saw that he was missing an arm.

"Sera, you're awake," he said, his voice sounding reassuring, but she felt dread upon seeing him.

Sera's heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of the situation. "Tyler? Where have you been? Where am I? What happened to your arm? Where is Saul?"

Tyler knelt down beside her, offering a reassuring smile. "I'll explain everything, but there's no need to worry right now. We're in the forest, and you're safe."

Sera hesitated for a moment, her grip on the rock relaxing. She nodded and allowed Tyler to help her to her feet.

Sera couldn't shake the feeling that something was extremely amiss. The air was heavy with uncertainty, and she couldn't shake the gnawing suspicion that the world she had known had shifted irrevocably.

Sera walked alongside Tyler, her mind buzzing with questions. Her heart ached for answers about the events that had unfolded, especially regarding Saul. She couldn't bear not knowing where he was.

She looked down at her wrist and studied the insignia that had formed since she had slept. This was Saul's mark, and it hurt like an absolute bitch. She'd have to ask him why it was so painful, and she couldn't help but wonder why he didn't mention it initially. The pain was intense but she could tolerate it.

"Tyler," she finally broke the silence, her voice trembling. "Please, you have to tell me what's going on. What happened? Where's Saul?"

Tyler sighed, his gaze heavy with sorrow. "Weeks ago, I left Darkwater Creek. I didn't want to stay here forever and I needed to find a new stronghold to attach to. I left because I needed to become stronger. I felt the disturbance and knew that there was going to be a battle in this forest, so I returned to help. Saul and I fought against the army together, that is how I lost my arm."

Sera's eyes widened as she processed Tyler's words. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. "And Saul... What happened to him?"

Tyler's voice was laced with regret. "During the battle, he... he gave everything to protect this world. He didn't survive, Sera."

Upon hearing this, time froze in place. The forest around her seemed to blur as tears welled up in her eyes. She crumpled onto the ground, landing roughly on her knees, as she began to sob.

Saul was gone.

The storms, the seal breaking, the army coming, she could have handled it all, but losing Saul was a blow she couldn't bear.