SKATH: The Awakening Of Power

chapter 7

The silence between the trees was unsettling, broken only by the rustling of leaves beneath Skath and Lyra's feet. Their pace was brisk, but the cold, damp air of the forest felt heavy with tension, as if something was watching them from the shadows.

Lyra threw quick glances at Skath, trying to gauge his thoughts. His determination was evident, but there was something dark in his eyes, as if the battle with Malakar was far more personal than he wanted to admit.

“Malakar…” Lyra murmured, breaking the silence. “What exactly is he? I’ve never heard of anything like that.”

Skath didn’t answer right away, his face shadowed as he looked ahead. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and tense. “Malakar is not just a creature. He’s an entity, a demon born from darkness, fear, and pain. But he wasn’t always like this. Once… once he was part of me... Jonah told me.”

Lyra stared at him in surprise. “Part of you?”

Skath nodded slowly. “I don’t remember everything, but I know we’re connected. Malakar is the shadow of my existence. I don’t know why he became so evil, but ever since I first sensed him, he’s tried to destroy everything I care about. Including Jonah.”

Lyra remained silent, trying to grasp the weight of those words. If Malakar was tied to Skath, fighting him wouldn’t just be a matter of physical strength but also inner strength.

“That’s why you have to stop him, no matter what,” Lyra finally said. “Not just for Jonah, but for yourself.”

Skath nodded, clenching his fists. “Yes. But it won’t be easy. Malakar is cunning. He’ll find a way to exploit every weakness.”

Suddenly, a rustling in the bushes caught their attention. Lyra stopped abruptly, placing a hand on Skath’s shoulder. “Wait. Did you hear that?”

Skath tensed, his eyes scanning the darkness between the trees. The rustling grew louder, as if something heavy was moving swiftly through the underbrush.

“We’re being followed,” Lyra whispered, pulling out her small hunting knife. “What do we do?”

Before they could decide, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows. Jonah.

Lyra stepped back, surprised. “Jonah!” she exclaimed, moving toward him. “You’re alive!”

Jonah looked shaken, his clothes torn and his face pale. But there was something off in his gaze, a coldness Lyra had never seen before. Skath watched him carefully, sensing immediately that something was wrong.

“Stop, Lyra,” he said in a low voice, blocking her with his arm. “It’s not him.”

Jonah raised his gaze, a chilling smile twisting his face. “You’ve always had good instincts, Skath. Too bad they won’t help you now.”

The voice that came from his lips wasn’t Jonah’s. It was deeper, full of malice. Skath instantly recognized the tone. It was Malakar.

Lyra recoiled, shocked. “What have you done to him?”

Malakar, in Jonah’s body, chuckled softly. “Nothing he didn’t already have inside him. Jonah is weak, always has been. He just needed someone to show him real strength, to guide him.”

“You’re manipulating him!” Lyra shouted, tightening her grip on the knife. “Let him go!”

But Malakar shrugged, amused. “Oh, but Jonah doesn’t want to be let go. He wants power, and I’ll give it to him. In return, he’s offered me you.” His gaze shifted to Skath. “And you, old friend. You’ve always been my favorite prey.”