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Prologue

Heart pounding, Elora took a fearful glance behind her. Autumn leaves crunched beneath her feet as she stumbled through the darkness of the forest. The cold, night air burned her cheeks and numbed her fingers.

Searching for her lost friend, she stared past the trees and into the blackness desperately. She wanted so badly to call out her name, but the fear of being heard stopped her. The two girls were not alone in the forest, and they both knew that very well. About an hour earlier, Elora and her friend fled in opposite directions when it lunged from the foliage and bolted after them. Since it wasn't chasing her at the moment, Elora was sure it had taken off after her friend.

Elora had no idea who or what "it" was, and she only caught a glimpse of it as she ran away when it appeared. It was tall and stood upright like a man, but its eyes gleamed yellow through the darkness like a wolf's. When it stood before them, the dark metallic armor that coated its body glinted in the moonlight. The two girls barely were barely leap to the side before its dagger-like claws could tear through their throats.

Though Elora had managed to struggle to her feet and run away from the beast, she had no idea what had become of her friend. However, she had a pretty good guess when she heard a familiar voice from not too far ahead scream her name.

"Elora!"

Elora couldn't take it anymore.

"Lisa! Where are you?!" shrieked Elora.

There was no response. Only silence. Tears rushing down her cheeks, Elora shoved past the bushes and branches and ran toward the source of the sound. Though she knew she should be running away, she couldn't stop herself from moving forward.

When Elora burst through the bushes and into a clearing, she sighed in relief when she saw a familiar, figure standing in its center. There, in the middle of the clearing, her friend Lisa stood with her back to her. Lisa was somewhat easy to recognize, due to her extremely long black hair and hot pink sweatshirt.

"Lisa!" gasped Elora, rushing to her friend. "Oh my gosh! I was so worried! What happened to you?"

When Lisa turned to face her, Elora skidded to a halt and felt her blood freeze. Instead of a warm, hazel color, Lisa's eyes glowed the same yellow color as the creature's. Lisa's only response to Elora's excitement was a hard, emotionless stare.

"...Lisa?" Elora breathed, her eyes growing wide.

"Human located." Lisa said in a monotone voice that never belonged to her.

Before Elora could respond, another figure leaped from the foliage and stood beside Lisa. Elora's heart stopped. It was the thing that had been chasing them earlier. Now that the creature was close, she could finally see its details. It was nearly identical to an average, middle-aged man, except for the eyes and black armor. Elora backed away slowly as two sets of golden eyes burned into hers intensely. Terrified, Elora spun around on her heels and bolted away from them.

"Kill her." the man ordered, his voice just as monotone as Lisa's.

As Elora glanced behind her, she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her best friend lunging for her throat.