Every movement Elira made was full of life. The light in her eyes was enough to make even the harsh battle of the morning fade away. How can she be this strong? Kaela wondered. How can she remain so at ease beside someone like me?

Trying to escape these thoughts, Kaela stood up and began walking deeper into the forest. Her feet carried her wherever they wished. Before long, the trees around her grew denser and the shadows deeper. The silence only intensified the storm within her.

Suddenly, she heard the snap of a branch behind her. She turned on instinct, raising her guard. Her breathing quickened, her heart pounding wildly. But there was no monster before her—only Elira, smiling as she looked at her.

“Kaela, where are you going?” Elira asked softly.

“I didn’t want to stay there,” Kaela murmured, avoiding eye contact. “I just… wanted some quiet.”

Elira stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Kaela, I understand you. The silence inside you, and the noise… hearing both at once must be exhausting.”

Kaela’s eyes filled with tears. She wanted to speak, but the words caught in her throat. A sudden surge of anger and helplessness made her clench her fist.

“Elira,” Kaela said, her voice trembling, “there’s… a monster inside me. Every morning, I fight to silence it. But sometimes, silencing it is far harder than fighting the monsters outside.”

Elira took a deep breath, absorbing Kaela’s words. The warmth and understanding in her eyes seemed to reach for Kaela’s frozen heart, trying to thaw it.

“Kaela, there’s a monster inside all of us,” Elira said gently. “But controlling it is part of our battle too. You don’t have to silence it. Maybe… you need to make peace with it.”

Kaela fell silent for a moment. Elira’s words echoed in her mind. Make peace with the monster inside me? The thought felt both terrifying and utterly impossible.

By nightfall, everyone had long since retreated to rest. The stars shimmered in the sky like faint memories. Kaela sat alone by the campfire. Elira, exhausted, had already fallen asleep. Kaela’s eyes were fixed on the flickering flames. The emptiness inside her could not be filled, not even by the fire’s warmth.

Then, from the depths of the shadows, a low growl was heard. Every one of Kaela’s senses went on alert. She rose slowly to her feet, her eyes scanning the darkness. Between the trees, she saw two pairs of glowing red eyes.

Monsters.