CHAPTER 358: CHAPTER 358 SHADOWS

Something suddenly shifted in the air. It wasn’t loud or violent at first, but sharp enough that Vanessa’s instincts caught it. Her body stiffened, her breath hitched, and she felt her necklace jerk slightly against her chest.

She looked down—and froze.

Her chain was floating.

The delicate silver links trembled, pulling upward as if invisible hands were trying to rip it away from her. Her eyes widened as she gripped it with one hand, holding it down against her collarbone. The pressure grew worse. The chain rattled, clinking softly, as though it wanted to snap loose and hurl itself toward the machine.

"L-Liam..." she whispered, panic slipping into her voice.

Liam’s arm tightened protectively around her waist. His eyes locked on the machine. "Hang on."

She had no idea what was happening, no understanding of what force was tugging at her, but the moment his voice cut through the chaos, the pull grew ten times stronger.

Her feet scraped against the floor as she clung to him, her nails digging into his shirt.

Meanwhile, the others weren’t spared.

Dickson, Kelly, Seo Yeon, and Ann—all standing too close to the humming machine—suddenly staggered as their bodies were dragged forward by the unseen force. Their hair whipped back, their clothes pressed against their frames, and their feet left the ground.

"What the hell—?!" Dickson shouted, kicking against nothing as he was lifted into the air.

Kelly’s scream echoed, her arms flailing as her body tilted dangerously toward the glowing iris of the machine. Seo Yeon’s hands clawed at empty space, her face twisted in shock. Even Ann, who held on to something couldn’t fight it—her body was ripped from the ground, helplessly pulled toward the core.

The humming rose into a deafening whine. The center of the machine swirled violently, the black-silver ripples expanding outward like a storm.

Then, before anyone could process what was about to happen, it detonated.

The explosion wasn’t fire. No flame. No heat.

It was raw energy.

A shockwave of pure force burst from the machine’s center, blasting outward in every direction. The sound was deafening, like the air itself had been ripped apart.

"Ahhh!"

The four of them were thrown like ragdolls, their bodies hurled away from the machine. Dickson crashed into the far wall with a heavy thud, crumpling to the floor. Kelly was launched into a row of rusted cabinets, the metal screeching as it dented under the impact. Seo Yeon slammed onto the ground near a broken table, the wood shattering beneath her weight. Ann flew the farthest, her back hitting a steel shelf before she dropped hard to the bloodstained floor.

The lab shook violently, then stilled.

And just like that... silence.

The machine powered down instantly, its glow vanishing, its hum gone. The coils slowed, then froze in place. It looked exactly as it had when they first uncovered it—dormant, harmless, like nothing had ever happened.

Vanessa gasped, finally pulling in a real breath. Her entire body trembled. She was still pressed against Liam, her arms wrapped so tightly around him that her knuckles had gone white.

For some reason, her powers hadn’t worked at all during the blast. The teleportation ability she had relied on countless times had simply vanished when she tried to use it. That had terrified her more than anything—the sudden helplessness.

Liam’s voice came low and steady near her ear. "We might want to check on the others."

She blinked, realization dawning on her. "R-right." She coughed awkwardly and forced herself to let go, stepping back. Her face burned hot as she tried to act casual, pretending she hadn’t just been clinging to him like her life depended on it.

Quickly, she moved toward Kelly, who was the closest, still groaning against the dented cabinet. Vanessa crouched beside her, checking her arm for any serious injury.

But even as she focused on Kelly, her mind betrayed her. The way Liam had held her was seared into her memory—the strength in his arm, the warmth of his chest, the calm tone in his voice when everything else was chaos. It left her both flustered and restless.

She glanced back, just to sneak one more look at him.

But he wasn’t where she left him.

Her eyes darted around, and she spotted him across the room already kneeling beside Ann. He had moved fast.

"Ann," Liam’s voice was steady but tinged with concern as he slid an arm behind her back and helped her sit upright. "Are you hurt?"

Ann winced, brushing off bits of broken glass clinging to her hair. "I’m... I’m fine," she whispered, her voice shaky.

Liam reached up, brushing strands of her dark hair away from her face with careful fingers. He tucked them neatly behind her ear, his touch lingering just enough to steady her. "You sure?"

She nodded. "No broken bones. Just bruised."

But Liam’s eyes didn’t leave her. Something about the way he studied her made her uneasy.

"Do you feel different?" he asked suddenly.

Ann blinked, frowning. "Different? What do you mean?"

His gaze hardened slightly. "I mean inside. Do you feel like... something’s changed?"

Ann stared at him, confused. "I... don’t know."

Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the lab. Everyone’s heads snapped toward Dickson.

"Holy shit!" Dickson blurted, eyes wide as blue sparks snapped and crawled across his palm. Tiny arcs of lightning flickered, popping and sizzling like they had a mind of their own. He froze for a second, then burst out laughing. "No way. No way!" He raised his hand higher, staring at it like it was a gift from the gods. "Lightning! I got lightning?!" His laughter turned into a wild shout. "Hahahaha! I thought with my stupid luck I’d end up with something lame—like water or wind or some weak-ass fire flicker. But this?" He looked at the sparks bouncing between his fingers, his grin splitting his face. "Lightning! I am blessed by the heavens!"

He threw his head back, still laughing, sparks crackling louder with his excitement.

Liam couldn’t help but smile. Dickson’s energy was contagious, but for Liam, it was more than that. Relief spread through him. The device worked. This insane gamble didn’t blow up in their faces for nothing. He turned back toward Ann, his hand still lightly holding her arm. "Try it," he said softly. "Do what Dickson just did."

Ann blinked, caught off guard. "What? I don’t even know how he did that."

"Just... try," Liam insisted.

Ann shifted awkwardly under everyone’s gaze. Suddenly, all their eyes were on her. She furrowed her brows, fidgeting, then lifted a hand to her cheek. "What? Is there something on my face?"

Liam gently caught her wrist and lowered it. "Not on your face," he said. His tone was calm but firm. "Look down."

Confused, Ann slowly dropped her gaze. Her breath caught in her throat. Around her feet, dark stains bled out across the cracked tiles. But they weren’t stains. They moved. The shadows on the floor stretched, twisting, curling up toward her like living smoke. They climbed her legs, slithering higher, wrapping around her body like hungry serpents.

Her eyes went wide. At first, pure fear hit her chest. She stumbled back a step. "What—what is this?!" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Ann," Liam said quickly, his voice steady. "Relax. Don’t fight it. They’re yours."

The creeping darkness slowed, almost as if it had heard him. Ann froze, then tentatively lifted her hand. To her shock, the shadows followed, swaying in time with her fingers. A chill shot through her, but it wasn’t unpleasant. It was... empowering. Like the darkness was part of her, an extension she hadn’t known she had all along.

The others stared at her in stunned silence. No one spoke for a long moment.

Then Kelly broke it. She crossed her arms, shaking her head with a wry smile. "Damn. You just accidentally pulled the jackpot. Shadows? That’s not just strong—it’s dangerous."

Ann looked at her with wide eyes, still uncertain. Dangerous. The word echoed in her mind.

But the reason the others were staring wasn’t only because shadows looked intimidating—it was because they all remembered. The old man. The one who nearly killed Lilith. He had wielded shadows too. To see Ann standing there, wrapped in them, was something none of them expected.

Before Ann could even process what was happening, Seo Yeon’s voice cut through. "Wait! I think—I think I just did it too!"

Everyone’s heads snapped to her.

"Huh?" Dickson frowned, lowering his still-sparking hand. "What the hell are you talking about, Yeon?" He squinted at her from head to toe. "You’re just standing there. Nothing’s happening."

Seo Yeon frowned back, frustrated. "No, I swear! I felt it—I’m doing something!"

Dickson barked a laugh. "What bullshit are you on about now? Stop messing around."

Seo Yeon opened her mouth to argue, but before she could, Vanessa suddenly stepped forward, her sharp eyes fixed on Seo Yeon. "No... she’s not lying," Vanessa said calmly.

"Huh?" Dickson blinked.

"Stop trying to see it," Vanessa continued. "Try to feel it. She is actually doing something."

Dickson rolled his eyes. "Feel? What the hell does that even—"

He cut himself off, noticing how serious Liam’s expression had gone. Liam tilted his head slightly, closing his eyes for a moment. The others followed his lead, hesitant.

At first, it felt like nothing. Dead silence in the underground lab.

But then... Liam felt it. A shift. A faint ripple brushing against his skin. A light touch on his face that wasn’t there before. His eyes snapped open.

"Wind," he said quietly.

"Huh?" Kelly frowned.

"There’s no draft down here," Liam explained, voice steady. "But I feel it. A breeze."

Seo Yeon gasped, her eyes lighting up. She looked down at her hands, realizing it too. It wasn’t visible—not yet—but it was there. A stirring in the air, subtle but undeniable.

Dickson’s grin faltered. He glanced around, then groaned. "Oh, come on. First Ann gets creepy-ass shadows, and now Yeon gets invisible wind? Why do you both get powers you can’t even show off properly? Mine’s way cooler!" Sparks cracked loudly again as if to prove his point.

But even as he bragged, everyone’s attention stayed on Seo Yeon. She was trembling slightly, overwhelmed, but a smile began to tug at her lips. For the first time, she felt it—power flowing through her veins.