Chapter 550: The Things That Watch

A Few Hours Before

They did not look back.

Not one of them.

Not when the air itself had trembled with the force of it. Not when the cliff—the only path some of them had known—had collapsed into nothing.

They did not look back.

Tobias led them forward.

His steps were steady. Each one pressed into the earth with purpose, as though hesitation itself would cost them everything. His breathing was controlled.

There was pain at his side.

He felt it with every step, a slow, persistent burn beneath the fabric, a wetness that had long since stopped being surprising. But he did not acknowledge it. Did not allow himself to.

He couldn’t focus on it. He was almost home after all. Just the thought kept him going.

Behind him, the Silver Creek pack moved quietly. Their steps were uneven in places, their breathing ragged, their formation loose at the edges where exhaustion had begun to creep in.

There were sounds.

Sniffling.

Soft, broken cries that tried to stay quiet and failed.

A child stifling a sob.

Someone whispering a name that would not be answered.

Tobias heard all of it, and he sympathized with them. No one spoke of what they all knew had happened on the cliff, because it was obvious enough.

They just had to keep moving. The sacrifices of those they left behind would not be in vain.

Tobias’s eyes remained fixed ahead, scanning the path, calculating distance. He did not know how long they had been walking. Minutes had stretched into something longer. The cliff could no longer be seen from where they were.

But no one said anything. He was sure they were tired. The food that had been brought had been shared among just the children and the elderly.

And still no one complained. No one said anything; their aim was to get to the Nightshade pack after all.

The land began to change slowly. It was subtle at first.

The air shifted.

It came in a single breath—a sharp, biting wind that cut through fabric and skin alike. A chill in the air. Breaths came out in white puffs.

And then, Tobias saw it.

White.

It started as a few drifting flakes, soft and weightless.

They fell quietly, almost gently, brushing against skin, catching in hair, melting against warmth.

Then more followed.

And more.

Until the world itself began to pale... snow.

Falling in a steady, endless descent from the sky above.

Someone behind him let out a soft sound—half breath, half disbelief.

Another whispered something under their breath.

Tobias almost stopped.

For the briefest moment, the thought crossed his mind—to pause, to reach out, to let it settle fully, to acknowledge what it meant.

They had made it.

They were close. He could kiss the snow now, but they could not stop. This was not the time to stop; they had to keep moving.

The snow thickened as they moved, coating the ground beneath their feet, softening their steps, dulling the sound of movement. The world grew quieter here.

Tobias’s eyes shifted slightly, scanning the open stretch ahead.

The forest would be quicker, but it would be more dangerous too. Nirvana was not a place anyone could just walk through, especially the forests.

And he had people with him who did not know what Nirvana truly held. People with him who could not fight for themselves and would need to be protected. The beasts were smart, and they would use that opportunity to attack. He could not risk it, especially if they encountered a Trihydra or a Skylur or something worse.

So Tobias led them on the path that would take them to the entrance where he normally passed if he was going to the black market. It would be easier and safer from there.

Tobias exhaled slowly, his breath visible now in the cold air.

"We’re close," he murmured, just loud enough for the man behind him to hear.

The man nodded immediately, his voice hoarse as he passed it along.

"We’re close."

The words traveled down the line, quiet but powerful.

A thread of hope pulled tight between them as they continued moving, determined to get to safety.

But then a voice spoke up just as Ryker informed Tobias.

*There are beasts watching.*

"What... what is that?"

Tobias’s steps slowed. His gaze shifted slightly, following the direction of the child’s pointing hand. It was just at the edge of the forest, watching them.

If not for the fact that Tobias knew what beast it was, he would have thought nothing of it, especially given the fact that the beast just stood, unmoving. It didn’t even look like it was breathing.

It was small and white in color. Almost blending into the snow itself. It looked harmless.

A creature no larger than a rabbit, its body rounded, its fur soft and clean against the pale backdrop. Its ears were long, standing upright, twitching slightly as the wind brushed past it. Its eyes were red, and again, it looked harmless to anyone unsuspecting—but Tobias knew it wasn’t. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

The beast immediately locked gazes with Tobias. For a moment, the others faded into the distance. The beast tilted its head as if curious. Its eyes bright as it stared at Tobias.

Tobias had always hated these beasts specifically. They had this ability to make one unsettled with just a gaze. And they were deadly too.

But then again, no beast of Nirvana could be classified as not deadly. Even the weakest were strong.

Tobias knew why the beast had come up, though, and the way it licked its lips... it was the smell of blood.

A quiet exhale left him.

Someone behind him shifted.

"That thing... looks wrong," a man muttered under his breath.

Tobias almost laughed.

If only they knew.

If only they understood what they were looking at.

The beast continued to watch him. It was patient, as if telling Tobias that it was going to make sure it ate him.

And with that, it turned and headed back into the forest.

"Run," Tobias said immediately.

The beast had been sent to scout, and it was going to come back with reinforcement.

"What—?" someone asked.