The night had gone unusually silent.
After the strange encounter with the shadow, no one spoke much. Even the forest, which once felt alive with danger, now felt… still. Too still.
That kind of silence wasn't peaceful.
It was heavy.
Everyone returned to the camp slowly, their minds filled with questions they couldn't answer.
Dawn Kingdom… alive?
If that was true, then everything had changed.
Felix was the first to break the silence earlier that evening.
"We have to find them," he said firmly. "At any cost."
No one disagreed.
Not even Daniel.
But Daniel didn't say anything at all.
And that… was what scared Mary the most.
Later that night, everyone tried to sleep.
Some succeeded.
Some didn't.
Mary was one of those who couldn't.
She kept turning from one side to another, her mind restless. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Daniel's face—confused, distant… scared.
That wasn't the Daniel she knew.
Something was changing.
And she could feel it.
After what felt like hours, she finally sat up.
The camp was quiet. Everyone else seemed asleep.
She looked around.
Then her heart skipped a beat.
Daniel wasn't there.
Mary stood up immediately.
"Daniel…?"
No answer.
Her heartbeat started to rise.
She stepped out of the camp slowly, careful not to wake others.
The forest at night looked completely different. Shadows stretched unnaturally, and the mist made everything unclear.
But she kept walking.
Because she knew.
She knew where he would be.
She found him sitting alone near a large tree.
His back was facing her.
He wasn't moving.
Just sitting there… staring into nothing.
For a moment, Mary didn't say anything.
She just watched him.
The boy who always stood strong in front of everyone…
…was now sitting there, completely lost.
She walked closer.
"Daniel…"
He didn't turn.
"I knew you'd come," he said quietly.
That voice… it wasn't normal.
It was tired.
Mary sat beside him.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
A simple question.
But both of them knew…
…it wasn't a simple answer.
Daniel let out a small breath.
"Yeah… I'm fine."
Mary immediately shook her head.
"No, you're not."
Silence.
She looked at him directly now.
"Daniel, I can see it. You're not okay at all."
He still didn't look at her.
"I said I'm fine, Mary."
This time his tone was slightly sharper.
But not angry.
Just… defensive.
Mary didn't back down.
"Then look at me and say it."
Daniel froze.
A few seconds passed.
Slowly… he turned his face toward her.
And that was enough.
Mary's eyes softened.
"You're scared," she said quietly.
🌧️ Daniel Breaks
That one sentence broke something inside him.
He looked away again.
"I don't know what's happening to me…" he whispered.
Mary stayed silent.
Letting him speak.
"I can't control it… I can't control Thrones… I can't even control myself sometimes."
His hands tightened slightly.
"I feel like… something inside me is growing. Something I don't understand."
Mary listened carefully.
Every word mattered.
Daniel continued, his voice lower now—
"And what scares me the most is… what if I lose control one day?"
He paused.
Then said the thing he was truly afraid of—
"What if I hurt you all?"
Mary's expression changed.
Not fear.
Pain.
Because now she understood.
This wasn't about power.
This wasn't about the Master.
This was about Daniel being afraid of himself.
Daniel continued—
"That's why I walked away earlier…"
"I thought… if I stay away from everyone… maybe it'll be safer."
He laughed weakly.
"But it's not working."
Then slowly, he finally looked at her.
"I don't want to become like… him."
He didn't say the name.
But Mary knew.
Caden.
Mary didn't speak immediately.
Instead—
She moved closer.
And hugged him.
Tightly.
Daniel froze.
"Mary…?"
"Stop," she said softly.
"Just stop thinking like that."
He didn't move.
"I'm serious, Daniel," she continued. "You're not him."
"But what if I become—"
"You won't."
Her voice was firm now.
Stronger than before.
"If power could decide who you are… then you wouldn't be the Daniel I know."
She pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes.
"You're scared of hurting others. That alone proves you're different."
Daniel didn't respond.
But he was listening.
Mary took a deep breath.
Then said slowly—
"Listen to me carefully."
"If your power ever tries to take you away…"
She held his hand tightly.
"I will bring you back."
Daniel's eyes widened slightly.
"I don't care how hard it is."
"I don't care how dangerous it becomes."
"I will fight that power…"
"…even if it means fighting you."
Her voice softened again.
"But I won't let you disappear."
For the first time that night…
Daniel's eyes started to fill.
He quickly looked away.
"You don't understand, Mary…"
"No," she said.
"I do."
"You're afraid of losing us."
She paused.
"And I'm afraid of losing you."
That hit him.
Hard.
After a long silence, Daniel finally said everything.
About the voice.
About Thrones.
About what it told him—
"If you don't control me… I will control you."
And the worst part—
"That I could become worse than Caden…"
Mary listened to every word.
Without interrupting.
Without judging.
When he finished, the forest went silent again.
Mary slowly smiled.
A small, calm smile.
"Then we won't let that happen."
Daniel looked at her.
"How?"
"We'll face it together."
She stood up and pulled him slightly.
"You don't have to fight this alone."
Daniel hesitated.
"What if staying with me puts you in danger?"
Mary didn't even think.
"It already does."
Then she smiled again.
"But I'm still here, right?"
They both stood there under the quiet night sky.
For the first time in a long time…
Daniel didn't feel completely alone.
He looked at her.
"Thank you…"
Mary shook her head.
"No."
Then gently—
"Don't thank me."
"Just don't push me away again."
Daniel gave a small nod.
"I won't."
As they walked back toward the camp, side by side—
Daniel thought to himself—
"Maybe… I don't have to fight everything alone anymore."