It was eerie quiet. The buzzing of insects and distant howls blurred into nothingness, leaving only Lisandra's breathing and heartbeat to pierce the silence.
Pressed hard against the piles of a ruined wall, Lisandra's eyes were wide open, scanning through the cracks. The lines of trees and deformed terrain appeared as shadowy figures in the hazy mist. She knew it was coming.
She took her gaze away, blinking and sighing. 'How did this happen? Why is this happening?'
A light knock from the left wall startled her. It was Merida. Visible wounds marred her legs, and she pointed towards a wall in the upper right behind Lisandra, one that stood above the ground.
Following her gesture, Lisandra saw Walden. He wore a dark cloak that shrouded his form and leather vests. His attire was practical, with a bag strapped across his chest. He had dark skin and short hair.
Walden's eyes locked with Lisandra's. He raised his hand slowly, his fingers splayed wide before curling them into a tight fist.
His gaze shifted, and with a swift motion, he extended his arm, pointing decisively at the narrow gap between two trees in the upward view.
Lisandra gripped her daggers tightly, her knuckles turning white as her focus narrowed to the spot he indicated. Her pulse quickened. Her mind was turbulent.
Since her first day at the academy, through her awakening, and now finding herself within the Eruption, few things had ever been peaceful for her eyes.
Fragments of memories assaulted her, sharp and relentless. The trials she endured to awaken her special ability, the power to see the vitality of beings, haunted her.
The image of a little boy, his eyes tearing up yet smiling at her as if she were a fairy from his bedtime stories.
She remembered the horror as his face distorted, his vitality fading, and the moment her touch triggered his scream — a sound she never imagined a child could make.
Her thoughts shattered as a silhouette emerged. Snapping back to reality, she recalled how she met Merida running near the lake and Walden, a challenger from the Hunter's Tower. They explored the fields near the mountain ruins when they were targeted.
"Cursed Hollowbane," she whispered, her voice trembling.
The creature floated, its body an amalgamation of grotesque features painted in deep blue and shadowy black. Its mask-like face, etched with intricate, sinuous lines, bore a perpetual scowl. Sharp, menacing horns jutted from its head.
From its head cascaded thick, dark hair that waved ominously in the breeze, like tendrils of darkness themselves. Below the mask, a series of jagged, bone-like structures protruded, forming a macabre semblance of a jaw.
Its arms ended in elongated, metallic blades that gleamed wickedly, their surfaces reflecting the moonlight. These blades curved like scythes, promising swift and deadly strikes.
A metallic sound accompanied its presence, echoing like a distorted bell being dragged across sharp blades. The creature emitted a pungent aroma, a tart sweetness mixed with the musty scent of aged leather, thick and suffocating.
The Hollowbane halted ten meters from their cover. Its eyes narrowed, calculating its next move. Slowly, it raised its right blade arm. As it did, its body angled, revealing the underside covered in dark, tangled hair.
The creature's blade arm hovered for a moment before it came down with terrifying speed. The air itself seemed to scream as the slash tore through it, the metallic edge clashing against the wall where Lisandra hid.
The impact was immense, carving a thick, deep line through the stone. The ruined wall, already weakened, couldn't withstand the force. Cracks spread like spiderwebs, and with a deafening crash, the wall collapsed.
Exposed, Lisandra and Merida sprinted away from their failing cover, rubble falling around them. Dust filled the air, but their focus remained sharp, adrenaline fueling their escape.
The creature seemed to dissolve into nothingness, its form blurring like stretched lines. Its body began to shift and writhe.
As it faded out, Lisandra's sense kicked off as her eyes were glued to Merida as the monster materialized before her with its blade raised.
Lisandra watched as Merida barely reacted, evading the blade as it slashed downwards. She dodged to her left, avoiding the worst of the blows by inches.
Lisandra was about to shout to warn Walden when Merida screamed a guttural and raw anguish sound as the blade's edge bit deep into her left shoulder, slicing through fabric and flesh with ease.
Merida stumbled backwards, clutching at her injured shoulder as she tried to put distance, using a pile of stones as cover.
Seizing the opportunity, Walden drew his bow and fired. Lisandra saw the blurred arrow streak through the air, aimed directly at the Hollowbane. Without hesitation, she grabbed a heavy rock, twice the size of her hand, and hurled it at the creature while dashing to help Merida.
The rock struck the Hollowbane with a resounding thud, causing it to momentarily falter. Merida murmured to Lisandra before pressing her hands into the ground.
Lisandra watched as Merida's veins bulged and writhed like serpents, starting from her shoulders and snaking down to her fingers. The earth beneath them trembled, and from the soil erupted thick, spear-like vines, colored in hues of green and reddish brown.
These vines shot toward the Hollowbane, wrapping around it tightly. The sound of a distorted bell rose up, growing louder as the creature struggled against the entangling vines.
Lisandra quickly took Merida onto her back, feeling her friend's weight as she saw Merida's eyes closing. Walden sprinted to her side, helping to support her as they hurried deeper into the ruins.
Ahead, they spotted what appeared to be an old, crumbling house. A small entrance beckoned. They took their chances, squeezing through the narrow gap with difficulty. The slashing sound of vines being severed echoed behind them.
"We need to hide," Lisandra said, her eyes darting around the ruined house.
"There," Walden pointed with his body towards the top left corner, where a cluster of debris formed a makeshift hiding spot.
Lisandra and Walden carefully maneuvered through the rubble, moving into another room where they found a crater in the ground. The moonlight barely illuminated a pile of stones beneath the earth.
Their gaze met, and for a moment, they exchanged a look of raw tension.
Suddenly, the Hollowbane materialized to their left.
Without hesitation, Lisandra and Walden made a split-second decision to jump towards the crack in the ground. They shifted their bodies to the left, aligning themselves with the narrow opening as they launched themselves into the air.
Time seemed to slow down as they flew through the space, their limbs stretched out like horizontal lines as they squeezed through the tight crevice.
The Hollowbane opened its mouth, and a jet of water shot out, hitting them with incredible force. The impact was like being slammed into a brick wall.
Lisandra's body was thrown forward, her left leg striking something hard as she tumbled through the air. She let out a scream as the sound of cracking bones echoed through her mind, and her vision blurred around the edges. Her leg twisted at an unnatural angle.
Her breath came sharp and fast, each inhaling a fiery jolt that surged through her body like a lightning strike. The pain was so intense it seemed to burst her adrenaline wide open, flooding her veins with raw energy.
She touched her left leg with both hands, blinking rapidly as if narrowing her choices. Pressing her lips hard, she felt her blood rushing in her ears.
A soft white glow began to pulse within her hands, moving through her fingers toward her injured leg. She screamed, a primal sound so intense that she tasted iron in her mouth.
Her leg trembled violently before twisting back to its proper alignment. She breathed roughly, holding each breath as if savoring the temporary reprieve from pain before continuing.
Looking around, Lisandra spotted Walden limping towards her with Merida in tow. She noticed his right arm hanging awkwardly, clearly broken but not entirely useless.
"That is your power?" Walden asked, his voice low. "Can you fix my arm?"
Lisandra stood up, adjusting her backpack, and nodded at him. "I can, but..."
Walden's eyes narrowed as he looked towards the crack, seeing that the creature was no longer there. "But?"
Lisandra bit her lip, a flash of hesitation in her eyes. "You'll experience the same pain again."
"Do it!" Walden demanded, his face set with determination.
Lisandra reached out and touched Walden's arm. As the soft white glow began to seep into his flesh, she could see Walden grunting, his face contorting with pain.
His teeth clenched tightly as the bones in his arm shifted and realigned. When the healing was complete, Walden stumbled back a bit, his knees buckling momentarily.
Merida slipped from his grasp, crashing to the ground as he fought to regain his posture, steadying himself to avoid falling.
"What about her?" Walden asked, gesturing to Merida.
Lisandra sighed deeply, gritting her teeth as she placed her hands on Merida's wounded shoulder. The white glow pulsed from her fingers, and the flesh began to knit back together, growing and mending with a surreal fluidity. Lisandra's scream echoed low and high.
The healing complete, Lisandra fell weakly to the ground, her body trembling violently as she spoke, "If the person isn't awake, then it's me feeling the pain."
Lisandra scanned the place, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dimness. The room stretched into a tunnel-like passage, its walls lined with crumbling stones. At the far end, a wide-framed door stood partially ajar, its wooden planks weathered and splintered.
The ground beneath them trembled as the Hollowbane struck with its blade, trying to widen the crack.
"We need to go," Lisandra spoke, her voice steady despite the urgency.
As they moved to catch Merida, Lisandra saw her eyes flutter open. She helped Merida to her feet, supporting her as they hurried towards the door.
As they opened the door, a loud crash echoed through the tunnel. They turned back just in time to see the Hollowbane descending toward them, its blade arms gleaming menacingly.
"Go!" Walden shouted, pushing Lisandra and Merida through the doorway. He slammed the door shut behind them, grabbing a wooden beam from the left side. He jammed it between the handles, securing it as best as he could.
They pressed their teeth together and made every effort to hasten their steps, each thud against the door sending a jolt of fear through them.
"We need to find a hidden place," Lisandra panted, struggling to catch her breath.
Merida glanced back, catching signs of the door beginning to crack under the Hollowbane's relentless assault.
"I can see why three of us have died already," she muttered darkly.
"What place is this?" Lisandra asked.
"I think it's part of the ruin," Walden said, his voice strained as he spoke. "It seems it used to be a castle. Perhaps we're in a dungeon of the castle."
"Dungeon?" Merida echoed. "What is it?"
Walden shot her a quick glance. "A place where prisoners were kept. Not exactly the safest spot, but it might have some hidden nooks."
They continued down the corridor, the sounds of their footsteps mingling with the ominous thuds from the door behind them. The narrow passage twisted and turned, each step bringing them deeper into the dungeon.
As they reached an intersection, Lisandra's eyes caught sight of an old door, half-hidden by some barrels.
Without hesitation, she led the group toward it, pushing the door open to reveal a small, dimly lit chamber. The room was filled with old, decaying furniture and shelves thick with cobwebs.
They slipped inside, closing the door gently behind them. Silence enveloped them, broken only by the faint, distorted sound of the Hollowbane's bell, growing louder with each passing second.
Lisandra's hair stood on end, a shiver coursing down her spine. Her body tensed, muscles coiling like a spring, ready to snap.
Her breathing quickened, her eyes darting around the room, searching for any possible escape routes. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, torn between the urge to fight and the instinct to flee.
The distorted bell stopped suddenly, sending a wave of dread through her. Lisandra felt the creature's presence, a palpable weight in the air. She adjusted her stance, knees slightly bent, ready to react if the Hollowbane teleported into the room or smashed through the door.
They waited breathless, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. Lisandra could almost feel the creature's gaze piercing through the walls.
Then, the sound of the bell began to fade, moving in the opposite direction. Lisandra exhaled slowly, her body trembling as the immediate danger seemed to pass. They remained silent, listening intently for any sign of the Hollowbane's return.
Time stretched on, each second an eternity. The only sounds were their own heartbeats, pounding in their chests, and their raspy breathing.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the silence remained unbroken. Lisandra allowed herself to relax slightly, though her senses remained on high alert.
"What do we do now?" Merida broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Recover," Walden replied, taking his can of water from his backpack.
"And? Wait—" Merida checked her shoulder, her fingers brushing over the spot where the Hollowbane had struck. "I'm sure my shoulder was cut. What happened?"
"I used my power," Lisandra said, sitting on the ground and finding her back resting against the wall. "I can heal, but it causes pain in the person or in myself. I can also see the vitality of things. Walden is right; we need to rest. After that, we have to find a way out of here without being pursued by that thing, while also seeking the others."
"What are your thoughts about the challenge?" Walden asked, his gaze steady.
"I don't know..." Merida shook her head. "It reminds me of the stories I used to hear from the troupe. I mean, the description is about stories, right? I just didn't expect for this to be the theme — something I love so much turning into something dangerous. Guess I should've stuck to bedtime tales."
"My fear is the creatures being like that — Cursed creatures," Lisandra said, closing her eyes briefly. "I've struggled to kill Plagued monsters in my awakening, but this..."
"We need to use strategy and do it as a group," Walden said, looking at his bow. "I used to hunt with my grandma, and she always told me that if the hunt is bigger than your skill, then you need to use your smarts and coordinate your attack to slay it."
"I agree," Lisandra nodded. "But we also need to find out more about this place and where we are. Perhaps we can find help or improve our chances of winning."
"Do we sleep here?" Merida asked, looking at the small light from a lamp in the corner of the wall. It was orange, flickering like a tired ember, and made her recall her bed.
"I suggest we don't," Walden said, dusting off his hands. "This room has poor air circulation, it's full of dust, and I don't think we're safe here. Besides, dawn is getting closer. Let's use the darkness as cover to get out of here. What do you girls think?"
"Ok," Lisandra agreed, her voice resolute. "But let's move with caution. I can feel my body needs more rest to use my power again."