"Damn it, get everyone ready!" Soundriv's voice boomed as he pressed a button, triggering a blaring siren.
Outside the room, shouts and the sound of people running reached my ears. Sam abruptly raised her head, her expression a mix of confusion and concern. "What's happening? What's going on?" she asked, her face showing signs of bewilderment.
I rose to my feet, gripping my assault rifle, which was slung over my shoulder. "There's an attack. Where did you stash your firearms?"
"They're at the cave's armory. Let's go, Sam," Hannah urged, hastening out of the room.
Sam followed suit but turned to glance at me before leaving. "Take care, big brother, alright?" Her voice held a touch of chilly sadness.
"Yeah, I'll be cautious," I assured her, heading for the exit as Sam disappeared down the cave's corridors.
"I think I need to give this to you," Soundriv interjected, producing a black case with a handle. With each button press, the case emitted a series of beeps before opening. He withdrew a sword, its hue darker than the Katana Gustav had crafted.
"What's that?" I queried, stepping toward him as the case beeped and unlatched. As Soundriv brandished the sword, its darker shade caught my eye.
"A blade Gustav instructed me to pass to you when the time came. It lacks a scabbard, though," Soundriv explained, giving the sword a few purposeful swings.
"That's strange. I rarely used swords as far as I can recall," I remarked, accepting the sword from Soundriv with care, being cautious not to make contact with its edge.
Cradling it in my arms, a sensation seemed to course through my entire body. The black handle and pommel, accented by a touch of silver, held a certain allure. "I must admit, it's an impressive blade," I commented, giving it a few deliberate swings; the movements felt remarkably fluid.
"Now, head outside and show them what you've got," Soundriv urged, a smile gracing his lips as he gestured to the door.
I dashed toward the exit and stepped into the open. The atmosphere was charged, and though everyone was in motion, there was an undercurrent of determination rather than fear. Hannah and Sam emerged from the depths of the hallway.
"Where did you get that?" Hannah inquired, her astonishment evident as her gaze fixed on the sword I held at my waist.
"Soundriv said Gustav hid it for me," I answered, a sense of calm infusing my words, as if I were speaking in a dreamlike state.
"Let's move," Hannah prompted, her pace brisk as she headed towards the entrance. Sam followed suit, briefly casting a concerned glance in my direction.
It was as though they perceived a different aspect of me, triggered by the sword or perhaps my demeanor or the way I held the weapon. I glanced at the sword, its edge reflecting the light. Perhaps it was the novelty of a black blade, something none had seen before.
My mind raced as the sound of a gunshot snapped me back to reality. I hurried toward the cave's entrance, my eyes taking in the sight of people lining up, clutching whatever makeshift weapons they could gather.
Navigating through the crowd, I gently nudged aside individuals who trembled in fear. Then, it came into view: the chieftain from earlier, flanked by a multitude of cryptids forming a perimeter.
They maintained a respectful distance, seemingly cautious of the guns Hannah and Sam held. The cryptids, displaying a range of behaviors from snarling to growling, seemed like creatures straight out of a movie, yet some of the more cunning ones kept their silence.
"Hello," the chieftain greeted, his demeanor less human than before, impatience evident in his tone. "I take it Ayesha's efforts were in vain?"
"Yeah, we managed to survive her, and you've made the mistake of revealing yourself," I responded, a smile forming on my lips. Why did I smile?
From my peripheral vision, I caught sight of Sam aiming at the army, her gaze flickering between her target and me, concern etched on her face.
"Oh? Displaying some bravado even when we could easily overwhelm and annihilate everyone here," the chieftain remarked, his grin stretching grotesquely across his face, evoking an almost inhuman quality.
"Is that supposed to be scary?" I shot back, a grin mirroring his forming on my own face, though the reason behind it remained unclear.
The chieftain's visage transformed into something resembling that of a kapre's—a telltale sign of his anger. "ENOUGH, SLAUGHTER THEM ALL!" he bellowed, his command reverberating through the forest, accompanied by snarls and a cacophony of menacing sounds.
"Get ready, everyone!" Hannah's voice cut through the air as she steadied her gun.
Yet, before anyone could react, an unnatural sensation gripped my body. Against all reason, I surged forward, charging towards the cryptids. A voice yelled something, but it seemed distant, as if muffled. I pressed on, my body leaning forward, the sword I carried resting at my waist.
Though they remained a considerable distance away, the gravel lining the ground did little to shield the cave. In the face of such a multitude of enemies, its defenses stood little chance. Each quick step barely made a sound as my feet grazed the gravel, time itself feeling as though it had slowed.
A ghoulish dog sprung into the air, and my body reacted instinctively. Raising the sword, I cleaved through the dog's head as it descended. The blade cut through it as if it were butter, leaving the creature bisected.
The impact of the dog hitting the ground, accompanied by a wet squelch, reached my ears from behind. With a swift swing of the sword to my right, I flung off the blood and gore that had splattered onto me.
More ghoulish dogs charged, their approach less airborne this time. Five in a row, pouncing at me. One swing of the sword dispatched them all, their forms sliced through.
Still moving in the unhurried pace that had taken over me, three mananagals came into view. It didn't matter; I leapt as if defying gravity itself. The mananangal I faced displayed fear, even in its transformed state. As my sword swung down, it met its end.
The other two charged, one from behind and one from the front. With a spin and a single swing, both of their heads were severed, and as the three lifeless bodies fell, so did I.
I landed on both legs, crouched momentarily before straightening up. The sword—no, *my* sword—rested on my shoulders. As I rose, I directed the blade toward the approaching horde. A grin tugged at my lips, and I boldly declared, "Who's up next?"