It was 6 pm, and the sun hung lazily in the sky, casting long shadows across the quiet suburban street. Thanks to daylight savings, it was still bright out, the kind of evening where the air felt heavy with the promise of something lurking just beyond the mundane. Skydancer and Jessie sat on a bus stop bench up the road from their destination, the house Jessie had uncovered in his search. Yellow caution tape fluttered across the front door in the breeze, but there was no sign of any cops.
Jessie glanced nervously at the house, tapping his foot against the pavement. "Shouldn't we wait until it's dark, mate? Y'know, sneak in under the cover of night like in the movies?"
Skydancer shook his head, his eyes locked on the house. "Nah, mate. BNEs (Break and Enters) are better during the day. People don't expect it. We'd look less suspicious walking around in broad daylight. At night, everyone's home, and that's when all the crazies come out to play. We do it now, and we're less likely to run into trouble."
[Skydancer, I'd advise against getting too cocky. Sure, you've got abilities that could knock out the average bloke, even one packing heat, but remember, you're not dealing with the average. This world's far from normal—best keep your wits about you.]
Skydancer nodded subtly, acknowledging Nexi's advice while still sizing up the house. His nerves tingled with anticipation, every instinct telling him that this was just the beginning of something much bigger. Then, suddenly, he remembered something.
He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the old Blitzball coin, the one he'd received as part of his mission settlement. The weight of it in his hand felt both familiar and foreign, as if it were connected to something deeper within him.
[Might be a good idea to use that now. You've got a gut feeling, don't you?]
Skydancer's thoughts raced as he asked Nexi in his mind, "How do I use this thing?"
[Just focus your instincts on the coin and concentrate on a yes-or-no question. Then flip it. The coin will guide you.]
"Alright then," Skydancer muttered under his breath, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline as he focused on the coin. He honed his instincts, focusing on one simple question: Is it safe to enter the house now? With a flick of his thumb, he sent the coin spinning into the air, his heart pounding as it tumbled end over end before landing in his palm.
It was heads.
Taking that as a good sign, Skydancer steeled himself. "Looks like we're going in."
[Remember, mate, victory always comes with a price. Just because it's a good sign doesn't mean it's smooth sailing from here.]
As they approached the house, Skydancer's nerves buzzed with anticipation. The caution tape on the door was a flimsy barrier, easy enough to slip under, and soon they were inside. The first thing that hit him was the smell—stale air tinged with the faint coppery scent of old blood. The house was dark despite the bright evening outside, the windows caked with grime, letting in only slivers of light.
Skydancer's breath caught in his throat as his eyes adjusted to the dim interior. The walls were splattered with dried blood, the ceiling stained with it as well, making it look like some kind of grotesque art installation. But it was the symbols, the occult runes etched into every surface, that made his blood run cold.
"Jesus…" Skydancer whispered, his voice barely audible. "This is messed up."
[Be very, very careful, Sky. Whatever did this isn't just dangerous—it's something far beyond what you've faced before. Keep your guard up.]
With his Blitzball tucked under one arm and his phone's flashlight in the other, Skydancer cautiously moved through the house. Every creak of the floorboards made his heart jump, every shadow seemed to shift with malevolent intent. The runes seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, a grim reminder that this place had seen things no one should ever have to witness.
Skydancer eventually made his way to what appeared to be the living room—or what was left of it. In the center of the room was a pile of ashes, the remnants of what had probably been a bonfire. Among the charred remains, something caught his eye. He crouched down, brushing away the ash to reveal a crumpled envelope, half-burned but still intact enough to read.
As he reached for it, his instincts flared, screaming at him that something was terribly wrong. Just as he lifted the envelope, clumps of hair and drops of blood began to fall from the ceiling, splattering onto the floor in front of him.
Skydancer's eyes shot upward, and he nearly dropped the envelope in horror. Clinging to the ceiling was a creature straight out of a nightmare—its body a twisted, mummified husk of what might have once been human, but now it was something else entirely. Its skin was shriveled and gray, stretched taut over bones that jutted out like spikes. Its eyes were hollow, black pits, and its mouth, filled with needle-like teeth, gaped open in a silent scream.
[Sky, get out of there! That thing is way beyond anything you're ready for!]
But it was too late. The creature let out a low, guttural growl and dropped from the ceiling, its claws slashing through the air toward Skydancer. He barely managed to dodge, the envelope still clutched in his hand as he stumbled backward, his heart racing.
Skydancer swung his Blitzball, using it like a hammer to fend off the creature, but it was relentless. Every strike he landed seemed to do little more than slow it down. The creature's skin was tough, almost impenetrable, and it moved with a speed and agility that was terrifying to behold.
Skydancer quickly realized that only his Spirit Energy-infused attacks had any real effect on it. He channeled his energy into the Blitzball, striking out with a burst of power that sent the creature crashing through a wall, but even then, it wasn't enough to kill it.
Panting, Skydancer backed away, his mind racing for a solution. The Flame Shot talisman crossed his mind, but he knew it was a one-time use item, and he wasn't sure if it would be enough to take this thing down. No, it was time to retreat.
Skydancer blasted the front door open with a powerful kick and bolted out onto the street, the creature hot on his heels. His instincts screamed at him to run faster, but he knew he couldn't outrun this thing forever. His only hope was that it wouldn't chase him out into the open, that the daylight might somehow hold it back.
But such hopes were quickly dashed. Skydancer could tell the creature was fixated on him with relentless determination—it wanted something, and it wouldn't stop until it got it. Though he didn't fully understand why, the realization that it was after him specifically sent a chill down his spine. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't going to give up easily.
"Jessie! Run!" Sky shouted as he sprinted toward his friend, who was still a little way up the street.
Jessie, seeing the horror barreling down the road, hesitated for only a moment before his survival instincts kicked in. He turned to run, but to Skydancer's horror, Jessie seemed to be running straight toward the creature instead of away from it.
[Sky, there's something wrong with Jessie's eyes! He's under some kind of influence! Get him out of there now!]
Skydancer's heart skipped a beat as he noticed the unnatural gleam in Jessie's eyes. Without thinking, he lunged forward, tackling Jessie to the ground just as the creature's claws swiped above their heads, missing by inches.
Jessie, dazed and confused, stared up at Sky as the reality of the situation began to sink in. "What the hell, Sky? What's going on?!"
Skydancer gritted his teeth, dragging Jessie to his feet. "I should never have let you get involved in this. This is way out of your league, mate."
[You're not wrong, Sky. But right now, you need to focus on staying alive. That thing isn't going to stop until it gets what it wants.]
The creature lunged at them again, and Skydancer had no choice but to fight. He threw his Blitzball with all his might, slamming it into the creature's chest and following up with a flurry of punches, each one infused with Spirit Energy. The impact shattered the creature's spikes, sending shards of bone and dried blood spraying through the air.
But still, it kept coming.
Jessie, finally understanding the gravity of the situation, scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide with fear. "Sky, what the fuck is that thing?!"
"No time for explanations! Just stay back!" Sky shouted, his voice strained as he continued to fight the creature.
The battle raged on, with Sky using everything at his disposal—furniture, debris, anything he could get his hands on—to fend off the monster. But it was clear that he was outmatched. Even with his Spirit Energy, he was barely holding his own.
[Sky, you're not going to win this fight! You need to get out of there!]
Skydancer knew Nexi was right, but he couldn't just leave Jessie behind. He needed a plan, and fast.
Summoning the last of his strength, Skydancer channeled all his Spirit Energy into a single, powerful attack. The spinning Blitzball collided with the creature's chest, emitting a burst of energy that reverberated through the air. The force of the impact sent the creature staggering back, its hollow eyes narrowing in fury. Skydancer felt a surge of hope—maybe this would be enough to drive it off, or at least buy them some time to escape.
But instead of retreating, the creature let out a bone-chilling screech, its twisted form contorting as it absorbed the energy. The runes etched into its flesh began to glow faintly, as if drawing strength from the very attack meant to weaken it.
[Sky, this thing is feeding off your Spirit Energy! You've got to get out of here—now!]
Sky's heart sank. This wasn't a fight he could win, at least not with brute force. He had to think fast, or they'd both end up as just another tragic story in the annals of Melbourne's unsolved mysteries.
"Jessie, move!" Sky shouted, grabbing his friend by the arm and dragging him down the street.
Jessie, still reeling from the shock, managed to find his footing and sprinted alongside Sky, his breath coming in frantic gasps. "Sky, what the hell is going on? What is that thing?!"
"No time to explain, mate!" Sky responded, his eyes scanning the street for an escape route. The creature was still behind them, its unnatural movements sending shivers down his spine. They needed to get away, but running aimlessly wasn't going to cut it.
[Sky, there's a construction site up ahead. Use the environment to your advantage—lose it in the maze of debris and machinery!]
Sky spotted the site Nexi mentioned—a half-built apartment complex with towering cranes and stacks of concrete blocks scattered around. It was their best chance.
"This way!" Sky veered toward the construction site, pulling Jessie along with him. They ducked under a fence and dashed through the mess of equipment and materials, hoping to use the chaotic landscape to their advantage.
The creature followed, its hollow eyes locked onto Sky with unyielding focus. It moved with eerie precision, slipping through the narrow gaps between the debris with unnatural ease.
Sky's mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan. He needed to create some distance between them and the creature, but more importantly, he needed to find a way to outsmart it.
"Jessie, climb up that scaffolding!" Sky ordered, pointing to a metal framework that stretched up toward the next level of the building.
Jessie didn't hesitate. He grabbed the bars and hauled himself up, his skater's agility serving him well as he quickly ascended. Sky followed, glancing back to see the creature navigating the ground level, still locked onto their scent.
Once they reached the top, Sky spotted a stack of loose bricks precariously balanced on a platform overhead. An idea sparked in his mind.
"Jessie, get behind that wall!" Sky instructed, gesturing to a half-finished barrier of cinder blocks.
Jessie nodded and ducked behind the wall, his eyes wide with fear but trusting Sky to have a plan.
Sky waited until the creature was directly below them, its claws scraping against the metal scaffolding as it climbed after them. With a grunt of effort, Sky kicked at the stack of bricks, sending them tumbling down like an avalanche.
The bricks rained down on the creature, breaking its focus and forcing it to retreat a few steps. It screeched in frustration, momentarily disoriented by the unexpected assault.
Sky seized the opportunity. "Jessie, now! Get to the other side and jump down!"
Jessie didn't need to be told twice. He sprinted across the platform and leaped to the ground on the other side, landing in a crouch before taking off in a mad dash toward the exit.
Sky followed close behind, his heart pounding as they neared the fence. The creature, having recovered from the brick barrage, gave chase once more, but its movements were more erratic, as if the damage had thrown off its coordination.
Just as they reached the fence, Sky turned back and spotted a stack of metal pipes leaning against a support beam. He grabbed one and shoved it, sending the pipes clattering to the ground in a tangled mess, blocking the creature's path.
[Nice one, Sky! That should slow it down, but don't stick around to find out if it worked. Keep moving!]
They scrambled over the fence and bolted down the street, not daring to look back. The construction site receded behind them, and with it, the nightmarish creature.
It wasn't until they were several blocks away, hidden in the shadows of an alleyway, that they finally stopped to catch their breath. Skydancer leaned against the wall, his chest heaving as he tried to calm his racing heart.
Jessie, still wide-eyed with shock, finally broke the silence. "Sky… what the hell just happened back there? What was that thing?"
Sky looked at his friend, seeing the fear and confusion in his eyes. He knew Jessie deserved answers, but he wasn't sure how to explain something he barely understood himself.
"That thing… it's something from a world I didn't even know existed until recently," Skydancer began, choosing his words carefully. "And magic… well, it's real, Jessie. More real than we ever imagined."
Jessie stared at Sky, searching his face for any sign of a joke or a prank. But all he found was a dead-serious expression, one that sent chills down his spine.
"Mate, I don't know how to say this, but… we're in deep. And I need your help to figure it all out."
Jessie nodded slowly, the reality of their situation sinking in. "Alright, Sky. Whatever this is… I'm in. Just… let's not run into anything like that again, yeah?"
Sky managed a small, grim smile. "I'll do my best, mate. But something tells me this is just the beginning."
[Sky, you did well today. But remember, the deeper you go, the more dangerous it gets. You're playing in a whole new league now—be ready for anything.]
Skydancer nodded, the world he thought he knew was gone, replaced by something far darker, far more mysterious.
As they made their way back home, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows that seemed to reach out and follow them. And in the distance, unseen but felt, the creature they had escaped slunk back into the darkness, biding its time.