The wind softly rustled through the trees as Team A-13 watched the mysterious Luz Mala float in the distance. The white, glowing light pulsed with an unsettling energy, briefly illuminating the dark forest around them. Local legend said following it led to certain death, but now they faced something far more than just a myth.
Matt stepped forward, eyeing the ghostly light with curiosity.
"Well, it doesn't look that intimidating," he remarked, squinting at it. "Just a little floating light."
Tiffany shot him a sharp look, wasting no time in scolding him.
"Seriously? We just fought a regenerating werewolf, and now you want to chase after a killer light? Sometimes I'm amazed you're still alive, Matt."
Matt shrugged, flashing his usual carefree smile.
"What can I say? I like living on the edge."
Rose, as usual, wasn't interested in their banter. She kept her gaze fixed on the light, adjusting her device to take readings.
"The Luz Mala isn't just a visual phenomenon. Local legends say it can manipulate the minds of those who follow it," she said, her eyes never leaving her scanner. "We need to stay alert. We don't know what else it's capable of."
Tiffany frowned.
"Then it's best we keep our distance."
But Matt, ever impulsive, had already taken a step toward the light.
"Come on, ladies. We can't just stand here. We have to figure out what's going on."
Tiffany sighed in frustration but didn't let him go alone. She knew that, as irritating as he was, Matt had a knack for getting out of impossible situations. Reluctantly, she followed him, while Rose kept a safe distance, watching for any changes in her readings.
The Confrontation with the Luz Mala
As they approached, the light began to move faster, floating between the trees and pulling further away from them. Matt quickened his pace, as if trying to catch it, but every time he got close, the light would fade momentarily, only to reappear a few meters ahead.
"This isn't natural," Rose murmured, her eyes glued to the device in her hand. The energy readings were unusual, and something didn't add up. "The light is toying with us."
Suddenly, the light stopped, hovering in a clearing in the forest. An eerie silence fell over them, and the air seemed to grow colder. Matt halted, his hand hovering over his energy pistol.
Tiffany caught up to him, scanning the surroundings cautiously.
"I don't like this. It's not just an optical trick. Something feels... off."
Before she could finish, the light changed. It stopped floating peacefully and began spinning rapidly, enveloping them in a spiral of blinding flashes. Matt raised his arms to shield himself, but when he lowered them, he realized something had changed.
The landscape around him was no longer the same.
Matt looked around in disbelief. The forest had vanished, and in its place was a vast, empty field shrouded in thick fog. There was no sign of Tiffany or Rose.
"What the hell…?" he muttered, taking a step forward, his heart pounding.
A low whisper echoed through the air, as if many voices were speaking at once, though no words were clear. The light was still there, but now it seemed more distant, almost mocking.
"Tiffany! Rose!" Matt shouted, but there was no answer.
Rose, at that moment, had also been trapped in a different environment. Although her logical mind tried to process what was happening, she knew they were under the influence of the Luz Mala. She stood in a dark place, surrounded by shadows that seemed to whisper her name. Without losing her calm, she adjusted her device, searching for a way to break the illusion.
Meanwhile, Tiffany found herself alone in a similar place, overwhelmed by a crushing sense of isolation. Although her instincts told her to stay alert, a deep feeling of doubt crept in. What if they couldn't escape this situation? Her mind began to fill with dark thoughts.
Matt's Internal Struggle
In his own isolated environment, Matt gritted his teeth. He knew what he was seeing wasn't real. He had been trained to face paranormal situations, but this was different. The light seemed to be playing with his mind, and although he tried to stay calm, a small voice in the back of his head whispered doubts.
"No… this isn't real," he told himself, shaking his head. "I need to find Tiffany and Rose."
But as he tried to move forward, something blocked his path. From the fog, a figure emerged—tall and thin. At first, Matt couldn't recognize who it was, but as it approached, the shock hit him.
It was himself.
His double stared back at him with a cold, disinterested expression—a distorted version of his own self.
"What are you doing here, Matt?" the figure said in a somber tone. "You know you can't save anyone. Not Tiffany, not Rose… not even yourself."
Matt frowned, raising his energy pistol.
"Who are you?"
The figure smirked, a twisted smile.
"I'm just a part of you. The part that knows you'll never be enough. No matter how hard you try, you'll always be one step behind. You'll always fail."
The impact of those words struck Matt hard. For years, he had avoided thinking about his own fears and insecurities, hiding them behind a facade of confidence and recklessness. But now, faced with his distorted reflection, he couldn't ignore it any longer.
"No…" Matt murmured. "You're wrong. I've always done what needed to be done. I've always fought for what I believe in."
The double smiled again, stepping closer.
"Really? And how many times have you put your friends in danger with your impulsiveness? How many times have Tiffany or Rose had to save you? Admit it, Matt. You're a failure."
The tension in the air was palpable, and Matt could feel the doubt growing inside him. But then, a distant voice cut through the darkness.
"Matt! Wake up, you idiot!"
It was Tiffany's voice. Though he could barely see her, the familiar, irritated tone brought him back to his senses.
"Matt, listen! It's a trap! Break the illusion!" Tiffany yelled.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. The light, the fog, his "double" in front of him—it was all an illusion created by the Luz Mala. He took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and shot a defiant look at his double.
"I'm not perfect, but I won't let that stop me."
With a firm shot from his energy pistol, the figure vanished, and the fog around Matt began to dissipate. Slowly, the forest reappeared before his eyes. Tiffany and Rose were also back, though each looked like they had gone through their own personal battle in the illusion.
Reunited Again
When the mist finally cleared, Matt, Tiffany, and Rose regrouped in the same clearing. They all looked exhausted but relieved to have escaped the mental trap.
"Everyone okay?" Matt asked, glancing at the girls.
Rose nodded, still reviewing her device.
"It was an illusion, but... that light has a much stronger psychic power than I expected. It was trying to break us down mentally."
Tiffany sighed, crossing her arms.
"And Matt almost fell for it. Why do you always have to be so impulsive?"
Matt grinned, though this time his smile was more subdued.
"Sorry, Tiff. Won't happen again."
Tiffany stared at him for a moment, then looked away, saying nothing more.
Rose cleared her throat, breaking the tense silence.
"Well, at least we passed this test. But the Luz Mala hasn't disappeared. This time it was just a warning, a mental game. If we don't figure out how to stop it, it could lure more people in and cause real damage."
Matt nodded, still recovering from the experience.
"Alright, then we need a plan. We can't let this thing control our minds and split us up again."
Tiffany, still somewhat annoyed but now calmer, stepped closer to Matt and looked at him seriously.
"Next time, don't act alone. We're a team. If you charge ahead without thinking, you might…," her voice softened slightly, "you might not make it out next time."
Matt opened his mouth to make a joke but decided against it. He knew Tiffany was right, and this time he had been too close.
Rose continued adjusting her device as she spoke.
"I've gathered enough data. The Luz Mala isn't just a common paranormal entity; it's connected to something larger. It doesn't just play with our minds—it seems to feed on its victims' negative energy. Next time it appears, we'll need to find its core and neutralize it for good."
Matt nodded again, this time with a more serious expression.
"Alright, then next time we'll be ready. The important thing is that we face it together."
Tiffany rolled her eyes, but this time there was no real irritation in the gesture. After everything they'd been through that night, maybe Matt had learned something after all.
"At least you figured that much out," she muttered.
End of Chapter 3
The team regrouped and began to move out of the forest. Although they had survived the illusion and avoided immediate danger, they knew what they were facing was only the beginning. The mission in Argentina was far from over, and each of them carried the mental scars of what the Luz Mala had shown them.
The night still wrapped the forest in shadows, and in the distance, the ghostly light appeared once again, this time fainter, as if waiting for the right moment to strike again.
"This isn't over," Rose whispered, adjusting her gear as she walked alongside her teammates. "We're up against something bigger than we thought."
With that unsettling thought in mind, the team headed into the dark horizon, knowing they'd have to be more prepared than ever for what was to come.