The night had turned dark and ominous, the air thick with tension as we navigated through the forest. We had gathered our strength over the last few days, but an unsettling feeling gnawed at me, as if an unseen threat loomed just beyond the shadows.
Suddenly, we heard it—a rustling in the bushes, followed by a chill that shot down my spine.
"Did you hear that?" Yuki whispered, her voice barely a tremor in the air.
Fuzuko narrowed his eyes, his cool demeanor shifting to one of alertness.
"We should be cautious. Kado could be sending his minions."
As if summoned by my fears, dark figures emerged from the depths of the trees, cloaked in black and radiating malice. Their eyes gleamed like embers as they approached, and dread coiled in my stomach.
"There are too many of them!" Zuki exclaimed, anxiety breaking through his usual bravado.
"Stick together!" I commanded, my voice loud and steady even amidst the growing chaos.
"We can't let them divide us."
The dark figures lunged, and the ensuing battle erupted like a storm. We fought with everything we had, but the relentless hordes overwhelmed us, their numbers confounding our strength.
Fuzuko's shadows seemed to falter, and Hiro's blasts of energy grew weaker with every exchange.
In the heat of battle, one of Kado's minions caught me by surprise, delivering a crushing blow to my side. I gasped, a sound filled with pain and disbelief.
"Stay strong!" I called out, but the words barely left my lips before I felt a sharp pain in my back, sending me crashing to the ground.
One by one, we fell, our bodies too bruised and battered to fight back. Soon, we were surrounded, drugged, and dragged away from the battlefield, our screams swallowed by the dark woods. Darkness engulfed me, and my world faded into an abyss of despair.
When I finally regained consciousness, I found myself in a dimly lit room, the walls dripping with malice and cold. The air was thick and suffocating, my body restrained and aching. In the corner, I could see my friends—Yuki, Zuki, Fuzuko, and Hiro—all trapped, their faces lined with fear and exhaustion.
"Shido…" Yuki managed to whisper, her voice trembling.
"What's happening?"
Before I could respond, the door swung open, revealing Kado, his presence casting an insidious shadow over us. He laughed, a sound filled with cruel delight.
"Well, well, look who finally woke up," Kado said with a smirk.
"I hope you enjoy the entertainment I have planned for you."
One by one, he turned his attention to my friends, gleefully indulging in their suffering as he unleashed his sadistic torment.
I could only watch in horror as his minions took turns hurting them, the sounds of their cries echoing through the room.
"Stop!" I shouted, desperation clawing at my throat.
"I'll kill you!"
Kado merely chuckled, approaching me.
"I'd never touch you, Shido. Watching you crumble as your friends wither away is far too enjoyable." His laughter cut through the atmosphere, a chilling reminder of our powerlessness.
As I watched my friends struggle to remain alive, the anguish swelling within me became unbearable. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I shouted their names, powerless to save them.
"I will kill you!" My voice cracked with anger and despair, but my pleas fell on deaf ears as Kado continued his cruel game.
Suddenly, a pulse of energy surged through my body, overwhelming and electrifying. I could feel the Xora within me flickering to life, unearthing forgotten potential hidden deep inside my soul. My eyes glowed an intense blue, igniting with newfound power.
"I will kill all of you!" I shouted, my voice resonating with strength I had never known.
In a blur, I broke free from my restraints. Kado immediately disappears using one of his ability. I unleashed my energy in waves, taking down Kado's minions with intensity, but something felt... different. The power coursing through me was wild and chaotic, spiraling beyond my control.
"..S-Shido.." Hiro cried, fear evident in his voice.
But as the last of the minions fell, I realized I had unleashed something I couldn't contain. The energy consumed me, causing my senses to spin, and I lost sight of my friends, their faces fading into shadows.
"No.." Panic seized me as I felt my transformation spiral out of control. I stumbled backward, my vision blurring, and my heart raced with dread.
"I... can't control myself…" I muttered, falling to my knees in despair.
"No! Shido!" Zuki's voice echoed in my ears, but it was already too late. My own power took over, and I was engulfed in darkness, a fragile scream trapped within my chest.
As I faded, I felt the sting of my friends' hopelessness pierce my heart. I fell unconscious, the blue light flickering away as my Xora self deactivated, leaving nothing but silence in the wake of my actions.
All I wanted was to protect them, but in my desperate attempt, I had run away from what I might become. Would I ever be able to return from this darkness?