Chapter 6: The Abandoned Church
"Have you ever had one of those nights where you just know you're walking straight into a trap? Yeah, this is one of those nights. But hey, when destiny—or in this case, a cryptic text message—calls, you gotta answer."
The abandoned church stands at the edge of town, shrouded in mist and bathed in eerie moonlight. Its once-grand facade is now cracked and weathered, vines creeping up its walls like nature's attempt to reclaim what humanity abandoned.
"Classic horror movie setting," I mutter, stepping onto the creaking wooden steps. "What's next? A creepy organ playing itself?"
Behind me, Selene rolls her eyes. "Focus, Akira. This place is oozing with dark energy."
---
She's right. The air feels thick, like something is pressing down on my chest. It's not the kind of atmosphere you'd expect in a place of worship—unless the worshippers were into summoning demons and sacrificing goats.
I push open the heavy wooden doors, and they groan loudly, announcing our arrival to whatever might be lurking inside.
The interior is even more unsettling. Dust motes dance in the faint moonlight streaming through broken stained-glass windows. Rows of decaying pews line the aisle, leading up to an altar covered in strange markings.
---
"Welcome," a voice echoes from the shadows.
Selene tenses, her hand glowing faintly with magic. I crack my knuckles, ready for a fight.
From the darkness steps a man cloaked in black robes. His face is obscured by a hood, but his piercing red eyes shine like twin embers.
"Ah, the infamous Dragon God," he says, his tone laced with mockery. "And his…companion."
"Hey," I say, raising a hand. "I prefer 'overqualified high school student.' But Dragon God works too."
Selene shoots me a glare. "Akira, now's not the time."
---
The robed man chuckles, his voice echoing unnaturally. "You've been quite the elusive one, Akira. The Council has been searching for you for years."
"Yeah, well, I'm good at hide-and-seek," I reply, leaning casually against a pew. "What do you want?"
"To offer you a choice," he says, spreading his arms theatrically. "Join the Council of Shadows, or be destroyed."
---
Selene scoffs. "Not much of a choice."
The man ignores her, his red eyes locking onto mine. "You don't belong in this world, Akira. You're a relic of an era long past—a god among mortals. Why not embrace your true nature?"
I feel a twinge of something—anger? Doubt?—but I quickly shove it down.
"Sorry," I say, shrugging. "I'm kind of attached to this whole 'living a normal life' thing."
The man's eyes narrow. "So be it."
---
He raises his hands, and the room erupts in chaos. Black smoke pours from the walls, twisting and coalescing into shadowy figures. Dozens of them.
"Of course it's a trap," I mutter, summoning a ball of fire in my hand.
Selene steps beside me, her own magic flaring to life. "Any bright ideas?"
"Yeah," I say, grinning. "Let's turn up the heat."
---
The shadow figures lunge, their clawed hands swiping at us. I hurl a fireball, incinerating three of them in an instant. Selene blasts another group with a wave of light, their forms dissolving into nothingness.
But for every shadow we destroy, two more seem to take its place.
"This is getting ridiculous," I say, ducking under a swipe and delivering an uppercut to another shadow.
"You think?" Selene snaps, blasting another wave.
---
The robed man watches from the altar, his expression unreadable. "Futile," he says. "You cannot defeat the darkness."
"Oh yeah?" I shout back. "Watch me."
I release more of my power, my aura blazing gold. The shadows hesitate, shrinking back.
"That's right," I taunt. "You're messing with the wrong dragon."
---
I unleash a wave of energy, the golden light surging through the room. The shadows scream and dissolve, leaving only the robed man standing.
He looks…amused.
"Impressive," he says. "But you've only scratched the surface."
He claps his hands, and the markings on the altar glow bright red. The ground shakes, and a massive portal opens behind him, its swirling darkness radiating pure malevolence.
From the portal steps a creature that makes the earlier demon look like a puppy.
It's massive—easily fifteen feet tall—with molten skin, glowing eyes, and wings that seem to blot out the light.
"Meet your end," the robed man says, laughing.
---
Selene's eyes widen. "Akira, we have to retreat."
"No," I say, stepping forward. "We finish this here."
She grabs my arm, her voice urgent. "You can't reveal too much of your power. Not yet. The Council is testing you—they're watching."
I hesitate. She's right. If I go all out, the Council will know exactly what I'm capable of. But if I hold back, this thing could destroy us.
---
Narration Mode Activated
"Ah, the classic dilemma: stay under the radar, or unleash hell and deal with the consequences later. Spoiler alert—I'm terrible at staying under the radar."
---
The creature roars, its molten claws swiping at me. I dodge, landing on a nearby pew and hurling another fireball. The attack barely phases it.
Selene casts a barrier, deflecting the creature's next attack, but I can tell she's struggling.
"Fine," I mutter. "You want to see a real dragon?"
---
I close my eyes, tapping into the power I've been suppressing for so long. My aura flares brighter than ever, and the air grows heavy with heat and energy.
The robed man's smug expression falters.
"What are you—"
"Let me show you why they call me the Dragon God of Destruction," I say, my voice echoing with power.
---
Golden scales ripple across my arms, and my eyes glow with an otherworldly light. The creature hesitates, sensing the shift in power.
I leap forward, slamming a fist into its chest. The impact sends shockwaves through the room, and the creature stumbles back, roaring in pain.
"You like that?" I taunt. "There's plenty more where that came from."
---
The creature lunges again, but this time, I'm ready. I summon a massive spear of light, hurling it straight through its chest. The creature lets out a final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing into a heap of molten slag.
The robed man stares, his confidence replaced with fear.
"This isn't over," he says, his voice trembling. "The Council will not rest until you are destroyed."
"Tell them to get in line," I reply, stepping forward.
But before I can reach him, he vanishes in a swirl of shadows.
---
The room falls silent, the only sound my heavy breathing.
Selene approaches, her expression unreadable. "That was reckless."
"Maybe," I admit, smirking. "But it was awesome."
She shakes her head, but there's a hint of a smile on her lips.
---
As we leave the church, I can't shake the feeling that this is just the beginning. The Council knows I'm here, and they're not going to stop until I'm either on their side or six feet under.
Narration Mode Activated
"Great. Another day, another bunch of people trying to kill me. High school is hard enough without all this extra drama."
But deep down, I know I can't run from this fight forever.
End of Chapter 6