Wind strengthened. It carried a sharp chill. This chill nipped at Kaoru's skin. He stood at edge of the clearing. Trees surrounded him. Branches swayed in the wind. They seemed oddly distant. It felt as if world had blurred around him. Rei stood beside him. Her posture was rigid. Her eyes scanned the horizon. It was as though she was looking for something. Or perhaps she was waiting for something.
"Where are we?" Kaoru asked. This question broke the silence. His voice sounded strange. It was as if didn't belong in the stillness. It didn't quite connect to the world around him.
Rei didn't answer right away. She remained focused. Her eyes narrowed, sweeping area with practiced gaze. After pause she finally spoke. "This is edge of Veil Kaoru. It's place where boundaries between our world and Veil begin to thin. We are close to Wraith's influence here."
A cold shiver ran down Kaoru's spine. He glanced around. Unease crept into his chest. The world felt wrong. Trees were distorted. They twisted in unnatural ways. Air itself seemed thick. It was like heavy fog pressing in around him. There was an almost imperceptible hum beneath everything. It was a vibration. It rattled his bones.
"The Wraith is already here?" Kaoru asked. A tremor was in his voice despite himself.
Rei gazed at him. Her expression was firm. "It is always here. It lurks in shadows. The Wraith does not show in the way you expect. Its power is subtle. It's like a shadow creeping into your vision. But it grows stronger. That's why we're here."
Kaoru swallowed hard. He did not fully grasp what Rei meant. The fear in her eyes conveyed more than words could. The Wraith was something beyond the Hollowed. Kaoru had seen its effects firsthand. He saw the twisted creatures. The monstrous ones that seemed to break through the fabric of reality. They twisted everything they touched.
"How do we stop it?" Kaoru inquired again. His voice was just above a whisper.
Rei's eyes softened. However the weight in her answer was undeniable. "We must find the source of its power. The Wraith feeds on Veil. It bends the Veil to its will. By severing its link to power, we can weaken it. Still there is more to it. The Wraith is ageless. It is older than Veil itself. It is beyond a mere creature. It is a force. It is a manifestation of all corruption in the world. It knows we are coming."
Kaoru's heart raced. Thoughts of the Hollowed came to mind. The monsters he barely escaped from. The notion of confronting something much stronger was like a nightmare.
"We must be cautious," Rei carried on. Her voice was unwavering. "Wraith's core location is unknown. It might be anywhere in the Veil. Nevertheless we will unveil it. Once we locate it we will obliterate it."
Kaoru turned to face her. She exhibited unwavering resolve in her eyes. But there was something deeper. Something that spoke of years of battling. Years of surviving. It stirred him. It made him feel small and resolute in the same moment. Rei believed they could succeed. Perhaps he could believe in it too.
"Count me in," Kaoru's voice was strong. Stronger than his heart felt it.
Rei's lips formed a slight smile. It was almost unnoticeable but there. She gave him a quick nod. "Excellent. Keep your focus. The Veil is erratic. And it is about to get worse."
As soon as she was done with her speech, the atmosphere felt shaky. The air shuddered around them. A low guttural growl reverberated through the trees. This growl was followed by a dark screech. It was an unnatural sound that churned Kaoru's stomach.
Across the forest a shadow moved swiftly. It was a black mass. It exhibited speed and grace. Reflexively, Kaoru acted. He reached for the rebar. It was an object he had been practicing with. Its weight was firm and reassuring in his hand. His heart was in a state of flurry. The reason was the figure that emerged from the vast darkness.
It was a creature. It wasn't unlike Hollowed. But this particular one was unique. Taller it was. Body covered in ragged, black robes. These robes seemed to shift like liquid shadows. Rippling. Its face was an empty void. A featureless mask. It was radiating a terrible darkness. Suffocating darkness.
Kaoru held rebar. "Is that Wraith's servant?" he asked. His voice was tight with fear. Rei's eyes never left creature. She took step back. She put herself between Kaoru and the dark being. "Yes. It's Wraithspawn. Wraith's foot soldiers. They are not powerful as Wraith itself. But they can be dangerous in numbers."
Creature tilted its head. Its hollow eyes locked onto them. Kaoru felt weight of gaze. Like it was seeing straight through him. Stripping away layers of protection. Darkness around it seemed to pulse. It shifted with malevolent intent.
Rei drew her weapon. A slender blade shimmered with eerie blue light. Glow was from Veil itself. "Get ready Kaoru" she said. Her voice was low and steady. "Don't hesitate. You'll need to defend yourself." Kaoru nodded. Palms were sweating. He gripped rebar tighter. He was far from ready. He wasn't sure he could handle Hollowed let alone something like this.
As Wraithspawn lunged toward them, its shadowy limbs stretched out like claws. Kaoru knew there was no turning back. His life had already been altered in ways he couldn't have imagined. Now, it was time to face the darkness. To face whatever horrors Veil had in store.
There was a burst of motion from Rei. She moved first slashing her blade with precision. The Wraithspawn recoiled. It hissed in pain. Light from her blade burned through the darkness.
Kaoru didn't hesitate. Creature advanced on him. He swung the rebar. The weight of it felt familiar in his grip. The Veil's power or his own instincts. It didn't matter. Rebar felt like an extension of himself. He struck hard. Aiming for Wraithspawn's head.
The impact created a sick sound. The rebar connected with creature's skull but it didn't fall. It staggered back and growled. The sound was low and came from its hollow form. Then it launched itself at Kaoru. The speed was terrifying.
Kaoru's heart pounded. His body was frozen for just a split second. Then everything moved. A blur. Rei was there. Her blade flashed. She stopped the creature's attack. But Kaoru could see. There was a crack in creature's armor. There was faint flicker of something dark under it.
He had to do it. He had to strike.
Kaoru took deep breath. He focused on the energy inside him. The Veil that flowed in his veins. His hand trembled. He brought the rebar down with all his strength. The aim was the dark crack in creature's form. This time, the blow landed.
Wraithspawn screamed. It was agony. Its body shuddered. It crumpled to the ground. The darkness that clung to it seemed to dissipate. A faint, fading silhouette was left behind.
Kaoru stood. He was over the fallen creature. His chest heaved. The adrenaline slowly began to wear off. Rei's voice broke through his daze.
"Not bad" she said. There was no hint of satisfaction in her tone. "But we're not done yet. The Wraith's presence is growing stronger. This is only the beginning."
Kaoru nodded. His eyes narrowed. He wasn't ready for whatever came next. But now, more than ever he understood the stakes.
The storm was here. It wasn't waiting.
To be continued…