The wind howled through the trees, rustling the leaves with an unsettling whisper. The forest, once alive with the hum of insects and distant calls of nocturnal creatures, had fallen into an unnatural silence. The tension in the air was thick, pressing against Kai's chest like an invisible force.
Eryndra moved first, her sharp gaze scanning the treeline. "Stay alert. We don't know what we're dealing with."
Kai tightened his grip on his sword, his senses sharpening. His instincts screamed at him—something was wrong.
Then, the shadows moved.
A flicker of darkness darted between the trees, too fast to track. Lyria gasped, stepping back as a chilling whisper brushed past her ear. She swung her staff in reaction, flames bursting to life, but they illuminated nothing.
Ryn cursed under his breath. "Whatever it is, it's playing with us."
Kai exhaled slowly, steadying his breath. No—this wasn't a mere creature stalking them. The darkness itself seemed alive, shifting unnaturally, curling around the edges of their camp like a living entity.
Sylara's voice was calm but edged with warning. "It's testing us."
Without another word, she vanished. A blur of motion, her form slipping into the darkness. For a moment, the silence deepened. Then—a sharp cry echoed through the trees.
Kai reacted instantly, dashing forward. The moment he crossed the treeline, the air changed. The forest around him seemed… different. Twisted. The trees loomed taller, their trunks gnarled and unnatural. The ground beneath him felt soft, almost like—
A shadow lashed out.
Kai barely twisted in time, his sword meeting resistance as he struck. The force sent him sliding back. His eyes widened as the darkness ahead took form—a figure, cloaked in shifting black mist. It had no face, only a pair of glowing violet eyes peering at him with eerie intelligence.
Behind him, the others emerged, weapons drawn.
"What the hell is that?" Ryn muttered.
The figure tilted its head, as if amused. Then it spoke.
A voice like distant echoes filled the air. "You do not belong here."
The temperature plummeted. Kai's breath came out in visible puffs. He braced himself. "And who are you to decide that?"
The figure raised a shadowed arm. The darkness around them surged.
And then it attacked.
---
A Battle Against the Unknown
The entity moved like liquid shadow, shifting unpredictably. It struck at Kai first, its form stretching unnaturally as it lunged. He barely deflected the blow, the impact sending vibrations up his arm.
Lyria unleashed a stream of fire, but the flames passed through the creature as if it wasn't solid. "Damn it!" she hissed.
Sylara reappeared behind it, her blade slicing through its form. For a moment, it faltered—splitting apart—before reforming instantly.
Eryndra's eyes narrowed. "It's not bound by physical form."
Kai clenched his jaw. Then how were they supposed to fight it?
The creature shifted again, and suddenly there were three of them. Identical shadows, all watching.
"Leave," they whispered in unison.
Instead, Kai lunged. He activated flash step, appearing behind the nearest figure. His sword, charged with energy, slashed downward.
This time, it reacted. The violet eyes flared, and a pulse of darkness exploded outward.
Kai was thrown back.
Pain flared through his body as he crashed against a tree. He groaned, pushing himself up. "Tch… strong."
Sylara appeared beside him. "It's not just strong. It's studying us."
The figures advanced, their presence suffocating.
Kai exhaled sharply. Fine. If it was studying them, then it was time to give it something worth watching.
His grip tightened on his sword. He could feel his power stirring—deeper than before. If precision was the lesson of the day, then he'd make this strike count.
A low hum filled the air as energy crackled around him. The shadows hesitated.
Kai smirked. "Now let's see if you can keep up."
Then, he attacked.