The dark forest was eerily silent. The only sound was the crackling of the campfire, as James and Ryu stood, surrounded by eyes that glowed like fiery embers, sending chills down their spines.
Ryu: "Don't tell me it might be..."
His voice was shaky, fear creeping in. James remained calm, his senses sharp. He could feel the weight of something ominous in the air, and his hand instinctively reached for his wooden katana. Ryu, although visibly rattled, did the same, preparing for whatever was about to happen.
Suddenly, figures emerged from the shadows. They were phantoms—rotting, flying corpses draped in black robes. Ancient scriptures were faintly visible on their tattered clothing. The stench of death hung heavy around them.
James's golden eyes narrowed, and his body tensed.
James: "Phantoms... I hate these things."
Both James and Ryu reacted instantly. They moved with incredible speed, but the phantoms were faster. The eerie creatures swarmed around them, their rotting forms barely making a sound as they darted through the air.
James: "How are they so fast?"
Suddenly, the leader of the phantoms appeared. It wielded two sickles, emanating dark magic from every swing. With one deadly motion, it unleashed a slicing wave of black energy, aimed directly at James.
James blocked one with his katana, but the second slice was about to strike him. At the last moment, Ryu kicked through the air, his foot igniting in flames. With a powerful flame kick, he intercepted the black magic, sending it spiraling away into the night.
Ryu: "Hmm, I'm prepared."
James: "Don't be overconfident."
The phantoms scattered, their leader vanishing into the darkness. But the real threat was only just beginning. The ground trembled as the Dark Knight emerged—a giant, imposing figure, its rotting armor gleaming in the firelight. The knight's sword was massive, covered in ancient scriptures, and its presence radiated power. The two companions stood their ground as the creature's eyes glowed a malevolent red.
Ryu: "Great... it's our first night, and already we're dealing with this."
James's eyes sparkled with determination, his body coiling like a spring.
James: "Yeah, but it's just getting started."
With a sudden, terrifying roar, the Dark Knight swung its massive sword at them. James narrowly dodged the strike, the blade cutting through the air just inches from his body.
In retaliation, Ryu kicked a nearby boulder, sending it flying at the knight's head, but the Dark Knight deflected it easily with its sword.
The ground suddenly cracked open as skeletons, their hollow eyes glowing, began to claw their way out. Armed with spears and swords, they charged toward the two.
Ryu: "You've got to be kidding me!"
Without hesitation, Ryu leapt into the air, sending waves of fire out with every strike. He kicked and punched with precision, his fire magic leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. Every skeleton he hit crumbled into ash, but there were too many to take down in one go.
James, calm as always, remained poised. His hand moved with lightning speed, his wooden katana slicing through the skeletons with deadly accuracy. With one hand, he cut down a dozen, his golden eyes never leaving his targets.
James: "They're just distractions."
But as the last skeleton fell, the ground shook again, and the Dark Knight raised its sword high. The skeletal army disintegrated into nothingness as the knight's dark magic surged.
Ryu: "Well, that was fun... but we still need to deal with this guy."
The Dark Knight, its armor almost completely decayed, summoned another wave of undead soldiers from the depths of the earth. The new skeletons were faster, stronger, and more numerous. The knight's presence seemed to amplify their strength.
James: "We'll handle this."
But then, the Dark Knight's glowing red eyes locked onto Ryu, and it charged at him. In a split second, the knight was upon him, swinging its sword in a deadly arc. Ryu barely managed to leap out of the way, but the blade scraped his side.
James: "Ryu!"
In the blink of an eye, James closed the gap between them, using his speed to close in on the Dark Knight. With a clean slash, he struck at the creature's exposed chest. The blow left a deep gash, but the knight's armor held strong.
James: "We need to do more damage!"
Ryu recovered, his eyes burning with determination. With one swift movement, he spun and launched a powerful fireball at the knight's chest. The attack hit with a burst of flames, and the Dark Knight's armor cracked open, exposing its heart.
James: "Now!"
James moved with incredible speed, using his wooden katana to pierce the knight's exposed heart. The Dark Knight's body stiffened, then collapsed to the ground with a deafening crash, its form disintegrating into ash before their eyes.
The air grew still again, and only the sound of the crackling fire remained.
Ryu: "Well, that was exhausting."
James's golden eyes scanned the wreckage, but his mind was already moving forward. He could feel that the forces behind this attack were still at play.
James: "This is just the beginning."
Ryu clapped his hands together, trying to shake off the tension.
Ryu: "Yeah, yeah, but let's hope the next fight isn't as crazy. I need a drink."
James smiled faintly, but his eyes remained focused.
James: "The real fight is still out there."