Through the Barrier

Approaching the temple, Adrian noted that it wasn't far, situated on the limited space atop the cliff.

The architecture of the temple captivated Adrian, earning his genuine admiration.

Nestled in a secluded, forgotten corner of the world, which Adrian had no idea where, the ancient black temple rose with an aura of profound mystique.

Its structure, a unique fusion of architectural elements reminiscent of both a church and a temple, stood as a testament to a bygone era of enigmatic beliefs.

The temple's exterior was shrouded in obsidian-hued stone, weathered by centuries of existence yet retaining an enduring elegance. Massive, ornately carved doors, adorned with intricate symbols and mysterious glyphs, beckoned those curious enough to step into the realm of ancient spirituality.

The sharp cracking sound of a whip echoed through the air just as Adrian approached the temple, freezing him in his tracks.

Adrian, on high alert, carefully looked back. The cracking of the whip had shattered the silence, and he could sense the unsettling presence of the skinwalker lurking behind him.

The temple, which had initially seemed like a haven, now felt more like a potential battleground.

"You actually managed to get here. Do you know what this temple is?" asked the skinwalker as it started walking towards Adrian, who wasn't far away to begin with.

The distance between them was enough for the skinwalker to strike at Adrian, but it refrained—for now.

Hearing its question, he would be lying if he said he wasn't intrigued to know what this temple was. However, he knew the skinwalker was just trying to engage him in a conversation for some purpose—though he wasn't sure what.

Seeing it coming closer, Adrian attempted to take a step back, but suddenly, he encountered something that almost seemed to suck the life out of him.

'WHY IS THERE A GAWDDAM BARRIER HERE IN THIS RUNDOWN PLACE!'

Adrian almost wished to end his own life, as his fate seemed to delight in playing with him in ways he truly hated.

The only thing he could do now was not let the skinwalker know that he couldn't enter the temple; otherwise, he would truly be at its mercy with nowhere to run.

"I heard it's a place of sacrifice. Is that what it is?" Adrian attempted to engage him in conversation, searching for a solution. He was aware that the slavers were formidable, likely around the 3 or 4-core level of core bearers.

The skinwalker, now possessing the slaver, showed no intention of backing off. Adrian wasn't sure about the motives behind the abomination's actions, but he deemed it unwise to try to rationalize why monsters killed one another.

"You see, I'm not too sure about it myself, but that little boy had some idea," Adrian listened to his words carefully, but suddenly he realized something, though he was too late.

The whip the skinwalker had been holding towards the ground up till now stretched and snaked around Adrian's neck. "You are not that smart to outplay me," finished talking, the skinwalker pulled the whip, and it started to strangle Adrian.

Adrian attempted to grasp the whip, but the strength of a 3-core level core bearer was too much for him. He could only wait and witness his imminent death.

'kachaw'

As the whip tightened around Adrian's neck, he heard a distinct sound of breaking, fortunately realizing it wasn't his own neck.

The collar encircling Adrian's neck cracked, and shards embedded themselves into his skin, though surprisingly, no blood spilled. Adrian, however, was too pressed to take note of these details.

The moment the collar was removed, Adrian sensed an unfamiliar presence. The shadows seemed strangely familiar, reminiscent of the sensation he experienced when he initially delved into the missing kids case.

He never comprehended the mechanics behind his cane. According to Henry, it was designed to amplify his inherent powers, which Adrian was certain were of a werewolf nature.

Unmindful of these intricacies, Adrian instinctively plunged into the shadows, guided by an intuition that it was the right course of action.

The moment he did, his perspective on the world underwent a transformative shift.

It enveloped him entirely in a profound blackness, distinct from the nighttime darkness he had been accustomed to—a blackness that felt intimately connected to him.

Surveying his surroundings, Adrian spotted the skinwalker standing with an unchanging smile on his face, appearing entirely unconcerned about Adrian's presence.

'He knows I'm weaker than him.' 

Uncertain about his course of action, Adrian contemplated gliding down the cliff in the shadows to make a swift escape. However, just as he prepared to move into the shadows, he noticed an approaching fog.

As Adrian concentrated on the rapidly approaching fog, his mind began to buzz with intensity.

In an attempt to shake off the disorienting sensation, he forcefully shook his head, only to exacerbate the discomfort, leading to a wave of nausea.

"Is this normal? Do all shadow manifestors experience this sensation, or is it unique to me?" Adrian wondered, questioning the unusual effects on his senses.

Without sufficient time for contemplation, whatever approached him left Adrian with no choice but to find himself abruptly outside the shadows.

'What?'

Just as he got kicked out of the shadows, Adrian felt the air forcefully expelled from his lungs, propelling him toward the temple stairs. In an instant, he found himself on the third stair within the protective barrier of the temple.

'Cough cough'

Adrian turned his gaze toward the skinwalker just as the latter was lowering his leg.

"I should be spitting blood by now, but it seems the concept of blood has become obsolete," Adrian mused, reflecting on the absence of expected physical reactions after being kicked in stomach by skinwalker.

Despite the pain he endured, Adrian examined the stairs beneath him. He was confident that a barrier existed there before, yet this time he managed to bypass it.

'What changed?' 

The revelation dawned on him swiftly as he realized the answer because the shards of the collar were still lodged in his neck.

"The collar is gone and my powers are unlocked; did this temple necessitate someone from the shadow manifestor's lineage?" Adrian pondered, contemplating the connection between his newfound abilities and the temple.

Had the skinwalker not been wearing the hood, Adrian would have discerned his expression even in his thoughts, but he didn't.

The skinwalker whose smile was so wide now which shouldn't have been possible for a normal person, started walking towards Adrian.

Observing the skinwalker's approach, Adrian instinctively took a few steps back with caution. However, he soon realized his concerns were unwarranted, for the barrier stood resolutely between him and the advancing skinwalker.

"I knew there was something different about you."