Amidst The Shadows

"Why're we in such a rush? It's probably fine to go back to the museum now, right?" Damian asked, glancing back at the structure. 

"Oliver made it clear with us there it was harder for him to maintain it. I don't know what his ability is exactly, but it likely has to do with illusions," Finn explained. "Either way, we should get away from that dragon's corpse."

Charlotte kept up, always seeming to keep her hand resting on her scabbard at her hip, "A carcass like that will attract scavenger-type monsters. It'll become a mess soon."

"Exactly. It'll be a feast for fiends," Finn said. 

Damian expelled a grossed-out breath, "Yeah, I'm good on that. Don't wanna see it." 

As the sun began to dip behind the clouds with the day shifting to a warm orange, refuge was taken in an abandoned cafe. Finn sat at a table, glancing at the windows that they had barricaded while fiddling with a shattered mug. 

Damian was preoccupied with finding whatever food he could, while Charlotte cleaned her blade with a handkerchief. 

Somehow, the aroma of coffee grounds was still present within the weathered establishment even after everything it had gone through. 

"Jackpot," Damian said, retrieving something from behind the counter. 

What the now giddy warrior presented was a tray of scones, though Finn could only imagine they were quite stale by now. 

A moment of peace was comforting, yet at the same time, Finn couldn't help but feel like every second was one away from an attack. This anxiousness unsettled him as he tapped his foot, keeping his eyes on the blocked-off doorway. 

"What's the plan now? Just stake out wherever we can?" Damian asked with a mouthful of scone. 

"I don't think that's the right call," Finn responded, looking over at the warrior. "I've been thinking of what that old man told us. I think he's onto something–the Towers likely hold something in them. What it is, I don't know, but…I think climbing up the floors is our best option." 

There was silence that followed the reasoning issued by the assassin; an expected hesitation as the Towers had already demonstrated their danger. 

"I don't entirely disagree, but it could just as easily lead to an even quicker death," Damian responded. 

Finn nodded his head, "I know." He looked over at the silent girl who cleaned her blade. "Charlotte, you went to the second floor, right? How was it, compared to the first? I know it's different between towers, but I'm assuming the danger increases with each floor." 

Charlotte nodded her head as she looked up, "It was much different from the first floor dungeon I went through. I…I barely made it out—well, you both know that." 

"Yeah, I assumed it was pretty awful considering how it left you," Damian said. 

"So, the first is just a false sense of security, then? Besides that lunatic we encountered, it wasn't too bad," Finn recalled. 

It seemed like a sour topic to the girl, as she fidgeted slightly, fiddling with her fingers. In his short time knowing her, Charlotte seemed quiet and reserved, though calm and composed. 

For Finn, it was an unnerving sight to see her clearly ruffled by recent memories. 

"Be honest," Finn asked. "As we are right now, do you think we could survive the second floor?" 

Charlotte pondered it for a moment, looking between the warrior and assassin, "I haven't exactly seen either of you in real combat yet, so I can't say for sure." 

"Alright—then let's conduct a test," Finn said, standing up from his seat. 

Damian swallowed the scone he was chewing with a perplexed look, "Test? Don't tell me you have in mind what I think you do—" 

"Yup," Finn confirmed. "Let's go find a monster to slay." 

"Oh, great," Damian expelled a sarcastic sigh. 

At the level he'd brought himself to, Finn felt confident in simply walking onto the street. Simple fiends such as goblins or kobolds were well within his strength to manage, though he remained cautious. 

Leaving the cafe they bunkered in, the three marched down the street carefully, not taking long to discover a perfect environment for what Finn sought— 

"Jackpot," the assassin pointed out, looking towards the entrance into a parking garage. 

It was as close to a modern cave within a city, undoubtedly the home of prowling fiends as Finn led the way into the lot of abandoned vehicles. 

"Is this really a good idea? Picking a fight, I mean," Damian asked, looking around at the shadow-filled lot. 

"It's not just for Charlotte. Sitting around is only going to end badly—if we can, we need to keep leveling up," Finn advised. "I'm sure you've noticed, but it feels like it's only going to get more dangerous." 

"Can't disagree there…That big ass dragon really shook me up," Damian said. 

In all honesty, Finn was more interested in obtaining new skills with his Assimilation System than simply leveling up. 

The concrete pillars only harbored darkness as the vast parking garage was left eerily silent. 

"…Feel that? Got kinda chilly out of nowhere, didn't it?" Damian asked with a shudder. 

"A bit, yeah," Finn agreed while walking further. 

As he took another step, he came to a sudden stop while looking ahead. It was pitch black just a few strides forward, unnaturally so. 

A parking garage was a naturally eerie environment; a vast, open, yet enclosed space with dim spaces, always seeming to house the unseen. 

"Right ahead," Finn quietly called out as he called on his dagger. 

"Right," Damian nodded his head, lifting his hand as his axe manifested itself. 

As he readied himself, Finn whispered as he held his other hand out, "—Replication."

The dagger duplicated into his left hand as he remained cautious, only inching forward slightly. His boot slid across the concrete floor with a slight scrape as he watched the darkness— 

"—" 

In the mass of darkness that consumed the other end of the parking garage, it showed itself; an inhuman face peeking out. 

Its eyes bulged from its head, with chattering teeth and pale, white skin. The unnerving creature seemed to wear a cloak of pure darkness, as if dressed in shadows as only its face and limbs laid bare. 

It could hardly be considered humanoid, only in the fact it walked on two legs, hunched over as its glazed over eyes stared past the humans. There was something about its presence; like a pressure that pulsed with sheer malevolence. 

"What the fuck is that?" Damian asked in a hesitant whisper, keeping his weapon up. 

"A Duke of Shadows. Don't be scared," Finn advised. 

"How the hell can I not be?! Look at that thing!" Damian said in a panic as sweat left his body. 

Finn looked over at the warrior, having to compose himself as well, "--It wants to make you scared. If you exhibit fear, it's going to amplify it–calm yourself down." 

It left Damian clutching at his own chest with labored breathing, seeming to exude more sweat in a panic, "Yeah…! I've got it–nice and easy, all calm!" The warrior convinced himself. 

While the men calmed themselves down, the shadow-cloaked entity smiled at them, tucking itself behind a pillar as it wiggled its fingers in a taunting fashion. Even though Damian took clear measures to compose himself, it was clear that the panic had done its damage as the man was still left breathing unevenly. 

Finn noticed the state of the warrior, thinking to himself, '--Shit, it's going to target him. If he lets the fear amplify too much, his heart will explode, but I can't tell him that. It'll only increase his panic.' 

From its spot behind the concrete pillar, the shadow-dwelling fiend lunged out with its mouth agape. 

Finn intercepted it, meeting it halfway as he duck down— 

["Deadly Clairvoyance"] [0:29] 

As the skill activated, the quick-footed man felt a shock course through his body like a six sense. He felt the creature attacking with its left arm, aiming to eviscerate his neck. 

The precognition caused his body to move on its own, predicting the incoming attack as he used one dagger to slash through the nightmare's wrist. 

"Kreeugh—?" The fiend releases a noise. 

As Finn pressed further, striking his dagger towards its head, the creature suddenly pulled away. It was as if the shadows puppeteered its body, flinging it back. 

Though Finn opened his mouth to call out to the spellblade, he found it unnecessary as the young woman was already rushing in. 

Charlotte ran her hand over her sword as bright, blue flames gathered along it. 

["Burning Sapphire Infusion"] 

The blazing sword was swept forth by the girl, unleashing the flames into the dwelling of shadows ahead. It pushed away the mass of darkness, like a smog being disrupted. 

Within the shadows, the bug-eyed, double-jointed fiend screeched a horrific sound. 

"—Ah!"

"Shit!" 

"Nah!—" 

They all blocked their ears, though it wasn't before the piercing scream had done its damage. 

Finn struggled to stand straight as it felt like an ice pick had been plunged into his ears. The immediate migraine blurred his vision, leaving a ringing in his ears. 

'Shit…It got us with that—this thing is tough, but it's manageable,' he thought, focusing past the pain with quick breaths.