Weird [part 2]

The Journey of Suzuki Kyōi: The Advancing Shadow

As the mysterious voices echoed louder in the ears of the mercenaries, the darkness seemed to close in around them, palpable and suffocating.

The torches barely illuminated the surrounding area, casting long shadows that appeared to move on their own.

Kyōi stared into the darkness, trying to discern the source of the impending danger, but there was nothing tangible—only the breath of the unknown enveloping them.

The Calm Before the Storm

Everyone's breathing became shallow and labored.

The mercenaries exchanged silent glances, gripping their weapons tightly.

Renidori, standing beside Kyōi, was tense, like a bowstring ready to snap.

Every sound, every creak of stone, seemed to announce the arrival of something dark and ancient, something that had been watching for too long.

Kyōi moved slowly toward the fissure where the light from the crystals emanated.

It almost seemed as though the crystals themselves responded to the approaching threat, emitting an increasingly intense, pulsing light, like the beat of a heart.

"Prepare yourselves," Kyōi whispered, his tone low but filled with authority. "I don't know what's coming, but it won't be an easy encounter."

The Shadows Take Shape

Suddenly, a strange sound broke through the darkness, like a whisper of wind, but deeper, more visceral.

The voices, which until that moment had remained as faint murmurs, grew clearer.

They weren't just whispers now; they were words, though incomprehensible, as if an ancient language was trying to communicate with them.

The torches flickered, and in one corner of the cave, something moved.

At first, it was just a shadow, indistinct, but then it took on a more defined form.

It was tall, slender, and wrapped in an unnatural darkness that seemed to feed off the very light around it.

The creature materialized with slow, almost dance-like movements, as though it were part of the surrounding darkness itself.

Silence Broken Only by Breath

The entire group froze for a moment.

No one dared move.

The creature made no sound, except for a deep, rhythmic breath, like that of a beast preparing to hunt.

Its eyes, glowing red like fire, were fixed on them.

Kyōi clenched his jaw, his hand already on his sword.

The First Attack

With a chilling hiss, the creature moved.

It was a quick, fluid motion, almost unreal, as if it was shifting between the shadows themselves.

In an instant, it was in front of one of the nearest mercenaries, raising a hand with elongated, pointed fingers.

The mercenary lifted his shield, but there was no sound of impact.

The shadow's hand passed through it as though it wasn't solid, and the man collapsed to the ground, paralyzed with fear.

Kyōi didn't hesitate. With a battle cry, he charged toward the creature, his sword gleaming in the faint light.

However, the strike that should have gravely wounded the shadow passed through it, as if it were made of smoke.

"Damn it!" Kyōi muttered, stepping back. "It's not solid!"

The Shadow That Advances

Kyōi stared in disbelief at the spot where his blade had passed through the shadow without leaving a mark.

The creature, ethereal and elusive, seemed untouchable, like an illusion born from the darkness itself.

The mercenaries, terrified, slowly backed away, their breath held, their hands trembling on their weapons.

The First Attack Vanishes

The creature remained still for a moment, its red eyes burning like embers.

Then, without any warning, it dissolved into the air, like smoke dispersed by the wind.

Its body dematerialized in an instant, leaving behind only an eerie void and the echo of its mysterious words still ringing in their ears.

"It's... gone?" one of the mercenaries asked, his voice trembling.

"Don't lower your guard," Kyōi warned, his hand still firm on the hilt of his sword. "This isn't over."

A Moment of Deceptive Calm

The group waited, time seeming to stretch in the darkness, and the tension grew.

The pulsing light of the crystals in the walls seemed to react to the presence of the creature, creating a surreal, almost hypnotic atmosphere.

But behind that brief moment of silence, an even darker threat loomed.

Renidori watched the area closely, his breath shallow, his nerves as taut as bowstrings.

"We can't stay here," he finally said, his voice hoarse. "We need to move."

But just as the mercenaries began to gather the courage to proceed, the darkness vibrated again, as if it were alive, as if it were breathing with them.

The Return of the Shadow

Without warning, the creature reappeared, emerging from the darkness like a shadow cast on the ground.

This time it was closer, more menacing.

With a sudden, swift movement, it lunged at the group, attacking with ferocious speed.

Its arms, long and distorted, moved rapidly, striking another mercenary who tried to defend himself.

The man collapsed to the ground, silent.

His limbs seemed lifeless, as if the very essence of life had been drained from him.

Kyōi's Stand

Kyōi wasted no time.

In a single leap, he positioned himself between the creature and the remaining mercenaries.

This time, he didn't just strike with his sword—he concentrated the energy in his hands, channeling the power he had honed over long years of battle.

With a battle cry, he unleashed an attack of pure energy toward the shadow.

The creature let out a sharp hiss, and for the first time, it seemed to falter.

Kyōi's energy struck it with force, causing it to retreat for a brief moment.

But instead of fleeing, the shadow dissolved once again, vanishing among the rocks and surrounding darkness.

The Imminence of a New Threat

The group stood in shock, aware that the shadow could strike again at any moment, and that they were facing an enemy they couldn't touch.

But something wasn't right.

Every time the creature materialized, the crystals in the walls glowed with more intensity.

Kyōi turned to Renidori.

"There's a connection between those crystals and the creature. Something is calling it... maybe it's drawn to the energy they emit."

Renidori nodded, his expression grim.

"We need to make a choice. Do we destroy the crystals and hope the creature disappears... or do we find a way to trap it before it takes us down one by one?"

But before they could make a decision, the creature reappeared, ready to strike again.

"Prepare yourselves!" Kyōi shouted, knowing that this time, there would be no second chance.