Whispers in the Dark

The group advanced cautiously through the dimly lit tunnels, their footsteps muffled by the gritty floor. Tobi struggled to shake the unease clinging to him after Hiki's revelation. Every flicker of shadow and distant sound felt like an imminent threat. Friend walked beside him, his usually sharp commentary subdued.

"Still breathing, are we?" Friend finally said, his voice low. "That's something to celebrate."

"Doesn't feel like it," Tobi muttered, keeping his eyes on the ground. "Hiki thinks I'm a target now. What if—"

"What if they send something worse than that Stalker? What if you lose control again? What if you mess up and get everyone killed?" Friend's voice grew sharper with each word. Then he stopped, his gaze piercing. "What if you don't?"

Tobi blinked, taken aback. "What?"

"You heard me. You've been asking the wrong questions. Stop thinking about what could go wrong and start thinking about what you can do when it does."

Tobi opened his mouth to argue but stopped. As much as he hated to admit it, Friend had a point.

Ahead, Hiki raised her hand, signaling another halt. She knelt by the wall, examining faint markings etched into the stone. Her expression darkened as she ran her fingers over the grooves.

"Runes," she said, barely above a whisper. "Old ones. Whoever left these was here recently."

Moritaka leaned in, his usual smirk absent. "Supes?"

"Possibly," Hiki replied. "But these markings… they're more intricate than the ones we've seen before. Whoever did this wasn't just passing through. They were performing a ritual."

Tobi's stomach twisted. "A ritual? For what?"

Hiki didn't answer immediately. She straightened, her gaze fixed on the markings as if they might reveal their secrets. "We keep moving," she finally said. "Stay close. Whatever they were doing here, we don't want to stick around to find out."

The tunnel widened into a cavern, its ceiling vanishing into darkness. The faint bioluminescent glow of fungi gave the space an eerie, otherworldly quality. Scattered around the cavern were remnants of what might once have been a settlement—broken furniture, rusted tools, and the skeletal remains of makeshift walls.

"This place gives me the creeps," Moritaka muttered, gripping his weapon tightly.

"Good," Hiki said curtly. "Fear keeps you sharp."

Tobi scanned the cavern, his eyes drawn to a faint shimmer in the center of the space. As they approached, the shimmer grew clearer, revealing a pool of water with an unnatural silver hue. The surface was perfectly still, reflecting the dim light like a mirror.

"That doesn't look normal," Tobi said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hiki crouched by the edge of the pool, her brow furrowed. "It's not. This is a convergence point—where energy from the stones gathers naturally." She glanced at Tobi. "Places like this are rare, but they're dangerous. The energy here can amplify powers, but it also attracts… other things."

Moritaka cursed under his breath. "Great. So we're sitting ducks in a hotspot for freaky stuff?"

Before Hiki could respond, a low hum filled the air. The surface of the pool rippled, and the shimmer intensified. Tobi took an involuntary step back, his heart pounding.

"What's happening?" he asked.

Friend growled softly. "Trouble."

The hum grew louder, resonating through the cavern. From the pool rose a figure, its form shifting and fluid like liquid metal. It stood tall, faceless, its body shimmering with the same silver hue as the water.

"Energy Wraith," Hiki said, her voice tense. "Stay back. It's drawn to power."

The wraith turned its featureless head toward the group, its movements unnaturally smooth. Then, without warning, it lunged.

Hiki and Moritaka sprang into action, their weapons blazing. Bolts of energy and arcs of light struck the wraith, but its body absorbed the attacks, rippling like water. Tobi watched in horror as the creature closed the distance between them, its speed unmatched.

"Focus, Tobi!" Friend barked. "This thing isn't going to wait for you to figure it out!"

Tobi raised his stabilizer, channeling his energy as he'd practiced. The device hummed to life, emitting a steady glow. He aimed at the wraith and released a burst of energy, the force striking the creature squarely. For a moment, it faltered, its form distorting.

"It's working!" Tobi shouted.

"Not enough!" Hiki snapped. "It's feeding off the energy here! We need to disrupt the pool!"

Tobi hesitated, glancing at the shimmering water. His stabilizer sparked violently, warning him against overloading it again. "If I push too hard, I'll lose control!"

Friend leapt in front of him, his golden eyes blazing. "Then lose control. Trust yourself, Tobi. Or do nothing and let it kill us all."

The wraith lunged again, its liquid-like form stretching toward Moritaka. Tobi acted on instinct, unleashing a surge of raw energy. The blast struck the pool, sending waves rippling outward. The cavern shook, and the glow of the water dimmed. The wraith let out a shrill, inhuman screech as its body began to destabilize.

"Keep going!" Hiki shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.

Tobi gritted his teeth, pushing his energy further. The stabilizer sparked and hissed, but he ignored it. Another surge hit the pool, and the wraith dissolved into a shimmering mist, its form collapsing into the water.

The cavern fell silent, save for Tobi's labored breathing. The pool's glow faded entirely, leaving the space bathed in an unsettling darkness.

As the group regrouped, Hiki placed a hand on Tobi's shoulder. "Good work," she said, her tone surprisingly gentle. "You handled yourself well."

Tobi nodded, though his body trembled with exhaustion. Friend sat at his feet, his tail swishing lazily. "See? Told you you'd thank me."

Moritaka, still catching his breath, smirked. "Not bad, kid. You might survive this after all."

Hiki's expression turned serious. "Don't get comfortable. That wraith wasn't here by chance. Someone brought it."

Tobi felt a chill run down his spine. "Why? Who would do that?"

Hiki's gaze darkened. "Someone who knows exactly what you are—and wants you gone."

The weight of her words settled over Tobi like a shroud. As the group prepared to leave the cavern, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Friend walked beside him, his voice low and ominous.

"This is just the beginning, Tobi. The deeper we go, the more the shadows will reveal. You'd better be ready."

Tobi clenched his fists, determination hardening in his chest. "I will be."