Unseen Dangers

Seren's sword slices through the air with precision, landing a shallow cut across the Shadow Hound's chest.

The creature snarls in pain, but instead of retreating, the wound seems to fuel its fury. Its obsidian eyes burn with malice, and its movements become even more feral.

Her next cut cleanly kills the abomination.

Nearby, Robert, Kiaran, and Finn move swiftly through the dense forest, they intend to locate and slay the source of the sound attacks. Shadow Hounds like the one Seren and Nico are battling don't possess that ability, meaning there's something else nearby.

Nico seizes an opening, his crimson blade, a weapon forged from his own blood arcing through the air. With one clean, fluid motion, he decapitates the monstrosity.

The Shadow Hound's head rolls onto the forest floor, its body collapsing and green blood exiting its neck.

"Nice work," Seren says, while already scanning the darkened surroundings. Her voice is tense. "But we're not done yet."

Her words are proven true as more growls echo through the forest. From the shadows of nearby trees, ten more Shadow Hounds emerge, their sleek, black forms blending almost seamlessly with the darkness.

Their glowing green eyes glint with predatory intent.

Though these creatures are classified as mere Wretched, the lowest rank of Abyssal entities, they remain formidable, especially when attacking as a pack.

Ahri's brows furrow in concentration as she raises her hands, her Stigma activating with a faint, otherworldly hum.

"Dammit," she mutters under her breath, her voice laced with frustration.

"It almost worked. I think if we can injure them, even just a bit, I'll be able to take control."

"Understood" Nico responds, gripping his blood blade tightly. Seren nods as well, her sword ready.

The two fighters adopt defensive stances around Ahri, shielding her from the encroaching pack. As a support specialist, she isn't equipped for direct combat, making her the pack's most vulnerable target.

Four of the Shadow Hounds charge, two toward Nico and two toward Seren.

Nico moves quickly, impaling the first hound with a spike formed from the dwindling reserve of blood in his backpack.

The second leaps toward him, claws outstretched, but another spike shoots up and pierces its chest midair. Both creatures collapse, their lifeless forms staining the ground with green ichor.

Seren, meanwhile, meets her attackers head-on. Her blade flashes in the dim light as she delivers two precise, clean strikes, decapitating the beasts in one swift motion. Their green blood sprays across the dark forest floor as their bodies slump to the ground.

"Great," Ahri says, clicking her tongue in frustration.

Seren glances at her, catching the disappointment in Ahri's tone. She smirks dryly.

"Don't worry. I'll leave the next one alive."

The battle continues, with Seren and Nico deliberately injuring rather than killing their foes. Ahri's efforts pay off as she successfully takes control of two of the Shadow Hounds.

Their glowing eyes dim, their snarls cease, and they fall under her command. Though her limit is usually four Wretched class monsters, she can only control two, since they belong to the stronger kind.

With the immediate threat neutralized, the group takes a moment to catch their breath. During the fight, their position has shifted away from the Void Breach they used to enter the Abyss.

"Hey, look over there! That has to be Robert's group!" Ahri exclaims, her voice tinged with excitement as she points toward a fallen Shadow Hound in the distance, just outside the dense forest."

The creature's belly is grotesquely slashed open, its innards partially exposed, while its head is entirely missing. Charred burn marks encircle the neck, the blackened flesh suggesting it was severed with intense, fiery precision.

But before they can call out to them, a shout comes from the opposite direction.

"We're done killing the Screecher!" Robert's voice echoes through the forest.

The group exchanges confused glances. If Robert's team is elsewhere, who killed the Shadow Hound Ahri found? Unease settles over them as they regroup at the Void Breach.

At the portal, Kiaran slaps Finn on the shoulder, his voice full of enthusiasm.

"Thanks to this guy, the fight was a piece of cake!"

Finn shifts uncomfortably under the praise, his cheeks flushing slightly.

"It wasn't just me" he mumbles.

"Is that so?" Seren says absently, her thoughts preoccupied with the extinguished bonfire and the unexplained fallen hound. Something about it all feels off.

Kiaran continues undeterred, his grin wide.

"Who else would've come up with the idea to cast the sound-blocking barrier around that dreadful flying thing? That Screecher didn't stand a chance."

Robert nods in agreement, his expression approving.

"Smart thinking, Finn. You handled that well."

Finn looks pleased, albeit a little embarrassed by the attention.

"Good work, everyone, but we still have to deal with the anchored monster," Robert says, his tone steady as he tries not to let the recent success dull their focus.

"And I think I might already know where it is."

He nods toward a peculiar-looking tree standing some distance away. It's noticeably smaller than the towering 50-meter giants around them, only reaching about 15 meters. Its bark has an odd, ashen hue, and faintly glowing roots snake into the dark ground below.

"You don't think... that's an enemy, do you?" Finn asks, his voice tinged with doubt as the rest of the team shares his look of uncertainty.

Seren steps closer, her brows furrowed.

"Now that you mention it, I don't remember seeing any trees that short. They all tower above us, something like that should've stood out."

"Look closer," Ahri says, pointing toward the roots. "They're glowing faintly. That has to be its connection to the Rift."

Kiaran grips his weapon, narrowing his eyes. "Unless trees suddenly learned to walk or grow that fast, I'd say this thing is no ordinary tree. It has to be the Guardian of this Void Breach."

The team exchanges glances, the air growing heavy with tension as they prepare for the fight ahead.

Nico sighs.

"And I thought we could relax for just a moment..."