"Brother, I still feel like someone's watching us!" the girl whispered, her voice quivering with unease.
"That's impossible! I just checked—there's no one around. No way anyone's watching us!" the boy retorted sharply.
"Brother, it's really cold…" The girl shivered uncontrollably, instinctively inching closer to her brother. She clutched the hem of his sleeve tightly, as if it could offer her some warmth against the biting chill.
"Just hold on a little longer, little sister. Once we get out of this cursed place and make it home, it'll be warm," her brother reassured her, his tone softening. He quickened his steps, eager to escape the cold and the oppressive, eerie atmosphere of the forest.
Suddenly, the girl's voice trembled even more, laced with terror, as if she'd spotted something horrifying.
"Brother… look at that crow over there…"
She yanked his arm with surprising force, stopping him in his tracks, and pointed a shaking finger toward a large tree not far off, where a lone crow perched ominously.
"Is that… isn't that the same crow we saw earlier?" she asked, her voice barely above a fearful whisper.
The boy paused, turning to follow her gaze. Indeed, the crow sat silently on the branch, its eyes black as ink, staring directly at them with unnerving focus.
Whether it was his imagination or something more sinister, the boy sensed a hint of mockery and amusement in the creature's gaze, as if it were toying with them.
A surge of irrational anger flared within him. He clenched his teeth hard, his jaw tightening, and muttered to his sister,
"Don't be afraid. Go find me a bigger stone. I'm taking that thing down today, no matter what!"
Despite her lingering fear, the girl nodded hesitantly, compelled by her brother's determination.
She began searching the ground for a suitable stone. It didn't take long before she found one larger than her small palm and hurriedly passed it to him.
The boy snatched the stone and, without a moment's pause, flung it at the crow with all his might. But the crow was unnaturally agile, dodging the projectile with a slight tilt of its wings. The stone struck the tree trunk with a dull thud, echoing faintly in the stillness.
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
The boy's action was like poking a hornet's nest.
Without warning, countless crows burst from the surrounding forest, their harsh cries shattering the quiet. They swarmed overhead, circling the boy in a chaotic frenzy, their wings forming a dense, oppressive cloud that blotted out the sky.
The grating, ear-piercing cacophony reverberated through the forest, so overwhelming it seemed to engulf the entire world.
The girl had never witnessed anything so terrifying.
Her face, already pale from fear, drained completely of color, turning ashen. Her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the ground, her body wracked with tremors. She lacked the strength to stand, let alone flee, her terror paralyzing her.
In contrast, the boy, though gripped by the same dread, forced himself to remain steady. He stood his ground, trying to project courage despite the panic roiling within.
But a closer look revealed his true state—his small fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened, and his legs trembled slightly, betraying the fear he couldn't fully suppress.
At that moment, a series of crisp, deliberate footsteps broke through the chaos, emanating from the depths of the forest.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Each step landed with chilling clarity, as if hammering directly onto the children's fragile hearts, shaking their very souls with every resounding echo.
Then, as the footsteps grew louder, a figure emerged slowly from the shroud of darkness.
He was tall, yet his frame appeared gaunt, almost skeletal, draped in a long black robe that swayed gently with each step, the hem brushing the forest floor.
His face was concealed in shadow, obscuring his features. Only a pair of eyes, glinting with an icy, predatory light, pierced through the darkness, fixing coldly on the two children before him.
"Are you the only children left? Or… could it be that you're the only ones who managed to escape?" he mused aloud, his voice low and contemplative. He fell silent, resuming his slow, relentless approach toward them.
The boy felt as though an invisible force had bound him in place, as if a spell had robbed him of movement. His body was rigid, save for his eyes, which widened in horror as he watched the stranger draw ever closer, step by inexorable step.
"Those Ubuyashiki fools hid you well. I've hunted for years without finding a single trace of you.
But no amount of cunning can outmatch the folly of the reckless. You walked right out into the open," the stranger's voice drifted into the boy's ears, each word heavy with menace.
Despair crashed over the boy like a tidal wave. The warnings were true—there were monsters hunting them, just as they'd been told. The adults hadn't lied.
But now, realizing this, was it too late?
Who could save them now?
The stranger halted, materializing before them like a specter. The boy, trembling with fear, forced himself to look up. In the suffocating darkness, he saw only a pair of crimson eyes glowing with an unholy light, like the gaze of a demon from the depths of hell, chilling him to his core.
"Children, shall we play an amusing game?" the stranger whispered, his voice a sinister, demonic murmur that lingered in the boy's ears. The sound sent a shudder through him, fear surging like a flood, threatening to overwhelm his senses.
"Simply lead me to the place you came from, and in return, I'll let you and your adorable little sister go free. How does that sound?" The stranger's lips curled upward, revealing a smile that was both eerie and unsettling.
The boy's teeth chattered uncontrollably, his throat constricted as if something had lodged there, stifling any words he might have spoken. Beside him, the girl, still sprawled on the ground, clutched his hand tightly, her eyes brimming with terror and a desperate plea.
"Brother, no…" she whimpered, her face ghostly pale, her body shaking as she shook her head frantically.
Young and innocent, she didn't fully grasp the stakes, but her instincts screamed that the villagers—the kind, caring older brothers who protected them—were good.
This stranger, with his menacing presence, was unmistakably evil. No matter what, they couldn't comply with his demands.
Ren's cold, predatory gaze shifted to the girl, and he let out a soft chuckle, the sound grating and discordant in the silent night.
"Little one, don't misunderstand my generosity. This isn't a polite request," he said, his tone laced with menace.
At that moment, the boy, who had been silent, mustered every ounce of courage and shouted, "Let my sister go, and I'll take you there!" His voice trembled, but it carried a resolute determination.
Ren raised a finger, tapping his brow lightly. "It's a deal."