An Unequal Battle
The phantom rose from the depths of darkness, its monument to corruption a chain of bone. It delighted in ensnaring fresh souls.
It waited—longing—for Aylin and Zach to drown in despair. Then, it would devour their hopelessness with burning lust.
"Ha ha… More… More… Suffer in pain and despair…"
Its words rumbled like a putrid stench, poisoning the mind.
The phantom released its blood-soaked veins; crimson surged through the skeletons, binding them into a colossal serpent.
The serpent lunged toward Aylin—but midway, it collided with Zach's ice shield. A deafening crash.
BOOM.
Cracks spread across the shield. Zach glanced at Aylin, eyes pointing her toward a staircase.
A staircase of ice, rising toward the phantom.
It was time to strike back.
Aylin summoned the power of her golden armor—it wrapped around her body, forged from life energy itself.
Her target wasn't just the phantom, but its blood-gem heart, fused with veins of darkness, floating inside the black hole above the monster's throne.
The aura from her armor shook the air—then exploded outward like the shock of a bomb, pushing back the darkness. Even the serpent was flung away.
A crooked, grotesque grin carved itself across the phantom's featureless face. It snarled,
"Groaaaan..."
Aylin charged. A silent, crushing leap.
Only when she reached the creature did a powerful sound echo through the rotting air.
The closer she got, the stronger the stench.
She spun the Moonblade and aimed for the monster's heart.
But black veins slithered like creeping vines around her—whispering into her ears,
"Sister… I'm hurting… it hurts… Don't leave me… Please… Don't kill me… Sister…"
A familiar voice trembled through her memories, shaking her resolve.
The armor kept the vines at bay—but her energy was draining. She had spent too much.
The vines gave her no chance to breathe. Pressure mounted.
Until finally, the armor cracked—and Aylin's body was exposed.
Black veins erupted and pierced her flesh. Blood soaked her body like a freshly bloomed red rose, and the darkness pushed inside.
Aylin screamed from the agony:
"AAAHHHHH!"
But she didn't surrender.
"You think you've won? This illusion won't work on me… You played me, and for that—I'll kill you in the most horrifying way. Even if I die, I won't be your prey."
She knew she had to stay focused. Their mission was more than survival—even if it meant sacrificing herself.
Zach, hearing Aylin's scream, felt his heart convulse. Rage echoed through his breath.
He wanted to abandon the plan—he just wanted to save her. But Aylin would never forgive him for that.
He bit his tongue and tasted blood.
He stared at Aylin. She was the only angel among demons. Her wings, shattered and bathed in blood.
Zach summoned a vast surge of his life energy. Sparks flickered around him. A cold wind began to howl.
A blizzard was coming.
The scent of wet earth mingled with decay. Crackles of burning filled the air.
But this fire came from frost.
A scorching cold that turned crimson blood into black ash.
He used his environmental skill—air freeze.
In that instant, time itself seemed to halt. Everything froze.
Only the phantom and its heart-black hole remained.
Distracted by the freezing air, its focus turned toward Zach. It growled.
The freezing limited its powers.
Yet strangely, despite its rage, the phantom didn't attack Zach. It sat calmly upon its skeletal throne.
"Ha ha… Foolish boy. Soon you'll drown in pain and regret. That heart of yours… so unique… Why not join me?"
Zach stared back in disgust.
"You will never have my heart. I don't betray my friends. I'll be the one who crushes yours."
Suddenly, a cracking sound shattered the silence.
Crack… crack…
From the shadows leapt a burly man—Joshua.
Zach froze at the sight.
"What the… Why is he here?"
Joshua pounced on the vines engulfing Aylin, tearing them like worthless weeds.
Despite his unease, Zach saw a glimmer of hope.
"Joshua?! I thought you were guarding the group!"
Joshua ran his hand through his hair.
"I couldn't leave you and Aylin in here alone. You said it yourself—I've got my own way. And this is it. I never leave anyone behind."
Zach respected that choice. He said nothing.
Joshua's presence meant one more hand against the darkness.
But that fragile hope didn't last.
The monster, though weakened, smirked—and uttered strange, incomprehensible words:
[###...####.]
They understood nothing—clearly, it was meant to confuse them.
Moments later, the ghost stood, its cloak billowing like an ocean of eternal dark.
The frozen space shattered.
From behind the veil of night, three figures emerged:
Billy, Tahin, Karina.
A shiver ran down Zach's spine. Even Joshua stood stunned.
The darkness morphed into a thousand faces, a nightmare of twisted grins.
No rhythm. No harmony. Just madness.
Ha ha… Heh heh… Aha ha ha…
Each laugh belonged to a different soul—no joy, only
terror, pain… and insanity.
And now, they were nothing more than sweet, delicious prey for the monster—
Trapped in its deception.