The streets of Mournveil were silent again, but only for a moment. Then came the first clashing og metal against stone.
*CLANG... CLANG... CLANG...*
The sound echoed from far away, growing louder with every heartbeat. Kean turned his head sharply. "They're coming already?"
Jerni pulled her hood over her head and looked down the alley. Her eyes flickered blue in the fog. "Nightborne soldiers. They move fast once the horn sounds. They can smell fear, and you're radiating it."
Kean frowned, trying to calm himself down, but the pounding in his chest only grew stronger.
*Thump... thump... thump...*
The shadows on the walls began to move, crawling upward like ink. From within the darkness, shapes started to emerge, humanoid figures with armor made of mist and glowing white eyes like dying stars.
*SWOOSH!*
A spear of shadow struck the ground near Kean's foot, leaving behind a burning black mark.
"Move!" Jerni shouted, grabbing his hand.
They ran through the narrow street, boots splashing through shallow puddles. The fog seemed alive, shifting to block their path.
Kean gasped for breath. "They can control the mist?"
"They are the mist!" Jerni yelled. "Nightborne were once spirit warriors who drowned in their own fear. Now they serve the Abyss."
They turned a corner and burst into a broken marketplace. Stalls of cracked glass and metal stood like skeletons. The air was thick with whispers.
"Shhhh... fear feeds... the Architect returns..."
Kean tried to block them out, but the voices dug deeper into his mind.
"Jerni," he said, struggling to keep his balance. "It's whispering... my name."
She looked back at him, eyes filled with urgency. "That means they've marked you already. The fog itself will try to lead you astray."
"What do I do?"
"Trust only what you can build," she said.
He stopped running, his mind racing. The city looked unstable, like it was made from memory. If he could shape one part of it before...
He closed his eyes.
'Focus... like before... structure the chaos...'
The ground beneath him rippled. Circles of blue light formed beneath their feet.
Jerni stood close to Kean to make sure he would be fine. "Kean, you're doing good."
A wall of translucent energy rose behind them just as a group of Nightborne burst from the mist. Their spears hit the barrier with a crack of thunder.
Kean opened his eyes, panting. "I... just needed a checkpoint."
Jerni smirked. "You think like a designer even here."
The Nightborne began to circle them, their whispers blending into one long, chilling chant.
"Architect... Architect... awaken the abyss..."
Kean clenched his fists. "I don't even know what they want from me!"
Jerni raised her scythe. The blade glowed with a deep azure light. "They want your mind. If they consume it, they can reshape the world in their image."
The air grew colder. One of the Nightborne leapt forward, its blade aiming for Kean's chest.
*SHING!*
Jerni intercepted, her scythe slicing through the creature. It dissolved into black mist with a hiss.
"Stay behind me!" she ordered.
"No," Kean said, stepping forward. "I can help."
He looked at the broken marketplace and imagined something new. In his mind, it became an arena, a perfect square with runic boundaries, just like the levels he used to design.
The ground shifted. Pillars rose from beneath the rubble, forming a closed space glowing faintly blue.
Jerni looked around, amazed. "This is amazing."
Kean nodded. "It's called a Fear Arena. I can trap them inside and control the flow."
The Nightborne howled, pouncing forward. Jerni and Kean fought side by side. Jerni moved like a blur, her scythe slicing through shadow after shadow. Every swing left trails of blue sparks that lit the mist.
Kean raised his hands, focusing his thoughts. Each time a Nightborne charged, spikes and barriers appeared from the arena's floor; his imagination turned real. But with every creation, he felt weaker, his mind throbbing. The world flickered like a dying screen.
"Kean!" Jerni shouted. She helps him balance his body by using her body as his pillar. "You're pushing too hard!"
He groaned, his vision blurring. "If I stop... they'll break through!"
A Nightborne commander stepped through the fog, taller, cloaked, and carrying a massive blade that shimmered like oil. Its voice echoed, deep and calm.
"Architect of Dread. You do not belong here."
Kean stumbled back. "Who... are you?"
"I am Varis the Hollow, Keeper of the Abyssal Code. You build what should never exist."
The ground trembled. Varis swung his blade, sending a wave of black fire through the arena.
*BOOOOOOM!*
The shockwave threw Kean backward. He hit the ground hard, coughing. The world around him glitched, his barriers cracking. Jerni leapt in front of him, blocking another strike. Her scythe met the black fire with a burst of blue light.
She gritted her teeth. "Kean! Keep yourself intact."
He pressed his hand to the ground, struggling to focus. Images flashed in his mind: design sketches, code fragments, sound effects, balance sheets. His old life as a game designer blended with this one.
He whispered, "If fear is code here... then I can debug it."
He closed his eyes, and the blue lines on the ground began to rearrange, glowing brighter. The arena hummed.
Varis roared, swinging again, but this time the world resisted him. The arena's energy locked around his blade, freezing it mid-air.
Kean stood up, eyes glowing faintly. "You said I shouldn't exist. Then why does this world need me to keep it from breaking?"
"You... will awaken it..."
"Awaken what?" Kean demanded.
But before Varis could answer, his body exploded into mist, scattering into the air.
The arena dissolved too, leaving only rubble behind.
Silence filled the place once again.
Kean fell to one knee, exhausted. His hands trembled. "I almost... lost control again."
Jerni walked to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You did well. You built something that shouldn't even be possible."
He gave a weak laugh. "Yeah... but I think I broke a few game rules."
She smiled faintly. "Rules don't exist here. Only will and those of the Nightborne Oath."
They both turned toward the distant skyline. The fog shimmered with faint lights, signals of the Nightborne regrouping.
"They won't stop," Jerni said quietly. "Now that they know who you are."
Kean looked down at his hands again. "Then I'll just keep building until they can't reach me."
As they walked into the darkness, the little black creature, still floating beside them, let out a small puff sound.
Kean looked at it. "You never said what that thing is."
Jerni chuckled softly. "It's a Fear Familiar. It feeds on your emotions and keeps you balanced. But if it ever disappears, that means your fear's gone completely."
He frowned. "Isn't that... a good thing?"
She shook her head. "No, Kean. Without fear... you'll cease to exist."
He looked back toward the city, the fog curling upward like smoke. Somewhere in the distance, the horn blew again. Another signal. Another hunt.
Jerni's voice grew quiet. "They're coming again."
Kean straightened, eyes focused. "Then let's give them a world they can't understand."
The fog thickened, swallowing them whole.