The clearing was deathly silent, the glowing red runes on the stone monoliths casting an eerie light over the area. Adam tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, his eyes fixed on the pulsating orb of energy hovering at the center of the circle. Every instinct he had screamed that this place was wrong. The air felt heavier here, charged with an unnatural presence that pressed down on him like an invisible weight.
"Do you feel that?" Seren whispered, her voice low as she stepped closer to Adam.
Adam nodded, his expression grim. "It's like the air is… poisoned."
Seren crouched low, her sharp green eyes scanning the clearing. "This isn't just magic—it's something worse. I've seen spell circles before, but nothing like this. It feels alive."
Adam's gaze flickered to the runes etched into the monoliths. Their red glow pulsed faintly, almost in rhythm with a heartbeat. He could hear a faint hum emanating from the orb at the center, a sound that seemed to worm its way into his mind, pressing against the edges of his thoughts like whispers he couldn't quite make out.
"Whatever this is," Adam said, "it's not good. Do you think this has something to do with the cult you mentioned?"
Seren nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. "It has to be. No ordinary magic-user could create something like this. It feels… ancient."
Adam's eyes narrowed. Ancient. That wasn't the word he wanted to hear.
The Orb's Malice
"Stay here," Adam said, stepping cautiously toward the circle of monoliths.
"What?" Seren hissed, grabbing his arm. "Are you insane? You don't know what that thing does!"
"That's exactly why I need to get a closer look," Adam replied, his tone calm but firm. "If we're going to stop whatever's happening here, we need to understand it."
Seren hesitated, her hand lingering on his arm before she reluctantly let go. "Fine. But if that thing tries to kill you, don't say I didn't warn you."
Adam smirked faintly. "Noted."
As he approached the monoliths, the air around him grew colder. The hum emanating from the orb grew louder, the faint whispers at the edges of his mind becoming more distinct. He couldn't make out the words, but the tone was unmistakable—dark, insidious, and filled with malice.
The energy sense that had once been second nature to him flared weakly, picking up faint traces of power radiating from the orb. It wasn't like the energy he had known on Earth. This was something else entirely—twisted and unnatural.
Adam stopped just outside the circle of monoliths, his instincts screaming at him not to get any closer. He raised his hand, focusing on the faint hum of power within him, and sent out a small pulse of energy toward the orb.
The reaction was immediate.
The orb flared brighter, its crimson light spilling across the clearing like liquid fire. The whispers in Adam's mind grew louder, more distinct, and for a moment, he thought he could hear voices—dozens of them, all speaking at once in a language he didn't recognize.
Adam staggered back, clutching his head as the voices pressed against his thoughts, trying to worm their way inside.
"Adam!" Seren called out, rushing to his side.
"I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth, forcing himself to stand. The voices faded slightly as he stepped away from the circle, though the oppressive weight in the air remained.
"What happened?" Seren asked, her hand on the hilt of one of her short swords as her eyes darted between Adam and the glowing orb.
Adam shook his head, trying to clear the lingering echo of the whispers. "That thing… it's not just magic. It's alive. Or at least, it's tied to something that is."
Ambush in the Shadows
Before Seren could respond, a low growl rumbled through the clearing.
Adam froze, his energy sense flaring weakly as he picked up multiple hostile presences moving toward them. His eyes darted to the shadows beyond the circle of monoliths, where faint glimmers of movement caught the red light of the orb.
"We've got company," Adam muttered, raising his sword.
Seren spun around, drawing both of her short swords in one fluid motion. "How many?"
"Too many," Adam said grimly.
From the shadows, the attackers emerged. They were Razorkin, but not like the one Adam had fought earlier. These were larger, their bodies bristling with crimson fur that seemed to shimmer with the same unnatural light as the orb. Their glowing red eyes burned with hatred, and their claws gleamed like razors in the dim light.
There were at least six of them, maybe more lurking just out of sight.
"Looks like they didn't like us poking around their magic circle," Seren said, her voice tense but steady.
Adam tightened his grip on his sword. "Stay close. Don't let them surround us."
The Razorkin circled the pair, their growls low and guttural. One of the beasts lunged first, its massive claws aimed directly at Adam's head.
Adam sidestepped, bringing his sword down in a swift arc. The blade bit into the creature's shoulder, drawing dark blood but failing to stop its momentum. The beast slammed into him, knocking him backward.
"Adam!" Seren shouted, stepping in to intercept another Razorkin. Her twin blades flashed in the red light as she slashed at the creature, her movements quick and precise.
Adam scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding. His sword wasn't enough. The Razorkin were faster, stronger, and more coordinated than anything he had faced on Earth. He couldn't afford to hold back—not here.
Drawing on His Power
Adam closed his eyes for a split second, focusing on the faint hum of his nuclear core. The energy within him was still faint, buried beneath the layers of his new body, but it was there. He just needed to draw it out.
Come on, he thought, his jaw clenching as he concentrated. I know you're in there. I just need a spark.
The next Razorkin lunged at him, and as Adam raised his sword to block, he felt it—a flicker of golden light sparking to life in his chest. The energy surged down his arms and into the blade, enveloping it in a faint, crackling glow.
Adam swung the sword, the energy amplifying the force of his strike. The blade cleaved through the Razorkin's neck, cutting cleanly through its thick hide. The beast collapsed to the ground, its body twitching as dark blood pooled beneath it.
Seren glanced at him, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of the glowing sword. "What the hell was that?"
"No time to explain," Adam said, turning to face the remaining Razorkin. "Stay focused."
The remaining beasts snarled, their crimson eyes blazing with fury. They hesitated for a moment, wary of the strange light emanating from Adam's weapon.
Adam took a deep breath, steadying himself. The energy was still faint, but it was enough to give him an edge. He charged at the nearest Razorkin, his glowing blade cutting through its claws as it swiped at him. The creature howled in pain, staggering back as Adam pressed the attack.
Seren, emboldened by Adam's newfound strength, moved to his side. The two fought in tandem, their movements synchronizing as they took down one Razorkin after another.
The Shadows Deepen
By the time the last beast fell, Adam and Seren were both breathing heavily. The clearing was littered with the bodies of the Razorkin, their dark blood staining the mossy ground.
Adam lowered his sword, the faint glow fading as the energy within him receded. His body ached from the effort, but he forced himself to stay upright.
Seren wiped the blood from her blades, her gaze flickering to Adam. "That light… that wasn't normal."
Adam hesitated, his mind racing. He couldn't tell her the full truth—not yet. "It's just… something I've always been able to do," he said vaguely.
Seren raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. "Well, whatever it was, it saved our asses. But we can't stay here. There's no telling how many more of those things are out there."
Adam glanced at the glowing orb at the center of the monoliths. It still pulsed with crimson light, as though mocking them.
"We can't leave this thing here," Adam said. "It's too dangerous."
"And what do you propose we do about it?" Seren asked, her tone sharp. "You don't even know what it is."
Adam's jaw tightened. She was right. Whatever this orb was, it was beyond anything he understood.
For now, they had no choice but to retreat.
"Let's head back to the village," Adam said finally. "We'll figure this out later."
Seren nodded reluctantly, and the two of them began their trek back through the forest, the shadows watching them every step of the way.
A New Enemy
Far from the clearing, deep within the forest, a figure watched the monoliths from the shadows. Cloaked in black and adorned with crimson runes etched into their skin, they placed a hand on one of the stones, their lips curling into a cruel smile.
"So," the figure murmured, their voice low and venomous, "the game begins."
Their glowing red eyes burned with malice as they turned and disappeared into the darkness.