Silence hung over the clearing, but it wasn't the peaceful kind. It was the kind that came after something unnatural had stirred.
Leon could still feel the faint pulse of his marked hand, as if the shrine's energy lingered beneath his skin.
Jarek finally spoke. "So. Do we pretend that didn't happen? Or do we acknowledge we almost got dragged into some void nightmare?"
Leon exhaled, rubbing his palm. "We acknowledge it. And we prepare."
Jarek groaned. "I was afraid you'd say that."
---
Unanswered Questions
Leon turned his attention back to the shrine. The carvings had dimmed again, their energy seemingly spent. But they had reacted. That meant the shrine still held power.
And that also meant something had been trying to use it.
Leon muttered, "The Hollow isn't just some mindless force. It's deliberate. It's trying to break through."
Jarek scoffed. "And you know this because…?"
Leon tapped his temple. "It spoke to me. Or something close to it."
Jarek stared at him, then sighed. "Of course it did. Because why wouldn't the creepy void nightmare single you out?"
Leon didn't answer. He was still piecing things together.
The shrine was a seal—something ancient, meant to hold something back.
The mark on his hand was connected to it.
The Hollow entity had sensed him the moment he interacted with the shrine.
And worst of all—
This wasn't just some random encounter.
Something out there had been waiting for this moment.
---
A Hidden Observer
Steel Fang Wolf growled suddenly, ears pinned back.
Leon's instincts flared.
Jarek stiffened. "Oh, come on, what now?"
Leon turned sharply—scanning the treeline.
The shadows shifted.
For a moment, it was subtle. The rustling of leaves. The way the wind seemed to move unnaturally.
Then—
A pair of glowing golden eyes. Watching.
Leon's breath slowed. They weren't alone.
Jarek's hand went to his sword. "Friend or enemy?"
Leon didn't answer immediately. He took a step forward, eyes locked onto the hidden figure.
Then, the presence in the shadows moved.
Not away.
Toward them.
---
The Stranger in the Dark
A figure emerged, stepping into the dim light of the shrine.
A Beastman.
Tall, with sharp, wolf-like features and dark fur streaked with silver. His eyes were piercing, glowing faintly in the low light. He wore light armor, built for mobility—and on his back, a pair of twin blades rested in their sheaths.
Leon's grip tightened.
Beastmen weren't supposed to be here. This was human territory.
Jarek whispered, "Uh… we're not gonna have to fight, are we?"
The Beastman spoke first.
"You should not be here," he said, voice deep and unwavering.
Leon narrowed his eyes. "Neither should you."
The Beastman's gaze flickered to the shrine, then back to Leon. His expression was unreadable.
"I sensed the disturbance," he said simply. "The veil was touched. And now… they are watching."
Leon's heart skipped a beat.
He understood immediately.
The Hollow. The moment he had activated the shrine…
Others had noticed.
And now?
They were coming.
---