When I finally managed to fall asleep, I thought my dark thoughts would keep haunting me. But strangely, they weren't enough. The moment my eyes shut, I found myself somewhere else. It was the sound beneath the bushes—a crackling, unsettling sound—that stirred me again. I opened my eyes slowly, my body aching with exhaustion. I just wanted to lie back down and forget everything.
Probably just a bird, I told myself. Maybe the wind. Nothing serious.
But then, just as I was drifting off again, the sound came back—closer this time. A cold shiver traced my spine. I sat up straight, panic crawling into my chest.
"Raiden…?" I whispered.
No answer.
"Raiden, WAKE UP. Right now," I hissed through clenched teeth.
Still nothing.
I turned and saw him—completely asleep, like a stone. That annoyed me more than the sound.
But then it happened again—the noise, louder, like something crawling. I didn't hesitate. I stood and grabbed my sword, heart thumping, positioning myself in front of Raiden's spot, guarding both him and the camp.
Suddenly, something shot out of the bushes.
I screamed. Like—actually screamed.
Raiden jolted up, eyes wild and hair a mess. "WHAT?! WHAT'S GOING ON?! WHO—WHAT—WHY?!"
Then he saw it.
A rabbit.
Just… a stupid little rabbit hopping out of the bushes, twitching its nose like it owned the place.
I blinked. Then stared at the rabbit. Then at Raiden. And then back at the rabbit.
Oh no.
"That's so embarrassing," I muttered, brushing my hair behind my ears and pretending like I knew it all along. "I just wanted to scare you. You always scare me, and now I got you back. It totally worked."
Raiden gave me a crooked smile. "Yeah… sure," he mumbled, then flopped back down to sleep.
But before I could relax again, there was another noise from the same bushes.
I narrowed my eyes. "You again, rabbit? I'm gonna get you this time!" I said with mock anger and stomped toward the bushes.
I didn't get far.
Something cold grabbed my ankle.
My whole body froze.
I whispered, trembling, "Someone's holding my foot."
"Yeah, right," Raiden groaned from behind. "Nice try. That trick's old."
"I'm not joking," I said, louder this time.
But he didn't move. He thought I was being dramatic again.
That's when it yanked me.
Hard.
I lost balance and fell into the dirt. Before I could scream again, I was being dragged—through bushes, leaves, thorns—my body scraping against the ground, my arms trying to grab anything.
"RAIDEN! HELP ME!" I screamed, but my voice was swallowed by the forest.
It was getting darker. Colder. Sharp stones cut my arm. I bit my lip to stop myself from crying out.
I felt something still holding onto me, so I reached down—my hand found a strange, ice-cold grip. I dug my nails into it and then—suddenly—I was free. The pulling stopped.
Gasping, I stumbled up, dizzy and shaking. No one was there.
Nothing.
Only darkness. Trees. Shadows.
And silence.
A pain burned down my arm. Blood trickled. I tore a strip from my clothing and tied it tight around the wound, forcing myself to stay calm.
"RAIDEN?!" I shouted.
A voice answered: "I'm here."
I turned.
No one.
The voice moved—behind a tree now. "I'm here," it repeated softly.
I followed it, cautiously, heart racing.
But behind the tree… nothing. Just a faint shimmer. Faint traces of light—magic?
I backed away.
That… wasn't Raiden. That wasn't even human.
A demon?
My legs trembled. Another noise in the bushes. My instincts screamed at me: Run.
So I did.
I ran without thinking, breath sharp in my throat. My mind screamed: Find the fire. Find Raiden.
Then I saw it—flames in the distance. A small fire, flickering like a signal. Raiden. He had done that for me. He knew I'd get lost.
I pushed myself harder.
But before I could reach him, something stopped me.
A floating orb. A ball of blue light. Glowing with strange symbols—Chinese letters I couldn't read. It pulsed. Cold. Alive. It touched me—and I felt it.
Not a person.
A presence.
It wrapped around my leg again. I couldn't move. The whisper returned, louder now.
"I feel something powerful… I have to kill them."
What?
My heart skipped. Then I saw Raiden.
He saw me too—his eyes widened in horror.
He ran toward me.
The spirit was fast—it was already pulling me again, wrapping like tape around my leg. But Raiden got there just in time, grabbing my hand, grounding me.
He saw my fear.
He knew this wasn't just a joke anymore.
He pulled something out of his pocket—a tiny marble, glowing faintly.
He said a word I didn't understand.
Then he threw the marble—not at me, but at the spirit.
The light exploded.
A screech. The demon recoiled.
"RUN!" Raiden shouted.
I didn't hesitate. We ran—through the forest, jumping over roots, ducking under branches, never once looking back.
We kept running, further and further, until—
We stopped.
Not because we were safe.
Because what stood in front of us… was far more terrifying than what was behind.