Alex could not sleep.
He lay on his side, staring at the ceiling, every creak of timber sounding too loud, every sigh of wind too purposeful. Something hummed faintly beneath the silence, a subtle vibration that he felt more than heard. It crawled across his skin, setting his nerves on edge.
Beside him, Iris lay motionless, eyes closed, breathing slow and steady. At least, that was what it looked like.
Alex shifted slightly.
Her eyes opened instantly. “You feel it too,” she whispered.
He nodded, fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. “Something’s wrong.”
Outside, the fog thickened, flowing low across the ground like spilled milk. It slipped between the trees, swallowing trunks, devouring everything, until the forest became nothing more than looming silhouettes trapped in pale haze.
Then, a tremble. Just barely.
Alex froze. His sword hummed faintly, vibrating in his grip as if disturbed by an unseen presence.
Iris rose to her feet in a single fluid motion, blades already in her hands. Her body stiffened, every muscle alert, eyes locked on the cabin door.
“Stay behind me,” she murmured.
The wind died. Absolute silence fell.
Then…
A soft, haunting sound brushed against the cabin walls.
Alex’s breath caught. His gaze snapped to the small window. Something shifted outside, indistinct and blurred by the fog, but unmistakably there. The soft brushing turned into a screech, as if metal claws scraped slowly across wood. A slow, curious tap followed. Then another.
“Be ready,” Iris whispered.
Black mist began to seep through the cracks in the walls, curling along the floor like living smoke. The fire sputtered, then died the instant the fog touched it. Darkness swallowed the cabin.
Alex clutched his blade, his breathing shallow, heart hammering as the mist thickened. Soon the only light came from Iris’s hook-blades, their golden glow pulsing softly in the suffocating black.
The tapping stopped. The mist stilled.
Alex’s heartbeat thundered in his ears. He could barely see. Barely breathe. The fog clung to his throat, cold and damp, carrying the faint scent of blood.
Iris leaned closer, her voice low and urgent. “Alex, listen to me. We need to…”
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The sound vanished. The world seemed to slow. The mist recoiled, pulling inward as if drawn by an invisible force.
Something slammed through the wall.
BOOM.
The cabin exploded.
*****
“Alex. Alex. Alex!”
“Get up!”
Alex’s eyes snapped open.
Pain ripped through his back as cold night air flooded his lungs. He was staring up at the moon, its pale light blurring across his vision. Shapes shifted above him until Iris came into focus, kneeling at his side, one hand pressed against his chest.
Blood streaked down the side of her face. Her other hand clenched a glowing blade, its pulse frantic and desperate.
“Iris…” he croaked. Her eyes never left the treeline. Jaw clenched. Breath controlled but strained.
“It’s here,” she said.
Alex forced himself upright, dizziness washing over him. His hand scraped against dirt as he steadied himself, vision spinning. When it cleared, his stomach dropped.
The cabin was gone. Shattered beams and splintered planks littered the clearing, scattered like broken bones. What had once been shelter was now nothing more than a pile of ruined wood.
“Iris, what happened…” he whispered.
“It is not over yet,” she cut in, as she stood slowly, scanning the forest.
Black mist began to reform, spilling from between the trees, flowing toward them as if drawn by hunger. Then came the sound.
Skittering. Wet and Heavy. Alex’s blood turned to ice. The noise reminded him of the battlefield drowned in black mist, yet heavier, deeper, closer.
“Wait…” he breathed. The word barely escaped his lips. His chest tightened as realization struck. “Soul eaters.”
As if summoned, something crawled out of the fog. At first, only two crimson embers hovered in the darkness. Then the rest of it emerged.
The creature moved low to the ground, its body stretched unnaturally long, supported by far too many limbs. Each leg bent at impossible angles, joints folding the wrong way as it advanced in a slow, deliberate crawl. Its flesh sagged and clung to its skeletal frame, dark and slick, as though made from rot and shadow.
A narrow head lifted. Rows of thin, needle-like teeth filled its gaping mouth, glistening faintly in the pale moonlight. Above them, two pale eyes burned cold and merciless.
It halted at the edge of the clearing. For a heartbeat, Alex dared to hope Malach’s barrier still held.
Then the creature leaned forward. Its crimson eyes flared brighter. It pressed against the invisible wall. And passed through.
The barrier did nothing.
A hollow, resonant sound poured from its throat, neither growl nor howl, but something in between. Something that vibrated through the clearing and echoed inside Alex’s skull.
With a single breath, Iris moved. Her blade flashed. She struck at one of its limbs, aiming to cripple it before it could fully surge forward.
The blow landed true. It did nothing. Not a scratch.
Her eyes widened only slightly before she pivoted, shifting her grip. This time she released the blades, letting the ropes unfurl as she spun. Golden light carved a glowing halo through the mist.
She twisted. The blades wrapped around the creature’s front limbs. Black fluid burst free as the cut finally landed. The monster recoiled, releasing a piercing shriek that split the night.
The fog answered. It surged. The creature began to rise again.
Alex tried to move. However pain stopped him, it exploded up his left leg.
He gasped, staggering as agony flooded his senses. Looking down, his breath hitched.
A jagged wooden stake jutted from his calf, snapped off at the base, buried deep. Blood poured freely around it.
Shock had numbed him before. Now the pain roared. When had that happened? How had he not felt it?
There was no time to think. Iris was alone. The monster was relentless and the fog was closing in.
Alex tightened his grip on his sword, teeth clenched, forcing himself to stay upright. The only thing that mattered now was helping her.
However…
I want to be honest with you all for a moment. Lately, I’ve been juggling a lot, multiple projects, writing, and life, it’s been a bit overwhelming. I realized I was starting to prioritize speed over quality, and that’s not the story I want to give you.
2 Chapters a week (Monday & Thursday)