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The air grew denser.
My senses heightened, and I felt the static hum in the air, a signal of an impending storm or something much, much worse.
Then I saw them.
Emerging from the twisted trees were creatures, their forms fluctuating between shadow and substance.
Their most distinguishing feature?
Bright, glowing red eyes that pierced the semi-darkness, locking onto us with a malevolent hunger.
A familiar hand gripped mine.
Lorik.
He looked calm, but I could feel the tension in his hand, see the alarm in his usually composed eyes.
Aznai had already drawn a weapon of his own, a compact but potent looking blade, and I wondered where he had gotten it from.
The Hiika stables? The barn?
I cursed myself for not thinking to grab a weapon too.
He stood in a ready stance, prepared for a fight.
These red-eyed creatures moved with an unnatural agility, darting in and out of our sight, their movements a disorienting dance of speed and stealth.
Lorik pulled me close.
The cool touch of his scales grounded me, bringing a sense of calm amid the chaos.
He handed me a blade showing signs of heavy use.
The metal was cold and heavy in my grasp.
The scent of burnt ozone permeated the air as the first attack happened.
Aznai had taken the initiative, striking down one of the monsters.
The creature evaporated into a mist, its red eyes fading last like dying embers.
We formed a protective triangle, our backs to each other, as the creatures closed in.
Each of us took turns fighting, holding our ground.
With every flash of a blade, a burst of the acrid smell stung my nostrils, accompanied by the sizzle of a direct hit.
Lorik’s scythe hissed beside me, a comforting sound.
We moved fluidly, dodging and striking as one.
But as we felled one creature, two more took its place.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my panic at bay.
In the midst of the battle, the air vibrated with a haunting melody, like the plucking of ethereal strings.
The creatures seemed to respond to it, their movements becoming more frenzied, more aggressive.
