The air shifted. A deep, wrongness seeped into the ruins, twisting the space around them like an unseen pressure. Ethan’s mark burned, a cold pulse running beneath his skin. A warning. A whisper. “You are seen.” He whirled around, daggers drawn. Kara and Gareth tensed, weapons ready. Leah’s magic flared, forming a protective barrier around the injured survivor. Then— A low growl echoed from the temple’s entrance. And the shadows moved. A New Horror Figures stepped forward, emerging from the ruined streets beyond. Their bodies were humanoid… but wrong. Pale, stretched skin clung too tightly to their bones. Blackened veins pulsed beneath their flesh, crawling like living roots.Their eyes were gone—nothing but swirling pits of darkness. Ethan’s breath caught. Because he recognized what they had once been. Adventurers. “They weren’t monsters when they entered the city…” The survivor’s words echoed in his head. These weren’t just enemies. They were the missing team. Or at least—what was left of them.
The first corrupted one lunged. It moved faster than expected, closing the gap in an instant. [Shadow Step – Activated.] Ethan blinked back, dodging by inches as claws slashed through empty air. Gareth met the next one head-on, his spear slamming forward. [Titan’s Rush – Activated.] The impact sent the creature skidding back, but it didn’t fall. Kara dashed in, her blade glowing with wind energy. [Blade Arc – Activated.] A sharp crescent of light slashed through the nearest enemy—but the wound barely slowed it. Leah’s voice rang out— [Barrier Ward – Activated.] A golden shield blocked an incoming strike, barely holding against the sheer force. Ethan cursed. They were stronger than expected. And worse— They were coordinating. These things weren’t mindless beasts. They were thinking. Remembering. And that meant this fight was going to be a hell of a lot harder.
The battle escalated. Gareth struck out, but the creatures adapted, dodging his spear at the last second. Kara landed a clean cut—only for the wound to seal almost instantly. Leah’s light magic slowed them down, but it didn’t stop them. And Ethan? Ethan was starting to realize something worse. With every failed attack—the corrupted were getting faster. Stronger. Like they were learning. Like they were evolving mid-fight. His mark burned hotter. And then— One of the creatures spoke. “You resist… but you will join us.” Ethan’s stomach dropped. Because the voice… It wasn’t monstrous. It was human. A fragmented, broken echo of what these people had once been. They weren’t just puppets. They were still in there. And something—or someone—was controlling them. A Desperate Gamble They couldn’t keep up this fight forever. Ethan’s mind raced. If they could adapt—if they were learning mid-battle… Then they had to end this now. “Leah!” Ethan called out. “Can you purify them?” Leah’s eyes widened. “I—” She hesitated. “I don’t know!” Ethan gritted his teeth. There was only one way to find out. He dodged left, throwing a dagger into the ground— [Dark Grasp – Activated.] Shadow tendrils erupted, wrapping around the nearest corrupted. It snarled, struggling— “NOW, LEAH!” [Divine Sigil – Activated.] Leah thrust her staff forward. A bright sigil formed in the air— And then slammed down onto the trapped creature. The effect was instant. The black veins recoiled. The creature screamed— And for a split second, Ethan saw something behind the darkness. A face.
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Eyes filled with fear. With pain. With recognition. Then— The sigil flashed once more. And the corrupted one collapsed. Dead. Gone. But not before whispering— “…Thank you.”
Silence fell over the battlefield. The remaining corrupted ones hesitated. Kara exhaled. “Holy shit. That worked?” Leah trembled, her hands shaking around her staff. “I don’t know if that was saving them… or just putting them out of their misery.” Ethan swallowed hard. Because he had seen it in those final moments. A flicker of humanity. A glimpse of the person who had once been there. And that meant— They weren’t just fighting monsters anymore. They were killing people. Or worse… They were mercy killing people who were already trapped. And that realization sat heavy in his chest. Because what if, one day— He was the one looking back from behind that darkness? An Unseen Watcher The remaining corrupted ones didn’t attack. Instead— They turned. Retreating. Fading into the ruins, disappearing into the blackened corridors beyond. Ethan didn’t chase. Because something told him this wasn’t over. Kara wiped blood from her cheek. “Well. That was new.” Gareth watched the retreating figures, his grip tight on his spear. “They weren’t trying to kill us.” Leah shuddered. “No. They were trying to turn us.” Ethan stilled. Because she was right. This hadn’t been a hunt. This had been a test. A trial. And somewhere, beyond the ruins— Something had been watching. Waiting. The Master. Ethan’s mark pulsed. A whisper curled through his mind—calm, assured, inevitable. “Not yet, little predator.” “But soon.” Ethan’s fingers curled into a fist. Because no matter what the Master had planned— Ethan wasn’t going to wait for him to make the first move.