Where Shadows Walk

Kaori spun around to face the beast, her stance shifting into a fighting position. Despite her powers not working, her eyes held no fear. "You two keep going. I'll hold it back."

"That's suicide," Leo protested, but Neo pulled him along.

The beast moved like a ghost through the darkness, its massive body appearing and disappearing between the ruins. One moment it was yards away, the next it was right beside them, slashing with its tusks.

Kaori ducked under its attack and delivered a powerful kick to its leg. The beast barely flinched. Neo joined the fight, trying to circle behind it while Kaori kept its attention.

Leo grabbed a broken piece of stone, analyzing the situation. The beast's movements were fast but predictable – it always led with its right tusk, using its size to overwhelm its targets. He'd seen similar patterns in the Mars arena fights he used to watch.

"Its left side!" he shouted. "There's a blind spot!"

Kaori immediately understood, rolling to the beast's left as it charged. The creature's single eye couldn't track her movement, and she landed a solid hit to its ribcage.

The beast roared in pain and fury. Its red eye began to glow brighter, and its movements became more erratic. It thrashed wildly, smashing through stone pillars like they were made of paper.

"It's enraged!" Neo shouted, barely avoiding a swipe that would have taken her head off. "We need to move!"

Leo spotted a massive building in the distance – something that looked like a cathedral with tall bell towers and stone walls. "There!" he pointed. "We might find cover!"

They ran toward the building, the enraged beast charging after them. Its attacks became more ferocious but less accurate, allowing them to stay just ahead of its strikes.

The cathedral's wooden doors towered over them, thick as tree trunks and old.

As they reached them, the doors swung open on their own. They rushed inside, and the doors slammed shut behind them with a thunderous boom.

The beast's roars and impacts against the door gradually faded away, leaving them in relative silence. Leo and Neo stood panting, while Kaori took in their new surroundings.

The cathedral's interior was large, with high ceilings and rows of smooth stone benches.

Soft blue light emanated from crystals embedded in the walls, providing the first real form of light that they had seen since arriving in this realm.

"You're lucky we heard the commotion," a voice echoed through the chamber. "The Hunter doesn't usually give up on its prey."

Several figures emerged from the shadows of the cathedral's columns. They wore simple dark clothing with little, glowing blue crystals sewn into the fabric.

The one who seemed to be their leader, a tall man with graying hair and stern features, stepped forward.

"I am Elias," he said, his voice carrying authority. "Welcome to the Sanctuary of the Watchers. We've lived here for generations, keeping the balance between your world and this one."

Leo watched how the others gathered around Elias, forming a circle with him at the center. They stood close, like guards shielding someone precious, but their faces showed more than just the wish to protect, they looked at Elias the way people look at something holy.

These people moved smoothly through the darkness, it was clear they had lived here their whole lives.

"Generations?" Neo asked, her voice skeptical. "How is that possible?"

Elias forced a smile, a smile that could be seen through from a mile away. "Time moves differently here. What feels like hours to you might be days or mere minutes in your world. Some of us have been here for what you'd call centuries."

"We need to get back," Kaori stated firmly. "Our world is in the middle of a crisis."

"Ah yes, your world," Elias's expression grew darker. "With its Awakened and its power struggles. We watch it all from here. But leaving isn't as simple as you might think. The paths between worlds are treacherous, and The Hunter isn't the only danger lurking in the darkness."

The way he spoke about their world made Leo uneasy. It was too detached, like he knew a lot. "You talk about our world like you've seen it recently," he observed. "How?"

"We have our ways of watching," Elias replied, his answer was puzzling, only hinting at the truth without saying it directly. "Just as we've watched you, Leo Voss. Your arrival here was... anticipated."

That statement sent a chill down Leo's spine. These people knew who he was, and something about their calm acceptance of this situation felt wrong.

"How, How did you know I would be here?" He asked, "Did you happen to know about this shadow power?" But he was met with no response.

"Come," Elias ignored his previous words and gestured toward a side passage. "You must be tired. We have food and safe places to rest. We can discuss your return once you've recovered your strength."

The three exchanged glances. They all felt the same unease about these people, but they had little choice. The beast - The Hunter, as Elias called it, was still out there, and they needed information about this place.

"Your marking," one of the younger Watchers whispered to Leo as they passed. "It's the Sign of the First Shadow. We haven't seen one like you in over a thousand years."

Before Leo could ask what that meant, Elias silenced the young Watcher with a glare. "There will be time for stories later. For now, let us ensure our guests' comfort."

As they followed the Watchers deeper into the cathedral, Leo couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into another kind of trap. These people might have saved them from The Hunter, but their knowledge and their interest in him suggested they had their own agenda.

He caught Neo's eye, and she nodded slightly. They would accept the Watchers' hospitality for now, but they wouldn't let their guard down.

After all, in Leo's experience, people who claimed to have all the answers usually turned out to be the most dangerous of all.