The central bonfire crackles with eerie calm. Students sit in neat circles, eating quietly or sharpening weapons. The air is still. Malik stands at the head of the largest circle, nodding and addressing them like a leader, but like a mentor. His posture is relaxed, hands folded, and eyes reflective in the firelight.
"Earlier today, I received a report that our perimeter team encountered a hostile presence far beyond what the simulation parameters should have allowed." His voice was soft and steady.
Whispers ripple through the students. Malik lets it build just long enough before lifting his hand.
"They engaged with discipline. With unity, and with minimal casualties."
He does not mention what they fought for. No name, no details. Only a suggestion.
"And they survived because they followed structure—even when the world turned chaotic. Because they trusted each other when their elements failed them."
A student speaks up, voice cautious. "But what was it? Why didn't it follow them back?"
Malik's eyes gleam faintly. "Because even monsters recognize order."
The students fall quiet again. He strolls through them, resting a hand on a young boy's shoulder.
"Let today be a reminder. Power means nothing without cohesion. Chaos consumes only the scattered. We remain whole."
He looked toward the fire. The flames bent subtly, as if drawn to him. His following words were low.
"...And tomorrow, we build stronger walls."
Later that night. Malik sits alone at a small writing desk. A crystal shard hovers before him, slowly recording his voice as he speaks into it—a private log.
"They held. Not as tightly as I expected, but enough to wound it. Enough to be feared."
He taps the crystal gently.
"If that thing returns... I won't waste it. I'll use it." He smiles a sinister smile.
"Let them worship heroes. I'll give them something greater. A reason."
——————————————————————
The stars are faint, and the moon is half-hidden by mist. The camp is a rumor now, far beyond the tree line. I sit a few feet from the others, my arms resting on my knees. My clothes are scorched, my jaw is clenched, and my eyes are distant.
The others are nearby. Gathered around a dead fire pit, they didn't dare light—Amber paces in a slow circle.
"We should've killed it. We saw it flinch." Amber says with a hushed voice.
Cyril looks toward Amber. "It was baiting us. It was never meant to die tonight."
Ryder looks over to Adrien, concerned. "You alright, man?"
Adrien nods. "Yeah, just dizzy. Like it breathed something into me that shouldn't be in me."
Jennifer is silent, sitting cross-legged, arms draped loosely over her knees. She watches me with narrowed eyes like she is trying to read me.
That's when I noticed Sera. She kneels beside me, her expression caught somewhere between concern and caution. I don't move.
"It's not your fault," she says softly.
"I burned too hot, again." I flatly replied.
She's quiet. "...but you stopped. You pulled back."
I meet her gaze. "That's the problem."
Her eyes linger on me. She opens her mouth, like she was gonna ask something. Then she closes up.
"You don't have to explain. Just... stay with us, alright?"
There was silence, then I nodded. She smiled faintly, watching me for another second before slowly walking away. I exhale, eyes turning to the dark treeline.
"...Trying," I say to myself.
A few paces away, Jennifer watches from her seated position. Her expression isn't mocking now—it's calculating. Quiet, maybe even unsettled. She doesn't say anything. But her eyes haven't left him since he flared. She thinks to herself. That wasn't panic. That was something else. Something... hungrier.
She exhales through her nose, more thoughtful than anyone in the group has seen her. Then she looks away, but not for long. On the other side of the fire pit, Adrien pretends to focus on repacking a ration bag. His hand stops. He now stares at my silhouette, just a shadow against the rock wall.
His mouth was a tight line. His eyes were not surprised, not afraid, but sad. He knew this was coming. Adrien whispered to himself, "You almost lost it again, didn't you, buddy?" A moment passed before he reached into his bag. He pulled out a folded cloth and walked over to me. Without a word, he set it beside me, then sat nearby, keeping watch.
Not asking, not pressing. Just being there.
The forest lulls into an uneasy silence. The others sleep in a loose cluster near the stone wall—weapons close, breathing slow. Everyone else is asleep, except me. I sit uptight, back to the others, facing the dark valley below. My hands are clasped between his knees, forearms burned and raw where the fire had tried to climb too far.
A faint ember glows on my palm where the mark is. It's not enough to light anything; it's just there. I watch it flicker, then vanish. I whisper.
"I could've lost them."
A breeze rolls across the ledge. It tugs at my singed sleeves, ruffles my hair. The cold bites where the fire once lived. My jaw tightens.
"...No. They would've lost me... I would've lost me."
I lower my hand, resting it on the ground. Fingers dig into the earth like it'll anchor me to something real. Then, after a long pause—
"What does the world have in store for me?"
My voice hangs there. No answer. Only the low whisper of leaves brushing in the wind. I stare ahead into the dark, and for a second... I thought I saw the shape of a mask, floating just beyond the tree line. Watching. Still. Breathing. But when I blinked, it was gone. I exhale slowly. This time, there's no flame in it—just my breath. I lie back, eyes still open. The stars above don't twinkle. They just wait.
Morning arrives, and we're all fully rested. We have our morning meal, and as we eat, a soft chime rings through the air, followed by a brief sharp 'pop' of sound. Every active camp across the simulation halts as a translucent projection of the headmaster, Evelyn Morte, appears above each zone.
Evelyn looks like her cheerful self. "Good morning, survivors~! Can you believe it's already Day Six? My, how the time flies when you're bleeding, starving, and learning."
She gives a delicate clap of her hands.
"To those of you who remain: I commend your fortitude. You've outlasted the worst storms, the most unfortunate accidents, and—of course—the lesser minds."
She tilts her head slightly.
"But we're not done yet. No, no, no. One more full day stands between you and completion. And what is a final act without a proper twist?"
The screen pulses and flickers. A glowing map projection shows multiple red-hot threat zones scattered across the wilderness. They blink slowly, like heartbeats.
Evelyn's voice sharpened. "This morning, a new tier of monsters has entered the field. Some were planned. Others... not quite. But all have one thing in common: they do not respect your walls." She says while wiggling her finger.
A pause—
Evelyn breaks into a tune, singing. "They may enter your camps. They may break your structures. They may choose to ignore you entirely. But I humbly suggest that you prepare for the worst-case scenario.
She taps her temple once.
"After all, we wouldn't want your success to come too easily."
The map fades. Evelyn reappears with a warm smile. "Good luck. Finish strong," she winks.
"Try not to die in the final hours."
The projection vanishes.
Our little group watched intently, seated or standing near the edge of the clearing. No one spoke immediately, but Amber was the first to talk.
"Well. That's not ominous at all," she says dryly. Adrien rubs his temples. "She said some weren't planned. Was the one we faced an unplanned one?"
"If it's Evelyn? Probably." Ryder adds.
Sera's tense. "She said they don't respect walls. That means even Malik's fortress isn't safe anymore."
They all glance at me. Quiet, arms folded, staring into the tree line. Jennifer speaks cautiously.
"You think it's coming back?"
"It never left." I turn slowly.
"And we're running out of places to run."
——————————————————————
The announcement ends. The camp is silent. Tension thickens. A few younger students murmur. Someone drops a ladle near the kitchen. Malik steps forward onto the center platform in front of the bonfire. He's calm as ever. His voice projected.
"You've all heard what's coming."
He scans the crowd. He's calm and calculating.
"But this doesn't change our structure. If anything, it affirms it. We are not prey. We are not scattered. We are prepared."
The students nod, but their eyes are wider now. Fear is spreading beneath the discipline. Malik turns to his lieutenants. He personally selected his camp coordinators.
"Double the watch. No isolation duty. If any unknown creature approaches, I want it cataloged, not confronted."
One of the lieutenants speaks hesitantly. "And if it gets inside the walls?"
Malik's expression doesn't change.
"Then it joins the lesson." His ring glistens.
——————————————————————
Our group walks in formation now. Our backpacks are adjusted, and our weapons are whatever still works. They are tightened and ready. We are bound west, toward higher ground and a vantage point from which to scout. Jennifer walks up to me and leans in to whisper.
"If it comes again... you'll use more of that power, won't you?"
I glance at her, but don't answer. She stares at me, eyes furrowed.
"Just don't forget who's watching."
She walks ahead.
I look toward the trees, then to the ridge where they left the Reaper behind. In the shifting shadows... I feel it. It's not close, but near enough to wait.
——————————————————————
Malik walks the perimeter, hands folded. Students salute as he passes. He looks at the trees and then smiles faintly.
"Let the monsters come."
——————————————————————
We move through a more elevated ridgeline that overlooks the main camp and a deep gorge below. Wind pushes through the trees, and the sun fights through thick gray clouds. Sera looks through binoculars, viewing the main camp.
"Main camp's quiet."
"Too quiet. Like someone muted the world." Cyril adds with a monotone.
Amber scans the forest floor. "I don't see movement—wait...no, scratch that."
She points across the gorge, where several trees have fallen at unnatural angles. The bark is peeled like fruit, and deep claw marks gouge the dirt.
Jennifer crosses his arms. "Another beast? Great."
I narrow my eyes. "No. This one's not watching. It's hurting."
——————————————————————
Near the north gate, two sentries whisper to each other when the woods begin to stir. The trees creak. The air goes sharp. Then, a massive form steps into view. It's not the Reaper. This one is bulkier, hunched, animalistic—a twisted fusion of bear, boar, and stone. Its body is wrapped in moss bark and glowing green fungus. Its maw is wide, fanged, and twitching.
One student panics. "Contact! Monster inbound!"
"Get Malik—Now!" yells another.
The students scrambled to defensive positions, but Malik stepped out from the central path, calm and alone, before any alarms could ring. The beast snorted, huffing corrupted spores from its nose. It reared up, ready to charge. Malik raised a hand and spoke one word in a language no student understood.
"...Kros'nahr"
The creature twitches, then halts. It drops to all fours, breathing slowly. One massive paw crushes a stone, but it does not lunge. The sentries stop mid-step, stunned. "What...?" one student whispers. Malik approaches slowly. No fear, he places a palm against the beast's snout. Its breath curls around his arm. The beast lowers its head.
Malik whispers to it. "You're not here to destroy. You're here to learn. To be shaped." A faint glow pulses on Malik's ring and in his pouch.
Then, the beast turns away from the camp and begins circling the perimeter, not as a predator but as a guardian. The students watch in silent awe. Malik turns back toward the camp, speaking loud enough for them to hear.
"This world doesn't belong to the loudest. It belongs to those who understand the rules underneath."
Then, almost as an afterthought:
"Have the others reinforce the gate. Quietly. Let them believe they're still in control."
He walks calmly back inside, smirking with an insidious grin.
He walks back to his tent. The interior of Malik's quarters is impossibly orderly—not military-clean but ritualistically aligned. There are maps, journals, elemental charts, and, at the center, a small stone pedestal etched with glyphs in a forgotten tongue.
He walks over to his table and takes out some crystals. These crystals contained elemental energy, but the power has since evaporated from the crystals. He opens a drawer and pulls out an altar. He removes the ring from his hand and places it on a small, smooth stone-core gem.
For a moment, nothing. Then, a shard forms, cracking into existence like a tooth being pushed from bone. It floats just above the ring before settling beside the others. Malik exhales, calm and controlled.
"Five more since morning. One broke free—then fell again." He closes his eyes.
Behind his lids, he can feel them—minds pulsing like lights, not controlled through fear but through quiet, persistent structure.
"The more they resist... the stronger the rhythm becomes." He whispers.
He looks down at the shards. One glows brighter than the rest—this one was used earlier to stop the feral beast. He lifts it between two fingers. It hums with dormant power.
"They were designed to protect us. They're catalysts, and like any stone—if you cut it right, it bends to will."
He inserts the shard back into his ring. The hum intensifies. Malik stands, placing the ring back on his finger. Outside, a sentry passes by his tent—his expression glassy, his movements stiff, robotic. Malik smiles.
"Soon, even the beasts will know silence."
He steps into the night. The ring pulses once, and the controlled monster quietly turns its head toward him at the edge of the woods.
——————————————————————
The sun has pushed through the clouds, but the light feels thin and stretched. Our group treks downhill from the ridgeline, moving carefully. Each footstep is deliberate—every shadow suspect. Sera leads, eyes scanning through a cracked pair of field lenses. Her light element is still flickering back to normal after the Reaper's suppression, but her instincts remain sharp.
"Two hours until the next planned rest stop. If we cut left at the river fork, we'll stay out of the lowlands." She says quietly.
Amber grumbles. "Yeah, but that's where the main trail crosses. If anyone else is out there... we won't see them until we breathe their sweat."
Ryder grins, "Can't wait."
"I'd settle for breathing something that doesn't smell like rot and trauma," Adrien commented dryly.
"We're not heading toward others. Not yet."
Everyone's eyes land on me.
"Why not?" Jennifer asks.
I try to concentrate on our surroundings. "If Malik's camp is too quiet, and Evelyn's throwing monsters at the map... we need to find out what else she hasn't told us."
"You think there's more than the Reaper?" Cyril asks without looking up.
"There has to be. The Reaper can't be the only hidden boss..."
We arrive at a shallow river moments later. A stone bridge partially collapsed. Geez, another bridge? Faint scorch marks line the opposite bank, and chunks of crystal spike litter the ground like shattered teeth. I sprint towards the other side. Even if the water is shallow, I'm not taking any chances. Once everyone crosses, Jennifer is the first to inspect.
She kneels next to one, examining it. "This isn't any beast's work. It looks too clean, too controlled."
"You think another group passed through?" Amber asks.
Sera frowns. "No. Look closer."
The crystals are fractured from the inside out.
"Something detonated its control. Like someone tried to break free... and failed." Cyril stated.
We couldn't shake off the feeling of unease as we looked at one another. We split off for a moment to scout the area, then reconvened near me. I walked a bit ahead and crouched beside a small tree. I found a scorch mark, touching it with my fingertips—a pulse of leftover elemental energy danced across my hand.
I couldn't pinpoint the exact elemental residual left behind, but I felt a sudden dizziness in my mind. It had to be that element. I stared at the scorch mark.
"If Malik's behind this, he's not just controlling people. He's marking them."
"...Or they're marking themselves, voluntarily."
No one responds. We all know what that means.
There wasn't much in the area, so we continued forward. Our path straightens into an old road. The mist thins just enough for silhouettes to appear ahead. Three figures, and they wave.
Amber tenses. "Contacts. Not beasts. Students."
Sera keeps her hand on her weapon. "Yeah, but something's off."
The figures approach casually. One of them—a tall girl with a shaved head and leaf-patterned gloves—raises her hand higher.
"Hey! We were hoping we'd catch up with you!" She exclaims cheerfully.
Cyril whispered to the group. "Don't Relax. Not yet."
Then, the other two figures appeared. A thin, twitchy boy, caring too much about gear, but makes no sound. And a stronger-built boy. He wore a blank face and had his eyes on me. It felt like he was watching me too closely.
"We're from Camp South. Sent by Malik to check the perimeter after Evelyn's announcement. You're Daniel's team, right?" The girl asks.
"We weren't aware Malik was assigning scouts outside his walls," I reply.
The girl laughs lightly. "He wasn't. We volunteered." Her voice is warm, too warm.
"Listen to their cadence..." Jennifer whispers, just under her breath.
The three move like they're reading from a silent script—each response is just a beat too late, like it's been rehearsed multiple times.
"You had to move camp because of that creature, right? The one near the ridgeline?" The silent one asks.
"You weren't there." Cyril snaps.
"Oh. Right."
"You came out here just to 'check in?' No backup? No gear?" I asked.
"Why would we need it? You're the ones in danger." The girl responds a second later.
"That's not reassuring," Sera replies.
Jennifer steps forward, suddenly smiling. "You wouldn't happen to have a comm crystal on you, would you? Just in case we wanted to report something to Malik ourselves?"
The girl's smile falters, only for half a second. Then, it resets. "Oh, no. Lost it earlier today. Real shame."
"Sure you did," Ryder replies dryly, rolling his eyes.
The conversation winds down. The three scouts don't press for help, direction, or supplies. They simply take note of every person and weapon. I had to do one final test, which would confirm it for me later on.
"We're heading back east in the morning. If you're going west, we'll cross again."
Almost too quickly, the second boy responds. "We'll let Malik know."
Everyone stops. The group watches the three figures fade into the mist. There are no goodbyes, no turning back.
"They weren't scouts," Amber concluded.
"They were surveys—data collection. They fed info to that guy constantly. About us." Jennifer states.
"He knows we survived the Reaper, and now he knows we're still moving," I say quietly. I turn to the group, and my eyes darken.
"We can't just outrun him anymore."
It's now midday of the fifth day. We have stopped at a half-collapsed watchpost with rotten wood, overgrown and moss-eaten, but it offers cover. We're all practically shaken from the encounter with Malik's "scouts." I sit on a stone step, arms folded, eyes on the ground. The tension has shifted from danger to being cornered.
Amber paces the room. "So what? We fight him? March up to his stupid camp and throw rocks at the walls?"
Jennifer leans against a tree that has breached the building. "He'd be three steps ahead. He already is."
"We could keep moving. He can't watch every direction forever." Ryder proposed.
Sera frowns. "Unless he doesn't need to."
Everyone's quiet. Adrien steps forward, unusually direct.
"We need to make him think we're doing something we're not." All eyes turn to him.
Cyril tilts his head. "Split the group?"
Adrien nods. "We send two of us along the main path. Let them see you. Report back. The rest of us cut down into the canyon trail."
"A decoy and escape route." Amber comments.
Jennifer raises an eyebrow, smirking. "Didn't know you had a tactician mode, Glasses."
Adrien shrugs. "You watch enough people play chess and start thinking in diagonals."
"I think Malik intends to make us fail by destroying us. If we want to make it out of here alive, we must stop reacting." Adrien turns to me.
"We move on our terms."
Everyone listens as Adrien lays out the decoy plan. Two go east as a distraction while the rest cut down into the canyon trail. The plan was very strategic. That's my buddy Adrien.
"Smart. It splits their eyes." Cyril states.
"Yeah. And gives us the high ground." Amber adds.
"Unless we get flanked again. Just saying." Jennifer retorts dryly.
They all glance at me, expecting me to weigh in. As much as I would, something else lingers in my mind. I thought back to the Hollow Reaper. When I stared into its mask, I saw a version of myself. If that monster is a truly unplanned... then was only I supposed to face it?
"Daniel...?" Sera says gently.
I could hear her voice, but I chose not to respond. It's not like I wanted to, but... I didn't know how to bring this up. Then Adrien speaks, his tone low and sharp enough to break my fog.
"You want to find it again."
My eyes flick up faster than anything. The group goes silent.
"The Hollow Reaper, you want another shot at it?"
I don't answer, but I could feel my jaw tense.
"That's why you seemed a bit distant lately," Adrien says.
"I wasn't ready."
Jennifer frowns. "Ready to die? Or to lose control?"
I looked at her briefly, making a face like I was offended, but quickly calmed myself. I then stood up slowly.
"I didn't finish what I started in those woods. That thing was made for me—I felt it. And next time..."
I hesitated, then took a deep breath.
"I want to end it. For good."
I thought I would be mocked or belittled, but no one did. They understood—even if they disagreed.
"Then the plan still stands. But we pick who splits, and we move smart." Adrien nods.
I met his gaze. Something unspoken passed between us. Our shared history was a warning. Finally, I exhaled deeply through my nose. I didn't smile, but I wore my resolve. "Let's go bait a shadow."
We decided on the groups. Ryder and Jennifer will act as our decoys while we go to the canyons. Jennifer volunteered to be one of the decoys, which made me skeptical, but I want to trust her. Ryder volunteered soon after. So, if Malik wants us, he'll just have to find us.
We walk as a group until a path forks sharply, one trail leading into the canyon's shadow and the other winding eastward along higher ground. We stand at the edge of the divide. Wind whips through the trees. I look at our decoys.
"We won't circle back for you. Not until this is done." I say quietly.
Jennifer steps forward, her arms crossed. "I know."
"Somebody has to make noise," she adds.
Ryder shrugs, slinging his bag in the process. "I'll make sure she doesn't explode. Or set anything on fire. Probably."
"You sure you don't want the more dramatic mission?" Amber asks Jennifer flatly.
She smirks. "This one is calling to me. I won't take the center stage... For now."
We saw them off before we started down our path. Once they were away from our sight, we began to head down. I can feel my nerves getting to me as we continued. The Hollow Reaper is a monster that I need to conquer, but I also need to conquer myself.