Eray did not think.Thinking took time, and he had none.
The shadow wrapped around his hand.It did not feel like smoke.It felt like cold steel.
There was only one command in his mind.
Pierce.
The shadow of the rock stretched.Under Eray's will, it grew hard.It turned black and sharp, like the tip of a spear.
Eray swung his arm.
The shadow spear burst from the ground and struck the huge shape in front of him.
The monster screamed.
It was not the cry of an animal.It was wet and sharp, like metal scraping metal.
Sunlight touched the creature.
Its skin was pale and gray, almost transparent, like jelly.It had no eyes.Only a vertical mouth filled with teeth.
The shadow spear was stuck in its shoulder.Black smoke rose as the shadow burned its flesh.
But Eray was not the main cause of its pain.
The sun was.
The light made the creature's skin bubble.The monster hated the light.It covered its face with its claws and stepped back.
It fled toward the dark cave it came from.
Seconds later, it was gone.
Eray collapsed.
His stomach tightened.He coughed up blood.
This was the price of turning shadow into matter.
His body shook as if frozen.His head pounded like it had been struck with a hammer.
"Is it gone?"
Junia's voice was weak.
She was holding her leg.It was bent at a wrong angle.
Her armor was crushed.Her face was white.
Eray wiped the blood from his mouth and stood up with effort.He looked at her.
She was badly hurt.She could not move.
By Raider rules, anyone who could not walk was left behind.Another team would come later.
But leaving Junia here meant death.
Eray's hand moved to his sword.
Killing her now was the logical choice.End her pain.Remove the burden.
Junia met his eyes.
There was no fear.Only acceptance.
Then she reached for the pouch on her belt.
"The map," she said in a rough voice."And the compass. They are with me.
"If you leave me, you will never escape this place."
Eray stopped.
He pulled his hand away from the sword.
It was not mercy.
It was a deal.
"Varen?" Eray asked.
"Don't look," Junia said.
Eray looked anyway.
Varen's body lay five meters away.Or what was left of it.
His body was crushed.His head was gone.
His axe was broken in half, like a stick.
Eray walked over.He did not pause.
He took the water flask and the dagger from Varen's belt.
The dead did not need water.
"Get up," Eray said as he returned to Junia.
"My leg…"
"Then crawl. This place is exposed."
Eray grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her up.
Junia cried out in pain, but forced herself silent.
They moved toward a narrow crack between the rocks.The sun had not reached it yet.Shadows were thick there.
Eray placed Junia at the base of a rock.
He was breathing hard.Using his power had drained him.
Junia took out the blood-stained compass with shaking hands and opened it.
The needle spun wildly.
It pointed nowhere.
"It's broken," Eray said.
"No," Junia replied.
Her voice was more afraid than when she faced the monster.
She lifted her head and looked at the red sun in the sky.
"The compass is not broken, Eray."
She took out the map and crushed it in her hand.
"We are not in Sector Four.We are not in any mapped area."
Eray looked to the horizon.
Far away, black towers rose into the sky.Tall. Sharp. Obsidian.
They did not match the land they were sent to explore.
This was not a scouting zone.
This was the deep region the Raiders had named a Death Zone.
A place they refused to enter.
The wind changed direction.
Eray smelled it.
Rot.Sulfur.
But this time, it came from everywhere.
The wind carried the breath of many creatures.
Eray peeked from behind the rock.
Below, in the valley, shapes moved in the shadows.
Not one.
Dozens.
They were climbing upward.Drawn by blood.
Eray looked at his exhausted body.
Then at Junia's broken leg.