A few hours later…
In the dawn of the day, the AEOC's lieutenant general's team gathered in the medic's tent.
"Just to confirm…" Arthur spoke first. "We all experienced something last night, right?"
Everyone nodded except for Amelia.
"It didn't happen to me. Looks like I'm too smart for the ghosts to haunt." Amelia scoffed.
"We know, Amelia…" Kay muttered.
"Focusing on the more important issue." Maple clasped her hands. "What should we do now?"
All present heaved a sigh. The atmosphere became tense.
"We should probably report this to the supreme commander and the generals." Harvey stated.
"That's a given, Harvey." Amelia crossed her arms. "But I did have a question about this 'thing'?"
The rest lifted their heads, staring at Amelia. Amelia locked eyes with Harvey.
"Harvey, didn't you say it said you were a different one?" She asked.
"Yes…?" Harvey replied.
"Then, that probably means the PEOC enforcers experienced this before us."
Everyone froze. The room fell into an awkward silence as they processed Amelia's reasoning. They realized that she was in fact not wrong. It was a feasible theory but a question still remained…
"If that so, then why didn't they say anything?" Kay spoke.
"Fear?" Amelia shrugged. "They mostly definitely thought the shadow would target them if they said anything. They're the sloppiest believers of Christ after all. I wouldn't be surprised."
"They do pull tricks like these everyday…" Maple nodded, agreeing with her friend.
"Then, let's ensure the safety of our expedition by informing the supreme commander." Arthur stated. "You three of course. We're still in the hospital."
"Right, we'll get to you in a few." Amelia turned around.
"Yeah, see you in a bit." Maple followed her and so did Harvey.
Arthur watched theme exit the tent before falling onto his bed. He furrowed his brows as the hallucination repeated in his mind. The enforcers eyes, the fire, the pain and finally…the shadow.
'Things are going to go wrong soon…aren't they?'
***
Night soon arrived. The PEOC strolled around the camp carefully…fearfully. Matthew's team huddled into a circle. The air was thick with tension as all of them glanced at each other.
"We can't keep ii hidden any longer." Major spoke up. "We'll have to tell the supreme commander."
"B-But what if that demon comes back again?" Nolan asked.
"It's going to come daily, Nolan." Josh sighed. "Major, right. We should tell them all that we know. It'll at least help was a bit against whatever that is."
"We know that's it's going to back again. Just pray it won't father than haunting us." Matthew stated.
"I'm going to have nightmare for years after this…" Frank pinched his nose.
"We feel you, dude." Nolan patted his back.
"Let's start patrol quickly. Don't go far away from the camp. Be close to some else or have another enforcer within vision. We don't know what could happen today." Matthew backed off.
"The AEOC more than us yesterday. So, its probably going to be worse today." Josh turned around.
"The general is also onto us so lets not delay any longer." Major also stepped away.
"Good luck, guys." Frank spun around. "We'll need it."
The group scattered away from the center. They treaded the camp carefully, being alerted by any slight disturbances. Silence…there was only silence. Leaves shook from the wind, insects cricked, footsteps echoed through the forest and fear plagued the air.
Frank scanned the area carefully, searching for any danger. He didn't find anything so he continued walking. A memory suddenly flashed passed his mind – a reminder of what he had experienced last time. He gritted his teeth and shook his head.
'Get out of my head…'
He continued forward. Looking around, he could only see the shadows of the objects ahead. His meta glasses were functionless without Nyx's barrier which had mysteriously gone missing a few days before.
"The sooner that veil comes back, the faster I can rest comfortably…" Frank muttered under his breath.
A chill ran down his spine as he merely thought of the experience. After a while of walking, he realized he had gone off course and ended up in the forest.
'Shit…where's the camp?'
Frank looked in every direction but found nothing. Just then, a voice echoed throughout the forest that sent chills down his spine.
"Child…do you know where the second sun resides?"
Frank flinched, swinging his fist. Instinctively, he blurted out in a surprised tone.
"Who the hell are you? I don't know what a 'second sun' is?"
The voice spoke again, now more probing. "Come one, child…I know you want to spill it."
"I told you once and I not telling you again! I don't know the second sun and who the fuck are you?"
The voice clicked its tongue, annoyed. "Forget it."
It snapped and reality spit open to the real world. Frank was nowhere near the camp. He frantically looked around and began running, sensing something was about to happen. The voice spoke again – angrier.
"First – respect your elders."
The shadow of a tree stretched and tripped him. He fell forward, rolling onto the ground.
"Second – who said you could talk back?"
As he tried to stand up…his legs were cut off. His pupils dilated and he fell again. He felt the warmth of his own blood pooling, the world narrowing. He felt death approaching him rapidly, his body straining as he felt a presence approaching. He pushed himself up, still trying to resist but the figure lifted him up by the neck.
"Time to teach you lesson, don't you think?"
Seeing a large dark aura surrounding the demonic figure like a hurricane, Frank soon realized the disparity of the situation Tears poured from his eyes and his voice crack as he clasped his hands – begging.
"Please spare me…I-I'm sorry…I won't tell anyone about you…please…"
The figure laughed loudly, his demonic yet cruel voice echoing throughout the forest.
"Spare you? You think I'm merciful enough to let a disrespectful brat off the hook?"
"P-Please…I'm begging you." Frank cried, saying with a cracking voice.
The figure raised his hand and shot it forward. Frank's life flashed before his eyes in an instant as his vision faded into nothingness…