Frank followed closely behind Alan. Ollie brought up the rear, his weapons at the ready, scanning for any signs of danger. The group moved silently, their footsteps muffled by the soft forest floor.

As they pressed on, Frank noticed the bamboo thinning out. Shafts of pale light began to pierce through the canopy, hinting at a break in the dense vegetation ahead.

Alan suddenly halted, raising his hand to signal the others to stop. Frank tensed, his senses on high alert as he tried to discern what had caught Alan's attention.

"What is it?" Frank whispered, his voice barely audible.

Alan's brow furrowed, his eyes unfocused as if listening to some inner voice. He shook his head slowly, a look of unease crossing his features.

"There's a clearing up ahead," Alan murmured, gesturing towards the lightening forest. "But... it ain't right."

Frank peered through the thinning bamboo, catching glimpses of an open space beyond. It seemed inviting after their long trek through the dense forest, but Alan's words sent a chill down his spine.

"What do you mean?" Ollie asked, moving up to join them.

Alan's frown deepened. "Everywhere feels wrong. The clearing, the forest around us—it's all bad news, maan."

Frank exchanged a worried glance with Ollie. They had been relying on Alan's hunches to guide them safely through this strange, dangerous place. If Alan felt everything was a threat, where could they go?

"So, what do we do?" Frank asked, his voice tight with tension.

Ollie stepped forward, his eyes scanning the treacherous landscape ahead. "I'll check it out," he said, his voice low. "You two stay here and keep watch."

Frank nodded, watching as Ollie slipped between the bamboo stalks and disappeared from view. He turned to Alan, who was still visibly uneasy.

"You alright?" Frank asked, concern etching his features.

Alan shook his head, his eyes darting around nervously. "Frank, I gotta ask you something. Is all this... is it really worth it? Is it really worth messing with things in Aur?"

Frank frowned, considering Alan's words. He'd been so focused on the case, he hadn't stopped to think about the bigger picture.

"What's on your mind?" Frank probed gently.

Alan sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Look, I'm here because I've got nothing left to lose, you know? My wife... she's in an asylum. Has been for years. But if I can help you with this... power or whatever it is, maybe it'll mean something. Give me a purpose."

Frank felt a pang of guilt. He'd been so caught up in his own quest for answers, he'd forgotten about Alan's struggles.

"I get it," Frank said softly. "To be honest, I've been feeling worn down lately too. None of our previous cases were this dangerous. This whole Aur thing... it's a different ballgame."

Alan nodded, relief washing over his face at Frank's admission. "So what are we doing here, man? Is it worth risking our lives for?"

Frank took a deep breath, weighing his words carefully. "I promise you, Alan, this is the last one. After this, we go back to what we do best—solving crimes in the city. No more chasing wild geese or diving into supernatural rabbit holes. The captain might even throw a party for us."

A ghost of a smile crossed Alan's face. "You mean that?"

"I do," Frank affirmed. "We'll see this through, and then we're done. Back to normal police work."

Before Alan could respond, a rustling in the bamboo caught their attention. Ollie burst through, his clothes splattered with blood, his eyes wide with urgency.

"We need to move," Ollie hissed, glancing over his shoulder. "Now."

Frank's hand instinctively went to his weapon. "What happened?"

"No time," Ollie insisted, grabbing Frank's arm. "The noise might attract more monsters. We have to go before-"

A distant roar cut through the air, sending chills down Frank's spine. Alan's face paled, his earlier unease morphing into full-blown panic.

"Lead the way," Frank said to Alan, trusting his partner's instincts. "Where do we go?"

Alan closed his eyes for a moment, his brow furrowed in concentration. When he opened them again, there was a newfound determination in his gaze.

"This way," he said, pointing to a narrow gap between two thick clusters of bamboo. "It feels... less wrong."

Without hesitation, Frank and Ollie fell in behind Alan as he plunged into the dense foliage. The sound of breaking bamboo filled the air as they pushed through, the roar growing louder behind them.

Frank noticed the ground beneath their feet changing. The soft earth gave way to harder, rockier terrain. The bamboo thinned out, revealing glimpses of a rocky outcropping ahead.

"There," Alan called out, pointing towards a narrow opening at the base of the rocks. "We can hide in there."

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"We can't hide now! We gotta run for it!" Ollie shouted.

"Trust me!" Alan replied.

They scrambled towards the opening, the sounds of pursuit growing ever closer. Frank could hear heavy footfalls and the snapping of bamboo stalks behind them.

Just as they reached the entrance to the small cave, a deafening roar split the air. Frank turned to see a massive shape emerging from the forest, its form obscured by the dense foliage.

"Get in!" Ollie shouted, pushing Frank and Alan towards the opening.

They squeezed through the narrow gap, finding themselves in a small, dark space. Frank's heart hammered in his chest as he pressed himself against the cool rock wall.

Outside, he could hear the creature moving closer, its heavy breathing audible even over the sound of his own pulse pounding in his ears.

"What now?" Alan whispered, his voice barely audible.

Frank looked to Ollie, who was peering out through the narrow opening. The young man's face was set in grim determination.

"We wait," Ollie said softly. "And hope it doesn't find us."

As they huddled in the darkness, Frank couldn't help but wonder if this would truly be their last supernatural case. If they survived this, would he be able to walk away from the mysteries of Aur? After learning everything he's seen, the Path surely wouldn't let him go so easily. At least that's not what most criminal organizations are—yet Aur walks a fine line of being in between the good and bad.

The creature outside let out another bone-chilling roar, and Frank felt Alan flinch beside him.

Frank held his breath. The creature's heavy footsteps shook the ground, each step sending vibrations through their hiding spot. He glanced at Alan, who had his eyes squeezed shut, lips moving in silent prayer—or maybe a magical chant.

Ollie remained focused on the narrow opening, his hand gripping his weapon. The monster's shadow passed by, blocking out what little light filtered into their refuge. For a moment, Frank thought it might have spotted them, but the beast continued on, its massive form disappearing from view.

Alan's eyes snapped open. He locked gazes with Frank and Ollie, then jerked his head towards the exit. Without a word, they understood. It was time to move.

They crept out of the cave, muscles tense, ready to bolt at the slightest sound. The creature's back was to them, its attention focused on something in the distance. Frank's instincts screamed at him to wait, to let the monster move further away, but Alan was already moving.

His partner darted forward, keeping low to the ground. Frank and Ollie had no choice but to follow. They ran, their footsteps muffled by the soft earth, hearts racing with each step that took them further from cover.

They were halfway across the clearing when Alan suddenly veered left, towards a dense patch of vegetation. Frank followed without question, trusting his partner's instincts.

"There's another one up ahead," Alan panted as they ran. "Ollie, we need a distraction."

Ollie nodded, his face set with grim determination. "On it. You two find somewhere to hide. I'll draw it away."

Before Frank could protest, Ollie veered off to the right, crashing through the foliage with deliberate noise.

Alan grabbed Frank's arm, pulling him in the opposite direction. They pushed through dense bushes, branches scratching at their faces and arms. Frank could hear the creature behind them, its roar echoing through the strange landscape.

"There," Alan hissed, pointing to a fallen tree. Its massive trunk had created a small hollow beneath it, partially hidden by overgrown ferns.

They dove for the hiding spot, squeezing into the tight space. Frank's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, the smell of damp earth and rotting wood filling his nostrils.

In the distance, they heard Ollie shouting, followed by the sound of familiar gunfire. The creatures roared in response, their heavy footsteps moving away from Frank and Alan's position.

"Will he be okay?" Frank whispered, concern etched on his face.

Alan nodded, though he looked far from certain. "He knows what he's doing. We have to trust him."

They fell silent, straining their ears for any sign of approaching danger. Minutes ticked by, feeling like hours. The sounds of combat grew fainter, then ceased altogether. An eerie quiet settled over the forest.

Alan tightened his fist. "Something's coming."

Frank froze, listening intently. At first, he heard nothing. Then, a soft rustling reached his ears, growing louder with each passing second. Something was moving through the undergrowth, heading straight for their hiding spot.

Frank's hand moved to his weapon, fingers wrapping around the grip. He knew it would likely be useless against the monstrous creatures they'd seen, but it was better than nothing.

The rustling grew louder, leaves and branches parting just feet from their hiding place. Frank held his breath, muscles coiled, ready to spring into action if needed.

A figure burst through the foliage, and Frank nearly squeezed. It was Ollie, his clothes torn and dirty, but very much alive.

"Come on," Ollie whispered urgently. "We need to move. Now."

Frank and Alan scrambled out from their hiding spot. "What happened?" Frank asked as they began to move, following Ollie's lead.

"Lost it for now," Ollie replied, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.

They moved swiftly through the forest, Ollie leading the way with a confidence that spoke of his training. Frank couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration for the young man's skills.

"Where's the exit" Alan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ollie pulled out the red marble device he'd used before.

As if in response to his words, a distant roar echoed through the trees. Frank saw Alan flinch, his partner's face pale with fear.

They broke into a run, following Ollie as he weaved through the trees. The sounds of pursuit grew louder behind them, spurring them on despite their exhaustion.

Suddenly, Ollie skidded to a halt, throwing out an arm to stop Frank and Alan. Ahead of them, the ground dropped away into a deep ravine. In the depths below, a torrent of stony rapids surged.

"The exit's on the other side," Ollie said, gesturing across the chasm.

Frank stared at the gap, his stomach dropping. "How are we supposed to cross that?"

Before Ollie could answer, a deafening roar split the air. They turned to see one of the creatures crashing through the trees towards them, its massive form dwarfing the surrounding vegetation.

"We jump," Ollie said, his voice filled with a manic excitement that Frank found unsettling. It was the same on what happened on the bridge of the dark castle.

"We got no choice again huh." Alan cried, backing away from the edge.

The creature was getting closer, its thunderous footsteps shaking the ground beneath their feet. Frank looked from the approaching monster to the fiery chasm before them, his mind racing for a solution.

"Trust me," Ollie said, grabbing Frank's arm. "It's our only chance."

With the creature bearing down on them and no other options in sight, Frank made a split-second decision. He nodded to Ollie, then turned to Alan.

"Come on, partner," he said, reaching out his hand. "One last leap of faith."

"On three," Ollie shouted over the monster's roar. "One... two..."

In an instant, a timber bolt pierced through Ollie's shoulder, hindering him from executing the very same maneuver he had employed in the dark castle. Frank and Alan plummeted into the depths of the rapids, their senses fading to black as they descended.