Amidst a dense forest where the trees towered high, their branches reaching towards the heavens, a rustling sound cut through the stillness, causing the birds perched atop the trees to stir uneasily. The avian creatures with deep black eyes, their feathers as dark as the midnight sky, turned their gaze downwards, fixated on the disturbance below.

Though the thick canopy blocked most of the sunlight, casting an eerie gloom over the forest, the birds seemed unperturbed, having adapted to the darkness.

As they watched from above, three small figures emerged from the underbrush, their movements hesitant and furtive. They would dart between the trees, hiding behind barren shrubs before continuing their peculiar dance.

The avian observers deemed them to be of no danger and soon lost interest. All save for one bird, whose gaze lingered on the children, its eyes the color of molten gold.

---

In the eerie silence of the dark forest, three children huddled together, uncertain of their next move. One of the boys fiddled with a compass while the others pondered their options. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a muffled voice asking,

"Where is it?"

"Psst, keep your voice down!" someone hissed back just as loudly. "We don't want to attract any attention."

"From whom? The trees?" the first voice scoffed. "Come on, there is nothing here."

"G-Guys, how about we take a break?" a timid female voice stuttered.

"Good idea, let's take a short break here and reassess our situation."

The three children settled down, side by side, on a sturdy root that rose out of the ground in an arc and disappeared back into the earth. It was long and robust enough for ten of them to sit on.

In the middle of the three, a blue-haired boy with black streaks was busy fiddling with something that resembled a compass. A red line spun on the device.

"I don't get it, what does it mean? Can we find it by walking around in circles?" a boy sitting next to the one holding the compass asked, obviously confused by the malfunction of the device. He was a head taller than the other two and had long dark brown hair that might have reached his chin if he hadn't tied it in a ponytail.

"T-Teacher said that the relic won't appear in p-plain sight," the stuttering voice of the sole girl reminded them.

The boys looked to their left. Normally they would see flame-like hair and a face dotted with freckles, but in this stifling darkness that flame seemed to have gone out.

"Hmm. It won't be overtly visible.... so, we might have to dig for it," the boy with the compass pondered.

"It could also be hiding a-above," the girl suggested.

"Above?!" the boys echoed.

Casting their eyes up toward the endless tree trunks, searching for any sign of what they sought, the forest remained silent and still. The towering trees loomed above them like dark sentinels, their branches reaching up toward an endless sky.

Occasionally, a ray of light found its way through the densely spaced tree branches, illuminating an insignificant small patch of the forest.

"Actually, something has been bothering me all along," the tallest boy said, drawing the attention of the others.

"Did you find any clues, Kyle?" the girl asked.

"Clues? What, no. ... Hey Jes." Kyle turned to her, his eyes sharp.

"Why the hell are you stuttering all the time? It's distracting," he sneered.

"You... you... " Jes stammered.

"You...you what? Can't talk anymore? Did I break you?" Kyle's grin was cruel.

"Asshole!" Jes exploded. If it wasn't for the darkness, one wouldn't be able to tell her face from her hair.

Kyle's laughter rang out, echoing through the darkened woods.

"That's also what I wanted to know. You've never stuttered before. Are you scared?" the boy who stood between the brawlers guessed.

"No! ... I... just... can't stand the darkness," Jes finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I see."

He didn't know how to comfort her, since she was never really the type of person who needed comforting. Besides, there were other things that required his attention now.

They were lost, that damn tracking device had only one function which clearly wasn't doing its job, leaving them stranded with no idea which way to turn. Should they dig through the ground, climb the trees, or go in another direction? Without any clue, they just sat there in silence.

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In complete silence. The kind of silence that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

No wind howled, no chirping birds, and even the rustling of small animals hopping through the forest was absent. Everything that you thought you could hear in a forest had simply disappeared. Since they had made their way into the forest two days ago, it had been quiet, although they were warned that the forest was dangerous and that they never should let down their guard, nothing happened.

But something was different now.

The forest seemed to close in around them, the trees pressing closer together, the air growing thick and heavy.

The blue-haired boy noticed the anomaly, looking around at his companions, hoping they felt what he felt. Jes seemed to be just as frightened, her eyes darting left and right like a rabbit searching for an escape. He couldn't tell if it was for the same reason he perceived or not because she had been acting that way since they entered this godforsaken forest.

To compare her behavior with that before they entered the forest was like comparing heaven and earth. If he told anyone after their expedition that she feared the dark or was afraid of anything, no one would believe his words.

Turning his head to the right, he immediately regretted even thinking that Kyle would notice anything. Kyle was unfazed, doodling with a stick he had found, a carefree expression on his face. It was as if he didn't sense the danger lurking around them.

He didn't understand how Kyle remained so relaxed.

Shouldn't his warrior instincts be warning him right now?

He knew how strong Kyle was. In this group of three, Kyle was the warrior, the one in charge of protecting his teammates and fighting when necessary.

The blue-haired boy began to get nervous. This silence was gnawing at him. Is something wrong or am I thinking too much? He tried to reassure himself, but his gut had never betrayed him before.

He stood up, hoping to get a better look around, startling the other two.

"What's going on? Did you guys fix the relic seeker yet? How about we dance in a circle like it wants?" commented Kyle sarcastically as he made a whirling motion with his cane.

"Sh-shut up, Kyle!... What's wrong Silas?"

A foreboding feeling grew in Silas. It was as if the forest was watching him. The weight of an unseen gaze caused Silas's instincts to go into overdrive. It was as if an entity, hidden amongst the shadows, was peering directly into his soul. An insidious sense of being watched crept over him, setting his nerves on edge. His intuition urged him to share his feelings with the others, to confront whatever malevolence might be lurking nearby.

"I don't know. I think someone is wa..."

"WaTcHiNg YoU?"

Before he could finish his sentence, a strange, male voice interjected, slicing through the silence like a chilling blade.

The sound seemed to emanate from above, ringing through the air like a haunting melody.

As the strange voice pierced the silence, the children's hearts skipped a beat. Jes couldn't contain her fear, releasing a terrified scream, her body trembling uncontrollably as if she had suddenly been plunged into the depths of the ocean.

Goosebumps rose on their skin, a primal sense of danger urging them to flee, but as if ensnared by some unyielding force, the children found their legs rooted to the spot, incapable of escaping the encroaching darkness.

A man-shaped shadow perched on a nearby branch, its features shrouded in darkness. Only two red dots, like glowing embers, revealed its presence. Its form, obscured by darkness, appeared more like a specter than a physical being.

Clap... Clap...

The shadow broke the silence with a slow, deliberate clap that held a mocking tone. The sound reverberated through the air, amplifying the oppressive atmosphere.

"KcHi, sO YoU WeRe FiNaLlY AbLe To SeNsE Me," it spoke in a tone that dripped with sarcasm, mocking Silas' perception. The voice seemed to emanate from all around them.

Silas tried to make sense of the words, but his mind was paralyzed by fear. He felt as though the aura emanating from the shadow was suffocating him, making it almost impossible to think.

His perception told him that those red, dot-like eyes were staring right at him. Subconsciously, he took a few steps back, trying not to meet its gaze.

"W-who a-are you...?" Jes asked.

"sO tHe FiRsT tO SpEaK uP iS tHe MoSt ScArEd OnE, Kchiii Kchii", the shadow replied, its voice irritatingly high-pitched. It seemed to take pleasure in their fear, reveling in their helplessness.

"SeEms LikE i HaVeN't UsEd tHe hUmAn TonGue latEly... Kchii... ", he looked like he was talking to himself, completely ignoring the frightened children standing below him.

"Let me jUst...ah... mUch better."

On the ground, Kyle's grip on the stick tightened, preparing himself for the worst. He shook off the lingering feeling of fear, arched his back slightly, and went into an attack-ready sword stance without a sword.

"Sil, what's the plan?" Kyle asked in a low growl, his previous carelessness replaced by a sense of urgency.

Kyle's question broke the ice. Silas tried to get his frozen brain working again, and seeing his friend's composure influenced him. Still, he couldn't shake off the fear and danger that felt like a reaper was about to slice him into pieces. At least he was able to think now.

Come on, think, they're relying on me. How can we all get out of here alive?... That thing seems distracted. Now should be the best time to act. Silas thought about an escape plan. He knew the odds were against them, and they had little chance of success, but they had to at least try.

"It must be a creature adapted to darkness," he muttered. "It's only a guess, but anything bright could be its weakness. Jes, we need to create a diversion. Try to light a fire as close to its eyes as possible. We might have a few seconds to make our escape."

Kyle nodded grimly, his eyes fixed on the looming monster above. He felt like they were outmatched, but they had to try. The fate of the children depended on it.

"..."

However, as they waited for Jes's response, they were met with silence.

"Jes...?"

Silas turned to look at Jes, only to find her standing there, seemingly petrified, her eyes wide with terror. It was as if she had been paralyzed by the revelation of the creature's presence and its chilling voice.

Amidst the uncertainty, the creature chose to respond to Jes's earlier question.

"It took me a while to get used to my voice. I'm very sorry for embarrassing myself earlier. Still, I have to answer your question, young lady. Who am I? Let me enlighten you."

The black creature rose from its crouch, placing its right forearm on its stomach and arching its back in a polite gesture. Silas braced himself for what was to come.

"I am..." the creature began, but before it could finish its sentence, it vanished into thin air.

"Shit, Silas, find him!" Kyle yelled, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of the creature. "That bastard's playing with us!"

Silas's senses were on high alert as he tried to pinpoint the spot where the creature would reappear. His heart was racing, and his hands were shaking.

And then, just as suddenly as it had disappeared, the creature reappeared. Jes felt a slight breeze on her ear and cheek, and then she heard two voices.

"...your death."

"Behind you!"

"AHHHH!"