Driven by a fierce wind that whipped at his clothes like a banshee's wail, Yasuji stumbled into the deserted town. Every ramshackle house he passed stood vacant, windows gaping like empty eye sockets. The heavy silence pressed down on him, broken only by the mournful creak of a rusted swing set swaying in the wind. A shiver, colder than the dying embers of twilight, snaked down his spine. This wasn't just deserted; it was a graveyard of a town, where even the ghosts seemed to have fled.

Suddenly, a sharp rapping of footsteps echoed off the deserted buildings. It wasn't the slow, methodical tread of someone exploring, but a frantic, panicked pounding that sent Yasuji's heart hammering against his ribs. He darted towards the nearest building, an old house with peeling paint and a porch that sagged like a weary sigh. Without fumbling with the rusty doorknob, he slammed his shoulder against the creaking wood, shoving himself inside and pulling the door shut just as the pounding footsteps reached a crescendo right outside.

He held his breath, heart thundering a frantic rhythm against his eardrums. Through a crack in the boarded-up window, he peered out. There, in the fading light, he saw Liam, his face a mask of terror and pain, his leg dragging behind him at an unnatural angle. Fresh wounds marred his skin, oozing a crimson that seemed to ignite the dying embers of the sun a sickly red. Behind him, a pack of monstrous hounds, their eyes glowing with an unnatural hunger, surged forward, their slavering jaws dripping with anticipation.

Yasuji's blood ran cold. Every primal instinct screamed at him to help Liam, but before he could even consider throwing open the door, a bony hand clamped down on his shoulder. He whirled around to see Vivet, her face pale and drawn, her eyes wide with a fear that mirrored his own.

"Don't," she hissed, her voice barely a whisper. "It's too late for him. They'll tear you apart too."

Yasuji knew she was right. Helping Liam now would be a suicide mission. The raw, primal terror in Liam's eyes as the hounds closed in on him was a horrifying confirmation. Just as they were about to retreat further into the house, a chilling shadow fell across the boarded window. Yasuji looked up, his breath catching in his throat. A figure descended from the sky, cloaked in darkness, its features obscured by the gloom. The hounds, with an unnatural obedience, fell back at the figure's command.

"You shouldn't have run, little one," a voice that sent shivers down Yasuji's spine slithered through the cracked window. It was Ori, his voice dripping with a sickly amusement.

Liam, his defiance fueled by a desperate hope, snarled back a curse. A flicker of surprise crossed Ori's face, quickly replaced by a cold, cruel smile. With a flick of his wrist, he issued a silent command. The hounds surged forward, a wave of gnashing teeth and snapping jaws. Liam screamed – a sound of pure, unadulterated terror that echoed through the empty street and pierced Yasuji's heart. The scene that unfolded before his eyes was a grotesque ballet of violence, a sickening display of fangs tearing into flesh.

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Yasuji and Vivet could only watch in mute horror, their hands pressed against their mouths to stifle the screams that threatened to erupt from their throats. The stench of blood, acrid and metallic, filled the air. Finally, with a sickening crunch and a spray of crimson, the howls died down. Silence, thick and heavy, descended once more.

Suddenly, Ori turned his head, his attention drawn to a new sound – a faint rustling deep within the woods. For a brief moment, his focus shifted away from the house. That moment was all Yasuji and Vivet needed.

The wind, no longer a banshee's wail but a hungry wolf snapping at their heels, whipped at Yasuji and Vivet as they scurried through the graveyard town. They were desperately trying to stay quiet, every creaking floorboard or rattling windowpane a potential death knell in the oppressive silence.

Suddenly, Vivet tripped, a strangled gasp escaping her lips. Her hand, in her haste, had knocked over a rusty lantern by the doorway. It clattered to the dusty floor, shattering into a million glittering shards. The metallic screech echoed through the deserted street, a violent intrusion into the unnatural stillness.

Before they could react, a low growl rumbled from the distance. Then another, closer this time. Yasuji's blood ran cold. He turned his head and his gaze fell on a horrible pack of hounds emerging from the shadows of the streets. Their eyes, like embers glowing in the fading light, fixed greedily on the two figures.

Panic surged through Yasuji. He grabbed Vivet's arm, his grip tighter than any he'd ever known. "Run!" he screamed, the word ripped from his throat. They didn't need another word. Together, they tore out of the house, the hounds a dark blur at their heels.

Yasuji could hear the deafening pounding of his own heart, a frantic drumbeat competing with the thunderous paw steps of the hounds. The wind, once their tormentor, now became an unwilling ally, whipping around them, obscuring their trail. They weaved through the skeletal remains of houses, dodging debris and fallen beams.

In the distance, a dark silhouette loomed on the horizon – the abandoned black tower, their only possible refuge. It seemed miles away, yet it was the only beacon of hope in this desperate chase. Lungs burning, legs screaming in protest, Yasuji pushed them harder, every ounce of strength channeled into reaching the tower.

Behind them, the howls of the hounds grew louder, closer. Yasuji could almost feel their hot breath on his neck, the stench of raw hunger filling his nostrils. It was a desperate race against time, a dance with death with every fleeting step.

As they approached the tower, Yasuji had only one thought in his mind: to close the door and escape these horrific creatures. The hounds' snarling grew louder with each step, as if they could feel their breath on their necks.

Reaching the tower door, Yasuji flung it open and jumped inside with Vivet. They slammed the door shut with a resounding thud and slid the heavy iron bolt into place. The tower shook as the hounds' claws pounded on the door, but the door held firm.

Yasuji and Vivet leaned against the cold stone wall and looked at each other. "I think we're safe for now," Yasuji said, his voice shaky but relieved. Vivet, her eyes still filled with fear, whispered, "Yes, but for how long?"

Inside the tower, the hounds' howls from outside gradually faded away, replaced by an eerie silence. Yasuji and Vivet knew they had escaped for now, but the dangers that lay ahead were still unknown. In the safe haven of the tower, they would take a moment to breathe and plan their next move.