As they grew near their destination, the trio encountered a strange bridge shrouded in a thick, swirling fog.

The bridge stretched endlessly into the mist, its rickety planks creaking ominously with each breeze. Ren hesitated at the edge, his fists clenched as he peered into the fog. "I don't know about this," he muttered, unease creeping into his voice.

Rex, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement. "Let’s hurry up! We’re so close!"

Alys furrowed her brow. "I don’t feel it’s a good idea to rush this."

"It’s fine," Rex said with a dismissive wave as he dashed onto the bridge. The moment he stepped into the fog, a massive toad-like creature emerged, its bulbous eyes glowing menacingly. Rex froze mid-step, his bravado evaporating. "What is that?" he stammered.

"Watch out!" Ren shouted as he lunged forward, shoving Rex out of the way just in time to avoid a swipe from the creature’s massive tongue. The impact sent Ren flying, crashing hard against the bridge. He lay still, unconscious.

Rex’s fear turned into fury. "You’ll pay for that!" he roared, drawing his dagger and charging at the beast. He stabbed with all his strength, but his blade barely pierced its rubbery skin. The toad let out an ear-splitting roar, its anger mounting. Alys, quick on her feet, aimed an arrow at its glowing eyes, managing to land a hit that caused the creature to recoil in pain.

"Run!" Alys shouted as the toad’s fury intensified, its movements becoming more erratic. Rex attempted to shield her from its attacks but was easily swatted aside. Just as it seemed all hope was lost, a sudden force struck the toad, sending it sprawling.

Alys opened her eyes to see Ren standing there, a strange aura emanating from him. His grin was unsettling, almost feral. "Ren?" she called out hesitantly, her voice tinged with fear. He turned to her, his expression softening as the aura dissipated. Exhausted, he collapsed to his knees, his strength spent.

The toad, battered but still alive, snarled, "Mere humans dare to defy me?" But before it could attack again, a hooded figure appeared, striking the creature with such force that it exploded into a spray of blood.

The trio gaped as the figure calmly sheathed his weapon. "A talking monster? Interesting," he mused, slicing the air as if testing his blade’s sharpness. "And a demon at that. But why do I sense two demonic presences here?" His piercing gaze locked onto Ren, who felt a chill run down his spine. It was as though the stranger could see into his very soul.

Rex, despite coughing up blood and looking like he was on death’s door, staggered to his feet and pointed a shaking finger at the man. "Leave my friend alone!" he wheezed.

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The man raised an eyebrow, his voice calm but tinged with amusement. "You sure you’re in any condition to make demands? You’re practically falling apart."

"I’m fine!" Rex insisted, swaying as he tried to look intimidating.

The man’s lips twitched into a smirk. "Fine? You’re bleeding like a fountain and walking like a drunk. If that’s your definition of fine, I’d hate to see you when you’re actually injured."

Rex puffed out his chest, clearly offended. "This is nothing! I’ve had worse!"

"Worse? What, did you trip over a pebble once?" the man retorted, tossing a potion at Rex, who fumbled to catch it.

Alys stifled a laugh as Rex grumbled under his breath, chugging the potion reluctantly. The man shook his head in mock disbelief. "Kids these days. Anyway, the name’s Michael. My team will handle the cleanup here. Take these potions and equipment to get to your destination in one piece."

As Michael turned to leave, Rex’s bravado returned. "Hey, I’d have handled that demon myself if you hadn’t shown up!"

Michael glanced back, raising an eyebrow. "Sure you would have, champ. Just make sure you don’t trip over your own feet on the way kid ." With that, he vanished into the mist, leaving the trio to recover.

The campfire crackled softly as the trio recovered from their ordeal. The potions Michael had given them worked wonders, closing their wounds and restoring some strength, but the mental scars of the encounter lingered. Rex leaned back against a tree, inspecting his dagger with exaggerated bravado. “Man, that guy Michael wasn’t so tough. I could take him in a rematch,” he muttered, wincing slightly as he shifted his still-tender ribs.

“Rex, you’d need at least three lifetimes to even land a scratch on him,” Alys quipped, shaking her head.

Ren sat quietly, staring into the flames. His fists were clenched, his expression tense. The voice… it still echoed in his mind.

“Use it. Show them your true power, weakling.”

It hadn’t just been words. It was a presence, heavy and suffocating, pressing down on him during the fight with the toad demon. He remembered the rush of strength that followed, the unfamiliar aura surrounding him, the unsettling grin that had spread across his face without his control.

“What was that…?” Ren muttered under his breath.

Alys, sitting nearby, noticed his distant gaze. “Ren? Are you okay?”

Ren blinked, startled out of his thoughts. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Back there, it was like something was… talking to me. Telling me to use my power. Calling me weak.”

Alys’s eyes softened with concern. “It’s probably just the stress of the fight. You were pushing yourself hard.”

“No,” Ren said, shaking his head. “This was different. It wasn’t me. It felt like… like something was trying to take over.”

Alys reached over, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Ren, listen to me. Whatever that was, you’re stronger than it. And you’re not alone. We’ve got your back. Always.”

Ren looked at her, her steady gaze easing the tension in his chest. “Thanks, Alys,” he said quietly.

“Yeah, yeah, enough with the heartfelt moments,” Rex interrupted, throwing a stick into the fire. “You’re not the only one with weird voices in their head, you know. Mine usually say, ‘Rex, eat more steak,’ or ‘Rex, stop being so awesome,’ but still—same thing, right?”

Ren chuckled despite himself, the tension breaking. “Thanks, Rex. Your wisdom is truly unparalleled.”

Rex smirked. “Glad you’re finally noticing.”

As the fire crackled and the night deepened, Ren leaned back, his thoughts still lingering on the voice and the strange power he’d felt. He didn’t know what it was, but one thing was clear: he couldn’t let it control him.

Alys’s words echoed in his mind. We’ve got your back.

For now, that was enough