Cyrus' heart pounded in his chest as he was, pitifully, slowly turned around. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the figure before him.

The man towered over Cyrus, easily two heads taller, causing him to hunch over in response instinctively. The man's complexion was deathly pale, giving him an eerie resemblance to the walking dead. His eyes were deep, dark voids devoid of any discernible iris or pupil, like two black pits of an endless abyss. Black tears stained his face, tracing a path of sorrow downward. The man's fingertips took on an entirely black hue, resembling the result of immersion in ink or tar.

The thing made no evident expression. Instead, it opened its mouth; the darkness grew impenetrable within its now gaping maw, suffocating any remnants of light or hope. A chasm to the void has opened up, unveiling darkness within.

Then...

Crackle.

The creature's mouth opened farther downwards, and a sickening cacophony of bone cracking and joints popping rendered the air. Then, with an unsettling contortion, its jaws unhinged, stretching broader and wider, far beyond the limits of any average human could do.

The bone-cracking symphony echoed with a visceral dread, like the snapping of fragile bones under unimaginable strain. Each crack resonated through the very core of Cyrus' being.

Fear took hold of Cyrus. He could only stare at its mouth like a deer in headlights.

The creature shattered the deafening silence with a bloodcurdling scream, emitting a fusion of despair, agony, and fury.

An oppressive atmosphere engulfed the room, intensified by the swirling fog pouring out of the creature's mouth, permeating every corner and suffocating the air.

Instinctively, Cyrus leaped onto the bed, snatching the puppet in his trembling hands. Then, he hurled it toward the creature, hoping to buy himself some time.

The creature effortlessly caught the puppet, its long arms delicately cradling the wooden figure. For a brief moment, a flicker of worship crossed in its movements as it attempted to place the puppet down gently, but when it saw Cyrus jump off the once pristine bed, it screamed louder.

Ignoring the haunting cries, he propelled himself through the open window and darted through the narrow gaps between the houses to the front side. The sound of splintering wood and thunderous stomps reverberated behind him, urging him to push his limits.

As he neared the pond, the inky darkness reflected in the creature's abyssal eyes gave him an unsettling sense of foreboding. Cyrus changed his course and skirted around the pond.

Cyrus resisted the urge to look back, knowing that doing so would only slow him down. Instead, he strained his ears, focusing on the stomps and shrieking that echoed through the air.

It's close!

In a desperate bid for shelter, Cyrus spotted an open window in one of the houses and made a split-second decision. He veered towards it, instinctively seeking refuge within the confinements of the building. Then, with a burst of energy, he entered the house.

The house's interior greeted Cyrus with a stale, musty smell. The dim light that filtered through the open windows cast eerie shadows on the worn-out floor.

He didn't stop inside, running through the opened back exit to escape the house and swiftly along its walls toward the next place.

But, just as he was about to enter the space between the houses, a chilling presence filled the air, and the creature lunged from between the buildings, its elongated fingers swiping dangerously close to Cyrus's face! The near miss startled him, causing him to lose his footing on the slippery ground. Cyrus tumbled, his body skidding across the dirt as the creature continued its forward momentum.

Sensing his chance, Cyrus quickly regained his footing and propelled himself forward. Then, diving through the open window of the next house, Cyrus crashed on the floor. He took this moment to catch his breath, his chest heaving.

But as he tried to regain his composure, a rancid odor assaulted his senses, causing him to cringe. The stench was suffocating; a vile combination of decay and despair permeated the air making it difficult to think clearly.

Before he could fully gather his senses, howls echoed through the house. Panic seized him, and he knew he had to keep moving. Pushing himself up, Cyrus sprinted towards the front exit, desperate to escape.

But his path was blocked. A large shadow loomed over the front door, obscuring his way out as the creature stood in his direction with its soulless eyes and aura of despair.

Immediately, Cyrus spun around, his instincts kicking in as he made a beeline for the back exit. But as he reached for the handle, a cold, pallid hand brushed against his back, causing him to stumble and lose his balance.

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Cyrus crashed to the floor, and his vision fixated on something within his reach.

The bucket!

In a desperate scramble, he grabbed its rim, his fingers gripping tightly. But before he could gather himself, a powerful force yanked him backward. The creature's vice-like grip closed around his ankle.

Cyrus gritted his teeth and turned around; in a split-second decision, he thrust the bucket forward, flinging the black water directly at the monster's face.

A piercing scream of anguish filled the air as the dark liquid made contact with the creature's skin. It sizzled and hissed as if the water possessed an unnatural and corrosive power. Half of the creature's face began to melt, resembling molten wax, causing it to recoil in agonizing pain.

Seizing the opportunity, Cyrus wriggled free from the creature's grip as it momentarily released him. Then, he scrambled away, putting as much distance between himself and the injured monster as possible.

Run!

Exhausted, Cyrus wasted no time. He sprinted through the back exit, leaving the house behind. As he reached the first house he had entered, he resisted the urge to hide inside and instead focused on the direction of his gear.

However, his heart sank as he realized the forest had vanished, replaced by the swirling fog that enveloped the entire hamlet.

Before he could fully process the situation, a distorted, otherworldly howl pierced through the air, originating from the house he had just fled.

Cyrus's mind raced as he sprinted towards his camping gear.

Knowing he had to run through the fog, Cryus closed his eyes and ran without thinking.

Sprinting as fast as he could, Cyrus pushed through the fog, feeling the burning sensation intensify in his chest, reminiscent of when he first arrived at the hamlet.

It felt like he was on fire!

The pain threatened to consume him, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on, desperate to hide within the forest.

Thankfully, he reached the forest's edge and hid behind a large tree, using its trunk to shield himself from view. The searing pain in his chest persisted, but he forced himself to endure it.

As Cyrus caught his breath, the shrill screams of the creature assaulted his ears, but this time, something was different. The screams carried a sense unknowable, filled with abyssal despair that awoken his primal fears.

Peering cautiously from his hiding spot, Cyrus narrowed his eyes at the sight before him. The creature had broken through the fog; its once pale form was now twisted and corrupted. Its mouth and eyes spewed copious amounts of black ooze, replacing the mist emanating from it. The skin on its face sagged and drooped while one of its arms had transformed, becoming elongated and entirely consumed by darkness.

But as he tried to move away, his chest's pain flared up again!

Argh!

He dug his nails into the tree hard enough to cause them to bleed. Keeping his mouth closed.

Unfortunately, as if a flare signaled, the creature immediately turned directly at the tree that Cyrus was behind, lunging toward it, screeching.

Cyrus heard everything from behind and ran as fast as he could despite the debilitating pain.

Cyrus heard the snapping of branches and twigs closer and closer from behind as he ran. His heart was beating to new heights!

In his frantic sprint, Cyrus's gaze caught sight of his mark on the tree earlier, a slight familiarity in the chaotic madness. It served as a beacon, guiding him toward his pack.

There!

As he ran, Cyrus could see a mist trail moving alongside him past the trees, giving him a nasty feeling.

Cyrus was determined to make it out alive, his desperation fuelling his speed as he reached for his pack while running. Adrenaline surged through his veins, giving him a second wind to push through the exhaustion and pain.

His heart pounded in his chest as he dashed through the thick undergrowth, his senses hyper-focused on the path ahead. The haunting howls of the creature echoed behind him, urging him to run faster.

But as he burst into a clearing, relief turned to dread. He found himself on the edge of a cliff; beyond the precipice lay an expanse of fog, churning and roiling like an ominous sea.

Cyrus spun around, only to be confronted by the creature, except its face, its form nearly obscured by the black ooze that now engulfed it. It sprinted towards him with unnatural speed.

Reacting quickly, Cyrus pulled out his multi-tool and flipped open the knife.

With a swift motion, he hurled it towards the creature, aiming for its head. The blade struck true, embedding itself in the creature's forehead.

But to Cyrus's horror, the creature seemed unfazed by the attack. Its grotesque form continued its relentless pursuit. A surge of despair washed over Cyrus.

From behind, a large swirling mass of fog flew above the cliff's edge, distracting Cyrus momentarily as it made him turn around.

The monster!

'Slit'

Cyrus's body went limp as the creature's claws dug into his abdomen, hoisting him up like a macabre trophy while blood spilled onto the creature.

Darkness enveloped him, seeping into his very being, shrouding his senses.

The burning in his chest intensified, consuming his consciousness until it was the sole sensation that remained. Agonizing waves surged through him, rendering him helpless against the creature's grasp.

Meanwhile, the swirling fog intensified its relentless dance around them.

It seemed to gain a sinister sentience; tiny tendrils extended from its misty form and pierced into the back of Cyrus's skull. The tendrils slithered through his body. It felt like the fog was searching for something deep within him.

Cyrus found himself locked in a morbid gaze with the creature as it drew its face closer to his own. The abyssal voids that served as its eyes emitted two black rays of light, piercing through the fog and delving into Cyrus's eyes. A relentless scream reverberated through the air, the haunting sound resonating with his pain, regrets, hopelessness, and despair that engulfed him.

I just wanted to find a reason to live.

Amidst the darkness and fog, two tears cascaded down his cheeks.

But just Cyrus would lose himself; a surge of energy surged from the core of his being! The intense heat within his chest erupted into a blazing inferno, radiating a brilliant and blinding light. It burst forth, engulfing Cyrus and the creature in a dazzling display of orange radiance!

The blinding light consumed the monster, its form disintegrating into nothingness as if it had never existed. Overwhelmed by the sudden release from its grip, Cyrus collapsed backward, his weakened body connecting with the unforgiving ground.

As the orange symbol floated above Cyrus, its ethereal glow captivated his gaze. It possessed power beyond his comprehension, shifting and transforming into countless intricate patterns. Each combination emitted a radiant energy that repelled the encroaching fog, causing it to retreat.

With a final surge of brilliance, the orange symbol released another burst of light, dispersing the remaining tendrils of fog that clung desperately to its presence.

Cyrus listlessly stared at the orange object as it flew into the air and split into pieces. Passing like meteorites, it clawed the haze in the sky, letting sun rays reach the frothing fog ocean, fleeing deeper inland.

The dense fog almost completely dissipated when the rays hit it—revealing the forest below the cliff's edge.

Cyrus looked at this scene with schadenfreude.

That's what you were after?!?

"Hahahaha!"

Cyrus bitterly laughed despite the pain. He kept laughing until his mind drifted into unconsciousness.