Chapter 77
The Unfinished Battle
The night air was thick with tension as Elena led the group through the dense jungle, their boots crunching against damp leaves. The moon cast a pale glow over the path, but it did little to ease the unease curling in her stomach. Something was watching them.
She could feel it.
The wind had settled into an unnatural stillness, and even the usual symphony of nocturnal creatures had gone silent. It was as if the jungle itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
“We need to pick up the pace,” Richard muttered, his hand hovering over his gun.
No one argued.
Mateo, usually the first to complain, walked in grim silence. Naomi kept glancing over her shoulder, her fingers twitching as if ready to reach for a weapon at any moment. Amira stayed close to Elena, gripping the strap of her bag so tightly her knuckles turned white.
It wasn’t just paranoia.
Something was following them.
A Glimpse Into the Unknown
Elena’s heart pounded as she pushed forward. They were close to the safe house—just a little farther. If they could get inside, regroup, and figure out their next step, maybe—
A low whisper slithered through the trees.
Elena froze mid-step.
The voice was faint, almost like a breeze rustling through the leaves, but the words sent a chill down her spine.
“You can run, but you can’t escape.”
She whipped around.
Nothing.
But the others had heard it too.
Mateo’s face had gone pale. Naomi’s grip on her knife tightened.
“Keep moving,” Richard ordered, his voice low.
Elena forced herself to turn away, but dread coiled tighter around her chest. The whispers were getting stronger.
They were running out of time.
Sanctuary or Trap?
By the time they reached the safe house, Elena’s muscles burned from the effort of keeping her panic in check.
The small wooden cabin was barely more than a shack, hidden beneath layers of overgrown vines. It wasn’t much, but it was their only refuge for now.
Richard pushed open the door first, gun raised. The room inside was exactly how they had left it—dusty, cramped, but empty.
“For now,” Naomi muttered under her breath.
Mateo dropped onto a chair, rubbing his temples. “Okay, so what’s the plan? Because if that thing is still out there, we’re sitting ducks.”
Elena inhaled sharply. “We need to reinforce the seal. Whatever part of it escaped—it’s trying to regain its full strength.”
Amira flipped through her notes. “There’s a way to strengthen a broken seal, but we need to act fast. If it regains enough power, we won’t just be fighting a whisper in the dark.”
Elena nodded. “Then let’s get to work.”
The Darkness Creeps Closer
As they gathered around the table, the air shifted again.
A chill crept through the room, and then—
The lantern flickered.
The walls groaned.
And the whisper returned, this time, inside the cabin.
“You think you’re safe in here?”
Elena’s breath caught.
The shadows in the corner twisted, forming something almost humanoid.
Golden eyes burned through the darkness.
And then, a low chuckle.
The battle was far from over.
