"Radiant Sword!"
A blade of pure light formed over my arm. In a heartbeat, I launched myself forward.
To Riven, I was no longer a person — just a streak of light flashing across the shadows. Enemy to enemy, I moved faster than his eyes could follow.
Five monsters were erased in a blink.
I slashed again, wiping blood from my face, and glanced around.
The air was getting darker.
It wasn't just twilight — something was saturating the forest.
A creeping gloom.
Were they doing this? Or had we stepped into their hidden domain?
From the bushes, more monsters emerged. In the distance, the worm-like one screamed louder than before.
And the rest grew even more aggressive.
"Riven, we need to run!"
"W-where to?!"
We sprinted through the thickening fog. Shadows swallowed the trail. The world closed in like a mouth.
But then — silence.
Too silent.
We paused.
Looked around.
Not a single footstep.
Something rustled—I swung instinctively.