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*Chapter 21: Whispers in the Dark*
The night had wrapped Chiang Mai in its cool embrace, but the city pulsed with restless energy. Mark and Jun moved silently through a narrow alleyway, the distant hum of the market fading behind them. Their breaths came in shallow bursts, each shadow seeming to stretch longer than the last.
Jun's hand found Mark's without hesitation, fingers entwining as if to anchor both of them against the invisible storm brewing just beneath the surface. "Do you feel it?" Jun whispered, eyes scanning the darkness.
Mark nodded, his jaw tight. "The spirits are restless. Something's coming."
Ahead, the faint flicker of candlelight spilled from an open doorway—Dao and Lek's meeting place. The two had been disappearing into the night recently, and Mark's instincts screamed that whatever secrets they were chasing were linked to the growing darkness.
They slipped inside, greeted by the low murmur of voices. Dao's sharp gaze met theirs first, calm yet wary, while Lek stood by the window, muscles taut, watching the street like a predator.
"Mark. Jun," Dao greeted, voice steady. "We've uncovered something—an ancient binding ritual. It might be the key to stopping the shadow before it consumes us all."
Lek's eyes flicked to Jun, a silent exchange heavy with unspoken words. "But it's dangerous. And it requires a sacrifice."
Mark's chest tightened. "What kind of sacrifice?"
Dao's eyes darkened. "Not just physical... but trust. Secrets will surface. Loyalties will be tested."
Jun's grip on Mark's hand tightened, but Mark caught the slight hesitation in Jun's eyes—a secret still held close.
Suddenly, a chill swept through the room as a whisper echoed from the corner—a voice neither human nor spirit.
"Beware the shadows within." The warning lingered before fading.
All four shared a glance, knowing the battle ahead wasn't just against the darkness outside but the shadows creeping within their own hearts.
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To be continued.
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