The morning came with a thick fog blanketing the mountains, shrouding the path ahead in uncertainty. The fire from the night before had long since died, leaving only the cold morning air to greet the trio as they stirred from their restless sleep. Ji-ho’s dreams had been plagued by the shadow once more, but no new revelations had come. She awoke with a gnawing sense of dread in the pit of her stomach.
Hwan was already up, his sword strapped to his side, scanning the surrounding area for any sign of danger. Elysia stretched her arms, yawning as she kicked dirt over the remnants of the fire.
— Still nothing? — Elysia asked, rubbing her eyes.
— Nothing yet, — Hwan replied, his eyes still fixed on the distance. — But we should keep moving before the fog gets any worse.
Ji-ho packed up her belongings in silence, her thoughts lingering on the shadow she had seen in her vision. She hadn’t mentioned it to Hwan and Elysia yet, not fully. It didn’t feel right to worry them about something that may not even be real—just a figment of her fear. But the unease hadn’t faded, and the path ahead seemed to stretch into the unknown, obscured by the mist.
They set out, climbing higher into the mountains. The path was treacherous, with jagged rocks and steep inclines, but they moved steadily, driven by their mission. The next marker was supposed to be somewhere on the peak, but Ji-ho couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever awaited them there was far worse than the corrupted guardians they had faced before.
— So, what’s the plan when we reach this next site? — Elysia asked, her breath visible in the cold air as they trudged up the incline.
— Same as before, — Hwan replied. — We restore the marker, deal with whatever corruption is guarding it, and move on to the next one. Simple.
— Simple, huh? — Elysia shot him a skeptical look. — And what about that feeling Ji-ho’s been having? The whole ‘something is watching us’ vibe?
Ji-ho glanced up at the mention of her name. She had told them about the shadow briefly, but not the full extent of her fear.
— I don’t know, — she said. — It could be nothing. Just… a gut feeling.
Hwan paused, turning to look at her with a serious expression. — Your gut feelings have kept us alive this long. If something feels off, we need to be prepared for it.
Ji-ho appreciated Hwan’s trust, but the weight of responsibility pressed down on her shoulders. She didn’t want to lead them into danger based on a vague feeling. But the shadow in her vision had felt real—too real to ignore.
— I just think we should be cautious, — she said. — This place feels different from the others. More dangerous.
Hwan nodded, his eyes scanning the path ahead. — We’ll be ready for anything.
As they continued their ascent, the fog grew thicker, clinging to their clothes and making it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of them. Every step felt heavier, as if the mountain itself were resisting their progress. The silence was eerie, broken only by the sound of their footsteps crunching against the rocks.
— Does anyone else feel like we’re walking into a trap? — Elysia muttered, her voice low.
Ji-ho couldn’t disagree. The further they climbed, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. It was as if the mountain was alive, watching them, waiting for them to make a wrong move. She gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, her senses on high alert.
And then, without warning, the ground beneath them began to tremble.
— Watch out! — Hwan shouted, grabbing Ji-ho’s arm and pulling her back just as the ground split open in front of them, a jagged crack running down the path.
They stumbled back, trying to regain their balance as the mountain shook violently. Rocks tumbled down from above, crashing onto the path below. The air was filled with the sound of grinding stone and the roar of something deep within the mountain.
— What the hell is happening?! — Elysia yelled, her eyes wide with panic.
Ji-ho’s heart raced as she glanced around, trying to make sense of the sudden earthquake. But then she saw it—through the fog, a dark shape rising from the ground. It was massive, towering over them like a shadow given form, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light.
— It’s here, — Ji-ho whispered, her voice barely audible over the rumbling.
The shadow from her vision had come to life.
— Get ready! — Hwan shouted, drawing his sword as the dark figure loomed closer.
Elysia pulled out her daggers, her usual bravado replaced by a look of grim determination. — Well, this is going to be fun, — she muttered, though there was no humor in her voice.
The shadow moved with unnatural speed, its form shifting and twisting as it approached. Ji-ho could feel its power, like a wave of darkness washing over her. It wasn’t just corrupted—it was ancient, something that had been waiting for them, just as she had feared.
— We can’t fight this head-on! — Ji-ho shouted, her mind racing for a plan. — It’s too strong!
— Then what do you suggest? — Hwan demanded, his sword raised as the shadow circled them, its movements fluid and unpredictable.
Ji-ho’s eyes darted to the crack in the ground, the jagged edges glowing with an eerie light. — We have to weaken it. I think the mountain is connected to it somehow—if we disrupt the energy flow, we might have a chance.
— How do we do that? — Elysia asked, dodging a swipe from the shadow’s clawed hand.
Ji-ho’s mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of her vision. The markers, the mountain, the shadow—it was all connected. — The markers! — she shouted. — We have to find the marker and restore it! It might be the only way to weaken it.
— Great, so we just have to survive long enough to do that, — Elysia grumbled, narrowly avoiding another attack.
Hwan didn’t hesitate. — Lead the way. We’ll cover you.
Ji-ho nodded, her heart pounding as she sprinted toward the crack in the ground, hoping against hope that her plan would work. The shadow roared, its form shifting and distorting as it gave chase. The mountain seemed to tremble beneath their feet, as if protesting their every move.
But Ji-ho knew one thing for certain—whatever this thing was, it wasn’t going to let them leave without a fight.