Chapter 3: Whispers in the Dark

The air around them thickened, filled with tension. Celeste’s heart pounded against her ribs as she pulled back from Orion, the memory of the vision still fresh in her mind. The stars in his eyes flickered, dimming as if he were struggling to stay awake.

A sudden rustle in the trees made her spin around, her breath catching. The once-quiet night was no longer still. Shadows moved between the trees, shifting like liquid darkness. A deep, rough growl broke the silence, sending a chill down Celeste’s spine.

Orion forced himself to sit up, his jaw tight. “They found me.”

Celeste turned back to him. “Who?”

Before he could answer, the darkness around them twisted, forming figures—tall, horrifying beings with long limbs and wide mouths filled with jagged, uneven teeth. Their empty, glowing eyes flickered like dying flames, filled with hunger. The air became thick with the stench of decay, and Celeste’s stomach turned. It felt like the night itself had come alive to swallow them whole.

Orion struggled to his feet, his body still weak from the fall. “Stay behind me.”

But Celeste was frozen, stuck between fear and curiosity. She had never seen anything like this before, yet deep inside, she knew this danger, as if her soul had met them before.

One of the creatures lunged, its movements sharp and unnatural. Orion moved faster than she thought possible, his hand glowing with golden light as he struck forward, sending the shadow flying back with a piercing shriek. The glow in his palm flickered, and he winced in pain. He was still too weak.

Another creature shot from the side, its long fingers reaching for Celeste like bony claws. A scream built in her throat, but before she could release it, Orion grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him, his body shielding hers as the dark figure barely missed her.

“Run,” he ordered, his voice rough but firm.

She wanted to argue, to demand answers, but the look in his eyes told her this was not the time. They had to survive first. Questions could come later.

With a deep breath, she turned and ran toward the trees, her legs moving on pure adrenaline. Orion followed closely behind, his presence a shield in the growing darkness. But the creatures weren’t just chasing them.

They were guiding them.

Celeste’s mind raced. Was this a trap? Was Orion leading her to safety or something worse?

The wind howled, the trees groaning as the darkness closed in. The creatures moved faster now, their limbs stretching unnaturally as they leaped from one tree to another, their hollow eyes locked onto their prey. Celeste dared a glance over her shoulder and immediately regretted it.

One of them was inches behind Orion, its mouth widening into an impossible grin, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. It reached for him with clawed hands, its fingers crackling with black energy.

“Orion, watch out!” Celeste screamed.

Orion barely managed to twist his body, dodging the creature’s grasp by a hair’s breadth. The beast let out a furious screech, its voice sharp enough to make Celeste’s ears ring. Orion’s movements were slower now, his exhaustion evident in the way he staggered slightly as he landed from a jump.

Celeste’s mind screamed at her to do something—anything—but what could she possibly do against creatures like these? She was just a girl caught in the middle of something far beyond her understanding.

Then, suddenly, the path ahead opened up. A steep cliffside loomed in front of them, its jagged edge barely visible in the dim moonlight. Below, nothing but an endless abyss of shadows. There was no way forward.

“We’re trapped,” Celeste whispered, her breath ragged.

Orion stepped beside her, his expression grim. “Not yet.”

The creatures slowed, their movements more deliberate now as they encircled them. They knew they had won.

Orion clenched his fists, the golden glow in his hands flickering weakly. “Listen to me, Celeste. When I tell you to jump, you jump. No hesitation.”

Celeste’s eyes widened. “Are you insane? We don’t even know what’s down there!”

“Anything is better than this,” Orion shot back, his gaze darting between the advancing figures. “Trust me.”

She swallowed hard, every muscle in her body screaming against the idea. But what choice did she have?

The creatures lunged.

“Jump!” Orion shouted, grabbing Celeste’s hand as they both leaped off the cliff.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. The world spun around them as they plunged into the abyss, the wind roaring past their ears. Celeste’s scream was lost in the darkness, her fingers tightening around Orion’s like a lifeline.

And then—

Everything went black.............

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