"The Hunter Guild doesn't deal with Shadow Monsters," Zara's father, Thomas, said, his brow furrowed in confusion. He was a kind-faced man with earth-toned robes and a knack for conjuring intricate illusions of flora. "They're creatures of pure darkness, far beyond the scope of ordinary hunters."
"But I saw them," Kido insisted, pacing in front of the weapons rack. The metallic tang of steel filled the air, a constant reminder of the looming danger. "Two of them, lurking near the back entrance. They disappeared when I looked directly at them."
Zara's mother, Elara, a petite woman with fiery red hair and a talent for enchanting weapons, frowned thoughtfully. "Shadow Monsters are exceedingly rare. They only appear during periods of intense magical imbalance, or when someone is actively summoning them."
Kido's blood ran cold. Summoning? Who would summon such creatures? And why?
"Maybe it's nothing," Thomas said, trying to reassure them. "Perhaps you were mistaken, Kido. You've been through a lot lately. Your mind might be playing tricks on you."
But Kido knew what he saw. Those creatures were real, and they were definitely at the Hunter Guild for a reason.
"I need to tell someone," he said, his voice firm. "The Guild needs to know."
"Hold on a moment," Elara cautioned. "We can't just barge in there with wild accusations and claim for what they did to my family! We need proof."
"Proof?" Kido's shoulders slumped. "How am I supposed to get proof? They're invisible!"
"Perhaps not entirely," Zara interjected, a spark of inspiration in her eyes. "I can use my illusion magic to create a 'detect magic' field. It won't reveal the monsters directly, but it might highlight any distortions in the air around them, or any traces of dark magic."
It was a risky plan, but it was the only one they had.
That evening, under the cover of darkness, Kido, Zara, and her parents crept towards the Hunter Guild. The building was a towering fortress of stone and steel, its walls adorned with magical wards and glowing glyphs. Guards patrolled the perimeter, their eyes sharp and alert.
"Alright, Kido, remember the plan," Zara whispered, her hands glowing with arcane energy. "I'll create the 'detect magic' field. You and my parents keep a lookout. If we spot anything, signal me."
Kido nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt a surge of adrenaline, a mixture of fear and excitement that he hadn’t felt since… since his father had been alive. He remembered his father's sword. He wondered what the amulet did, but didn't care at the moment.
Zara closed her eyes and began to chant, her voice soft but clear. The air around them shimmered and distorted, and a faint blue light spread outwards, enveloping the Guild building.
Kido strained his eyes, scanning the shadows for any sign of disturbance. At first, there was nothing. Just the steady rhythm of the guards' footsteps and the hum of the magical wards. Then, near the back entrance, he saw it. A subtle ripple in the air, like heat rising from asphalt.
"Zara!" he hissed, pointing towards the distortion. "Back entrance! Something's there!"
Zara's eyes snapped open, and she focused her illusion magic on the area Kido indicated. The ripple intensified, solidifying into a shimmering, translucent outline. It was vague, indistinct, but it was definitely something.
"I see it!" she exclaimed, her voice barely audible. "It's weak, but there’s a definite magical presence there, one that is cloaked in darkness!"
Suddenly, a pair of guards rounded the corner, their faces grim. "What's going on here?" one of them demanded, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Who are you?"
"We're just passing through," Thomas stammered, trying to sound innocent. "We didn't mean to cause any trouble."
"There's always trouble with you and your family isn't it?" One guard said with a smirk.
The other guard looks more suspicious. As he casts a spell in the shape of an eyeball to watch everything around him. The eyeball glows and grows to show one specific shadow monster.
As one of the guards tells him "Stop."
"There something happening here that's odd.."
In that moment, one of the people they were looking for shows up.
With big armor and two swords.
"What are you looking at Gary?"
Gary responded to the man with a salute as a sign of respect.
"Sir James someone spotted our shadow monsters. I feel like someone may have found our plans"
Sir James started walking towards them with a grin on his face. With a blink of an eye Sir James starts attacking Zara and her parents killing them instantly.
"If your not with us. YOUR AGAINST US!" yells Sir James
Kido's Potential awakens as he remembers what his parents and Zara and her parents wanted him to do. PROTECT.
He starts to reach his sword that his mom gave him as it turns into an armor-like state.
He gets in front of everyone as he protect's them.
Sir James laughs hysterically.
"HAHAH You think you can beat me! HAHAHAH your a magicless bum who can't even handle killing a slime!"
Gary laughed with Sir.
"We will see Sir James", says Kido.
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