Jake's POV
I heard the walkie talkie roared back to life. Mark's voice crackled.
"Guys! Zack has a plan. Lure them to the furniture store, now!"
Clark didn't hesitate. He slashed his Bladepiercer in an arc, forcing the creature back, then turned to me, eyes flashing. "Move! We're herding this thing to its death."
I nodded, gripping my metal sign. "Let's do it."
With precise movements, we worked together, using reflections and carefully timed attacks to manipulate the creature's path.
Every time it recoiled from its own image, we pushed it closer to the furniture store.
A few more steps away.
Then, we saw Mark and Ellie using their makeshift mirrors to force the Shadeborns towards the…laser? I barely had time to process it.
So, this is Zack's plan. I really cannot tell what is happening on his head.
There's no time to hesitate. We mirrored their movements.
Within moments, all five of us were inside the furniture store.
"Hold them back just a little longer!" he shouted, adjusting the lens.
Ellie and Mark threw more reflective surfaces around the room, forcing the creatures to hesitate at the entrance. Their distorted reflections caused them to twitch and stutter, their forms struggling to stabilize.
Zack took a deep breath, steadied his hands, and flicked the switch on the 5W laser. A concentrated beam of light shot forward, hitting the magnifying glass — intensifying, focusing — until a single, burning-hot spot appeared on the ground.
"Now!" Zack yelled.
Ellie and Mark shoved one of the creatures into the focused beam.
A thin, burning light sliced through the darkness.
The Shadeborn let out an unearthly screech as the beam struck its body. The other one hesitated, its movements erratic, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
"It's working!" Mark shouted. "Keep going!"
Zack twisted the laser's angle, shifting the beam up the creature's chest. It spasmed violently, its blackened form stuttering between solidity and smoke.
A high-pitched, deafening wail rang through my skull.
Then — Zack dragged the laser downward, slicing through its torso.
Then, he slowly drag the laser down to its stomach. The screeching stopped.
Its body was cut in half, flesh scattered all over the floor, along with its black ink. The body slammed so hard onto the floor, the ground beneath us trembled, while its body bursting into wisps of black smoke.
Clark and I didn't hesitate, we move into position. With a combined effort, we drove the second Shadeborn into the concentrated light. The same agonizing wail filled the air before the creature slammed on the floor.
Then, silence…
I barely registered dropping onto the floor, frustration and exhaustion warring inside me. We haven't even recovered from the last trial, and now this?
I clenched my jaw, chest heaving. How many more times are we going to have to do this?.
Zack's POV
I exhaled heavily, still gripping the laser pointer. My hands were trembling, not just from exhaustion but from the sheer insanity of what we had just pulled off.
"…That actually worked," Ellie whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.
Mark let out a breathless laugh. "Remind me to never question your nerd instincts again."
Clark smirked. "Damn good thinking, Zack."
Jake just shook his head, chuckling. "Let's hope this was the last of them."
But Ellie suddenly narrowed her eyes at me. "Wait a second — why not just use the laser alone? Wouldn't that have been easier?"
I turned the small device over in my hand, its red beam still faintly glowing. "The laser alone wasn't enough," I admitted. "A 5W laser can burn, but it takes time to actually ignite something, especially if it's moving. If I aimed it directly at them, it wouldn't have cut through fast enough."
I nodded toward the magnifying glass, still resting on the table. "That's why we needed the lens — to focus and intensify the heat. It concentrated all that energy into a single point, making the burn strong enough to cut through them instantly."
Ellie crossed her arms. "So you basically used science to set a monster on fire."
I gave a tired smirk. "Sounds about right."
Mark let out a huff of laughter. "And here I thought you were just pulling another wild plan out of your ass."
Clark nodded approvingly. "Worked, though."
I leaned back against the counter, the weight of exhaustion finally settling in. We had survived again.
A heavy feeling settled in my chest as my brain started piecing things together.
Shadeborns were creatures of darkness, avoiding the light… that part made sense. But if they could die from something as simple as concentrated light —
Then what the hell were they running from?
My breath hitched.
I slowly turned my gaze toward the entrance of the store.
A flicker of movement.
It was Arya, Ambrose and Nicole running towards us.
Their expressions were tense, but there was no immediate panic — just exhaustion. As they got closer, Arya slowed her pace, taking a deep breath before speaking.
"We checked the security cameras, and we're clear for now," she said, her voice steady despite her ragged breathing. "No more Shadeborns."
Relief crashed over us. Ellie nearly collapsed where she stood, "thank, god."
Nicole wiped the sweat off her forehead. "We also found a place to stay. It's secure."
That got everyone's attention. Mark straightened. "Where?"
Ambrose gestured toward the hallway they came from. "The locked room on the second floor, where the surveillance room was. Reinforced doors, narrow windows, good sightlines. It's not perfect, but it'll hold."
Clark ran a hand through his hair. "Sounds a hell of a lot better than here."
"Wait —" Mark interrupted. "You opened it?" he exclaimed in disbelief.
"Well, they did," gesturing towards Arya and Nicole. "I couldn't even budge it."
"But — how?" Ellie asked, her brows furrowing.
"Long story. But we have to go," Arya said.
Jake groaned as he pushed himself up from where he'd been sitting. "Then let's move before something else decides to show up."
I glanced back at the remains of the Shadeborns, wisps of black smoke still curling from their destroyed bodies. Even dead, they unsettled me.
As we gathered ourselves, I noticed Arya shift slightly, her body going rigid for the briefest second. Her fingers twitched, like she had just reacted to something no one else could see.
I opened my mouth to ask, but before I could say anything, Arya turned to the group. "Let's go."