"What did Rayn say? A monster den to the north, attacking nearby settlements? Said there's sinister energy hanging in the sky over that place? Need to be careful. Who knows what I might run into..."
Gray walked along the path, recalling Rayn's words. After a day's journey, he finally reached the location—a place surrounded by ivy-covered walls.
"So far, nothing feels off..."
Suddenly, a bear-sized monster lunged at him from the shadows of the trees. Gray dodged swiftly and hurled a small bomb into the creature's maw. The beast roared and thrashed wildly before Gray decapitated it. But the noise had drawn others...
"Damn."
"Well, no choice. Time to put Rayn's training to the test."
Gray raised his sword overhead. Leaves and debris began swirling around him.
"You're not as scary as his clones," Gray taunted before charging into the horde at blinding speed. Three creatures were sent flying, while two others collapsed in pools of blood.
Five more monsters shrieked and retreated—but reinforcements arrived.
"I can't keep this up forever. Gotta finish this fast."
The creatures rallied and attacked again. Gray spun like a whirlwind, his blade reducing them to chunks of flesh.
"Phew," Gray panted, catching his breath. "Now, what's behind these walls?"
"Damn it... They got me," he muttered, inspecting a shallow cut on his arm. *"Didn't even notice in the heat of battle. Gotta disinfect this."
He pulled a vial from his bag, poured the liquid over the wound, and bandaged it with a rag. The sun was setting.
"Better check inside before dark."
What awaited him was horrifying. Dozens of monsters—just like the ones he'd slain—lay strewn across the hall, their bodies drained of life as if consumed from within.
"Haven't seen anything like this in years," Gray whispered. "What kind of beast could do this?"
He searched the hall for clues. At the center of a crater—likely from a massive explosion—he found... a boy.
"A kid? How? Do monsters take human form?"
Gray approached cautiously, sword ready.
"Hey, can you understand me?" he called, stepping closer. "Don't move suddenly, or I'll have to kill you—kid or not."
"Where... am I? Who are you?" the boy mumbled.
A strange energy pulsed around him. His very presence felt unnatural—like a hologram, yet his eyes were undeniably real. His dark skin bore eerie white veins.
"Come here. If you're not a monster, that is. There's something... off about you."
The boy stared blankly at Gray.
"Okay..."
"Did you do this to them?"
"I... don't know. They were already dead when you came."
His speech was halting, as if human language was foreign to him.
"Come with me. I'll take you to Rayn."
"Why not..."