Whispering Death In The Rain

The house was quiet, with Aria soundly asleep on the sofa, her breathing soft and steady. Rain traced patterns down the windows, amplifying the weight of the darkness outside. Inside his room, Cheonwoong sat his head in his hands, lost in thought. Since meeting Aria, an unshakable sense of unease had settled over him, compounded by the mysterious events surrounding her. The confrontation with that transparent entity earlier that evening had pushed his mind to the brink.

"This isn't just a coincidence," he muttered, exhaling deeply.

Images of Aria filled his mind—her enigmatic presence, her eyes that could simultaneously unsettle and captivate him. Ever since she appeared, his daily life had been upended. Tonight's incident was the most vivid evidence of that shift.

Cheonwoong glanced at his wristwatch. 2 a.m. The world outside was still asleep. He rose quietly and stepped out of the house. Rain continued to pour heavily, drenching the empty streets.

"If something happens to Aria, I need to protect her," he resolved, pulling out his smartphone. His fingers danced across the screen, searching for nearby libraries. Soon, he found a small one open late and headed there, his footsteps brisk despite the relentless rain.

Meanwhile, back at the house, an uncanny stillness began to settle in. Aria stirred in her sleep, her brows furrowing as an eerie whisper reached her ears. At first, she thought it was the rain, but the low murmurs grew louder, distinct, and invasive.

"It's that sound again..." she whispered, sitting upright on the sofa.

Her gaze swept the room, landing in its dim center, where the air seemed unnaturally heavy. Then, she heard faint footsteps approaching the house. Her heart raced as she ducked behind the sofa, holding her breath.

The sound grew closer, stopping just outside the door. Slowly, the doorknob began to turn.

At the library, Cheonwoong stood at a kiosk, typing frantically. Terms like "invisible creatures" and "paranormal phenomena" yielded no relevant results. Then, a peculiar title caught his attention: "Rainy Day Sightings."

Clicking it, he found an old blog post recounting strange encounters—transparent shadows, disembodied whispers, and the common thread: rain. Cheonwoong read on, his expression hardening with each line.

"Do not face them alone if they find you," the post warned ominously.

His heart pounded as he left the library, the rain feeling colder now.

Back in the house, Aria huddled behind the sofa, the oppressive air thickening around her. Her hand instinctively reached for a small mana stone in her pocket—a relic from her childhood meant to protect her in dire situations.

The doorknob turned fully, and the door opened without a sound. A shadow stepped inside, tall and unnaturally slender, its elongated limbs casting warped shapes across the walls. Its head bore no eyes, only a faint, eerie glow.

Aria froze, her instincts screaming at her to run. But she couldn't move.

The shadow moved noiselessly, its head swiveling as if searching for something—or someone. She clutched the mana stone tightly, a desperate plan forming in her mind.

"Now or never," she murmured, her voice trembling. Then, she whispered an incantation:

"Stella Lumen."

The mana stone in her hand flared to life, emitting a dazzling light that filled the room. The shadow let out an unearthly screech, recoiling as the light engulfed it. Slowly, it dissolved into nothingness.

Aria collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air. The stone in her hand had lost its glow, leaving her drained.

Moments later, the front door burst open. Cheonwoong stood there, soaked to the bone, his face etched with worry.

"Aria! Are you okay?" he shouted, rushing to her side.

She looked up at him, her face pale, unable to speak. Cheonwoong scanned the room, sensing the remnants of an unnatural presence.

"What happened here?" he asked urgently.

Aria swallowed hard before replying, her voice barely audible. "They came for me... to take me."

Cheonwoong's jaw tightened. He moved to the window, peering out into the rain-soaked night. "We can't stay here anymore. If they found you once, they'll come back."

Taking her hand firmly, he declared, "We're leaving now. I don't know what's going on, but I won't let anything happen to you."

The two stepped out into the rain. The streets were silent, yet both felt the weight of unseen eyes watching them. Cheonwoong glanced at Aria, determination in his gaze.

"I'll stay by your side. No matter what happens, I'll protect you."

Aria nodded, her fear mingling with guilt over her vulnerability. In the distance, a low rumble of thunder echoed, and for a fleeting moment, a new shadow seemed to flicker on the horizon, its presence heavy and foreboding.

As they walked away, Cheonwoong pulled out his phone to revisit the blog post. But to his shock, it had vanished. No search results, no trace of what he had read.

Standing in the rain, Cheonwoong felt a chill deeper than the cold. For the first time, he realized he might be facing forces far beyond his understanding.