Steps in the Darkness

The fire still raged, leaving the remnants of the building in ruins in the gloomy night. Black smoke swirled in the air, obscuring the moonlight that should have been shining brightly. Satria and Arya carefully stepped through the debris, each of their steps accompanied by the cracking sound of fragile building remains. Crack, crack... The sound reminded them of how fragile the world around them was.

"Any signs of life here?" Arya asked, her voice low but firm.

Satria paused for a moment, his eyes scanning every dark corner. "No movement. But we need to stay alert."

Suddenly, a strange sound came from behind the rubble. Clink, clink... Like metal striking something, the sound echoed in the air. Arya immediately reacted, her hand quickly reaching for the knife hidden in her jacket, while Satria raised his sword, ready for any attack that might come.

"Did you hear that?" Arya whispered.

Satria nodded slowly, his eyes focused in the direction of the sound. "Yes, we're not alone here."

With a gesture, they both moved forward, approaching the source of the noise. Their steps were slow, almost silent, like shadows moving through the night. Satria felt his heartbeat quicken as they approached the darker part of the ruins.

They arrived at a corner of the collapsed building, where most of the walls had crumbled. Behind the rubble, they saw a human figure lying there, with blood flowing from the wounds on his body. Drip, drip... The sound of blood dripping to the ground was clear in Satria's ears.

Arya knelt beside the victim, checking his pulse. "He's still alive, but very weak."

Satria observed the man. His face was covered with wounds, his eyes half-open, and his breathing was labored. Satria felt a moment of sympathy, but he knew there was no time to stop and lament the man's fate.

"Who did this?" Satria asked, his voice filled with repressed anger.

The man slowly opened his mouth, trying to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse and weak sound. Huff... huff... His breathing grew heavier, as if each word was a struggle for him.

"They... came... from... the shadows..." he whispered, his voice barely audible. "They... are looking... for something..."

Arya leaned closer to the man, trying to catch every word. "What are they looking for?"

The man shook his head slowly, fresh blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "I... don't know... but they... are strong... very strong..." His voice faded, and with one final breath, he went silent, his eyes closing slowly.

Satria clenched his fists tightly, anger mixed with frustration. They hadn't gained much information from this man, but one thing was clear: they were facing an unusual enemy.

"He mentioned they came from the shadows," Arya murmured, standing and looking around. "It seems this is more complicated than we thought."

Satria nodded, but before he could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from afar. Tap, tap, tap... The footsteps were heavy, rhythmic, and rapidly approaching. Arya and Satria exchanged glances, knowing this was not the time to stay put.

"We have to go," Arya said firmly. "If they find us here, we won't stand a chance."

Without wasting any time, they immediately ran away from the site, slipping through the shadows and debris, searching for a way out of the place that had now turned into a deadly trap. They kept running, trying to avoid the attention of enemies who might be lurking in the darkness.

As they ran, Satria couldn't shake the thought of what the man had just said. A strong enemy, coming from the shadows, and they were looking for something. But what? What could be so important that they would destroy everything?

Arya seemed to sense Satria's confusion. "We'll find the answer, but not here. We need time to plan our next move."

They eventually reached a narrow alley hidden between two nearly collapsed buildings. There, they paused to catch their breath. Huff, huff... Their breaths were heavy, but their minds kept racing, searching for answers to the deepening mystery.

"Where do we go now?" Satria asked after a moment.

Arya pondered for a moment before replying. "We have to return to the headquarters, gather the information we have, and devise a new strategy. This is not an ordinary enemy. We must be prepared for the worst."

Satria nodded in agreement. "Alright, but we have to be careful. I'm sure they know we're here."

They both exited the narrow alley and continued their journey cautiously, slipping through the shadows of the night. The streets were empty, lit only by dim streetlights. In the distance, the sound of sirens and the city's noise could be faintly heard, as if the outside world was unaware of what had just happened.

However, Satria and Arya knew this was not the end. This was just the beginning of something much bigger. They had to be ready for whatever was coming, because the enemy they were facing this time was not an ordinary enemy. They were shadows moving behind the scenes, waiting for the right moment to strike.

That night, they returned to the headquarters with hearts full of determination. They knew that this journey was far from over, and they wouldn't stop until the truth was revealed, no matter how deep the shadows they had to face.