The Game of Hunt

The dark alley was quiet, and the space where the two figures had just vanished still seemed to shimmer with residual energy. A small smirk tugged at my lips as I looked at the spot, my voice barely above a whisper, dripping with the satisfaction of someone who knew the hunt wasn't over.

"You think I'd just let you go? Of course not. You can't outrun me that easily."

I cracked my neck, feeling the tension release as I shifted my shoulders. It had been a while since I'd felt this rush—a proper chase, a real hunt. The kind that made the blood pump a little faster, that made me remember what it felt like to be alive. Or as alive as I could feel in this odd cycle of a life I led. I gathered my mana, letting the energy pulse within me, feeling it move like a current. Shadows began to stir, pulling away from the corners of the alley, drawn towards me as if compelled by an invisible force. They thickened, swirling around my feet, climbing my legs, each tendril almost sentient.