The beasts of shadows

The creature was enormous, its form barely discernible except for the glowing eyes that burned through the darkness.

I could barely breathe. My hand instinctively clutched the pendant at my neck, now cool to the touch, its faint glow a silent reassurance. Kieran stood in front of me like a shield, his sword gleaming faintly in the dim light.

"What is that thing?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.

"It's not like the others," Kieran muttered, his tone sharp and focused. "Shadow Beasts are mindless predators. This… this is something else. Something older."

The creature growled low, the sound vibrating through the air like a warning. Its eyes locked onto me, and for a moment, I swore I felt it probing me, sensing something I didn't fully understand.

"Kieran, we can't fight that," I said, panic creeping into my voice.

He didn't look at me. "We don't have a choice."

The beast took a step forward, its massive claws sinking into the rocky ground.

"Kieran," I urged, gripping his arm. "We have to run. Now."

"And go where?" he snapped, his eyes still on the beast. "You think it'll let us just walk away?"

Before I could answer, the creature roared, the sound deafening and primal. My ears rang as the force of it nearly knocked me off my feet.

Kieran didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, sword gleaming as he aimed for the creature's glowing eyes. But the beast was faster than it looked. It swiped at him with one massive claw, the impact sending him crashing into the rocky wall.

"Kieran!" I screamed, rushing to his side. He groaned, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead, but he forced himself to his feet.

"Stay back," he growled, his voice strained.

The beast advanced again, its movements deliberate, almost calculated. It wasn't just attacking, it was testing us, toying with its prey.

I clutched the pendant tighter, desperation clawing at my chest. Do something, I begged silently, as if the system or the pendant could hear me.

System Notification: Emergency protocol activated. Pendant synchronization at 12%. Insufficient power for offensive capabilities. Defensive options available.

"Defensive options?" I muttered, glancing down at the glowing symbols now swirling across the pendant's surface.

"What are you doing?" Kieran shouted, his voice cutting through my panic.

"Trying to keep us alive!" I shot back, focusing on the pendant. "Just buy me a little more time!"

He didn't argue. With a determined grunt, he raised his sword again and charged at the beast, his movements more precise despite his injuries.

System Notification: Activate temporal stasis barrier? Duration: 15 seconds. Warning: Severe energy drain on user.

I didn't hesitate. "Yes!"

The pendant flared to life, its glow enveloping the entire area in a silvery light. The beast froze mid-swipe, its massive form locked in place as if time itself had stopped.

Kieran stumbled back, his chest heaving as he stared at the immobilized creature. "What the—"

"Don't ask," I panted, my vision swimming as exhaustion hit me like a wave. The pendant's power was draining me, each second feeling like a weight pulling me under. "We only have fifteen seconds. Move!"

He grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the creature and toward the forest's edge. My legs felt like lead, but I forced myself to keep up, the urgency in Kieran's movements pushing me forward.

Behind us, the light of the pendant began to fade, and with it, the stasis holding the beast. I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see it break free, its roar shaking the ground as it gave chase.

"We're not going to make it!" I cried, stumbling over the uneven terrain.

"We don't need to outrun it," Kieran said, his voice grim. "We just need to get to higher ground."

Ahead, the rocky slope steepened, leading to a narrow ledge that overlooked the forest. Kieran dragged me up the incline, his grip unrelenting as the beast closed in.

The pendant pulsed weakly against my chest, its glow fading entirely as we scrambled onto the ledge. I collapsed to my knees, gasping for breath, while Kieran stood guard, his sword raised and his eyes fixed on the beast below.

It stopped at the base of the slope, its ember-like eyes narrowing as it regarded us. For a moment, I thought it might retreat. But then it reared back, letting out a guttural roar that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Kieran," I whispered, my voice trembling. "What is it doing?"

The ground beneath us quaked as the creature slammed its claws into the rocky slope. Cracks spiderwebbed across the surface, the ledge shifting precariously under our weight.

"It's bringing us down," Kieran said, his voice tight.

I looked at him, panic rising in my chest. "What do we do?"

His jaw clenched, his expression unreadable. "You trust me?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. "What?"

"Do you trust me?" he repeated, his tone more insistent.

"I—yes, of course!"

"Good," he said, and before I could process what was happening, he grabbed me by the waist and leapt off the ledge.

The world spun around me, the wind rushing past as we plummeted toward the forest below. My scream caught in my throat, my arms instinctively wrapping around Kieran as he maneuvered us midair, aiming for the dense canopy of trees.

We hit the branches hard, the impact jarring but slowed enough to keep us alive. I gasped as we tumbled through the foliage, finally landing in a heap on the forest floor.

Pain shot through my body, but I was alive. Kieran groaned beside me, his face pale and bloodied, but he was breathing.

Above us, the creature let out a frustrated roar, its massive form silhouetted against the moonlit sky. It couldn't follow us into the dense forest, at least not easily.

Kieran sat up, wincing as he looked at me. "Still trust me?"

I couldn't help the weak laugh that escaped me, despite the terror still thrumming through my veins. "You're insane."

He smirked faintly, but the moment was short-lived. The pendant at my neck flared briefly, its light dim but insistent.

System Notification: Warning. High-level entity detected. Proximity decreasing. Immediate action required.

My heart sank as I realized the creature wasn't the only threat in these woods.

"Kieran," I whispered, my voice shaking. "It's not over."

His expression darkened, his hand tightening around his sword. "Then we keep moving."

Just then...the sound of footsteps echoed through the forest.