CHAPTER 8:- DARKNESS AND SHADOWS

Calon spins, his assault rifle spitting a hail of bullets into the inky blackness. The echoes reverberate through the warehouse, the metallic shriek a stark counterpoint to the oppressive silence that follows. He doesn't see his target, only the fleeting muzzle flashes of his own weapon illuminating dust motes dancing in the weak light. The scent of ozone mixes with the metallic tang of blood, making his stomach churn. He's firing blindly, driven by adrenaline and terror, a desperate attempt to pierce the suffocating darkness that holds his unseen enemy.

The voice, calm and chilling, returns unaffected by the barrage." Ineffective," it says the words a cruel whisper that seems to bypass his ears and burrow directly into his mind. He hears a faint 'thwip' almost imperceptible above the ringing in his ears. He glanced down, his eyes widening as he sees a thin, almost invisible line of crimson seeping through his tactical sleeve.

He stumbles back, his gun clattering to the floor. The pain is intense, but oddly clean. He's not bleeding profusely. He looks up, his enhanced hearing picking up a subtle shift in the air currents, a barely perceptible whisper of movement. The darkness seems to ripple, the shadows shifting almost imperceptible.

He knows with terrifying certainty, that his attacker is not only powerful but also incredibly precise. His survival hinges not on brute force, but on something else entirely. The unseen enemy has the advantage. His enhanced hearing provides only a limited scope in this oppressive darkness. But it seems that his opponent's ability is related to darkness that means for him to have a slim chance at survival he needs to fight fire with water. He needs light!!