EPISODE 7: THE HUNT BEGINS

Luiz Fernando felt the weight of the night pressing down on his shoulders. After his conversation with Ted, he knew he could no longer ignore what was happening. He needed answers.

The blue glow in his hands had completely disappeared, but the feeling of power still pulsed inside him. It was as if an unknown force was waiting for the right moment to awaken again.

He took a deep breath and approached the bathroom mirror. His eyes looked hollow, tired, but there was something different about them. He could feel it.

— "What the hell am I now?" — he murmured to himself.

Before he could reflect further, a shiver ran down his spine.

He wasn't alone.

Slowly, he turned toward the window. In the darkness outside, shadows were moving.

His eyes widened.

They had returned.

The shadow dogs had come back — but this time, it wasn't just one. Three huge shadow beasts circled around his house, their red eyes glowing in the night.

Luiz took a step back, his heart racing. He hadn't planned for another fight. He didn't even know if he could summon that power again.

But he had no choice.

One of the dogs leapt, shattering the window in a blur of darkness. Luiz rolled to the side at the last second, feeling the impact as the creature crashed through the glass. Shards flew everywhere as the monster hit the ground, growling menacingly.

The other two dogs followed, invading the house like living shadows.

Luiz got up quickly, adrenaline coursing through his body.

— "Come on... work!" — he whispered, trying to summon that same blue energy.

Nothing happened.

The first dog lunged at him, its claws made of pure void. Luiz barely managed to dodge, stumbling and crashing onto the dining table.

His body ached. His mind screamed for an escape.

And then...

BAM!

An explosion of blue light filled the room.

The dogs recoiled, howling in pain.

Luiz looked at his hands — now completely enveloped in bright blue energy. It flowed freely, as if it had finally awakened in its full strength.

A smile spread across his face.

— "Now we're talking."

Before the dogs could react, he attacked.

His body moved instinctively, dodging the blows as if he already knew what to do. Each punch he landed left a trail of light, cutting through the shadows of the monsters.

One of the dogs roared and jumped at him. Luiz spun his body and delivered a direct punch, making the creature explode into black smoke.

The other two hesitated.

Luiz raised his hand, feeling the energy vibrating around him.

— "You won't win this time."

He gathered all his strength and shot a beam of pure blue light.

The creatures didn't even have time to react. In an instant, they vanished, their shadows dissolving into nothing.

Silence filled the room.

Luiz stood still for a moment, feeling the energy disappear until it was completely gone. His body was exhausted, but his heart beat with a new certainty:

He was changing.

Outside, on top of a distant building, the hooded figure who had been watching him before smiled.

— "Interesting. Very interesting."

And then, it disappeared into the shadows.

TO BE CONTINUED IN EPISODE 8