The boy gasped for breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "Huff... huff..." He barely had time to steady himself before the ground trembled beneath him.

A deep, guttural growl echoed through the air. A monstrous figure loomed closer.

"I'm scared..." the boys's voice wavered as he shouted, his hands clenched into trembling fists.

"Don't worry, we're okay! Come on, over here!" The girl called out, reaching for him. But before they could move, a deafening roar erupted from the beast.

"Yeep!" The girl yelped.

The boy’s eyes widened in terror. "Oh no! They made it over here!"

Then, out of nowhere—

"Get away from there!" a voice commanded.

The clash of metal against flesh filled the air. A sharp, sickening stab followed.

Then another voice—feminine, firm. "I won’t let you lay a hand on them!"

The boy turned to see two figures standing before them: a small winged creature with bat-like wings and a glowing antenna, gripping a tiny dagger, and a tall snake-like girl wielding a thin, elegant sword. A shadowy figure loomed before them, its form shifting like smoke.

The shadow lashed out with a vicious strike, sending the mouse-like creature tumbling.

"Ugh... Why, I oughta—!" it grumbled, struggling to stand.

The snake girl hissed, brandishing her blade. "Gwaar...!"

"Nooo!" The girl cried, leaping between them. "I won’t let you harm these children any more than you already have!"

She turned to her allies, her voice urgent. "If we can just... get to that place...!" Her gaze locked onto a swirling distortion in the air, pulsing with an eerie glow.

But before they could move, a thick fog rolled in, swallowing everything.

"Ah, Sister!?" The boy called out, eyes darting frantically through the mist.

"I'm okay!" The girl reassured him. "Go! Head for that light!" She pointed toward the distortion.

A moment later, her body lurched. "Unngh... Run, Zayn... get out of here!"

"No way!" Zayn shouted, shaking his head. "I'm not leaving you behind! No, no, no! If I'm not with you, I—"

"What are you doing?! Go on, HURRY!"

A thunderous roar shook the ground.

The snake girl faltered. "It's not good... I can't hold them back anymore!"

"Look out!!!" The girl cried.

In an instant, she lunged at Zayn, shoving him toward the distortion.

"Yeep!!! What the—?! It's sucking me in!" Zayn yelped as the force of the portal pulled him in.

"Unngh! If anything happened to you, I'd—!" the mouse-like creature growled through gritted teeth.

The girls's gaze softened as she turned to Zayn one last time. "You have to get back safe on your own... somehow… at least you..."

A chilling roar split the air.

Dark hands clawed their way out of a second distortion beneath the girl, curling around her legs like grasping shadows.

Her eyes widened in horror. "Aaaaaaaah!!!" Her scream was raw, desperate.

"Laylaaaaaaa!" Zayn’s voice cracked as he reached out. But his body was already being swallowed by the distortion behind him.

He struggled, fighting against the pull, but it was useless.

"Wait for me... I'll rescue you, Layla... no matter what!"

As his voice faded, the portal snapped shut.

swallowing everything.

✿✿✿✿✿