Chapter 32 "The Night They Came" (Part 2)
Through the Forest
Branches snapped underfoot as Zak led the way through the dense forest.
Rito followed close behind, gripping Kin's arm as they moved at full speed. The deeper they went, the darker it became—trees swallowing the moonlight, shadows stretching unnaturally long across the ground.
Something felt wrong.
Not just danger—
Expectation.
Like they were being led.
Rito broke the silence first.
"Zak… where are we going?"
"To a safe house," Zak answered without slowing.
"Selene had it built. Hidden, warded, off every known trail. Once we get there, nothing should—"
He stopped.
No.
He didn't stop.
He was hit.
II. The Interception
A blur of black force slammed into Zak at full speed.
The impact cracked through the forest like thunder.
Zak's body was launched through multiple trees before vanishing into the darkness.
"ZAK!"
Rito and Kin skidded to a halt.
Silence.
Then—
A figure stepped forward from the shadows.
Tall.
Familiar.
Wrong.
The same presence.
The same eyes.
The same shape.
But something about it felt… hollow.
Blue had described it.
Selene had confirmed it.
Rito's breath tightened.
"…It's the puppet."
Kin tensed.
"…Yeah."
Even knowing that—
It didn't make it any less terrifying.
III. First Strike
Kin stepped forward instinctively.
"Rito—run—"
He didn't finish.
The puppet moved.
Fast.
Violent.
Controlled.
A single strike to the stomach—
Not enough to kill.
Just enough.
Kin's body folded instantly.
His eyes went blank.
He dropped.
Unconscious before he hit the ground.
Rito's heart dropped.
"Kin!"
But she didn't hesitate.
Didn't freeze.
She moved.
IV. Escape
Rito attacked first.
Blades flashing in quick succession, aimed clean, sharp, precise.
The puppet didn't even counter.
It simply—
Moved around her.
Every strike dodged.
Every angle avoided.
Effortless.
Like she wasn't even a threat.
Rito pivoted instantly—
Grabbed Kin—
And ran.
No hesitation.
No second thought.
We have to escape.
We have to get out.
If we don't—everything falls apart.
Behind her—
Laughter echoed.
Light.
Amused.
"You can't escape me," the puppet called out.
Rito pushed harder.
Faster.
Her lungs burned.
Her arms strained from carrying Kin.
Then—
A tree crashed down in front of her.
She barely dodged.
Another came flying from behind—
Then another.
The puppet wasn't chasing seriously.
It was playing.
Picking up trees.
Throwing them.
Laughing.
Having fun.
"This is too easy," it said.
Rito gritted her teeth.
"I'm not losing him… I'm not losing anyone…"
The puppet lunged.
Now faster.
Now serious.
Closing the gap.
Reaching—
Almost there—
V. The Counter
Impact.
A blur slammed into the puppet from the side.
The collision ripped through the forest, sending both crashing through trees before skidding across the ground.
Rito stopped.
Turned.
Zak stood up slowly.
Wings fully extended.
Blood at the corner of his mouth.
Smiling.
"You caught me off guard the first time," Zak said.
"I figured I'd return the favor."
The puppet rose.
Its head tilted.
Recognition.
"…You."
Zak rolled his shoulder.
"The only one of my kind."
The puppet's eyes narrowed.
"The bitten child."
Zak chuckled.
"Yeah. That's me."
He stepped forward.
Blade forming in his hand.
"But you?"
He pointed at it.
"You're not him."
A pause.
"Just a copy."
VI. The Fight
The puppet attacked first.
Explosive speed.
Claws tore through the air—
Zak blocked—
But slid back from the force.
Again.
And again.
The puppet pressed him.
Hard.
Relentless.
Its strength was real.
Its speed was real.
But something was missing.
Zak felt it.
He was being pushed—
Driven—
Tested.
Rito's voice shook slightly.
"…Zak…"
The puppet smiled.
"You're not enough."
Zak wiped blood from his lip.
"…You talk too much."
The next strike came—
Zak didn't block.
He vanished.
The puppet's claws hit empty space.
Then—
Zak appeared behind it.
Faster.
Sharper.
Stronger.
A strike landed—
The puppet staggered.
Another—
It dropped to one knee.
Zak didn't stop.
He surged forward.
Now overwhelming.
Now dominant.
Every movement clean.
Every hit intentional.
The puppet tried to recover—
It couldn't.
Within seconds—
The fight flipped completely.
Zak stood over it.
Blade raised.
VII. Arrival
Wind shifted.
Blue arrived first.
Landing hard.
Eyes wide as he took in the scene.
"…That's it?"
Moments later—
X.
Selene.
Mira.
They all arrived.
Selene immediately recognized it.
"The puppet…"
X nodded.
"…Not the real one."
But even then—
No one relaxed.
VIII. The End of the Puppet
The puppet looked up.
Smiling.
"It doesn't matter."
Zak didn't lower his blade.
"You'll never stop what's coming."
Zak's voice was steady.
"…Watch us."
The blade came down.
Clean.
Precise.
Final.
The head fell.
IX. The Last Trick
For a moment—
Relief.
Rito dropped beside Kin.
Blue stepped forward.
Selene exhaled.
Then—
The body twitched.
Selene's eyes widened.
"Wait—"
The puppet began to dissolve—
Not into nothing—
Into pure shadow energy.
Unstable.
Expanding.
"…It's a bomb," X said instantly.
The energy surged outward—
Then—
A blur dropped from above.
Gus.
He landed directly in the center of it.
Hands out.
Magic flaring.
He absorbed it.
All of it.
The energy collapsed inward—
Gone.
Silence.
Gus hovered for a second—
Then dropped to the ground.
He looked at everyone.
"…So…"
A small grin.
"Did we win?"
X. Aftermath
No one answered immediately.
They just looked around.
At each other.
Alive.
Together.
Still standing.
Then—
Relief.
Real.
Earned.
But X's expression didn't soften.
Not fully.
"…That wasn't him."
Selene nodded.
"No."
Blue clenched his fist.
"That means…"
X finished it.
"He's still out there."
Watching.
Waiting.
End of Chapter 32 (Part 2)