Part 1 - Combs and Cover Stories
Adrian was already late...not dramatically late, just late enough to be annoying, which somehow felt worse. He grabbed his keys, half-running toward the door while mentally juggling about six different lies, two different worlds, and the very real possibility that something in a forest wanted to eat him again.
"...Yeah, this is totally sustainable."
"Adrian."
He stopped. Of course he did, because that specific tone meant he wasn't leaving just yet. He turned around slowly. His grandmother stood in the hallway, calm and perfectly still, holding a comb. Adrian looked at the comb, then at her, and then back at the comb.
"...No."
"Your hair," she said simply.
Adrian ran a hand through his messy locks. "...It's fine."
"It's doing that thing again."
"That's a very descriptive medical diagnosis."
She didn't move, and she didn't argue. She just waited. Adrian sighed defeatedly.
"...This is emotional blackmail."
"Bend down."
He did, because some things simply weren't worth fighting. He leaned down slightly so she could reach; he was 6′1 and she was 5′6, and yet somehow, she was still completely in charge. The comb moved through his dark brown hair in a slow, careful rhythm, fixing something he couldn't see but she definitely could.
"You're still my lil baby," she said softly.
Adrian closed his eyes for a second. "...Gran, I'm almost thirty."
"And?"
He didn't have an answer for that, mostly because there wasn't one. She smoothed his hair back one last time.
"There," she said, satisfied. "Now you look handsome."
Adrian straightened back up, adjusting his coat. "...Dangerous," he muttered. "People might expect competence."
She gave him a look. "Go to work."
"Yes, ma'am."
His new job was... just a job. Phones and people.
They were conversations that felt like they mattered while they were happening, only to completely disappear the moment they ended.
Adrian leaned back in his office chair, staring blankly at his computer screen. "...I fought a shark yesterday," he muttered under his breath.
His coworker glanced over from the next desk. "What?"
"Nothing, just sales numbers," Adrian whispered back.
"Ah. Yeah. Those are terrifying."
"Exactly."
By the time he got home, the world felt smaller again—quieter and more contained, which somehow made everything else feel even less real. Adrian stepped inside, dropping his keys onto the counter. "I'm back."
"Kitchen," his grandmother called out.
It was always the kitchen. He walked in, and as if by magic, food was already waiting for him. He sat down and grabbed a fork. "...So," he said casually, "I might be heading out again."
She didn't look up from her work immediately. "Work?"
"Something like that."
That wasn't even close to accurate anymore, but it sounded normal, which was the point.
"Couple of days," he added. "A trip with a friend."
She finally looked up at him. "...What friend?"
Adrian paused, and Benjamin's face instantly flashed in his mind the bright robes, the staff, the absolute peak of wizard energy.
"...You know," Adrian said, "the normal kind."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "That doesn't answer the question."
"...A work friend."
That was technically true in the loosest possible sense. She studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "Just... be careful."
Adrian nodded. "...Always am."
That wasn't true either, but it felt close enough.
Later, the storage unit greeted him like an old secret—quiet, unchanged, and waiting. Adrian stepped inside, closing the heavy metal door behind him.
"...Alright," rolling his shoulders slightly. "Round three."
There was no hesitation this time and no overthinking; there was just pure intent. "I'm going back."
The runes formed instantly before his eyes.
— Return Path Available —
"...Yeah," he nodded. "Definitely getting easier."
He stepped forward, the world folded around him, and he appeared in Stonehollow. It was exactly the same as always, which was rapidly becoming a problem. In this world, "same as always" usually meant danger was lurking nearby.
Adrian adjusted his coat, scanning the quiet fantasy street. "...Alright," he muttered. "Let's go meet the wizard. ...Still not used to saying that."
Benjamin was exactly where Adrian expected him to be, which was somehow worse than if he hadn't shown up. He was standing near the edge of town, staff in hand, looking like he had been waiting dramatically on purpose.
"Ah!" Benjamin cried, spreading his arms wide. "My fellow practitioner of the arcane!"
Adrian walked up to him slowly. "...You've been practicing that line, haven't you?"
"Several times," Benjamin admitted cheerfully.
"...I can tell."
Benjamin grinned. "Ready for adventure?"
Adrian shrugged slightly. "...Define 'ready.'"
"Excellent!" Benjamin clapped his hands once. "That's the spirit!"
"...That's not what I—never mind."
"Before we begin," Benjamin said, raising a finger dramatically, "allow me to introduce my companions."
Adrian paused. "...That sounds incredibly concerning."
Benjamin whistled harp and clear. The bushes nearby rustled then Something bounded out Fast and Low to the ground Almost Dog-like but not entirely.
Its body was lean, muscles coiled under dark fur that shimmered faintly in the light Eyes sharp and alert. It stopped beside Benjamin, sitting immediately, disciplined and focused. Benjamin gestured proudly. "Kazer."
Adrian nodded slowly. "...okay. That one makes sense."
Kazer gave him a brief look. Measured. Then looked away. Professional. Adrian respected that.
The second one took longer. A scratching sound, a rustle, and then something crawled out. It was small and compact, with too many sharp angles where there shouldn't be, and its ears were too big.
Its eyes were too wide and its grin was entirely unnecessary. It tilted its head at Adrian, then hissed, then purred, then did both at the same time. Adrian stared at it. "...That's not a cat."
Benjamin beamed. "Jok!"
"...that's a problem." Adrian Whispers
The creature scampered up Benjamin's shoulder, clinging like it belonged there, which somehow made it worse. Benjamin reached up, patting both creatures casually. "Good boys." Kazer wagged his tail once, while Jok made a noise that definitely wasn't normal.
Adrian nodded slowly."...yeah. This feels safe."
They started walking toward the forest ahead and the lake beyond that. It was familiar...too familiar.
"...So," Adrian said, glancing at Benjamin, "how many are we expecting?"
Benjamin hummed.
"Uncertain."
"...that's not a number."
"Somewhere between 'manageable' and 'regrettable.'"
Adrian sighed.
"...great. Love that range."
The trees thickened and the air shifted. That same quiet from before returned...still, watching, and waiting. Adrian's posture adjusted slightly; he was more alert now, more focused.
"...yeah, this is where things go wrong."
Benjamin tapped his staff lightly against the ground.
"Stay sharp."
Kazer's ears perked and Jok's grin widened, which didn't help at all. The lake finally came into view...still, flat, and perfectly calm. It was far too calm.
Adrian stopped at the edge. "...yep," he said quietly, "still hate this place."
The water didn't move...not yet. But that familiar, unsettling feeling was back. Something was moving beneath the surface, circling them. And there was more than one.
Adrian exhaled slowly.
"...alright," he said, flexing his fingers, "let's not mess this up."
Heat gathered faintly in his palm, controlled and ready. For once, it was entirely on command. Benjamin stepped forward slightly, lowering his staff as his focus sharpened. Kazer tensed and Jok crouched. The water rippled once, then twice, and then...
Adrian narrowed his eyes. "...yeah, that's definitely more than one."
The surface broke as multiple fins cut through the water. They were fast, circling them, hunting.
Adrian's grip tightened slightly."...okay," he said quietly.
"...now we have a problem."
Part 2 - Ten Teeth Too Many
The lake didn't just explode; it erupted. Water burst upward as the first Scar launched itself out, followed immediately by another, and then another. It wasn't just one creature, or even three...it was a swarm. Fins cut through the surface in tight, overlapping circles, moving as though they were completely coordinated.
Adrian stared. "...that's more than 'regrettable.'"
Benjamin adjusted his grip on his staff.
"Yes," he said calmly. "We've reached 'poor life choices.'"
"Good. Just checking."
The first Scar hit land.
Hard.
Its body slammed against the shoreline, twisting unnaturally as it pivoted mid-slide its mouth already open, rows of jagged teeth snapping toward Adrian.
They were fast...far too fast. Adrian moved entirely on instinct, side-stepping just in time. The Scar's fin-blade sliced past his ribs, cutting through fabric as if it weren't even there, and he felt the sharp sting a second later.
"...okay," glancing down briefly, "that really hurt..."
Behind him—
"Kazer!"
The dog-like beast shot forward instantly with a clean, precise strike. He slammed into the Scar's side, knocking it off trajectory just as it tried to lunge again. The creature twisted, biting wildly, but Kazer was already gonefast and incredibly disciplined.
Adrian nodded once. "...Yeah, I like him."
Suddenly, another Scar broke through the surface of the water, followed immediately by another. That left four of the creatures on land, with even more circling them in the shallows.
Benjamin slammed the base of his staff down into the dirt. "Formation!"
"...We had a formation?" Adrian asked, stepping back.
"We do now!"
The ground directly beneath the nearest Scar violently shifted. Mud rose rapidly, wrapping around the creature's lower half.
"Earth Coffin—partial!" Benjamin snapped.
The creature thrashed wildly, cracking through the hardened mud instantly.
"...Partial is right," Adrian noted grimly.
"Working on it!" Benjamin yelled back.
Suddenly, a Scar lunged directly from Adrian's blind side. It was far too fast, and way too close. He spun around, but he was already too late until something heavy hit the monster mid-air.
It was Jok. The gremlin-cat thing collided hard with the Scar's face, its sharp claws digging deep as it shrieked loudly. The sound wasn't one of pain, but of pure, manic excitement.
"...Yeah," Adrian muttered, watching the chaos unfold, "that thing's definitely unstable."
The Scar thrashed violently, slamming itself hard into the ground. Jok launched off the creature's snout at the last second, landing lightly beside Benjamin as if nothing had happened. Mid-chaos, Benjamin managed to pat the creature's head. "Good boy!"
Jok hissed proudly in response.
"Focus!" Benjamin snapped, his eyes darting to the tree line.
"Working on it!" Adrian shot back.
Suddenly, another Scar charged straight at him. There was no hesitation and no strategic circling this time it was pure, lethal intent.
Adrian exhaled slowly. "...Alright."
Heat immediately gathered in his palm, but this time, he didn't hesitate. He didn't guess, and he didn't try to force the magic. He just knew it. The energy formed and rapidly condensed into a sphere of burning orange-red light, swirling in his palm and pulsing with immense, contained force. It wasn't unstable, and it wasn't flickering. It was perfectly controlled.
"...Okay," he said quietly to himself. "...That's Somthing new."
The Scar lunged, jaws wide. Adrian stepped forward instead of backing away. "Let's try this properly."
He thrust his hand forward. "Inferno Ball."
The sphere launched fast, clean, and deadly. It slammed directly into the Scar's chest and detonated.
Fire burst outward, the force throwing the creature backward mid-air before it crashed hard into the ground. Its body smoked, its movements slowed, and then it stopped completely.
Silence fell over the shore for a brief beat.
"...Oh," Adrian blinked. "...That worked better than expected."
Benjamin didn't look surprised at all. "Again!"
"...Right. No celebration. Got it."
Two more Scars hit the shore simultaneously. Kazer immediately engaged one, while Benjamin locked the other in mud again much stronger this time.
Adrian turned to face the threat and suddenly felt it: a strange pull, a deep hunger. It was entirely different from before. It wasn't fire, and it wasn't frost. This was something much deeper, colder, and closer.
The injured Scar in front of him lunged. It was slower because of its wounds, but still incredibly deadly. Adrian didn't raise his hand this time, and he didn't bother trying to form a spell. Instead, he stepped directly into its path.
"...This is a bad idea," he muttered to himself.
Then, he grabbed it.
The exact moment his hand touched the creature's body, something violently triggered. The world went completely quiet. The runes didn't just appear this time they surged.
— Devour Protocol Engaged —
Adrian's eyes widened slightly. "...Wait—"
It was already too late. The slime within him reacted violently. His arm shifted not stretching, but expanding and flowing outward, wrapping completely around the Scar's body.
The creature thrashed in a violent, desperate panic, but it didn't matter. Adrian felt it all: its structure, its movement, its instinct, its hunger, and its raw power.
"...Oh, that is not a normal feeling"
And then, it was gone and pulled directly into him and completely absorbed.
Silence hit the shore hard. Adrian stood there, his arm still partially transformed, breathing slightly heavier now.
"...Okay," he said after a second. "...That's definitely new."
Then came the pain sharp and immediate. He staggered back slightly, grabbing his side.
"...Yeah, there it is."
His body tightened as it began adjusting and processing the new power. It was happening too fast, and it was entirely too much to take in at once.
"...Note to self," he exhaled painfully, "don't do that again immediately."
Benjamin stared at him in utter disbelief. "...You absorbed it."
Adrian straightened up slowly, rubbing his side. "...I have a lot of questions about that."
"Later!" Benjamin snapped, shaking himself out of his shock.
"Right. Survival first."
The remaining Scars surged forward together four of them at once. Adrian raised his hand, an Inferno Ball forming in his palm again. It was faster this time, cleaner, and felt entirely more natural.
"...Okay, I can work with this."
Fire ignited brilliantly in his palm. Behind him, Benjamin's voice cut through the roar of the water: "Set them up!"
Adrian smirked faintly. "...Say less."
He launched the Inferno Ball not with the intent to kill them outright, but to control their movement. The resulting explosion forced the Scars apart, driving them straight toward the softened ground Benjamin had already prepared.
"Now!" Benjamin shouted.
Mud surged upward instantly, looking thicker, denser, and far more controlled than before.
Adrian stepped in, pushing forward and guiding the stragglers to force them into position. The ground completely swallowed the remaining monsters, encasing and crushing them. Four Scars were locked tightly in place thrashing wildly for a moment, and then falling perfectly still.
Silence fell over the shore once again. It was heavier this time, and completely real.
Adrian stood there, his breathing steadying but slower now. He wasn't panicked, but he was definitely feeling the physical toll of the fight.
"...How many was that?" he asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
Benjamin exhaled heavily. "...Ten."
Adrian nodded slowly. "...Yeah, Never doing that again."
Jok chirped in alignment, while Kazer sat calmly by the water's edge. Benjamin adjusted his cloak, trying to regain his composure. "...A successful hunt."
Adrian glanced back at the lake. It was still now, and completely empty. "...Sure," he said. "...Let's go with that."
Suddenly, the air shifted. It was subtle, but it was enough. Adrian felt it first that exact same supernatural awareness from before, but this time it felt heavier, deeper, and ancient.
He frowned slightly. "...You feel that?"
Benjamin's expression instantly changed. "Yes."
Kazer stood up, and Jok went completely still. That in itself was entirely new.
Adrian's eyes narrowed toward the dark treeline. "...Yeah," he said quietly. "...That's not a Scar."
Something moved beyond the trees large, slow, and watching them.
Adrian exhaled slowly. "...Cool, Round two."
Part 3 - The Wrong Side of the Line
For a moment, it felt like it was finally over. The lake was perfectly still. The bodies were gone...either burned, buried, or simply not worth thinking about. Adrian stood there with his breathing steady, his shoulders rising and falling just enough to remind him that he was still human. Mostly.
"...Ten, That's a solid number. I'm comfortable stopping there."
Benjamin adjusted his grip on his staff. "Yes. I also vote we stop attracting attention."
"...Great. Unanimous decision."
Kazer relaxed slightly, but Jok... didn't. That was the first problem.
The second was the sudden silence. It wasn't the normal kind, nor was it the comforting "forest is calm" kind. This silence was incredibly heavy, as if the air itself had gained physical weight.
Adrian felt it press against him, subtle at first and then increasingly noticeable the longer he stood still.
"...Yeah," he said quietly. "...That's not normal."
Benjamin didn't joke this time. "That's not normal."
A low sound rolled heavily through the trees. It wasn't a growl not quite...but something much deeper and resonant. Adrian's posture shifted instantly.
"...That's not something normal" he muttered.
The trees ahead suddenly moved, not from the wind, but from something pushing through them. It was slow, deliberate, and entirely unhurried, which somehow made the sight even worse.
Adrian narrowed his eyes. "...Okay, I think we should be leaving now."
"Agreed," Benjamin said immediately.
They didn't argue and they didn't hesitate. They turned, took a single step, and froze. The ancient presence behind them was already there.
It stepped out from the treeline...massive, and easily twice the size of anything Adrian had seen so far.
Its fur was dark and thick, layered with faint scars that caught the light in jagged patterns. Its eyes glowed a deep, burning red...focused, intensely aware, and locked completely onto them.
Adrian exhaled slowly. "...That's a wolf."
Benjamin's voice was incredibly tight. "...That is not just a wolf."
The creature didn't move immediately. It simply watched and measured them, as if it were deciding whether or not they were even worth the effort.
Adrian shifted his stance slightly. "...I'm guessing Tier 2 doesn't cover that."
"No," Benjamin said quietly. "...It does not."
The pressure hit them next. It wasn't physical, not exactly, but it was entirely real. Adrian felt it settle heavily over him like a physical weight pressing down on his chest. His instincts screamed at him to move, to run, and absolutely not to fight.
"...Yeah, That just feels illegal."
The wolf took a single step forward, and the ground beneath its paw cracked slightly. It wasn't from physical force...it was purely from its presence.
Adrian's eyes sharpened. "...Okay," he said, flexing his fingers. "...Bad idea or worse idea?"
Benjamin didn't answer, because the answer was entirely obvious.
The wolf moved. It wasn't fast not yet but it kept coming forward. Somehow, that measured advance felt far worse than a sudden charge.
Adrian reacted anyway. An Inferno Ball formed in his hand, clean and perfectly controlled. He stepped forward. "...Alright," he said quietly. "...Let's test—"
"DON'T."
The voice cut through the air—sharp, clear, and absolutely certain. It wasn't panicked in the slightest.
Adrian froze mid-motion. The wolf's head shifted slightly as its attention was pulled, not toward Adrian, but to the side.
She stepped out from the trees as if she had always been there, silent and controlled. The air around her felt different. It wasn't heavy like the wolf's presence, but vibrantly alive. Green and silver threads of faint energy danced around her in a subtle, constant motion. Her eyes were completely focused—not on Adrian, and not on Benjamin, but entirely on the wolf.
"...You're in the way," she said calmly.
Adrian blinked. "...Hi."
She didn't look at him. "Leave. You can't fight this."
Her words were straight, direct, and delivered with absolutely no hesitation.
Adrian glanced at the wolf, then back at her. "...Yeah," he said, lowering his hand slightly. "...That's becoming clear."
Benjamin stepped back immediately. "We're withdrawing."
Smart man.
Adrian didn't move just yet; his eyes stayed locked on her. "...You're not," he said.
For the first time, she glanced at him...a brief, measured look. "...I can buy time."
It wasn't a promise to win or to kill. It was just time.
Adrian nodded once. "...Noted."
The wolf moved, much faster now, becoming a blur of dark motion cutting through the space between them. She moved too, not away from the danger, but directly toward it. Energy surged around her hands, forming sharp, condensed bursts of light nature twisted into something far more precise.
They collided, and the impact violently cracked the ground. Adrian felt the shockwave hit his chest even from where he stood.
"...Yeah, We're definitely outclassed with this one."
Benjamin grabbed his sleeve. "Now."
Adrian hesitated for half a second, then turned. "...Yup agreed lets move."
They ran. It wasn't panicked or done blindly, but they moved fast.
They ran because staying meant certain death. Behind them, the chaotic sounds of the battle echoed through the trees impact, movement, and a raw display of power that was completely uncontrolled and unrestrained. It was entirely real. Adrian didn't look back; he didn't need to, because he already knew the truth.
"...Shadowfen," he muttered between heavy steps.
Benjamin glanced over at him. "You feel it too?"
"...kind of hard not too."
They had crossed an invisible line, and whatever that place truly was, it wasn't meant for them.
They didn't stop running until the oppressive pressure finally faded, until the woods felt like a normal forest again, and until breathing didn't feel like agonizing work. Adrian was the first to slow down, eventually coming to a complete halt. He bent over with his hands on his knees.
"...Okay," he exhaled painfully. "...New rule."
Benjamin leaned heavily against a nearby tree. "...Yes?"
"...If something feels like it can kill us simply by existing"
"We leave," Benjamin finished for him.
"...Immediately."
They both nodded in grim, exhausted agreement.
Agreement achieved. Adrian straightened up slowly, his chest still feeling incredibly tight. It wasn't from the running; it was from that oppressive presence...from her, and from the wolf.
"...She's strong"
Benjamin nodded grimly. "...Very."
Adrian glanced back toward the deep forest, looking toward the chaotic clearing where they had just been. "...And she still can't win."
That wasn't a guess; it was entirely obvious.
Benjamin didn't attempt to argue. "...No," he said quietly. "...She can't they are equal in power but in this world many factors go into winning or losing and living and dying."
Adrian exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "...Great, So that's waiting for us now." He paused for a brief moment. "...Love that."