The first one appeared on the roof.
The second… rose from a crack in the ground.The third passed through a concrete wall as if it were smoke.
They weren't men.Nor beasts.They were the pure will of the Hollow made flesh.
Three twisted figures—elegant and monstrous all at once.Silent.Deliberate.And absolutely lethal.
—Three of them! —one of the captains shouted.
—Don't scatter! —I ordered—. Defensive formations!
But before we could regroup, the Reapers attacked all at once.
The tallest one, helmet full of inward-pointing spikes, arms extending like dark lances, landed right in front of me.
It didn't speak.
But I knew it had chosen me.
And I… accepted without hesitation.
—Handle the others —I said as I steadied my breath—.This one's mine.
The squad split immediately.
Romina, Patricio, and one captain took on the Reaper with living chains, slithering through the air like black serpents, tearing through walls, ceilings, and flesh.
Pablo and the other captain faced the faceless Reaper—its white mask weeping darkness, distorting the space around it like a ripple in reality.
The rescued survivors were ushered into the lower levels of the refuge.We were completely surrounded.
And the battle… had just begun.
My Reaper didn't wait.
Its arms shot toward me like spears, aiming from all angles.I rolled, slashed, deflected.
Each strike was faster.Sharper.Like fighting the world's murderous intent itself.
I activated one of the relics we'd saved for emergencies—an ethereal scale-mail chestplate that shielded me more than once.
Still not enough.
I had to tap into my inner energy, what remained of my awakening, to boost my speed and strength.
—You're not invincible —I said, even knowing it wouldn't respond.
It didn't need to.
I heard myself.
Meanwhile, the other battles raged on.
Romina and Patricio fought in perfect sync—he blocked, she struck.The captain flanked.
But the chains were intelligent.They regenerated.They trapped.
Romina's arm was bleeding.Patricio's face was cut open.
—We won't last if we don't take it down now! —Romina shouted.
Pablo roared as he charged the faceless Reaper.Every time they got close, the air around the creature bent—twisting attacks away like illusions.
—You coward! —Pablo yelled—. Face me!
The captain with him activated a dimensional anchor rune—stabilizing the area for a few seconds.
Enough time for Pablo to land a solid hit.
The Reaper fell…but stood back up without a scratch.
And me?
I was still holding on.
Bleeding.Exhausted.But burning.
And then—I felt it.
An opening.
The Reaper overextended.I spun, cut, and activated an explosive rune embedded in my blade.
The strike landed.One of its limbs blew apart.
It didn't die.But it staggered.
It bled darkness.
And for the first time, I heard a sound.
Not a roar.Not a scream.
A whisper…as if the Hollow was speaking through it.
"You'll die standing…But you'll die all the same."
—We'll see about that —I growled.
The other battles reached their climax.
Patricio activated his soul-breaking ability—disrupting the chains' magic.Romina hurled a frost spear, reinforced by fire.The Reaper fell… but not before killing the captain.
On the other side, Pablo and his partner trapped the faceless Reaper inside clashing runes.
A pulse of pure light—And it disintegrated.
Only mine remained.
It turned toward the others.Wounded.Ready to strike again.
I didn't give it the chance.
I ran.
Screamed.
Channeled everything.
And drove my blade straight through it—wrapped in the last of my energy.
Darkness exploded.
It struggled.
But crumbled into ash.
When it ended, the sports center was rubble.
We had losses.We were bleeding.
But we had something else—
Victory.
Three Reapers.
Three horrors.
And we had survived.
But none of us celebrated.
Because if this was what the Hollow sent now…
What would come next?