Lurking in The Dark

The air felt thicker in this place—the Dark Embassy of the Lost Souls. It was a realm parallel to the world Leegna knew, yet twisted. Shadows clung to every surface like a second skin, but these shadows weren't empty. They whispered, moving with a life of their own. The atmosphere was heavy, and Leegna could feel the weight of countless souls pressing down, lingering in the dark, searching for peace they might never find.

Leegna stood in front of the towering structure at the heart of this realm—a colossal building that defied all understanding. Its form shifted, blending into the night, almost as if it wasn't entirely real. Its dark, imposing architecture stretched into the sky, and yet, there was no sky here. Just an endless void, thick with the presence of something ancient and powerful.

The rules of this place were absolute, and Leegna could sense it. More than the twelve Guardians of Time existed here. This was a realm far older and much more dangerous than anything he had encountered before. It felt as though reality itself could bend at a moment's notice, and even the smallest mistake could cost him dearly.

Unlec, the human bound to Yuj's contract, stood silently at his side, his eyes focused on the dark, shifting figures that moved in the distance. His gun-like weapon, forged from Yuj's very essence, hummed faintly in the cold air, ready to tear through shadows and celestial beings alike. Leegna hadn't asked too many questions about Unlec's past, but now that they were here, it was clear the man's role was far more complicated than mere support.

Yuj's voice echoed softly inside Leegna's mind. "The lost souls here are dangerous, unpredictable. But their power is necessary, just like yours. You can feel it, can't you? The weight of time is different in this place."

Leegna nodded slightly, though his eyes never left the twisted structure ahead. He was already preparing himself for the next battle, but the creeping feeling of being watched, of something far more dangerous lurking in the shadows, gnawed at him.

"Yuj... what exactly is this place?" Leegna asked quietly, his voice steady but filled with unease.

"This is the Embassy of the Lost, where souls come to find peace—or become something much worse. But it's more than that. The Time Guardians were just the beginning, Leegna. There are forces beyond them, stronger, ancient ones, who govern these realms. You've destroyed Gestrong, but that act has awakened something far more dangerous. You need to understand... this place is a prison of sorts, a gathering for those who have fallen out of time."

Yuj's words stirred something deep within Leegna, a strange realization forming. He had felt a shift when Gestrong fell, but he hadn't fully understood the consequences until now. This wasn't just about the Time Guardians anymore. It never was. His actions had broken something loose, something that was now hunting him.

Suddenly, Leegna felt it—a presence. It was distant at first, but it grew closer with every passing second. It wasn't human, nor was it a shadow or celestial being. It was something else entirely, an entity that didn't belong in any realm he had encountered before. Its very existence seemed to tear at the fabric of reality around it, bending the world as it approached.

A figure, neither solid nor ethereal, began to take form in the darkness. Its silhouette was thin, humanoid, but shifting, as though it were a living embodiment of lost souls. It radiated a power that sent a chill down Leegna's spine. There was no mistaking it—this creature wasn't just here by chance. It was hunting him.

Unlec took a step back, his grip tightening on his weapon. "What... what is that?" he muttered, his voice barely audible over the oppressive silence.

Leegna didn't respond. He didn't need to. He could feel the answer deep within him. This was a force beyond anything he had fought before, something older, something driven by an ancient purpose. It had been unleashed the moment Gestrong fell, and now it was coming for him.

The words echoed again inside his mind, but this time they weren't Yuj's. They came from within, natural, unbidden. A warning. "Two... it's closing from two to one."

Leegna blinked, confused. Two to one? What did it mean? The number felt familiar, and suddenly, it clicked. His Time Leap ability. He had used it once, and he only had two leaps left. But why was he being urged to use it now, when the battle was still in his favor? He pushed the thought aside, unsure of why the instinct was there, but knowing that whatever was approaching would test him in ways he couldn't fully grasp.

The soul-like figure continued to approach, its presence suffocating, making the air thick and hard to breathe. The shadows around it seemed to bend toward it, as though drawn by its very existence.

"We have to move," Leegna muttered to Unlec, his voice tense. But even as he spoke, he realized something. He wasn't just being hunted—he was being judged, by forces far beyond the realm of time.

The entity stopped a few feet away, its hollow, dark eyes fixed on Leegna. It didn't speak, but its intention was clear. Leegna was a threat, and it was here to erase him.

Unlec's weapon hummed louder, the dark matter inside it stirring as he prepared for the worst. But before they could make a move, the figure shifted, its form becoming more solid, more menacing.

And then it struck.

Leegna barely had time to react, his Velvet Cloak forming a protective barrier just in time to deflect the first attack. But the creature was fast—unnaturally so. Each strike it made seemed to blur the lines between reality and the void, bending time and space with every movement.

Leegna countered, his rapier cutting through the air, slicing at the figure. His blade, coated in shadow-like energy, pierced both the physical and immaterial parts of the creature, but it wasn't enough to bring it down. The rapier itself, while powerful, began to shift, its form flickering as if it would revert to its dormant state if used too harshly.

The battle was far from over, but Leegna could feel the pressure mounting. He wasn't just fighting for his survival now. He was fighting against forces that could unravel everything he had come to know.

And then, just as it seemed the creature was about to land a fatal blow, the world around Leegna slowed. His precognitive power activated, granting him a fleeting glimpse of what was to come. A warning.

The soul-like figure wasn't the end. There was something far worse beyond it. And he had only moments to prepare.

"Betray the time again and steal what's yours..." The words echoed, a haunting reminder of the power Leegna held—and the consequences of using it.

But as the scene shifted back to the battle, Leegna knew one thing for certain.

The true danger was still coming.