Shadows of Fate

The air thickened as the creature approached, its form a mass of swirling darkness. It had no name, yet many whispered it—too many to recount, as if it were an entity older than time itself. It was sent by the omnipotent one, its purpose singular and clear: stop the threat known as Leegna.

Leegna's heart pounded, his eyes narrowing as he sensed the creature's power. This was no ordinary enemy. Its very presence seemed to ripple through the fabric of the realm, causing shadows to bend and contort unnaturally. It was as if the creature was made of the shadows themselves, able to control and manipulate them with ease. But more than that, Leegna felt its gaze, not just upon his body, but upon his soul. The creature had the ability to peer inside, to reach into the depths of his being and tear him apart from within.

It stopped a few feet away, its form flickering like a mirage, shifting between the real and the ethereal. Its voice, when it spoke, was like a chorus of whispers, too soft to comprehend but loud enough to make the hair on the back of Leegna's neck stand on end.

"You... are the threat," the creature intoned, its words cutting through the silence. "And I am here to end you."

Leegna's hand tightened around his rapier, the weapon trembling slightly in his grip as his power surged within him. He knew this would be a fight unlike any he had faced before. His instincts screamed at him to retreat, to use Time Leap and escape, but something held him back. A nagging feeling deep inside, as though running now would only make things worse.

Unlec stood beside him, weapon ready, though his face was pale with fear. The eyeless creature, which had been silently following them for some time, stepped forward. For the first time, Leegna could feel its power fully—an ancient, overwhelming force that was beyond his understanding.

Without a word, the eyeless creature moved, its form enveloping both Leegna and Unlec. The shadows around them seemed to bend, twisting to form a protective barrier. Leegna could feel the creature's embrace, not cold and suffocating like the shadows he was used to, but comforting, as though it were shielding them from the impending danger.

Leegna could barely comprehend what was happening. The creature that had followed him, seemingly passive, now acted as their protector. Its body seemed to merge with the very darkness surrounding them, creating a dome of safety against the new enemy.

"Retreat," came a voice, low and urgent. Leegna wasn't sure if it was the eyeless creature speaking or something else inside him. But he could feel the urgency of the message.

The figure of shadows stood just outside the barrier, its form undulating like a storm about to unleash its fury. It didn't attack, not yet. It simply stood there, watching them, as though savoring the moment. Leegna could feel it trying to pierce through the barrier, trying to reach him, to pry into his soul and tear him apart from the inside.

Leegna's pulse quickened. His mind raced, weighing his options. Should he fight? Or use the Time Leap to escape? The urge to use the leap was strong, almost instinctual, but he hesitated. He still had two leaps left, and he couldn't afford to waste them. But what if this was the moment? What if this enemy was too powerful to defeat?

Just then, he noticed something strange—a number. It appeared in his mind, unbidden, counting down from two to one. His heart skipped a beat. Why was it closing? Why did he feel the pull to use Time Leap now? The battle was in his favor for the moment, yet the warning echoed in his mind. It was as though time itself was urging him to act, to leap, but why?

Before he could make a decision, the eyeless creature acted. Its protective embrace tightened, and in a blink, they were gone.

The world around them shifted, and Leegna felt the pull of reality warping. In the next instant, they were back in their own realm, standing in the familiar air of the material world. The oppressive presence of the shadow creature was gone, left behind in the Dark Embassy.

Unlec staggered slightly, breathing heavily. "What... just happened?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Leegna didn't answer right away. His mind was still reeling from the encounter. The fight had been cut short, but not on his terms. The eyeless creature had made the decision for him, saving them both from whatever that thing was. He should have felt relieved, but instead, there was a growing sense of unease gnawing at him.

He glanced at Unlec and froze. Unlec was staring at him, his expression one of concern. "Your hair... it's longer. And... greyer," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

Leegna frowned, running a hand through his hair. Sure enough, it was longer than before, strands of silver now mingling with the dark. His skin felt colder, and his face, when he caught a reflection in a nearby puddle, was paler than he had ever seen it. The toll of his power was starting to show, not just on his body but on his very soul.

"The Time Leap... it's taking more from me than I thought," he murmured, his mind drifting back to the warning. Should he have used the leap back there? Would it have changed the outcome? Or was the danger they had left behind only the beginning of something worse?

A shadow of doubt crept into his thoughts. He had the power to change time, to alter the course of events. But with each use, the price was becoming clearer. And now, the countdown had begun again, pushing him closer to the edge.

As they stood in the quiet of their realm, Yuj remained imprisoned in the Dark Embassy, alone and forgotten. The ominous presence of the creature they had just faced lingered in Leegna's mind, a reminder that the true threat was still out there, lurking in the dark.

And then, faintly, as if carried on the wind, Leegna heard the words again. "Betray the time again and steal what's yours..."

But this time, they felt like a warning rather than a temptation.