Descent into Shadows / The Hidden Monster War
The Hidden Monster War
The air at the top of the tower hit me like a splash of cold water. It was thin and crisp, carrying a faint earthy smell of damp leaves and pine drifting from the forest far below. My breath misted in the chill, curling white as it faded into the night. The wind whistled softly past the stone walls, a strange contrast to the chaos we had just escaped.
Evelyn dropped her bag with a heavy thud, pulling out a tightly coiled rope. “We don’t have much time.”
The group spread out to survey the space. The top of the tower was smaller than I’d hoped—a jagged platform with crumbling edges and a steep, deadly drop on all sides. Beyond the ledge, the forest stretched like a black ocean, its towering trees whispering secrets in the wind. Shadows rippled where the moonlight barely touched, promising safety if we could just reach them.
“It’s too high,” Mia muttered, hugging herself as she peered over the side. Her voice was tight with disbelief. “If we slip—”
“We won’t,” Evelyn interrupted sharply. Her jaw was set, her expression as hard as the stone beneath our feet. “It’s either this, or waiting to get torn apart up here.”
The words sank like lead in my stomach. My eyes flicked toward the trapdoor. Growls and heavy thuds echoed up from below, each sound a knife to my already fraying nerves. I forced myself to move, to focus on what Evelyn was doing.
“Help me secure this,” she said, tossing the rope toward me.
I caught it, the coarse fibers scraping against my palms. Evelyn knelt beside a section of the stone wall where an ancient piece jutted out, solid and sturdy enough to hold. I looped the rope around it, pulling hard to test its strength. The rough surface bit into my hands, leaving raw abrasions, but I gritted my teeth and tugged harder.
“Good enough?” I asked, my voice tight.
Evelyn stood and gave the rope a final, sharp yank. “It’ll hold.”
Behind me, Brady’s footsteps scraped over the stone as he paced, his hands clenching and unclenching. His sweat-soaked shirt clung to his skin, and the faint sheen on his forehead glistened in the moonlight. “We can’t just climb down without a backup plan. Those things are gonna follow us.”
Evelyn paused, her gaze flicking toward the pile of loose stones gathered near the edge. “Then we make it hard for them.”
“What do you mean?” Mia asked, her voice trembling as she wiped at her tear-streaked cheeks.
Evelyn strode over to the stones and nudged one with her boot. It rolled slightly, dislodging bits of moss that released a damp, earthy smell. “If we can set these up right, we can send them tumbling down when the werewolves follow. It won’t stop them all, but it’ll slow them down.”
I knelt beside her and started moving the stones, their slick surfaces cold against my fingertips. Each one was heavier than it looked, and my muscles burned as I dragged them into position. Mia joined in, though her hands shook every time the distant growls grew louder. Brady, too, pitched in, though he kept glancing toward the trapdoor like he expected it to burst open any second.
The pungent smell of moss clung to the stones, mixing with the metallic tang of sweat that thickened the air. As we worked, the sounds from below grew louder—wood splintering, claws scraping, and low, guttural snarls that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. My pulse thundered, matching the frantic pace of our movements.
“Sam, hurry!” Brady hissed, wiping sweat from his face with a trembling hand. “We don’t have time for perfection.”
“I’m going as fast as I can,” I snapped, though the panic bubbling inside me made my voice crack.
Evelyn’s eyes darted to the trapdoor, then back to us. “Brady, get the rope ready. Tie it off so we can move as soon as the stones drop. Mia, help him.”
Brady didn’t argue. He snatched the rope and moved to the edge, his knuckles white as he worked. Mia hovered beside him, her wide eyes darting between the rope and the trapdoor.
“Is this really going to work?” she whispered, her voice almost lost to the rising wind.
Evelyn’s jaw tightened. “It has to.”
I shoved another stone into place and sat back on my heels, panting. The growls turned to howls—deep, furious, and filled with hunger. The sound vibrated through the stone floor, rattling my bones. A loud thud hit the trapdoor below us, followed by splintering wood.
“They’re breaking through!” Mia shrieked, stumbling back.
“Almost ready,” Brady called, though his voice shook.
My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t draw in enough air. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but there was nowhere left to go. I turned to Evelyn, who crouched by the stones, her face pale but determined.
“We’re ready,” she said, her gaze locking with mine. “On my count, we push the stones. Then we climb.”
I nodded, forcing my trembling hands to grip the nearest stone. My heart pounded so hard it hurt, and I felt every thud in my chest. Behind me, the rope dangled over the ledge, swaying slightly in the wind. Below us, another crash shook the trapdoor. The growls turned into snarls and snapping teeth.
Evelyn stood, her voice clear and steady despite the chaos. “Three… two…”
The trapdoor exploded, wood shards flying up as the first werewolf clawed its way through. Its roar shook the air, deafening and raw. I caught a glimpse of its glowing yellow eyes and the sharp glint of teeth before Evelyn shouted—
“Now!”
We shoved the stones with everything we had. The pile tumbled over the edge, and the sound of the rocks crashing against the stone wall echoed like thunder. A guttural howl of pain rose from below, followed by snarls and the sickening crunch of impact. For a split second, everything went still.
“Go!” Evelyn shouted, grabbing the rope. She swung herself over the ledge without hesitation, disappearing into the darkness below.
Brady went next, his movements stiff but quick as he followed her down. Mia hesitated, her pale face lit by moonlight, but I grabbed her arm. “You can do this!” I said, my voice breaking.
She swallowed hard and nodded, clutching the rope and sliding out of sight.
The werewolf howled again, louder this time, and I spun to see it clawing its way onto the platform. Its fur bristled, and its glowing eyes locked on me. For a heartbeat, I couldn’t move. My lungs felt frozen, and fear coursed through me like ice.
Go! I forced my feet to move, grabbing the rope and swinging over the edge. My hands burned as I slid down, the fibers digging into my skin. The wind roared past me, carrying the smell of pine and earth, but all I could hear was my own ragged breathing and the furious snarls above me.
The rope swayed violently, and for a terrifying moment, I thought it would snap.
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