I always read stories about superheroes as a kid, the great triumph of good over evil. It was very exciting, hell it made me wanna be a superhero. Instead, when I grew up, I had to face the harsh reality that they weren’t real. I know it's shocking, but for a kid like me, it was all the joy I had. My parents are both employed, so I used to remain home as a kid after school alone with my grandma. The only thing remotely entertaining was the TV and the superhero comics she would buy me.

  Years went by, I grew up and became an adult with life parked in a monotonous hole. Rinse and repeat: go to university, study, eat, sleep. I wished life could be more exciting you know? Like those comics or the superhero shows on TV. Surprisingly, the universe was listening that day, and I soon learned that the world I lived in wasn’t as black and white as it seemed. It’s been 6 months since that incident, and to be fair it changed my life forever. I know, I wished for it, but I did not expect it to be like this. I guess it's better if I just recall it.

  “Temples are a nice place to visit, aren’t they?” Ryla questioned, showing me pictures of an ancient temple she visited on a recent vacation.

  “They are, when you’re not skipping classes for vacation. ” I said, her eyes rolled back in the most typical fashion.

  “You should try it for once, at least then you’ll be doing something other than being in classes and home.” She said, her tone filled with annoyance.

  “No thank you, I’ll go on a vacation when I land a high paying job. Not everyone has rich parents, y’know?” I replied.

  “Now you’re just being mean. A good job won’t fix that attitude” She paused, standing up and stretching her arms. “That I know for sure.”

  “Yeah yeah, whatever. I have to leave now, I’ll see you tomorrow. ” I hurried, dismissing her. I grabbed my bag and walked out, yawning.

  Damn I really need some rest. Today was hectic, I thought to myself.

  The Sun still lingered above the horizon, the diminishing orange hue blending with the fading blue scattered in the sky. I yawned again, walking towards the four-way stop where I usually caught a bus home. I guess you could call it bad luck, but my eyes stumbled upon a lady and kid walking ahead. The kid looked four, maybe five? and the lady seemed to be in her mid-thirties. Nothing unusual, I know. Yet, my mind birthed this notion that something wasn’t just right.

  I started walking a bit faster, to see if it was just me being delusional. As I walked up closer, I saw a distressed expression on the child’s face, like he was about to cry.

  Maybe he was scolded by his mom or something? I pondered. A left turn came up and it appeared they were going that way.

  My bad I guess, maybe I am just too sleep deprived I yawned, lost in thought. They turned, and I didn’t think much about it.

  My focus returned to the road and the approaching bus stop. A moment passed, and suddenly an eerie silence crept in. I glanced around—no one. Chills rushed down my spine. It felt as if my whole body was on high alert. I decided to keep walking, and as I crossed the run, my head glanced left out of curiosity.

  My body froze, goosebumps filled my skin. I could not believe my eyes. The gentle lady morphed into a towering, eight foot figure, her sharp fangs visible behind a predatory mouth. A grim smile plastered on her face, in the most unsettling manner. Her hands had been replaced by long, sharp claws. Her arms stretched out farther than mine, combined.

  Crimson eyes stared down at the kid, huddled against the wall, crying out for help. However, for some reason, I couldn’t hear his voice.

  I had a decision to make, and before I could even give it a slight thought, my body had already made up its mind. I charged towards the figure with all the strength I could muster throwing my bag at her head. The bag struck her in the head, but I knew it wouldn’t faze her. Instead, it gave me the perfect opportunity to grab the kid and bolt off.

  I ran as fast my legs allowed, taking every turn I could, desperately trying to lose her. She followed, gaining on me every passing moment. It wasn’t the brightest idea to run, but it was all I could think of.

  I saw a sharp right and took it. A big wooden temple appeared in front of me. How ironic, well at least it’ll probably keep her away. Temples keep away evil..right? I thought in a hurry. I took a quick glance behind me and saw no one. Still, just to be safe and to catch my breath for a moment, I decided to enter the temple and hide.

  The temple doors stood wide open. A giant statue towered in front of me, behind the statue there was a hallway that led to different rooms. I hurried into the nearest one to the right. An open sliding closet graced my eyes, and without any hesitation, I ran inside and shut the door behind me. The kid trembled in my arms. He was terrified, and so was I.

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  I placed him down gently, my back against the wall.

  Then came the voice, such a soothing and sweet voice, it caught me off guard.

  "Interrupting someone before a meal is impolite enough, but snatching their food away? That’s just criminal." The voice echoed throughout the temple. I kept my hand on the kid’s mouth and signalled him to stay silent.

  “You see, since I have deemed you a criminal now, I think I now get to choose the appropriate punishment too! Don’t you think so?” her voice had an underlying playful tone.

  All my focus shifted to being quiet, my mind raced: I wanted to call back home, tell my family how much I loved them, call all my friends, I really wanted to tell everyone I loved them. I wanted to cry, I was so scared, I wanted to live.

  I glanced down at the kid, his breathing had calmed. He passed out, tired from all the emotions he went through in such a short amount of time. I cautiously laid him on the ground, careful not to make any noise; I crouched beside him.

  “Now, what punishment suits you, Aeron?” she mused, “Hitting me with the bag was just utterly foolish. But leaving your wallet inside? With all your information?” she let out a soft, amused sigh. “That was just stupid.”

  If I had any chance of surviving before, it was gone. All I could do was make peace with the thought that my life was forfeit.

  She let out a hum, as if she was still deep in thought. A moment passed, and then I heard a delighted giggle, as if her train of thought had struck gold.

  “Now that I think about it, you came at… just the right time. I don’t think the kid would have sufficed. Sure, the fear would make him taste better, but…” I heard her inhale, as if she was savouring the moment. “It’s been ... .so…so …long since I’ve had a proper adult. I am sure you’re quite delectable yourself. ”

  The noise of her soft and light footsteps approached the hallway, I clamped my hand on my mouth as best as I could, trying to not make any sound.

  “Ooooo! Wanna know a fun fact, Aeron?” she chirped, a tiny giggle escaping her mouth. She passed the entrance of the hallway, and abruptly stopped.

  I could feel my chest tighten up, my breathing slowed down.

  “One thing I love about apex predators…” she paused, dragging out the words, relishing the moment. “Is their sense of smell. And you know what’s the cherry on top?” she stopped.

  My breathing halted.

  “It makes hide and seek so unfair, because silly…” She leaned in, her voice a soft, twisted, sweet whisper.

  “I. Know. Where. You. Are.”

  She giggled again, and it echoed throughout the hallway.

  My heart sank.

  A few seconds passed, and the eerie atmosphere calmed a bit. I let out a slow, silent exhale. I relaxed as my breathing returned to normal, the kid was asleep right next to me. I rested my back against the wall.

  “Found. You.”

  A soft whisper slithered into my ear making my whole body lock up. The wall rippled behind me, warping unnaturally as if something was forcefully trying to protrude from it. Then, a face pushed through. Her face.

  “I win!” A soft grin filled her face, “And now it's time for my prize.” Before I could react, her arms wrapped around me from behind, gentle yet inescapable. No words left my mouth. No scream. No plea. Nothing.

  “Awwwwh… did I leave you speechless?” she cooed, her voice dripping with amusement. “It’s natural to be left speechless, it’s my charm”

  It’s over. I am going to die. That is all that filled my mind.

  She leaned in closer, her breath warm against my neck. “Don’t worry,” she whispered, “you won’t be alone. The kid will be joining you soon.”

  Her deceptively gentle embrace tightened, pulling me backward as I phased through the wall. The kid vanished from sight. Before I could process what was happening, the force behind her grip surged, and she hurled me across the room.

  I slammed into the wall with brutal force, my body crumpling to the ground. Pain shot through me like lightning, and when I coughed, blood splattered onto the floor. My vision blurred, my head spinning.

  "Come on, Aeron! You should’ve been able to handle that!" she taunted, her voice laced with amusement. "Since you gave me such a fun chase, I’ll reward you with a choice!"

  Her cheerful tone sent chills down my spine.

  "So, what’ll it be? Should I drain the life out of you—slowly and painfully? Or would you rather I devour you whole? Fair warning, the first one hurts more!" She grinned down at me, eyes gleaming with delight.

  Through the agony wracking my body, I forced myself to look up. She approached slowly, savoring every second of my helplessness. My limbs refused to move. I shut my eyes, bracing for the inevitable.

  But instead of death, a strange sensation washed over me.

  A tingling. A warmth, different from the pain. Sunlight kissed my skin.

  My eyes snapped open.

  I was outside. The temple garden stretched before me, untouched by the horrors inside. Confusion knotted my thoughts. How did I end up… here?

  Before I could make sense of anything, pain came crashing back. I groaned, ready to collapse when

  BOOM!

  The temple wall exploded.

  Two figures shot out, landing effortlessly on their feet. They locked eyes, tension crackling between them like an impending storm.

  One of them—the unknown figure—stood near me. The other… was her.

  Annis.

  "You know, this is the second time today someone’s stolen my food." Her voice filled with irritation as she glared at the stranger.

  "That’s the least of your problems right now, Annis." The figure’s response was calm, steady.

  At first glance, they both looked human—so much so that if anyone else had seen them, they wouldn’t suspect a thing. But I knew better.

  I mustered the strength to speak. "What the hell is going on?"

  The stranger spared me a glance. "Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. Just don’t move."

  She turned back to Annis.

  And then, a sword materialized in her hands.

  It was the length of a katana but sleeker, glowing with an orange-reddish hue. The handle, seemingly made of polished ceramic, bore intricate glyphs etched into its surface.

  A slow, delighted grin spread across Annis’s face.

  "Well, well… I didn’t know you’d turned into a fighter!" she mused, tilting her head in mock surprise. "Last time I saw you, you were so... scared. Crying. Begging to be saved."

  The figure remained silent. Her expression hardened, her grip on the sword tightening. Both hands wrapped around the hilt as she lowered her stance, preparing to strike.

  Annis’s grin widened.

  Excitement flickered in her eyes as she readied herself.

  A battle was about to begin.

  [TO BE CONTINUED…]