Chương 2: A Little Room For Growth
2
Nagi's legs moved before his mind could catch up. He sprinted down the empty street, heart pounding, lungs burning, his footsteps echoing against the pavement. Don't look back—just keep going. He stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk, nearly pitching forward, but caught himself with a wild, desperate lurch. His breaths came in ragged, gasping bursts, each inhale sharp and painful.
What was that? What did I just see?
He didn't have an answer—didn't want one. All he knew was that it had been real, and its eyes—if they were eyes—had locked onto him. The air still felt wrong, tainted somehow, twisting with every shallow breath he drew.
He tripped again, knees hitting the ground hard, but he scrambled up, barely noticing the sting of scraped skin as he pushed himself forward. His hands shook, fingers clenching and unclenching with raw panic, his thoughts racing in frantic loops.
Get away. Just keep moving. Don't stop.
Every shadow felt like it was reaching for him, every faint noise like it came from that thing dragging itself into his world. Blood pounded in his ears, drowning out everything else as he ran, the image of that monstrous, clawed hand burning in his mind.
Behind him, the monstrous hand tore further out of the crack, fingers unnaturally long and jointed in ways that defied logic. Its claws gleamed like onyx under the streetlights, each one as thick as his wrist, slicing through the air with a low, ominous hiss. The thing swung with terrifying speed, a blur of darkness as it lunged for him.
Nagi's instincts kicked in. His body jolted around and his hand shot up, almost of its own accord. He barely registered the action before it happened. From his palm, an intense, radiant energy flashed out, filling the air with an ethereal glow—an eerie, pulsing light, like a piece of the stars. The energy wasn't anything he understood, but it burned white-hot, slipping from his fingers like liquid light, leaving a glistening mist.
The beast screeched, its swing faltering as it was momentarily blinded by the burst. Nagi's pulse thundered as he felt the swipe pass mere inches from his face, the force of the swing yanking a stray hair from his head, a blast of icy air scraping his cheek as he ducked out of the way. The claws missed him by a fraction of an inch, slicing through the night with enough force to split concrete. Catching his footing almost immediately, Nagi turned back around and continued his full sprint. Nagi's feet pounded against the pavement, his breath coming in sharp bursts. Every few steps, he glanced back, the beast's distorted form moving with unnatural speed, each lurching stride closing the gap between them. He could feel its rancid presence, a darkness that seemed to taint the air around it. He turned forward, willing his legs to keep going, until—
Through the glass window of a small corner store, he spotted a group of people—an older man at the register, a young couple browsing the aisles, and a child, clutching a candy bar, entirely unaware of the nightmare closing in from the street. Nagi skidded to a stop, his heart pounding even harder.
For a split second, he thought about just running. Just keeping his head down, getting as far away as he could. But the image of the monstrous hand flashed through his mind, and a sick feeling twisted in his stomach. Without another thought, he pushed open the store door and stumbled inside.
"Get out—now!" he shouted, his voice hoarse with urgency. "You need to get out! There's something… something coming!"
The older man blinked at him, confusion on his face, but the desperation in Nagi's eyes spurred him to action. "Come on!" he yelled to the others, motioning for them to follow. They quickly filed out, rushing past Nagi in a confused flurry. The child's wide eyes locked onto him, and he forced a reassuring nod, though his hands were shaking.
A guttural snarl ripped through the air, freezing him in place. Nagi turned to see the creature outside, its form silhouetted in the streetlight. It prowled toward the store, claws scraping along the ground with an agonizing screech.
The people had just made it to the other side of the street, but the beast's attention hadn't wavered—it was locked on him.
Not good… not good!" Nagi muttered, pressing himself against the wall. His mind raced, but panic held his thoughts in a vice. The creature moved with terrifying purpose, stalking toward him as though savoring the hunt and then it raised its shadowy, decaying arm, flinging its claw at the building. In a last ditch effort to protect himself, Nagi threw his arms up, instinctively.
With a thunderous roar, the beast lashed out at the building, crashing through metal support beams and crushing floor tiles, as its claws ripped through the walls of the store. The entire building groaned in protest, the ceiling cracking under the weight of destruction. Debris and dust filled the air. Finally The creature's claws slashed completely through, bringing the entire store crashing down.
For a moment, silence followed the collapse. Dust hung in the air like a heavy fog, illuminated faintly by the flickering street lights outside.
The monstrous silhouette still loomed in the rubble, its form shifting as it searched for movement. But suddenly, the dust stirred unnaturally, glowing faintly as if touched by a hidden light. The faint mist began to swirl, coalescing into a shimmering vortex near the rubble's center.
The beast snarled, claws slamming into the ground as it moved toward the glow. But before it could strike, the vortex exploded outward, a burst of radiant energy blasting through the debris like a supernova. Enraged, the beast swung wildly through the haze, its claws carving through air and rubble alike. It growled in frustration, writhing as it scanned the area. But as the dust cleared, it realized its target was no longer where it had been.
Before it could react, Nagi descended from above, twisting through the air, his hands blazing with that same ethereal glow. His eyes burned with determination as he landed squarely on the creature's head, his feet sinking into the dark mass.
The beast shrieked in outrage, thrashing violently in an attempt to throw him off. Its vile movements were erratic, each lurch shaking the ground beneath them. Nagi clung tightly, using the chaos to his advantage.
Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around the sides of the beast's face, his glowing hands pressing into its eyes—or the closest thing it had to eyes. The radiant energy burned through its flesh with a sizzle, each pulse sending waves of light cascading through the cracks in its form.
The creature let out an agonized, guttural scream, its body convulsing as it clawed at itself in desperation. Nagi gritted his teeth, holding on with everything he had, his glow intensifying with every moment.
The beast thrashed a little more before flinging him off but Nagi, managing to keep his composure and landed feet first on the ground, his shoes skidding across the concrete. With a quick twist Nagi spun on his heel and sprinted down the street continuing down an alley.
Nagi's feet slapped against the pavement as he sprinted into a narrow alley, his chest heaving with every breath. The beast's snarls grew fainter behind him, the sound swallowed by the echo of his frantic footsteps. He risked a glance over his shoulder—nothing. For the first time since the chase began, the silence pressed in, and for a fleeting moment, he dared to think he was in the clear.
His heart pounded as he slowed, his hands braced on his knees while he gasped for air. The street ahead was empty, bathed in pale moonlight. "Okay," he muttered, his voice shaky. "Just… a little further. I'm almost home." He wiped the sweat from his brow, standing upright. But as his breathing steadied, an eerie sound sliced through the quiet—the wet, sickening crunch of bone and flesh shifting unnaturally.
Nagi froze, his blood running cold. Slowly, he turned.
The beast stood at the alley's entrance, its body contorting and warping as though something inside it was trying to claw its way out. Its limbs stretched grotesquely, new joints cracking into place. Shadowy tendrils seeped from its skin, expanding into jagged, claw-like protrusions. Its head tilted at an unnatural angle, empty sockets glowing with a malevolent light.
"You.. cannot be serious.." Nagi whispered, stumbling back. Nagi's body shifted slightly, preparing to run but the creature lunged forward with terrifying speed, closing the distance in seconds. Nagi spun and bolted, his panic-fueled sprint carrying him down the alley and into the open street. He zigzagged through the empty roads, his mind racing.
Why can't I shake this thing? Why won't it leave me alone?
Suddenly, a heavy force slammed into his back, driving him to the ground. The impact knocked the air from his lungs, and pain shot through his chest as his body skidded across the pavement.
Before he could recover, the beast was on top of him, its massive claws pinning his shoulders to the ground. Its face loomed inches from his own. Nagi grimaced, his arms trembling as he pressed against its claws, trying to keep its weight from crushing him.
The beast snarled, its claws pressing harder, and Nagi felt his strength faltering. Gritting his teeth, he summoned the last of his energy, his hands igniting with that ethereal glow. He shoved his palms against the beast's arms, releasing a burst of energy.
Nothing.
The light fizzled out the moment it touched the creature's shadowy form. Nagi's chest tightened as he felt his power slipping away, his energy draining faster than he could replenish it.
"Come on.." he muttered desperately, his voice strained. He pushed again, another feeble flash of light crackling from his fingertips. The beast barely flinched, its claws digging deeper as it pressed closer.
Nagi's vision blurred, his muscles screaming in protest. He felt the cold edge of hopelessness creeping in—until the ground beneath him began to tremble.
From the distance, the earth cracked with a low, resonant rumble. Suddenly, massive vines and roots burst from the ground, twisting through the air like serpents. They shot toward the beast with incredible speed, coiling around its limbs and torso.
The creature screeched, its claws ripping free of Nagi's shoulders as the vines yanked it backward. It thrashed violently, its jagged limbs tearing through the air, but the vines held firm, dragging it away from Nagi and slamming it into the pavement with a deafening crash.
Nagi lay there, gasping for air, his chest heaving as he stared in disbelief. The vines continued to wrap around the beast, locking it in place as smaller roots erupted around its limbs, securing it like iron chains.
Shaking, Nagi pushed himself to his feet, his legs unsteady beneath him. He turned toward the source of the vines, his heart racing.
Through the haze of dust and flickering streetlights, a figure emerged from the shadows, stepping forward with deliberate ease. Nagi stood, his chest heaving as his pulse began to steady. The terror that had gripped him moments ago drifted away, replaced by a cautious sense of relief.
Even through his blurred vision, two familiar details pierced the haze, steadying him in the chaos. The glint of an ear piercing catching the dim light and the sight of a lazily unbuttoned, wrinkled shirt.
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