Shadow of the Fallen

Title: The First Glimpse of Darkness

Jin Soo woke up to an ordinary morning in his quiet hometown. Just another day of high school, assignments, and hanging out with his friends. As he walked to school, he noticed that the streets seemed emptier than usual. A chill ran down his spine, but he brushed it off as just the autumn wind.

The day passed by quietly until the last period. As the teacher went on with the lecture, Jin Soo's mind started to wander. That's when he saw something strange out the window—a figure, cloaked in darkness, standing at the edge of the schoolyard. No face, no distinct features, just a tall shadow that seemed to flicker and distort.

He blinked, but it was gone.

Curiosity turned to unease. When the bell rang, he hurried to find his best friend, Min Jae. Maybe it was just a trick of the light, he thought. Or maybe he was just tired.

As he waited for Min Jae by the lockers, Jin Soo overheard whispers. Students were talking about a missing classmate. This wasn't the first disappearance in town. People had been vanishing without a trace, their families left with nothing but empty rooms and unanswered questions. But to Jin Soo, this felt different. For some reason, he couldn't shake the image of that shadow in the schoolyard.

After school, Jin Soo and Min Jae went to their usual hangout spot at the edge of town, a small clearing near the woods. Min Jae noticed Jin Soo was unusually quiet.

"What's up, Jin?" Min Jae asked, tossing a rock into the woods.

"Have you ever... seen something that shouldn't be there?" Jin Soo replied, still unsettled.

Min Jae laughed. "Like a ghost?"

Jin Soo forced a smile. "Maybe. It just felt real, that's all."

They sat in silence, watching the sun set. The sky turned dark, and soon, the only light was from the distant streetlamps. Jin Soo was about to suggest heading back when he saw it again—a shadow, lurking at the edge of the clearing. But this time, it was closer, and it seemed to be watching them.

Jin Soo froze. The shadow was no trick of the light. It felt… alive. Its dark form started to move toward them, silent and unnatural.

"Min Jae…" Jin Soo whispered, unable to look away. "Do you see that?"

Min Jae turned, his face going pale. He could see it too.

Before they could react, the shadow lunged. Jin Soo felt a sudden, intense fear. His body wouldn't move, his mind blank with terror.

But then, something strange happened. A figure jumped out from the darkness and stood between them and the shadow creature. It was a young woman with fierce eyes, dressed in black armor that glinted under the faint moonlight. She wielded a sword made of shimmering light, cutting through the darkness with ease.

With a swift motion, she sliced through the shadow creature, which evaporated with an unearthly scream. Jin Soo and Min Jae stood there, stunned, barely processing what had happened.

The woman turned to them, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Jin Soo. "So, you're finally awake," she said, almost like it was an accusation. "You're not safe here. They're coming for you."

Before he could ask what, she meant, the woman vanished into the night as swiftly as she had appeared.

The two friends stood there, shaken and confused. They didn't know it yet, but their lives had changed forever.

To Be Continue.....