Shadow of the Fallen

Chapter 21: An Unexpected Betrayal

After the battle at the village, the group returned to their camp, weary but determined. However, an air of unease lingered. Jin Soo couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

That night, as the others slept, he stood watch near the edge of the camp. The forest was unnervingly quiet, the usual sounds of wildlife absent.

Suddenly, he sensed a presence behind him. Spinning around, he saw a figure cloaked in shadow. But this time, it wasn't a warrior—it was someone familiar.

"Hye Rin?" Jin Soo asked, his voice laced with confusion.

The figure stepped forward, and the light from his tether illuminated her face. It was Hye Rin, but her eyes glowed with an unnatural darkness.

"You've grown strong, Jin Soo," she said, her voice cold and distant. "But strength alone won't save you."

Before he could react, she lunged at him, her movements impossibly fast. Jin Soo barely managed to dodge, his tether flaring instinctively.

The commotion woke the others, who rushed to his aid. "What's going on?" Eun Ha demanded, her sword drawn.

"It's Hye Rin," Jin Soo said, his voice trembling. "She's… not herself."

Hye Rin smirked, her form flickering as if she were caught between two states. "You trusted me," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "And now, you'll pay the price."

The group hesitated, unable to reconcile the Hye Rin they knew with the enemy before them. But as she attacked again, they realized they had no choice but to fight.

Jin Soo's heart ached as he clashed with her, each strike feeling like a betrayal. "This isn't you!" he shouted. "Fight it!"

For a moment, her movements faltered, and a flicker of her old self shone through. "Jin Soo…" she whispered, her voice filled with anguish.

But the darkness quickly reclaimed her, and the battle raged on.

TO BE CONTINUED...