Unravel:tales of the hollow dragon

As Oscar set off for home, the night felt unnaturally quiet, save for the faint sound of something shifting in the darkness. Curiosity sparked his instinct, and against his better judgment, he followed the sound into a dimly lit alley.

What he saw froze him in his tracks. A man cloaked in black stood at the center of the alley, his body surrounded by writhing shadows. The shadows moved unnaturally, as though alive, absorbing the light and energy from everything around them. Streetlamps flickered, the air grew cold, and even the ground seemed to lose its warmth.

Oscar stepped back, but it was too late. The shadow-cloaked man turned, his eyes glowing an ominous red as he grinned with malevolent glee.

"Well, what do we have here?" the man sneered. With a flick of his hand, the shadows surged forward, enveloping Oscar.

Before Oscar could react, his body was paralyzed. His limbs refused to move, and his mind struggled to comprehend what was happening.

"You feel it, don't you?" the man said, stepping closer. "The helplessness. The fear. Your shadow is mine now, boy. And soon… so will you."

Oscar's instincts screamed for him to use his Retract ability, but it was useless. The shadow-man smirked knowingly.

"Your powers mean nothing here," he hissed. "Once I take your shadow, I suppress everything—your abilities, your will, even your soul."

As Oscar struggled, the man prepared to deliver the final blow, but a sharp, blinding light tore through the shadows, forcing him to recoil. A figure stepped into the alley, wielding a sleek, glowing gun.

"Let him go," Sam said, his voice calm but firm.

The shadow-man chuckled, his confidence unshaken. "And who are you supposed to be? Another lamb to the slaughter?"

Sam raised his gun, aiming directly at the man's chest. "Let's find out."

Without warning, Sam fired a non-existing bullet—a shot that materialized only upon impact. The bullet struck the shadow-man's side, causing him to stagger and snarl in pain.

"Impressive," the shadow-man growled. "But you're not the only one with tricks."

The shadows around him surged, forming jagged spears that launched toward Sam. Sam dodged effortlessly, firing another shot that ripped through the darkness.

The alley became a battlefield, shadows clashing against light. Sam moved with precision, each shot landing with devastating accuracy, but the shadow-man was relentless, his attacks growing fiercer with every passing moment.

"I've underestimated you," the man admitted, his voice low and venomous. "But it won't matter. Do you know who I am?"

Sam didn't respond, his focus unbroken as he dodged another wave of shadowy tendrils.

"I am Zein," the man continued, his voice dripping with malice. "The 10th member of the Twelve Stars. You're nothing but a footnote in my story!"

Sam smirked. "Then let's rewrite it."

The fight escalated, with Sam's bullets cutting through the shadows while Zein's attacks grew more erratic and desperate. Finally, Sam fired a shot directly at Zein's chest, the bullet exploding on impact.

Zein staggered, his body flickering as the shadows around him began to dissipate.

"No… this isn't over!" Zein roared, his voice echoing as his form began to unravel. "You don't understand what you're up against!"

With a final, agonized scream, Zein dissolved into nothingness, l heaving the alley silent once more.

Sam lowered his weapon, breathing heavily. He turned to Oscar, who was still shaken but alive.

"You okay?" Sam asked, helping him to his feet.

Oscar nodded weakly. "Yeah… but what the hell was that?"

Sam's expression darkened. "Something big. And this is just the beginning."

Far away, in a hidden chamber illuminated by a faint, otherworldly glow, four figures watched the events unfold through a shimmering magical projection. They were the Four Great Elders, who lead the Twelve Stars.

One of them, a man with piercing eyes and white hair, spoke first. "Zein was reckless. His arrogance was his downfall."

Another elder, cloaked in shadow, nodded. "But his mission served its purpose. He confirmed the boy's potential. The wielder of Retract is not to be underestimated."

The third elder, a woman with a scarred face and a cold smile, leaned forward. "What of the weapon? Did Zein have it?"

The white-haired elder tapped his staff against the ground. "Yes. Zein carried the fragment, though he likely didn't understand its full power. It's why we allowed him to act freely—so we could observe him and the boy."

The final elder, silent until now, spoke in a deep, resonant voice. "The fragment must not fall into their hands. Send word to the others. We will deal with the boy and his allies ourselves."

The projection faded, leaving the elders in darkness.

Back in the alley, Oscar turned to Sam, confusion and determination mixing in his eyes.

"What's the Twelve Stars?" he asked.

Sam's expression hardened. "A group you don't want to mess with. But it looks like we don't have a choice. As they"walked away, the weight of what had just happened settled over them. Unbeknownst to them, the Four Great Elders had already set their sights on them, and the true battle was only just beginning.