Xu Wang, Li Wang, and Mei Ling, Zhu Sun's daughter, arrived at a remote vilge nestled within the mountains. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and damp earth. As they walked along the narrow dirt path, Xu Wang noticed the vilgers moving quietly, eyes downcast and shoulders hunched, as if burdened by an unseen weight.

  “This pce feels... wrong,” Li Wang murmured, her fingers tightening around Xu’s arm. Her eyes darted nervously, shadows seeming to flicker at the edges of her vision.

  Mei Ling, always composed and analytical, scanned the area. “They’re afraid of something. We should be cautious.”

  They found an inn at the edge of the vilge, its wooden walls creaking under the mountain breeze. A faded sign hung above the entrance, swaying weakly. Inside, the air was warm but stifling, the dim nterns casting eerie shadows across the walls.

  The inn manager, a wiry old man with tired eyes and thinning gray hair, greeted them with a wary smile. His gaze lingered on Mei Ling, his lips twitching as if he wanted to speak but thought better of it.

  “Travelers, eh? Not many pass through these parts,” he muttered, leading them to their modest rooms. “You’re brave to be out after dark.”

  Xu Wang gnced at the man’s weathered face. “Why? Is something happening here?”

  The inn manager hesitated, his fingers twitching nervously. His voice dropped to a whisper, “People... they’ve been disappearing. No trace. No sound. Just gone.” His eyes flicked toward the windows, shadows seeming to dance just beyond the gss. “Some say it’s spirits. Others... they speak of shadows with no master.”

  Li Wang shivered, rubbing her arms as she leaned closer to Xu. “Shadows with no master? What does that mean?”

  Mei Ling’s expression hardened. “Superstitions. Yet, fear like this doesn’t spread without reason.” Her eyes narrowed. “How many have vanished?”

  The old man’s face paled. “Six in the st month. Children, elders... no one is safe. They say the shadows come at night. They whisper to you... lure you out... then nothing.” He looked down, his shoulders sagging. “My own grandson was taken st week. He was just ten...” His voice cracked, his hands trembling as he gripped the doorframe.

  Xu Wang pced a hand on the man’s shoulder. “We’ll keep an eye out. But tell me... is there a temple nearby? We’re looking for a pce of power.”

  The old man’s expression shifted, his gaze drifting toward the window. “Yes, an ancient temple lies beyond the forest, up the northern hill. But no one goes there. It’s... cursed.” He straightened, his face hardening. “Heed my warning. Stay in your rooms at night. Lock your doors. Pray the shadows pass you by.”

  Mei Ling’s eyes flickered with curiosity. “A curse... or perhaps something else. We should investigate that temple.”

  “Not tonight,” Xu Wang said, his voice firm. “We rest first. We’ll need our strength.”

  As night fell, an uneasy silence settled over the vilge. Xu Wang y on his cot, his senses heightened. A cold breeze seeped through the cracks of the window, carrying with it a whisper—a faint, chilling echo that made his skin crawl.

  Li Wang sat near the window, her eyes distant. “Those shadows... do you think they’re connected to the Trial of Shadows?”

  Xu Wang shook his head. “I don’t know. But we should be ready for anything.”

  Mei Ling was by the door, her back rigid. “I don’t trust this pce. The fear here... it’s suffocating. Almost as if it’s feeding on them.” She looked at Xu Wang, her eyes sharp. “If we stay, we’ll draw its attention.”

  Xu Wang frowned. “You’re saying it’s sentient?”

  Mei Ling’s lips tightened. “I’m saying whatever it is, it’s hunting. And we’ve just made ourselves the best prey.”

  A sudden cold draft blew through the room, extinguishing the ntern’s fme. Shadows danced along the walls, stretching unnaturally. Xu Wang’s heart raced as he moved to the window.

  His breath caught. Figures cloaked in darkness, their shapes barely human, drifted soundlessly through the streets below. Their movements were unnatural, their limbs bending at odd angles. One shadow floated toward a nearby house, its form slipping through the door without resistance. Moments ter, a muffled cry echoed through the night—then silence.

  Mei Ling cursed under her breath. “They’re hunting.”

  One figure paused, its head slowly turning upward. Xu Wang’s heart skipped a beat as hollow eyes, void of life, locked with his. The creature’s mouth stretched into a grotesque grin, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

  A whisper echoed in his mind, cold and hollow. “Join us...”

  The shadow moved, dissolving into the darkness, leaving only the echo of its voice behind.

  Xu Wang’s blood ran cold. He turned to wake Li Wang, but before he could speak, a faint thud came from the hallway, followed by a muffled scream.

  Mei Ling’s face hardened. “They’re inside.”

  Xu Wang’s eyes widened. “Then we fight.”

  They heard scratching at the door, a raspy voice whispering, “Join us... join us...”

  Li Wang’s hands shook, shadows flickering in her eyes. “Xu... they’re calling me.”

  The door creaked, wood splintering.

  To be continued.......