NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18: Shadows of the City
Chapter 18: Shadows of the City
The city lay in eerie silence, a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped. The once bustling streets were now deserted, overgrown with vines and littered with rubble. Denver and his friends stood at the edge of the city, their breathing heavy, their weapons bloodied.
Denver: "This place… it's worse than I remember."
Kartik, limping slightly, scanned the surroundings. "If the monsters haven't overrun it yet, something else has."
Priyanshu adjusted his grip on his sword, his eyes sharp. "Let's not stick around to find out. Denver, where's your parents' house?"
Denver pointed down a narrow alleyway. "Not far. Just a few blocks from here."
Sam, still visibly drained from controlling the monster, leaned against a crumbling wall. "I'll try to keep up, but don't expect me to be much use in a fight right now."
Priyanshu: "We'll protect you. Just stay close."
They moved cautiously through the city, their footsteps echoing in the empty streets. The buildings loomed over them like silent sentinels, their windows shattered, their walls scarred by battle.
---
Encounter in the Shadows
As they turned a corner, a low growl rumbled through the air. Denver froze, his dagger instinctively rising.
Kartik: "Did you hear that?"
Before anyone could answer, a monstrous figure emerged from the shadows. Unlike the creatures they had fought earlier, this one was larger, its body covered in jagged, obsidian-like scales. Its glowing red eyes locked onto the group, and it let out a deafening roar.
Denver: "We've got company!"
The beast lunged, its massive claws swiping at them. Denver rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. Priyanshu countered with a slash of his sword, but the blade barely scratched the creature's thick hide.
Priyanshu: "Damn it! This thing's tougher than the others!"
Kartik hurled a sharpened bone spear, aiming for its eye. The creature roared in pain as the spear struck true, but it only seemed to enrage it further.
Kartik: "We need a plan, and we need it now!"
Sam, still weakened, tried to focus on the beast, but her energy faltered. "I can't control it… it's too strong."
Denver gritted his teeth, his mind racing. "We'll have to take it down the old-fashioned way. Priyanshu, distract it. Kartik, aim for the joints. Sam, stay back!"
---
The Brutal Battle
The beast charged at Priyanshu, its claws tearing through the ground as it ran. Priyanshu dodged to the side, his sword slashing at its leg. The blade found a weak spot, and the creature stumbled slightly, but it quickly regained its footing.
Denver darted in from the other side, his dagger plunging into the creature's exposed flank. It roared, twisting around to swipe at him. Denver ducked, the claws missing him by inches.
Denver: "Kartik, now!"
Kartik hurled another spear, this time aiming for the creature's knee. The makeshift weapon struck its mark, and the beast collapsed onto one leg, snarling in rage.
Priyanshu seized the opportunity, his sword slicing through the creature's neck. Black blood sprayed across the street as the beast let out a final, guttural growl before collapsing.
Priyanshu: "Is it dead?"
Denver nudged the creature with his boot, his dagger at the ready. "Yeah, it's dead."
Kartik: "Good. Because I'm out of spears, and I don't think I could handle another one of those."
---
A Troubling Discovery
The group continued their journey, their nerves on edge. They reached Denver's parents' house, a modest two-story building that had somehow remained intact amidst the destruction.
Denver: "Here it is."
They entered cautiously, their weapons drawn. The interior was dark and dusty, the furniture covered in sheets. Denver moved to a bookshelf, his hands trembling as he searched for something.
Kartik: "What are you looking for?"
Denver: "My father's journal. He used to keep notes about everything… if there's a clue about the map or this world, it'll be here."
After a few tense moments, Denver found the journal hidden behind a stack of old books. He opened it, his eyes scanning the pages.
Denver: "It's here. He wrote about the map. He mentioned something about a 'central control.' A way to disrupt the monsters' hive mind."
Sam, her voice weak but determined, stepped closer. "If we can find this central control, we might stand a chance."
Priyanshu frowned. "And where exactly is it?"
Denver flipped through the journal, his brow furrowing. "It doesn't say. But there's a symbol here… I've seen it before. It was on the map."
Kartik: "Then that's our next lead. But we're not going anywhere until we rest."
---
The Night's Unease
They barricaded the doors and windows, using whatever furniture they could find. Exhausted, the group settled into the living room. Priyanshu kept watch near the window, his sword resting across his lap.
Denver sat with the journal, his eyes scanning every word, searching for answers. Sam leaned against the wall, her eyes closed, her breathing steady.
Kartik: "Do you think we'll ever make it out of this alive?"
Denver didn't look up from the journal. "We have to. There's no other choice."
As the night wore on, an uneasy silence settled over the group. Outside, the distant growls of monsters echoed through the city, a grim reminder that their fight was far from over.
---