The Hunter Saga - The book of shadows

chapter 3 - Darkness looms

Baxter stood at the edge of the chasm, the quiet hill stretching out before him. The way out lay in front of him, but it was fraught with danger. A dark and derelict house stood at the end of the chasm, looming ominously against the gray sky. Baxter shivered as he gazed at the ancient building, the air around it heavy with an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

As he made his way towards the house, Baxter's senses were on high alert. The air was thick with an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of his own footsteps. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, that unseen eyes were following his every move.

Creeping closer to the house, Baxter could hear strange noises coming from within. Whispers and guttural growls filled the air, sending a chill down his spine. Taking a deep breath, he ventured inside, stepping cautiously through the creaking door.

The first floor of the house was dark and musty, the air thick with the scent of decay. Baxter felt a shiver run down his spine as he cautiously made his way through the shadowy rooms. And then he heard it - the sound of a man's voice, speaking in hushed tones to something unseen.

Peering around a corner, Baxter's heart skipped a beat as he saw the man standing in front of a group of strange creatures. They were like nothing he had ever seen before - twisted and grotesque, with sharp claws and glowing eyes. Baxter held his breath, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

And then it happened. With a bloodcurdling scream, the man was ripped apart by the creatures, his soul torn from his chest in a swirl of dark energy. Baxter's breath caught in his throat as he watched in horror, too frozen in shock to move.

Before he could react, Baxter was grabbed roughly by the shoulders and thrown out the nearest window. Pain shot through his body as he hit the ground, but he pushed through it, scrambling to his feet. In that moment, instinct took over, and Baxter drew his gun, firing a flurry of silver bullets at the creatures.

The creatures howled in pain as the bullets found their mark, hitting their targets with deadly precision. The last remaining creatures fled, leaving Baxter standing alone amidst the carnage. He reloaded his gun with shaking hands, his heart pounding in his chest as he made his way back into the house.

The lantern at his belt flickered, casting a sickly green light over the scene before him. And then, like a projector, it began to show the man's memories on the wall. Baxter watched in horror as the events of the night played out before him, the man's final moments forever etched in his mind.

As he made his way through the house, Baxter's mind raced with questions. What were those creatures? Why had they attacked the man? And most importantly, what was their connection to the chasm and the dark energy that seemed to pulse through it?

Driven by a burning curiosity, Baxter delved deeper into the mysteries of the house, determined to uncover the truth behind the strange events that had unfolded before him. With each step he took, the darkness seemed to grow thicker, enveloping him in a veil of shadows.

And then, as he reached the upper floors of the house, Baxter discovered a hidden chamber. The walls were covered in strange symbols and arcane markings, the air heavy with the scent of something ancient and powerful. And in the center of the room, he found a portal - a swirling vortex of dark energy that seemed to pulse with a malevolent force.

His heart racing, Baxter knew that he had stumbled upon something beyond his wildest imagination. The portal beckoned to him, with a monstrous-like voice offering only a glimpse of what was on the other side before abruptly closing.