Eclipse Of Shadows

chapter 15

As the group began to unwind, sharing small jokes and stories around the card table, a sense of normalcy started to creep back into their lives. The horrors of the past few days seemed to fade into the background, if only for a moment. However, this fragile peace was short-lived.

Late into the evening, just as they were beginning to relax, the atmosphere in the room shifted. A cold breeze blew through the cabin, extinguishing the flames of the candles, plunging them into darkness. The group froze, instincts honed by recent battles kicking in immediately.

"Something’s here," Namjoon whispered, his voice barely audible in the silence.

Before anyone could react, a shadowy figure materialized in the center of the room. The creature’s presence was suffocating, its form twisting and shifting like smoke. It didn’t waste any time; its target was clear.

In a flash, the creature lunged at J-Hope, the second weakest among them. He tried to dodge, but the monster was too fast. It struck him with a force that sent him crashing into the wall, his body crumpling to the ground. The group erupted into action, but the creature’s assault was relentless. It unleashed a barrage of attacks, each one more brutal than the last, leaving J-Hope barely conscious.

"Get away from him!" Taehyung shouted, his voice trembling with fury. But his powers, which had just returned, were still unstable, not enough to fend off the creature’s vicious onslaught.

Jimin rushed to J-Hope’s side, attempting to shield him from further harm, but the creature swatted him away effortlessly. The others tried to intervene, but the creature was too strong, too determined.

"Enough!" Yoongi, still weak but fueled by desperation, summoned the last remnants of his strength to strike at the creature, managing to drive it back, if only for a moment.

The creature hissed in anger, its eyes glowing with malevolent intent, before it vanished into the shadows as quickly as it had appeared, leaving the group in stunned silence.

J-Hope lay on the floor, breathing heavily, his face pale and drenched in sweat. He wasn’t on his deathbed, but he was close—far too close for comfort.

Bella rushed to his side, her hands shaking as she checked his pulse. "He’s alive, but barely," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

"Someone get him on the bed," Namjoon ordered, his voice trembling with barely concealed fear. "We need to keep him stable until we can figure out what to do."

As they carefully lifted J-Hope and laid him on one of the cabin’s worn-out beds, a heavy silence fell over the room. The gravity of the situation hung in the air, thick and suffocating.

"I thought we were safe here," Jin murmured, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Nowhere’s safe," Jungkook replied, his tone grim. "Not until we end this once and for all."

But as they looked at each other, the fear and uncertainty slowly began to dissipate. They were still standing, still fighting, and now, more than ever, they were determined not to let each other fall.

Taehyung, still reeling from the attack, found himself staring at J-Hope’s unconscious form. His powers may have returned, but they had failed him when it mattered most. He clenched his fists, a fierce determination burning in his chest.

"We’re not letting him die," Taehyung said, his voice steady and strong. "We’ll find a way to heal him. And we’ll end this nightmare for good."

Namjoon placed a hand on his shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze. "We will. Together."

Slowly, the tension in the room began to ease again. It was a fragile peace, one that could shatter at any moment, but for now, they held onto it. They had survived another attack, and though J-Hope was gravely injured, he was still with them.