RENA : Shadows Awaken

The forest seemed to call to Rena, its relentless murmurs resonating like an ancient voice in her mind. She stepped back slowly, her eyes fixed on the darkness where the yellow eyes had vanished. Beside her, Lucas stood on edge, his gaze constantly scanning their surroundings. His hand brushed the pocket of his jacket as if ready to draw an invisible weapon.

**"Rena,"** he murmured, his voice low and firm, **"don't look at them for too long. The shadows… they can feel your fear."**

She turned her head toward him, confusion and anger burning in her eyes.

**"You keep talking in riddles, Lucas! Tell me what's really going on. What are these things? Why me?"**

Before he could answer, a loud sound echoed from the woods—a sharp crack followed by a low, rumbling growl. The trees themselves seemed to shiver. A massive, blurry shadow detached briefly from the dark mass before vanishing again. The ground beneath their feet vibrated slightly, as though issuing a warning.

Lucas placed both hands firmly on Rena's shoulders, his dark eyes locking onto hers.

**"Listen to me. Whatever's in that forest, it's part of a world that existed long before ours. The shadows… they've always been here, but they need a catalyst to awaken. And you, Rena…"** He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. **"You are their key."**

Rena stepped back, shaking her head. **"No, no… I don't want to be a key or anything else. I just want to be me."**

Lucas gazed at her with a mix of compassion and gravity. **"You didn't choose this life, but it chose you. You're connected to an ancient force, something beyond human understanding. But if you don't accept it, these shadows will consume you… and everything you love with you."**

A cold shiver ran down Rena's spine. She wanted to run, but a part of her knew he was right. The glow on her back, the strange language that had slipped from her lips, the energy bubbling inside her… none of it could be ignored. Yet she wasn't ready to face the inevitable.

Another noise broke the silence, closer this time. A more distinct shadow emerged between the trunks, moving like a living mist. It seemed to watch, evaluate, and wait. Then a chilling whisper reached them, a discordant voice both distant and terrifyingly close. The words, though incomprehensible, brushed against Rena's ears like a soft but commanding invitation.

Rena's heart raced. She turned to Lucas, but he had already pulled a shining object from his pocket—a pendant shaped like an ancient cross, etched with faintly glowing symbols.

**"Stay behind me,"** he ordered, his voice firm. **"Don't answer them, no matter what they say. They'll try to lure you. They know what you are."**

Rena opened her mouth to reply, but the ground trembled again, cutting her off. The branches of the trees began to sway as if stirred by an unseen wind. The mist thickened, slowly engulfing everything around them.

Then, she saw them. Figures took shape in the fog, vaguely human but distorted. Their movements were fluid, almost like a dance, and their forms seemed to dissolve and reform constantly. Rena felt a chill run down her spine, but she couldn't look away.

One of the figures stepped forward, drawing closer until it was mere meters away. Its yellow eyes glimmered in the fog. A soft, melodic voice broke the discordant whispers:

**"Rena… lost goddess. Return to us. You are ours."**

Rena felt an invisible force pulling her, a familiar, almost comforting warmth. But before she could take a step, Lucas stepped in front of her, raising his pendant. A bright light burst from the object, cutting through the shadows and forcing the figures to retreat with a piercing, otherworldly screech.

A deeper, more terrifying cry shattered the air, as if the forest itself was expressing its rage. A colossal shadow began to emerge from the darkness, ready to cross the boundary of the woods. Rena felt her breath catch, the malevolent energy becoming almost unbearable.

Suddenly, the roar of an engine broke through the oppressive silence. A black car with tinted windows swerved into view, screeching to a halt just a few meters away. Before it even stopped completely, the back door swung open violently. A young woman with short hair and piercing eyes leaned out, shouting in a firm voice:

**"Get in! Now!"**

Without hesitation, Lucas grabbed Rena by the arm and pushed her toward the car. The shadows, seemingly alerted by the noise, surged forward, crossing the forest's edge. The ground seemed to quake under their approach.

**"Hurry up!"** the young woman yelled as Lucas climbed in right after Rena.

Barely had the doors closed when the car sped off, its tires screeching against the gravel. Rena, breathless, looked out the rear window. The shadows had stopped at the edge of the road, their shapeless forms writhing in frustration.

**"You're lucky I got here in time,"** the driver said without taking her eyes off the road. **"Those shadows wouldn't have hesitated to follow you."**

Rena, trembling, turned to Lucas. **"Who is she? What just happened? And why do they call me… a goddess?"**

Lucas, still catching his breath, stared at Rena with an intensity that was almost painful. **"They're not lying. To them, you are a goddess—or rather, what they want you to become. But we'll make sure you don't become their weapon."**

Rena voice trembling, snapped:

**"That's enough! Lucas, I want to go home right now! I'm done with all this! This goddess stuff, shadows, or whatever… Keep your nonsense, but I'm leaving!"**

The driver, her hands firm on the wheel, calmly interrupted:

**"That's not going to happen, princess. We need to get you somewhere safe, and fast."**

Rena exploded in anger:

**"I refuse! Stop this car and let me out! And by the way, I don't even know you! What's your problem?!"**

Shela slightly turned her head, a mischievous smile on her lips:

**"Me? I'm Shela. And you must be Maddie, right?"**

Rena, confused, tried to make sense of it:

**"Maddie?! What? No! Maddie stayed at the party! Quick, we need to go back; she's all alone there!"**

Lucas answered in a sharp, cutting tone:

**"No. Maddie's fine. The shadows aren't after her."**

Shela, realizing the weight of what she'd just heard, exclaimed with a mix of surprise and seriousness:

**"Wait, wait, what? Maddie stayed back there? Then who the hell are you?"**

Rena, bewildered and furious, snapped back:

**"Me?! I'm Rena! And Maddie's my best friend! I don't know what you're waiting for, but she's in danger!"**

Shela let out a dramatic sigh before her tone turned serious:

**"Okay, great… So, what does this mean, Lucas?"**

Shela shot a stern glance at Lucas through the rearview mirror. Lucas, visibly uncomfortable, held his face, clearly troubled.

**"Care to explain, Lucas? Right now!"**

Lucas remained silent for a moment, looking overwhelmed, while Rena glared at both of them, growing increasingly confused and angry.