Greenway Passage

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𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕂𝕣𝕠𝕙𝕝 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕂𝕟𝕖𝕝𝕝
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Kʀᴏʜʟ ᴀɴᴅ Kɴᴇʟʟ ᴀʀᴇ Cᴀᴛᴇɢᴏʀʏ II, Kᴀɪᴊɴ-ᴄʟᴀss Kʀʏᴘᴛɪᴅs ʜᴀᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ Mᴏʀʀᴏᴡᴍᴇʀᴇ ᴏɴ Pᴀʀʀᴏs Isʟᴀɴᴅ. Bᴏʀɴ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ Rᴇᴀᴘᴇʀ’s ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇʀʀᴏʀ sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴅʀᴏᴡɴᴇᴅ sᴇᴛᴛʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ, ᴛʜᴇsᴇ sɪɴɪsᴛᴇʀ ᴄʟᴏᴡɴs sʜᴀʀᴇ ʟɪɴᴋᴇᴅ ᴄᴏʀᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʀᴇɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴛᴏʀᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ. Tʜᴇɪʀ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ, Bʟᴀᴄᴋ Pᴀʀᴀʟʏsᴇs, ᴄᴏᴍʙɪɴᴇs Kʀᴏʜʟ’s ᴡᴀᴋɪɴɢ ғᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴀɴɪғᴇsᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴡɪᴛʜ Kɴᴇʟʟ’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅʟʏ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ɪɴᴠᴀsɪᴏɴs, ᴜsɪɴɢ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ʙᴀʟʟᴏᴏɴs ᴛᴏ ɢᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ғᴇᴀʀ, ᴍᴀʀᴋ ᴠɪᴄᴛɪᴍs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴇʟᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ. Kʀᴏʜʟ ɪs ᴛʜᴇᴀᴛʀɪᴄᴀʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍɪsᴄʜɪᴇᴠᴏᴜs, ᴡʜɪʟᴇ Kɴᴇʟʟ ɪs ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴀʟᴄᴜʟᴀᴛɪɴɢ; ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ғᴏʀᴍs ʀᴇsᴇᴍʙʟᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏʟᴏssᴀʟ ᴡᴏʟғ sᴘɪᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏʀʀᴜᴘᴛᴇᴅ ɢɪᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴜʀᴛʟᴇ. Tʜᴇʏ ᴘʀᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇ ᴠɪᴄᴛɪᴍs ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅʟʏ ғᴇᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛᴇʀʀᴏʀ, sᴇᴇᴋɪɴɢ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴛʜʀᴏᴡ Tʜᴇ Rᴇᴀᴘᴇʀ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀʟʟɪᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴs. Pᴇʀᴍᴀɴᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴋɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʀᴇᴏ̨ᴜɪʀᴇs ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴏʏɪɴɢ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴄᴏʀᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏxɪᴍᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ᴛᴇɴ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅs ᴏғ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ.

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The bubbling remains of the reptilian Kryptid marked the beginning of something considerably more sinister than a simple encounter with a dangerous creature. Although its mangled body had been reduced to little more than a darkened mass of flesh and shattered scales, the reddishblack vapor rising from its remains continued spreading throughout the surrounding vegetation, drifting between exposed roots and patches of damp soil. The strange substance possessed an almost unnatural awareness of its surroundings, flowing against the direction of the wind while gradually disappearing into the shadows beneath the trees. Farther within the wilderness, Krohl remained unusually silent as he stared in the direction of Greenway Passage, his expression caught somewhere between disappointment and amusement. Knell, on the other hand, had already begun recognizing the opportunity presented by the reptile's untimely destruction, particularly as the resulting commotion provided an excellent distraction for their next move. Neither clown possessed any intention of approaching the Noktis procession directly, especially considering the apparent capabilities of Ivy and Jiwoo, whose presence alone suggested that the organization had anticipated encountering dangerous Kryptids along the established route. Fortunately, direct confrontation had never been necessary for creatures whose supernatural abilities allowed them to transform the deepest fears of their victims into tangible nightmares. And with the first traces of their influence already spreading through the forest, the two brothers were preparing to demonstrate precisely why the residents of Morrowmere had learned to fear the sight of black balloons.

Krohl was the first to break the silence, suddenly throwing his head backward and releasing an exaggerated groan as though someone had personally offended him by interrupting an otherwise excellent performance. His fingers twitched impatiently at his sides while several black balloons descended from the surrounding canopy, their glossy surfaces reflecting distorted versions of his grinning face. Knell watched his twin's behavior before casually reaching toward one of the balloons and pulling it down by its string, allowing the supernatural object to hover directly before his face. Within its reflection appeared fragmented glimpses of Greenway Passage, including the surrounding trees, the lingering mist, and the faint outlines of the individuals traveling through the wilderness. Although the destroyed reptile could no longer function as their personal observer, the supernatural residue left behind provided an alternative connection through which the clowns could influence the immediate environment. More importantly, the students had already witnessed something unnatural enough to make them question the safety of their surroundings, establishing the perfect foundation for the psychological torment Krohl and Knell intended to unleash. Rather than immediately overwhelming the procession with grotesque manifestations, Knell proposed something considerably more entertaining, suggesting they allow the forest itself to become increasingly unfamiliar before introducing anything genuinely threatening. Krohl considered the suggestion for approximately three seconds before an enormous smile spread across his face, revealing multiple rows of sharpened teeth.​

A particularly unpleasant chuckle escaped Krohl's throat as he extended both arms outward, allowing several thin strands energy to spiral between his fingertips before disappearing into the surrounding atmosphere. Knell mirrored the gesture with considerably less enthusiasm, although the crooked smile gradually spreading across his face betrayed how much he was enjoying the prospect of manipulating an entire group simultaneously. The ground beneath their feet began trembling almost imperceptibly as their combined influence traveled through the passage, slipping beneath the vegetation and spreading outward through the interconnected shadows cast by the towering trees. Unlike ordinary illusions, the manifestations produced by the brothers were not limited to simple tricks of light or distortions of perception, possessing the ability to stimulate nearly every sensory response associated with genuine physical encounters. Victims could hear the creatures breathing, smell the decay clinging to their bodies, and experience the unmistakable pressure of claws dragging across their clothing or fingers wrapping around their limbs. Even the surrounding environment could respond accordingly, with branches appearing to snap beneath imaginary weight and patches of mud sinking beneath footsteps that technically belonged to nothing at all. However, the true danger came from the psychological connection established between the manifestations and those unfortunate enough to perceive them, allowing the brothers to intensify their creations according to the emotional responses they provoked. The more frightened an individual became, the more convincing their personal nightmare would appear, gradually transforming what began as an obvious supernatural disturbance into something nearly indistinguishable from reality.

Back along Greenway Passage, the first indication of their influence would manifest through the surrounding atmosphere rather than the sudden appearance of any recognizable creature. The relatively peaceful sounds of the wilderness gradually diminished as the chirping of birds became increasingly distant, followed by the disappearance of the gentle rustling normally produced by smaller animals moving through the vegetation. Even the afternoon sunlight seemed to lose some of its warmth, filtering through the canopy in strangely uneven patterns that caused certain sections of the forest to appear considerably darker than their surroundings. The vapor originating from the reptile's remains would continue spreading across the ground, gradually developing into a thin layer of pale mist that curled around exposed roots and accumulated within the narrow spaces separating the trees. Despite its appearance, the substance carried an unpleasant odor resembling damp earth, decomposing leaves, and something faintly metallic that became more noticeable whenever the breeze shifted. Somewhere beyond the visible trail, a low clicking noise began repeating at irregular intervals, occasionally accompanied by the unmistakable sound of something large dragging its body across the forest floor. None of these disturbances were particularly dramatic on their own, yet their combined effect created an atmosphere in which every ordinary movement seemed worthy of suspicion. And as the procession continued navigating the passage, several distant silhouettes began taking shape between the trees, remaining motionless whenever someone attempted to examine them directly.

The first manifestation to fully emerge was an enormous, hunched creature whose body appeared almost completely consumed by layers of hardened growths resembling overlapping pieces of diseased bark and irregular stone. Its grotesquely muscular frame supported an unusually broad skull, with clusters of bony protrusions covering its shoulders, arms, and the upper portion of its distorted face. Unlike an ordinary animal, the creature possessed a deeply unsettling resemblance to a human being, particularly around its mouth, where rows of elongated teeth formed an unnatural grin beneath a flattened, reptilian snout. Thick claws extended from its enormous hands, each one pressing into the muddy ground as it slowly emerged from behind a fallen tree approximately several dozen meters from the established path. The sound accompanying its movements was disturbingly convincing, with wet vegetation compressing beneath its weight and occasional cracking noises suggesting that the hardened plates covering its body were grinding against one another. Several moments later, a second figure appeared farther behind it, considerably taller and thinner, its elongated limbs resembling twisted branches covered in layers of peeling flesh and dead vegetation. Numerous dark, glossy eyes protruded from the front of its narrow head, each moving independently while its skeletal fingers curled around the trunk of a nearby tree. Neither creature immediately approached the procession, instead remaining partially obscured by the surrounding vegetation as though observing the unfamiliar travelers from a distance. This restraint was entirely intentional, as Knell understood that allowing the students to recognize the monsters before they became aggressive would give their imaginations sufficient time to construct fears considerably worse than anything the brothers could immediately demonstrate.

Meanwhile, Krohl had already begun working on something considerably more theatrical, enthusiastically shaping another collection of grotesque figures within the deeper portions of the forest. One possessed an unnaturally pale humanoid body with elongated arms, cracked skin, and a featureless head divided by an enormous vertical opening lined with overlapping rows of crooked teeth. Its shoulders hung forward beneath the weight of its oversized upper body, while blackened veins extended across its chest and disappeared beneath strips of decomposing fabric wrapped around its lower torso. Another manifestation resembled a horribly emaciated corpse whose exposed flesh had become intertwined with fungal growths, with broad mushroom-like formations extending from its shoulders and several smaller clusters protruding through its back. Farther to the right, an enormous bloated humanoid gradually emerged between two trees, its sagging grayish body covered in irregular patches of hardened tissue that seemed to swell and contract with every labored breath. The final creation possessed an animalistic appearance, combining the elongated limbs and angular features of a starving deer with the grotesque proportions of a malformed humanoid predator. Branching antlers extended from its skull like dead, sharpened roots, while its narrow jaws opened to reveal rows of teeth far more appropriate for a carnivorous reptile than any ordinary woodland animal. Each manifestation was deliberately positioned within a different section of the forest, creating the impression that numerous unrelated species of hostile Kryptids had independently surrounded the approaching procession. In reality, every one of the monstrosities remained connected to Krohl and Knell, their movements coordinated through an elaborate supernatural performance designed to exploit the students' growing uncertainty.​

What followed was a calculated escalation intended to undermine the Noktis escort's ability to maintain a unified formation. The hulking creature covered in hardened growths would suddenly lower its enormous body before releasing a deep, guttural growl that reverberated through the surrounding trees, causing several nearby branches to tremble despite the absence of any visible movement. Almost simultaneously, the pale humanoid farther ahead would emerge from behind a cluster of vegetation, dragging its elongated fingers across a tree trunk and leaving several deep scratches that appeared entirely genuine. The scraping noise possessed an unpleasant, high-pitched quality, resembling sharpened metal being dragged against bone, and continued long enough to draw attention toward its location. Before either manifestation could properly advance, the antlered predator would appear along the opposite side of the trail, its elongated forelimbs carrying it across the undergrowth in a series of disturbingly fluid movements. This sudden appearance would force anyone attempting to observe the original threats to divide their attention between multiple directions, providing the brothers with an opportunity to introduce additional disturbances beyond the visible perimeter. The fungal humanoid would briefly emerge from the vegetation before disappearing behind a tree, while the enormous bloated creature remained farther back, producing deep, irregular breathing noises that suggested something considerably larger was approaching. Even the many-eyed figure would begin repositioning itself, its elongated limbs allowing it to climb partially into the surrounding canopy while its numerous eyes remained fixed upon the travelers below. The intention was not necessarily to injure anyone immediately, but to create enough simultaneous threats that the Noktis personnel would naturally begin assigning attention and protection to separate portions of the procession.

Knell considered this stage particularly important, understanding that trained personnel were considerably less susceptible to ordinary intimidation than inexperienced students encountering hostile Kryptids for the first time. The soldiers accompanying the procession possessed equipment, experience, and presumably enough knowledge of Parros Island's wildlife to recognize that remaining together offered their best chance of surviving an unexpected confrontation. Consequently, the taller clown began introducing environmental inconsistencies intended to interfere with their ability to accurately interpret their surroundings. The established trail appeared to narrow in certain sections, while patches of dense vegetation gradually seemed to expand across previously unobstructed pathways. Trees that had stood several meters apart suddenly appeared closer together, creating the impression that familiar landmarks were shifting whenever they disappeared from direct observation. More disturbingly, sounds originating from one direction would occasionally appear to emerge from another, with the scratching of claws or snapping of branches seemingly moving several dozen feet between consecutive noises. Radio transmissions might briefly become distorted by bursts of static, accompanied by faint fragments of laughter that disappeared almost immediately whenever someone attempted to isolate the source. These disturbances were deliberately subtle enough to encourage uncertainty rather than immediately revealing the existence of a coordinated supernatural attack. Knell wanted the Noktis personnel questioning their surroundings, doubting their senses, and gradually becoming more concerned with locating invisible threats than maintaining an organized escort around the students.

Krohl, however, possessed considerably less patience for subtle psychological manipulation, and the increasingly exaggerated grin stretching across his face suggested that he had already decided the performance required something more entertaining. With a playful flick of his fingers, the pale humanoid suddenly contorted its body into an unnatural crawling position, lowering its chest toward the ground while extending its elongated arms several feet ahead of its torso. The enormous opening dividing its head gradually widened, exposing multiple overlapping rows of teeth as a thick, dark substance began dripping from the corners of its mouth. For several seconds, it remained motionless, its posture resembling that of an enormous insect preparing to spring toward unsuspecting prey. Then, without any recognizable warning, the creature launched itself forward, tearing across the forest floor with explosive speed while its claws ripped through the surrounding vegetation. The resulting disturbance would appear completely genuine, with leaves scattering beneath its limbs and chunks of damp soil flying outward as it violently changed direction between the trees. However, rather than directly attacking the procession, the monster would veer toward the outer perimeter, deliberately creating the impression that it intended to circle around the students and attack from behind. At nearly the same moment, the armored brute would begin advancing from the opposite direction, its enormous shoulders crashing through low-hanging branches while its distorted grin widened in apparent anticipation. The combination of approaching threats was designed to encourage an immediate defensive reaction, potentially drawing Noktis personnel away from their assigned positions and forcing the students to retreat toward whatever section of the passage appeared least dangerous.

The brothers were particularly interested in exploiting that final instinct, recognizing that frightened individuals rarely stopped to question why one direction appeared safer than another. Through their supernatural influence, certain sections of Greenway Passage would remain relatively undisturbed, offering apparently clear routes between the trees while the surrounding areas became increasingly crowded with monstrous silhouettes. These seemingly convenient escape routes were not accidental openings, but carefully constructed pathways intended to encourage portions of the procession to move away from the main group. Anyone attempting to retreat through them would initially encounter little resistance, reinforcing the impression that they had successfully avoided the creatures occupying the established trail. However, the farther someone traveled into these areas, the more distorted their surroundings would become, with familiar landmarks gradually disappearing and the sounds of their companions growing increasingly distant. The forest would seem to stretch beyond its natural dimensions, allowing an individual to travel what felt like several hundred meters without necessarily moving anywhere near that distance in reality. Meanwhile, the illusions behind them would continue advancing, creating the impression that returning to the original pathway was considerably more dangerous than pressing farther into the wilderness. This was the true purpose of the brothers' elaborate performance, as separating the students from their Noktis escorts would allow Krohl and Knell to cultivate their victims' fear without immediately confronting the organization's more dangerous personnel. And once an individual became sufficiently isolated, the manifestations could begin responding to their personal reactions rather than simply following the broader movements of the group.​

By this point, the supernatural manifestations had begun displaying increasingly disturbing behaviors intended to convince their observers that they possessed independent intelligence. The many-eyed creature would occasionally turn its narrow head toward individual students, its numerous pupils shifting simultaneously before fixing upon a particular face with unnerving precision. Whenever someone attempted to avoid its gaze, the figure would slowly reposition itself, appearing between different tree trunks as though deliberately maintaining visual contact with its chosen target. The fungal humanoid would begin producing irregular coughing noises, occasionally expelling clouds of dark spores that spread through the surrounding air before dissolving into the mist. Its movements resembled those of a diseased corpse struggling to remain upright, with its limbs bending awkwardly whenever it stepped over exposed roots or fallen branches. The bloated creature would demonstrate an entirely different form of menace, dragging its enormous body through the undergrowth while emitting low, wet groans that gradually developed into something resembling muffled human speech. More disturbing still, the voices emerging from its swollen throat would occasionally imitate familiar sounds, including fragments of shouted commands or distant calls for assistance. The antlered predator would exploit the resulting confusion by circling farther into the trees, occasionally revealing its elongated muzzle between branches before disappearing whenever someone attempted to follow its movements. Each manifestation reinforced the suggestion that the surrounding wilderness had become populated by intelligent, predatory creatures that were actively coordinating their movements against the traveling group.


Despite the apparent chaos, Krohl and Knell remained entirely focused on the emotional responses produced by their creations, savoring every subtle increase in anxiety that reached them through their supernatural connection. The fear generated by the students was especially appealing, possessing a sharp, unpredictable quality that contrasted with the more restrained apprehension associated with experienced Noktis personnel. Even when individuals attempted to maintain their composure, the involuntary reactions of their bodies provided the brothers with a continuous source of nourishment, from accelerated heartbeats and shallow breathing to the unmistakable tension produced by anticipating an attack. Krohl appeared almost intoxicated by the sensations, occasionally shuddering with delight whenever one of his manifestations provoked a particularly strong response. Knell remained more composed, although his crooked smile widened whenever the surrounding group appeared to redirect its attention toward another carefully positioned threat. Several black balloons had begun appearing throughout the surrounding forest, hovering at different heights between the branches while their strings dangled motionlessly toward the ground. Their glossy surfaces reflected distorted images of the students and Noktis personnel, occasionally displaying faces stretched into expressions of terror that had not yet occurred. Most remained partially obscured by the vegetation, ensuring that their presence contributed to the unsettling atmosphere without immediately revealing the true identities of the creatures responsible. And as the balloons gradually multiplied, the brothers' laughter began traveling through the forest in faint, intermittent fragments, sometimes sounding impossibly distant and other times appearing to originate directly behind an unsuspecting member of the procession.

Ultimately, the nightmare was designed to reach its most dangerous stage once the Noktis personnel became sufficiently distracted by the surrounding manifestations. Krohl intended for the armored brute and pale humanoid to launch another coordinated advance, forcing attention toward the front and left portions of the trail while the fungal creature and antlered predator intensified their movements along the opposite perimeter. Knell would simultaneously distort the surrounding terrain, making certain escape routes appear more accessible while obscuring the original pathway behind overlapping trees and patches of unnatural mist. Any students who attempted to flee through these openings would find themselves entering sections of the forest that appeared increasingly isolated, where familiar voices became harder to distinguish and the sounds of pursuing creatures gradually replaced ordinary woodland activity. However, the brothers had deliberately refrained from physically appearing before their intended victims, preferring to remain hidden while their supernatural creations performed the dangerous work of dividing the procession. This precaution was particularly important considering the presence of Ivy and Jiwoo, both of whom represented potential complications that neither clown wished to underestimate before understanding the full extent of their abilities. For the moment, the manifestations would continue behaving like independent Kryptids, attacking, retreating, stalking, and repositioning themselves in ways intended to provoke disorganized reactions. Whether the Noktis personnel successfully maintained their formation or allowed the students to become separated would depend upon how effectively they recognized and responded to the deception. Yet regardless of the outcome, the brothers had already transformed an ordinary expedition through Greenway Passage into a supernatural hunting ground where the distinction between genuine danger and imagined horror was becoming increasingly difficult to recognize.

Deep within the forest, Krohl finally lowered his hands and allowed his elongated fingers to hang loosely at his sides, his shoulders trembling with barely restrained laughter as he admired the unfolding spectacle through the reflection of a black balloon. Beside him, Knell remained perfectly still, his gaze shifting between several other balloons that displayed different portions of the passage and the grotesque creatures occupying them. The two clowns had not yet moved from their distant clearing, and the surrounding remains of their earlier victims served as an unpleasant reminder of what happened to creatures unfortunate enough to become their entertainment. Nevertheless, the excitement radiating from Krohl suggested that the frightened Kryptids scattered around them had already been forgotten, replaced by the far more promising prospect of tormenting an entire group of unsuspecting students. Somewhere in the distance, another branch snapped beneath the imaginary weight of an approaching monstrosity, followed by an unnatural shriek that seemed to echo from several directions simultaneously. Knell slowly folded his arms, satisfied that the initial stages of their plan were progressing as intended, while Krohl began softly humming the same distorted carnival melody that had accompanied their earlier feeding frenzy. One by one, the black balloons surrounding them turned toward Greenway Passage, their reflective surfaces revealing distorted glimpses of the nightmare unfolding beneath the afternoon sunlight. And as the brothers' laughter gradually blended with the distant sounds of the forest, Krohl leaned toward his companion with an enormous, tooth-filled grin, his voice dropping into a playful whisper that carried an unmistakably murderous excitement.​

A final, particularly disturbing laugh escaped Krohl's throat before both brothers returned their attention to the procession, their supernatural creations continuing to advance through the surrounding wilderness. Somewhere among the trees, the pale humanoid opened its enormous mouth and released a shriek resembling several human voices screaming simultaneously, while the antlered predator answered with a low, rattling growl. The armored brute slammed its enormous hands against the ground, sending a convincing tremor through the nearby vegetation as the many-eyed figure slowly unfolded its elongated limbs from the canopy. Every movement, every unnatural sound, and every apparent disturbance of the surrounding environment contributed to the same carefully constructed deception. To the students and their escorts, Greenway Passage would appear to have become the territory of an entire collection of hostile, grotesquely malformed Kryptids. To Krohl and Knell, however, the monstrous figures were merely performers taking their positions upon an enormous woodland stage. The Noktis personnel were the obstacles that needed removing, the students were the frightened audience waiting to become participants, and the dense wilderness provided countless opportunities to separate the two without revealing the clowns responsible. And somewhere beyond the thickening mist, the first black balloon began slowly descending toward the established trail, its thin string swaying beneath it as a familiar, childish giggle echoed through the trees.
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Clementine looked at her brother, who grabbed the back of her shirt and wore a serious expression. She sensed something was off when he mentioned a Kryptid bubbling, and truth be told, she looked over and noticed how its blood turned into vapor and spread across the area in front of them, covering whatever space it could reach like it was alive, but something about it made her not want to get close. "Something is definitely not right here, maybe we should-" Her sentence cut off when she noticed the birds chirping growing increasingly distant; other animals had either gone completely silent or moved farther away, like the birds. "The natural sounds seems distant than before," she told the group, then came the sudden darkness that concealed much of the forest's deeper domain. Figures in the distance made her tug both brothers' shirt sleeves and point toward what she saw. "I see something!" The panic was evident in her voice and would get worse when the first creature stepped out from the darkness, enormous and hunched over, with its body consumed in layers of diseased bark and irregular stone, which made both Clementine and Garciela look on in horror at what was in front of them and want to run back to the ship but knew their individual siblings would grab and restrain them.

The number of creatures that began appearing from the shadows, each abomination looking worse or less than the other ones, yet that didn't help when the enormous one lowered its body, then released a deep, guttural growl that reverberated through the trees and through the two women, making them shiver in disgust, but Clementine was slowly getting her disgust under control and balling fists into a defensive posture when another humanoid appeared from a cluster of vegetation. "Should we fight? don't fight or run?" she asks Ivy and Jiwoo, hoping they have the best course of action, but upon hearing something on the opposite side of them, she turns to see an antlered predator with elongated forelimbs, which made Clementine look over at Garciela and nod towards the beast. "Shoot it!" she whispers to the woman. Both women would freak out more as the surrounding forest continues to look hostile, but unbeknownst to them, it's all an illusion crafted by the twin kryptids hiding from sight.
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𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕛𝕒𝕖
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Mɪɴᴊᴀᴇ Wɪʟʟɪᴀᴍs ɪs ᴀ 21-ʏᴇᴀʀ-ᴏʟᴅ Aғʀɪᴄᴀɴ Aᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴ/Kᴏʀᴇᴀɴ sᴜᴘᴇʀʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ғʀᴏᴍ Fᴏɴᴛᴀɴᴀ, Cᴀʟɪғᴏʀɴɪᴀ. Hᴇ ɪs ᴄᴀʟᴍ, ᴇʟᴇɢᴀɴᴛ, ɪɴᴛᴇʟʟɪɢᴇɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪɢʜʟʏ ᴏʙsᴇʀᴠᴀɴᴛ, Mɪɴᴊᴀᴇ ᴘʀᴇғᴇʀs ᴅɪᴘʟᴏᴍᴀᴄʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪs ғɪᴇʀᴄᴇʟʏ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴏғ ʜɪs ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs. Dᴇsᴘɪᴛᴇ ʜɪs ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀssɪᴏɴᴀᴛᴇ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ, ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛs ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴏʀ ʜɪs ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴏɴᴇs ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟ ᴀ ᴄᴏʟᴅᴇʀ, ʀᴜᴛʜʟᴇssʟʏ ᴇғғɪᴄɪᴇɴᴛ sɪᴅᴇ ᴏғ ʜɪᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇʟɪᴍɪɴᴀᴛᴇs ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ sᴀᴄʀɪғɪᴄɪɴɢ ʜɪs ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴏsᴜʀᴇ. Pʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ, Mɪɴᴊᴀᴇ ᴘᴏssᴇssᴇs ᴇxᴛʀᴀᴏʀᴅɪɴᴀʀʏ ᴄᴀᴘᴀʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇs, ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜɪs ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʀʏ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ, Psʏᴄʜᴏᴋɪɴᴇsɪs. Oᴜᴛsɪᴅᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ, Mɪɴᴊᴀᴇ ɪs ᴀ ᴡᴇʟʟ-ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ sᴛᴜᴅᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴜsɪᴄɪᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏs ʙᴀsᴋᴇᴛʙᴀʟʟ, ғɪsʜɪɴɢ, ʜɪᴋɪɴɢ, ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴜsɪᴄ, ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇᴀᴄʜ, ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ. Hɪs sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ʜᴀᴛʀᴇᴅ ᴏғ Kʀʏᴘᴛɪᴅs ɪs ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟ, ᴀs ᴀ Kʀʏᴘᴛɪᴅ ᴡᴀs ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴsɪʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴏғ ʜɪs 5 Yᴇᴀʀ-Oʟᴅ ʙᴀʙʏ sɪsᴛᴇʀ, Jᴜʟɪᴀ.



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The soldiers remained in formation and proceeded to ready their guns for any potential attacks that may have arose from the look of the situation. The Noktis soldiers weren't sure what was happening and were preparing for a calamity or a category 3. One of the members threw down a Krypt scanner but the device seemed to not be working as it wasn't picking up any actually kryptid signatures in the area. Minjae noticed the device was receiving no signal and right after clementine started to back away and Ada began speaking. Minjae rested a hand on her waist in a gesture to tell her to get back as well as his usual gesture for her to try to stay calm.
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Right after that, he noticed a bunch of strange creatures popping up out of nowhere which didn't seem right to him and caused a bit of his own energy to flare up on its own in response to what was happening, coating Minjae in a slight emerald thin energy. The soldiers saw the appearing creatures and immediately began unloading once one of them began attacking. Minjae however didn't feel fear like his sister and Graciela, the main feeling he beginning to feel was anger. Anger from the previous time he was in the wilderness, anger from how helpless he felt before, even though there were adults around; Minjae still wanted to fight himself and prove to himself that he was stronger. The only thing that stopped him was the fact he could get everyone else hurt or worse if he decided to separate and attack; Especially since the creatures being shot seemed to be walking straight through the bullets as if they had no effect. Minjae didnt want to use his powers and accidentally hit his siblings, their new friends, or Ada; for that reason alone he remained still and put his trust in the Noktis members.​

𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝔾𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕝𝕒
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Gᴀʙʙʏ ɪs ᴀ 25-ʏᴇᴀʀ-ᴏʟᴅ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ, sᴜᴄᴄᴇssғᴜʟ sᴜᴘᴇʀᴍᴏᴅᴇʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ Mʏsᴛᴠᴀʟᴇ Uɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ’s sᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇsᴛ sᴛᴜᴅᴇɴᴛs, ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ғᴏʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ sᴜʀᴘʀɪsɪɴɢʟʏ ᴋɪɴᴅ, ʀᴇsᴘᴇᴄᴛғᴜʟ, ᴘʟᴀʏғᴜʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴀᴄʜᴀʙʟᴇ ᴅᴇsᴘɪᴛᴇ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴀᴛᴜs. Oᴜᴛsɪᴅᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʀᴀɪɴɪɴɢ, sʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇs ғᴀsʜɪᴏɴ, ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜʏ, ᴏɴʟɪɴᴇ sʜᴏᴘᴘɪɴɢ, ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴄᴄᴀsɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴀʀɢᴜɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴏɴ sᴏᴄɪᴀʟ ᴍᴇᴅɪᴀ, ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴘᴏssᴇssɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴛᴇɴsᴇ ᴄᴜʀɪᴏsɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅ ʀᴀʀᴇ Kʀʏᴘᴛɪᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴜsᴜᴀʟ ᴍᴜᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ Mʏsᴛᴠᴀʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ Nᴏᴋᴛɪs ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ. Wʜᴇɴ ɢᴇɴᴜɪɴᴇ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀs, ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, Gᴀʙʀɪᴇʟᴀ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴏ̨ᴜɪᴇᴛ, ᴀɴᴀʟʏᴛɪᴄᴀʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ғʀɪɢʜᴛᴇɴɪɴɢʟʏ ᴇғғɪᴄɪᴇɴᴛ, ᴘʀɪᴏʀɪᴛɪᴢɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴇᴜᴛʀᴀʟɪᴢɪɴɢ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛs ᴏᴠᴇʀ sʜᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴏғғ. As ᴀ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ғɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ ᴀʟᴏɴɢsɪᴅᴇ sᴜᴘᴇʀʜᴜᴍᴀɴs, sʜᴇ ʀᴇʟɪᴇs ᴏɴ ʜᴇʀ sᴋɪʟʟ ᴀɴᴅ Wɪᴅᴏᴡ’s Hᴀɴᴅ, ᴄᴜsᴛᴏᴍ Aᴇɢɪs ɢᴀᴜɴᴛʟᴇᴛs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғɪʀᴇ ʜɪɢʜʟʏ ᴅᴜʀᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀʀᴛɪғɪᴄɪᴀʟ ᴡᴇʙs. Rᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴘᴏᴡᴇʀɪɴɢ sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ʙʀᴜᴛᴇ sᴛʀᴇɴɢᴛʜ, Gᴀʙʀɪᴇʟᴀ ᴇxᴄᴇʟs ᴀᴛ ᴍᴏʙɪʟɪᴛʏ, sᴛʀᴀᴛᴇɢʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ғɪᴇʟᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ, ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʟᴀᴍᴏʀᴏᴜs ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ sᴇᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏsʜᴏᴏᴛs ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴜɴʀᴇᴄᴏɢɴɪᴢᴀʙʟᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʟᴄᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ғɪɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪᴇʟᴅ.






Gabriela walked close to her sister and carefully observed the surrounding area along with the other students and Noktis members. Seeing the way the Williams family cared for each other was definitely something she could admire, and one she could understand towards her own sister. However, she got upset when the man she had claimed as her own half an hour earlier suddenly had his hands on the waist of another woman. Minjae wasn't her boyfriend, but she had put a claim on him, and she wasn't used to anyone practically dismissing her like that. She could feel her annoyance and anger starting to rise along with ah int of sadness, but that all disappeared once she looked in the distance. There were creatures that emerged and that was when she finally realized just how serious the situation was; At first, she was mesmerized by them but as she started to actually see their features, the fear she felt began to set in and made her entire body shake as she stared up at them. She lifted her hands up to her chest and held them together in a fist as she began backing away out of fear. Her eyes began getting a bit watery and she began to sweat. Normally, she was quite relaxed with these kinds of situations, but it all felt a lot more intense than it should have.

She was wondering what they could do to survive, she wanted to fight but she was too scared; Eventually, she began walking over to her sister but was stopped midway from a black balloon that descended down between her and a few of the Noktis members from the others. It came out of nowhere and noone was holding onto it which made its sudden appearance in the area a lot more worrisome than it probably would have been otherwise.
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