The next morning arrived quietly, but for the eight of them, it wasn't just another day.
One by one, they woke up early and got ready for training. The cold air of the morning still lingered, and the recent events of their trip hadn't fully left their minds.
As they walked toward the training ground, their conversation slowly drifted back to what had happened.
"Daniel… you scared everyone that day," Mary said softly, walking beside him.
Daniel scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I didn't even remember anything… still feels weird."
Mary looked at him for a moment… then smiled slightly.
"I'm just glad you're okay."
Daniel didn't reply—but his small smile said everything.
Behind them, David and Noah were whispering.
"Noah… look at them," David smirked.
Noah rolled his eyes. "Focus on training, idiot."
Training Ground Announcement
As soon as they reached the ground, Mr. Stone stood in front of them.
"Everyone, listen carefully," he said in a serious tone.
"There will be a meeting at 5 PM. All of you must be present."
Instantly, everyone looked confused.
"What meeting?" Zoya whispered.
"Did we mess something up?" Lily added.
"No idea…" Felix muttered.
The tension stayed in their minds as they started their training.
After Training – The Meeting
By evening, all eight gathered again.
Mr. Stone looked at them, then said:
"You all have completed extremely difficult missions… and you've proven your strength."
He paused.
"So… from today, you are promoted."
Everyone froze.
"You are no longer Night Guards… you are now Soul Protectors."
For a second—silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!" everyone shouted at once.
Laughter, excitement, shock—everything mixed together.
Daniel looked at Mary, smiling.
"We did it."
Mary nodded, eyes shining.
"Yeah… we did."
New Mission Assigned
Mr. Stone raised his hand to calm them down.
"With this promotion… your missions will become slightly harder."
Everyone straightened up.
"Tomorrow, you leave for your next mission."
He began dividing teams:
Daniel, Mary, Lucy, Felix
David, Noah, Zoya, Lily
"Both missions are within 100 kilometers. Stay alert."
Excitement replaced fear.
A new rank. A new mission.
Everything felt like progress.
Next Day – Journey Begins
The next morning, all eight packed their weapons and left.
As always, their guiding torch lit the path ahead.
For a while, they traveled together… but soon—
A massive mountain split their path.
"Left side… our mission," Daniel said.
"And right side is ours," David replied.
They exchanged looks.
"Stay safe," Mary said softly.
"You too," Daniel replied.
Daniel & Mary's Side – The Village
Daniel's team entered a quiet village.
Something felt… wrong.
They began asking villagers.
An old man, trembling, said,
"My daughter… she was taken at night… she never came back…"
Another woman cried,
"Anyone who goes to search… disappears too…"
Daniel clenched his fists.
Mary gently placed her hand over his.
"We'll find out what's happening."
He nodded.
David's Side – A Similar Pattern
On the other side, David's team found something even stranger.
"Only girls are disappearing…" Zoya said.
Noah frowned. "That's not normal."
David's eyes narrowed.
Something bigger was going on.
Night Call – The Truth Connects
That night, both teams called each other.
"Our village… people disappear at night," Daniel said.
David replied instantly,
"Same here… but only girls."
Silence.
Then realization hit both sides.
"Same time… different places…" Mary whispered.
"Meaning…" Noah continued.
David completed the sentence—
"It's the same enemy."
Next Day – The Mountain Plan
The next morning, they split tasks again.
"Daniel, you check the mountain from your side," David said on call.
"I'll send Noah and Lily to your village. We'll handle this side."
"Got it," Daniel replied.
The Hut on the Mountain
Climbing higher, Daniel and Mary moved together.
The air grew colder.
Suddenly—
Mary stopped. "Daniel… do you feel that?"
He nodded.
"A strong presence…"
Then—
They saw it.
A small, broken hut.
"Call the others," Daniel said.
Soon, Felix and Lucy joined them.
The four stepped inside.
The moment they entered—
A chill ran down their spines.
"This presence…" Lucy whispered.
"It's too strong…"
Even Felix looked serious.
Sudden Attack
Without warning—
A shadow lunged at them.
A ghost attacked.
Daniel reacted instantly, pulling Mary back.
"Stay behind me!"
Mary quickly took position with her weapon.
Together, all four fought.
The ghost wasn't very strong—
And within moments, they defeated it.
But…
Something was wrong.
The presence… didn't disappear.
Something Bigger Awaits
Daniel looked deeper into the hut.
"No… this isn't the main one."
Mary stepped closer to him.
"Then… something worse is here."
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Daniel looked at Mary.
"Stay close."
Mary gave a small smile.
"I'm not going anywhere."
Far away, on the other side of the mountain—
David suddenly stopped walking.
"…Something's wrong."
Noah looked at him.
"What?"
David's expression turned serious.
"Their side… the energy just changed."
To Be Continued…
What is hiding inside the mountain?
Is the real enemy still watching them?
Will David's team reach in time… or will Daniel and Mary face it alone?
Next Chapter… the truth begins to unfold.