The neon lights of the shopping district flickered as Ali, Karim, and Fadi moved into position. Reports of ghouls attacking a clothing store had sent them rushing to the scene. Civilians screamed and scattered as the creatures smashed through windows, their gnarled claws tearing through fabric displays. Ali activated his stealth mode, his form shimmering briefly before blending into the shadows. "I’ll take them from inside," he murmured through the comms. "Karim, Fadi—keep the civilians clear." Karim nodded, his rifle already raised. "Copy that. We’ll hold the perimeter." Fadi ushered a group of terrified shoppers to safety behind a parked car. "Stay down!" he ordered, his voice firm but calm. His eyes never left the storefront, watching for any ghouls that might slip past Ali. Inside, Ali moved like a ghost. The ghouls snarled, their milky eyes scanning the wreckage, unaware of his presence. He struck fast—blade flashing as he slit the throat of the first creature before it co

When Ali arrived at the headquarters, he found everyone with pale, grim faces. Concerned, he asked, "What happened?" Hazim approached him and said, "Gather everyone. I need to talk to them." Once the group assembled, Hazem spoke solemnly. "For the past four days, we’ve heard nothing from Marwan and Malik. The news on TV says the situation on the island is still out of control. The other teams the association sent, we’ve lost contact with them too." A heavy silence fell over the room. Hazim took a deep breath. "I’m going there myself to find out what’s going on." Hadi nodded in agreement. "We’ll choose only two to go with Hazim." Hazim scanned the room before making his decision. "Ali and Laith, you’re coming with me." Ali exchanged a glance with Laith, both understanding the gravity of the mission. The tension in the air was thick, but there was no hesitation in their resolve. ___The boat cut through the dark waves as Hazim, Ali, and Laith made their way toward the is

The three figures crested the hill, their boots kicking up dust on the abandoned road. Hazim was the first to spot it, the city sprawled below them, perfectly intact yet utterly still. No cars smoke, no children's noise . No voices carried on the wind. Ali's hand went to his sword. "This isn't right." The afternoon sun beat down as they approached the outskirts. Laith kicked open a bakery door, the bell jingling absurdly. Flour still dusted the counters; half-eaten bread moldered on plates. "Look at this," Hazim murmured, running a finger across a dinner table. The layer of dust came away clean. "They left in the middle of meals. It's like they just disappeared." A crash echoed from upstairs. All three men drew weapons as one. Laith hissed I thought you said we were alone. They found the source, a shutter banging in the wind. The bedroom was pristine, a child's toy truck abandoned mid-track on the floor. Ali checked his phone again. Still no signal. Still no word from Ma

The fog clung to the forest like a suffocating shroud, so thick that Laith could barely see his own hands in front of him. His breath came in shallow bursts as he strained his eyes, peering into the murky haze. For a moment, he thought he saw the silhouette of his brother’s tall figure, stoic and unmoving just ahead. But the usual rhythm of their footsteps, the steady count they kept to stay together, had gone silent. "Hazim?" Laith called out, his voice swallowed by the mist. His brother didn't answer so he stepped closer, his pulse quickening, only to realize the shadow was nothing but a gnarled, leafless tree. A cold dread slithered down his spine. "Hazim! Ali!" He shouted again, turning in place. The forest offered no reply, just the eerie whisper of wind through the branches. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. If the ghouls were near, he wouldn’t go down without a fight. Then he heard voices. They weremuffled and angry, but after stepping closer he realize

The air was thick with the stench of rotting wood and damp earth as Ali, Hazim, Laith, and Basel stood back-to-back, their weapons slick with the dark blood of the ghouls they had just slain. After they successfully overcome the hallucinations of the fog, they fought together and managed to turn the situation around.The forest around them seemed to breathe, the trees were shifting unnaturally.Then, the ground trembled. Before them, a monstrous tree twisted upward, its gnarled branches stretching like skeletal fingers. A pair of glowing yellow eyes flickered within its trunk, and a deep, guttural laugh echoed through the woods. "Another one?" Laith growled, tightening his grip on his twin swords. "This one’s different," Basel muttered, watching as the tree’s roots slithered across the forest floor. "It’s growing!"As if to prove his point, the ghoul-tree lurched taller, its limbs thickening. Hazim swung his sword, severing a branch, only for two more to sprout in its place. "