Rise From The Wraith

THE ANOMALY

“All defense posts, combat alert!”

The watch commander's shout echoed from the observation tower, immediately followed by the blaring of sirens throughout the outpost. Searchlights swept across the forest, cutting through the fog hanging between the trees and revealing dozens of slender figures standing in silence. None of them moved toward the perimeter fence, yet their yellow eyes remained fixed on the outpost, as though they were waiting for something.

Inside the infirmary, Kael immediately rose from his bed when he heard the sirens. He got to his feet and limped toward the window, ignoring the pain shooting through his right leg. From a distance, he could see the searchlights moving wildly across the treetops while shouted commands and the pounding of boots echoed through the compound.

“What are they waiting for?” he muttered.

Before Kael could get a clearer look, Lyra hurried into the room. “You again? I told you not to leave the infirmary!”

Kael pointed toward the window. “See for yourself. There are dozens of Wraiths out there, and they haven't even attacked.”

Lyra approached the window and fell silent when she saw the scene beyond the fog. Her expression tightened, but she tried to remain calm as she turned back toward Kael. “You need to stay away from the window and remain here. If the situation gets worse, this place will become one of the evacuation zones.”

“Why aren't they attacking?” Kael asked.

“I don't know.”

“Don't they usually hunt humans as soon as they find them?” Kael asked, still puzzled.

Lyra had no answer. The blue-eyed woman was just as confused as he was.

In the observation tower, a guard reported that several Wraiths had begun moving along the eastern perimeter. However, they made no attempt to climb the fence or damage the defenses. Instead, they walked slowly until they reached the gate, where they stopped and stood motionless with their heads slightly lowered. Every now and then, they appeared to sniff the air, as though searching for something.

Commander Alric soon arrived at the command center and took control of the situation. He ordered all marksmen to hold their positions and forbade anyone from opening fire without a direct command. After hearing the patrol team's earlier report, he had no intention of repeating a mistake that might provoke another attack.

“Are they showing any signs of aggression?” he asked the observation officer.

“Not yet, Sir. They're just standing there.”

“How many?”

“At least thirty. There may be more hidden in the fog.”

Alric clenched his jaw. Wraiths occasionally appeared in groups, but gathering in such numbers near the outpost without immediately attacking was something he had never witnessed in all his years of service.

“Hold your positions. Do not fire unless they breach the defenses.”

Meanwhile, Kael stood motionless beside the infirmary window. He could not understand why the sight made his chest feel so tight, as though something out there were calling to him. He tried to ignore the feeling, but his uneasiness grew stronger every time the yellow eyes beyond the fog shifted toward the searchlights.

Suddenly, one figure stepped out from the others.

The Wraith appeared taller than the rest, with a dark body and long arms that nearly reached its knees. It walked until it stood directly in front of the gate, then slowly raised its head. From where he stood, Kael could not make out the creature's face clearly, yet something about it made his breath catch in his throat.

The creature was looking toward the infirmary.

Toward him.

Kael clenched his fists tighter. Memories of the strange encounter inside the abandoned building came rushing back.

“No... it can't be,” he whispered.

“Kael?” Lyra turned when she heard him.

Before she could ask anything else, a sharp pain shot through the wound in Kael's right leg. He staggered and nearly fell, forcing Lyra to catch him by the arm.

“Get back to your bed! You're going to reopen your wound!” Lyra exclaimed as she helped him stand.

Kael tried to steady his breathing, but the pain gradually turned into a burning sensation spreading beneath the bandage. He stared at his leg in confusion as his heart began to race for reasons he could not understand.

“Argh... Nghhh...” Kael groaned in agony.

At the same moment, the Wraith standing in front of the gate released a low sound unlike the howls they had made earlier. It echoed across the compound, causing the guards to raise their weapons, yet the other creatures lowered their heads in unison.

Commander Alric watched the scene from the command center, his expression tense.

“What are they doing?” he muttered.

The Wraith at the front then raised one hand and pressed its long claw against the iron gate. It made no attempt to tear through the metal, merely resting the tip of its claw against the surface, as though trying to confirm something on the other side.

Then a metallic vibration rang out from behind the gate.

Kael suddenly lifted his head when a faint whisper reached his ears. It was so clear that he was certain someone had just called his name.

“Kael...”

He quickly turned toward Lyra. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

Kael stared at her, his face pale. Before he could answer, all the searchlights along the eastern perimeter went out simultaneously, plunging part of the defenses into darkness.

Shouts and cries of alarm erupted among the guards.

When the emergency lights finally came back on, the eastern gate was still intact. However, the dozens of Wraiths that had filled the forest were gone, leaving behind a silence far more terrifying than their howls.

On the ground directly in front of the gate lay a long scratch that formed an unfamiliar symbol.

Commander Alric approached and examined the mark. The moment he recognized its shape, he froze, staring at the symbol without blinking. His expression tightened, and his hand slowly curled into a fist.

“Could this be possible? This symbol...”