Yoona moved cautiously, her boots sinking slightly into the damp ground. She wore a fitted black outfit, practical and silent, with a baseball cap partially concealing her face. Her backpack was light but contained everything necessary for this nocturnal expedition.
Jisoo, on the other hand, walked behind with less grace. She wore a black leather jacket and tight pants, a headlamp strapped to her forehead. In her hands, a camera recorded continuously. She tried to muffle the sounds of her steps, but every branch she snapped underfoot betrayed their position.
— "Jisoo," Yoona whispered, turning slightly, "could you at least try to be discreet?"
— "It's not my fault if these branches appear out of nowhere," she replied in a hushed voice, her teasing smile illuminated by her headlamp.
As they progressed, a faint but distinct sound caught Yoona's attention. A sob. Weak, almost drowned in the echoes of the forest.
— "Do you hear that?" Yoona murmured, raising a hand to signal Jisoo to stop.
— "A mutant's cry, you think? Or a ghost?" Jisoo joked, though her voice betrayed a hint of nervousness.
Yoona ignored her remark and crouched, concentrating. She narrowed her eyes, scanning the surroundings. Between the trees, a figure emerged. A boy, kneeling near a tree, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. He wore torn and dirty clothes, his skin appearing almost translucent under the moonlight.
— "A child?" Jisoo whispered, visibly surprised.
— "Stay behind me," Yoona ordered, her tone suddenly serious.
She stepped forward slowly, her hands raised in a gesture of non-aggression.
— "Hey, it's okay. I won't hurt you," she said softly.
But the boy didn't react. His sobs continued, as if he were completely unaware of their presence.
Before Yoona could get any closer, a guttural growl rumbled behind her. She turned just in time to see a massive creature emerge from the shadows. It was a mutant wolf, larger than a regular one, with bulging muscles and glowing red eyes. Its fur bristled with bony spikes, and its maw was lined with unnaturally long fangs.
The boy seemed to be the source of their attention. The wolves were circling the tree.
— "What the hell…?" Jisoo murmured, already filming the scene.
The largest of the wolves, likely the alpha, lunged toward the boy. Yoona reacted instinctively. She extended a hand, and with a swift motion, an invisible force struck the wolf, sending it crashing into a tree.
— "Don't move, Jisoo!" Yoona shouted, her voice filled with determination.
The mutant wolves responded with furious growls. They regrouped, preparing to attack Yoona.
Yoona stepped back a few paces, adopting a defensive stance. She recalled her training, every technique she had perfected. She made a circular motion with her hands, raising an invisible barrier around herself and Jisoo.
One of the wolves leaped at her. Yoona pivoted to the side, using a telekinetic projection to deflect its attack, sending it rolling across the ground. A second wolf tried to ambush her from behind. Sensing the movement with her heightened perception, Yoona sidestepped and focused her energy to strike the ground. A shockwave repelled the creature.
— "You could help instead of just filming!" Yoona shouted toward Jisoo, who had taken cover behind a tree.
— "I'm documenting! For posterity!" Jisoo retorted, though she had pulled out her taser, ready to intervene if necessary.
The alpha wolf, watching its comrades get repelled, let out a powerful howl. It seemed to energize the others, making them even more aggressive. The alpha charged at Yoona with incredible speed.
Yoona, though prepared, felt the impact. She raised her arms, using her telekinesis to form a shield, but the sheer force of the collision pushed her back several steps.
She decided to go on the offensive. She extended her hands toward the alpha, concentrating her energy to form invisible blades that she sent in its direction. The wolf dodged most of the attacks, but one of the blades slashed its side.
Seizing the opportunity, Yoona dashed forward. She combined her movements with her telekinesis, using her mental strength to amplify the power of her strikes. She hit the alpha in the chest, then followed up with a sweeping telekinetic force that hurled it against a rock.
The other wolves, seeing their leader wounded, slowly retreated before vanishing into the shadows. Yoona stood tall, breathless but victorious.
— "Did you see that?! That was epic!" Jisoo exclaimed, approaching. "If we don't get famous with this, I'll eat my taser."
— "Shut up and check on the boy," Yoona replied, her tone still serious.
Jisoo set down her camera and knelt beside the boy. He was still breathing, though faintly. His eyes were wide open, but he seemed absent, as if trapped in a trance.
— "He's alive," Jisoo declared, relieved. "But he looks… weird."
— "We're taking him with us. He might have answers about what's happening here," Yoona said as she carefully lifted the boy with her telekinesis, and together, they left the clearing.