A shadow flew over the trees, following a figure that walked solitary in the silent forest. The shadow lunged at the figure… and landed besides it.

“Hey Shawn, I saw the city!” – I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of leaving the forest at last. – “It’s as big as you said it was, or even bigger! I couldn’t see much from this distance, but I’m excited.”

“Hahaha, if I didn’t know better I would consider you a country bumpkin. It’s just a city, Lyon.” – How dare he? I faked a horrified expression followed by a smile.

“I’ve been in this forest for more than two years, Shawn, you can understand my predicament, can’t you?”

“Well, it’s ok, we’ll be there in a day, after all, and I’ll be able to introduce you to my family.” – Now that sounded interesting. He had talked to me about his sister, and she sounded like lots of fun.

*Groaar*

“Pffft… Hahahaha! Even his roar has become so much cuter! Hahahaha! – The sudden ‘roar’ the little cat made was hilarious. After a week walking, Sheen had started transforming, not only shrinking, but also softening its spiky mane, resembling more like a cat with a hedgehog on its head. It seemed that after a week bound to Shawn, Sheen had acquired the ability to shrink at will, allowing him to be carried this much easier.

“Hey! Don’t laugh at Sheen, this ability is super useful, and you know it.” – He puffed and picked Sheen on his arms, cuddling him. – “Don’t listen to him, Sheen, you’re the bravest of the Lions.”

And thus, the merry group kept walking through the solitary forest, unaware of the things that happened a few kilometers away.

***

“Lark, do you have it?” – A whisper traveled through the night in a dark alley, where a dark figure covered in a darker cloak stood alone. – “Asss promissssed, your reward will be waiting you where we accorded, onccce you’ve delivered the object we assssked of you.”

Wisps of shadowy light, as controversial that might sound, appeared from the shadows of the alley, gathering right in front of the dark figure. The wisps dispersed barely a second after gathering, leaving behind a dark translucent pearl. The pearl was the size of a bowling ball and it was made of some blackish translucent material, allowing those who looked closer to see something akin to wisps of light wandering inside of it.

“Kha ka ka, the Ssssoul Cage! With thisss we’ll be able to dessstroy thisss cccity, and so much more! Kha ka ka ka ka ka ka!”

“Hey! Who goes there?!” – Suddenly, a uniformed man, about two meter tall but fully human looking, appeared at the alley from around the corner, lance in hand. – “The curfew starts at midnight, show me your curfew-excluding papers or surrender yourself to the guard.”

*Hiss*

“I guesss now it’ss asss good time asss any to tesst it.” – The figure turned around and pointed the dark pearl at the man.

***

The sun rose, and a passerby walked right besides an alley, in his way to God knows where, when she screamed as if she had seen a ghost, and feel on her butt from fear. Right in front of her, where the alley started, the corpse of a man was lying facing the sky, his corpse was dry and devoid of any meat, seeming like someone had drained him of everything that made him him, except for the skin.

The reason she was as scared, though, were those eyes. His eyes were pitch black, but somehow reflected an enormous amount of pain, one the woman had felt on her body despite solely seeing the corpse.