Azad pressed himself against the cold stone, barely daring to breathe. The creature's heavy, ominous footsteps grew fainter as it lumbered past him, and Azad's heart thundered in his chest. Sweat trickled down his face as he watched the shadowed figure recede into the darkness, each step accompanied by that slow, haunting pulse of blue light.
When the creature finally moved far enough away, Azad let out a shaky breath. He could feel his entire body trembling as he whispered, "I can't… I can't fight that thing. It's… too strong, too… it's like nothing I've ever seen." The memory of that blast echoed through his bones, his side still aching from where he'd been slammed into the wall. "How… how did it even do that? It just roared, and suddenly…" He trailed off, swallowing hard. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to get out of the nightmare.
But just as he was about to take a cautious step back, a sound echoed through the cavern—a chilling sound that froze him in place. He couldn't believe his ears. A low, guttural voice began to sing. It was fragmented, unnerving, each word distorted, dripping with a terrible, slow amusement:
"Twinkle… twinkle… little star…" The words drifted through the air, twisting and bending as if scraping against the stone itself. Azad's eyes went wide, his hands clenched into fists, his heart pounding as he listened, horror pooling in his stomach. "How I wonder… what you are…"
Azad's breath hitched, and he forced his hand over his mouth to stifle the terrified gasp that threatened to escape. It's… it's singing? he thought, horror settling deep in his chest. "Oh no… I have to get out of here," he murmured to himself, the words trembling on his lips. "But… but how?" He could feel the crushing weight of terror, pressing down on him, urging him to stay hidden. If that thing catches me… He didn't finish the thought.
The creature's warped, nightmarish lullaby grew louder, its voice weaving through the dark spaces of the ancient city, echoing from wall to wall. Azad was paralyzed, his back pressed against the jagged stone as the haunting melody continued. Each word was drawn out, dripping with malice, as if it delighted in every syllable. He could almost feel the icy weight of its words sinking into his bones.
Then, suddenly, silence.
Azad dared to peek from his hiding spot. The creature had vanished into the dark again. He let out a shallow breath, trying to gather himself, when he felt the faintest tremor beneath him. He glanced around, dread curling at the pit of his stomach. He didn't move. Did it… leave? he wondered.
But then, from above, the faint, tell-tale flicker of blue cast its light over him. He barely had a moment to process before he realized—the creature was right above him. It had somehow reappeared, its hulking form towering over the block he crouched behind. Azad felt his blood turn cold as he stared up at the impossible sight.
Slowly, impossibly, the creature bent its body in an unnatural, bone-crunching arc, lowering itself until its face loomed mere inches from Azad's. Its pitch-black skin reflected the faint light, pulsing as if alive, and those empty, eyeless sockets stared straight at him, somehow seeing without sight. Azad felt himself shrinking back, every inch of him screaming in terror.
And then, in a voice that was softer but somehow far more terrifying, it continued:
"He could not see… which way to go… if you don't twinkle so…"
Azad's body froze as the words slithered into his mind, his skin crawling with fear. His heart was racing, every nerve screaming in panic. He clenched his jaw, trying to silence the terrified whimpers escaping his lips. It knows I'm here. It… it knows…
He couldn't look away from the creature's twisted, looming form. The echo of its voice seemed to seep into the walls, vibrating through him with a dark, mocking intensity. Azad could feel his courage draining away as he thought, This… this is it. It's going to kill me.