The night sky was covered by dark clouds. The gentle rhythm of rain had been Asher''s companion since morning. Following his every move it would sometimes turn into a storm of fury then to a gentle lullaby to give him solace.


    But right now none of that matters. Asher looked at the factory in front of him.


    The factory stood tall and monolithic, a stark contrast to the dilapidated buildings that surrounded it. Its steel frame gleamed under the occasional moonbeam that pierced the cloud cover, the rain running down in rivulets that reflected the flickering lights from within.


    The air had the smell of burning coal and oil, hinting at the relentless mechanical heart that beat inside.


    "Where should I begin now?" Asher mumbled under his breath. His gaze was sharp as he observed his surroundings.


    The factory had several doors in it. So infiltrating the building was not that hard. Asher quickly stored his umbrella inside the bracelet and walked towards the entrance at the left side of the factory.


    Each step echoed in the road, the pitter-patter of the rain bouncing off the cobblestone. He paused, listening for any sign of guards or sentries. Hearing none, he gripped the cold metal handle and pushed the door open.


    Darkness greeted him.


    Squinting his eyes Asher tried to adjust to the darkness. The rain had made him wet but his resolve was unshaken. The door creaked open and the light from outside painted a narrow path into the factory.


    He stepped in carefully, the heavy door slamming shut behind him. The sound echoed through the corridor, sending a shiver down his spine.


    "Phew, that nearly gave me a heart attack," he mumbled, annoyed by the door''s dramatic closure. Couldn''t it have closed quietly?


    The factory''s interior was vast, with stairs leading to upper floors, but Asher knew searching there would be pointless. His goal was to find the tunnels where captives were being transported


    With a flick of his right hand, a torch appeared in his palm. It had a white stone Engraved in between illuminating his surroundings.


    I started the search without wasting any more time. My footsteps echoed through the empty factory in an odd rhythm.


    ''Nothing here'' Searching the east of the factory nothing could be found. I had hoped since the railway station was in that direction maybe tunnels could be built there for transport reasons but this turned out to be incorrect.


    "Sigh"


    A chilling breeze hit me through the open airways, looking at it I decided to go in the opposite direction. With measured steps, I walked towards the big containers in cylindrical shape. They were massive- Almost the size of a small room.


    They were tightly sealed, their purpose unclear. Asher stomped on the ground, testing for hidden passages or cracks.


    It was a ridiculous sight—a grown man stomping like a child—but he had no other way to uncover what lay beneath.


    "Where is that damn tunnel?" I scratched my neck in annoyance. I have been searching the factory for some time now- almost an hour to be exact. But nothing no secret tunnels or stairs leading down.


    Did the kidnapper lie? I speculated but soon shook my head. No I don''t think so. That man was desperate it was clear in his eyes how scared he was.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Thinking about it now, I once again felt enraged by him. How could he be so disgusting, that man had cut off Elda''s leg but he was scared of pain.


    I kicked the massive container I had been leaning against in anger.


    *Thunk!*


    Instead of the expected dull thud, a hollow sound echoed from within. Asher''s eyes widened in realization. The containers weren''t filled with goods—they were hollow!


    A smile crept across his face as he used Air Step to leap onto the container''s roof. The metal groaned under his weight as he landed softly. He kicked the container again, this time from above.


    *Thunk!*


    The hollow sound confirmed his suspicion. The containers were a facade, hiding something far more sinister.


    ''Now that I think about it I have not used Air Step for quite some time now.''Asher mused with a small chuckle.


    "How should I open this now?" he wondered, but no immediate solution came to mind. Resigned, he decided to do it the old-fashioned way.


    Drawing the Sword of Repose from his bracelet, he activated Kairosflow, accelerating his speed. With a powerful strike, the blade sliced through the metal lid as if it were paper. The lid clattered to the floor, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.


    "Perfectly done."


    I whispered to myself as I sheathed the sword back into the bracelet.


    Looking into the newly formed hole, I could see a faint light flickering at the bottom of the container. It was a staircase, narrow and steep, leading down into the bowels of the factory. My heart raced as I climbed down, the light from my torch casting eerie shadows on the damp, rusted metal walls.


    There it was- A hell hole where the captives were led to.


    Without much thought, Asher started to descend through the staircase.


    The damp stone walls were slick with moss, and the air hung heavy with the smell of mildew.


    The walls were not natural stone, but stone that had been carved by hand, and reinforced with metal.


    The smell of mold and damp earth grew stronger as he went deeper. The stairs were steep and slippery, and the torchlight danced on the wet walls casting grotesque shadows.


    Soon the narrow passage expanded into multiple routes.


    "Which way?" Asher pondered. His heart was racing as he listened intently for any distant cries or sounds of life that could guide him.


    "Sigh let''s leave it to fate today."


    I tossed a coin whatever direction it points to I will go there.


    The coin spun in the air, glinting in the torchlight, and landed with a clink on the stone floor. It pointed towards the right.


    Asher followed the path, his boots squelching in the puddles that had formed from the rainwater that had seeped through the cracks. The tunnels grew narrower, and the air grew colder and danker with each step. The distant echo of dripping water and the occasional squeak of a rat was the only company he had.


    But the silence didn''t remain for long.


    The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and a prickle of unease washed over him. He heard it, a faint buzzing sound.


    Something was coming.


    Taking the sword out I waited for its arrival.


    *Flick!* *Flick!*


    The sound of wings buzzing became clearer.


    "Is it a monster? Why is a monster here." My thoughts raced as I tried to identify the creature that was approaching.


    There were four of them.


    Their wings were tattered and translucent, like the wings of diseased insects.


    Each one of them had a small pair of those wings at their vertices buzzing as their charred looking skin moved uncontrollably. The razer sharps teeth at its bottom opened only to give a horrific screech.


    Asher didn''t give any chance to come near as he swiftly slowed down three of them while the last one froze mid-air by ''static''.


    *Crack!* *Crack!* *Crack!*


    The short sword gave a crackling sound as it broke down into a whip.


    In a swift motion, I lashed out at the creature. The whip coiled around its body and pulled it closer to me. The creature showed no sign of struggle as its body remained frozen in time.


    The other three were still moving slowly due to the effect of Kairosflow!


    Asher took advantage of the moment and swung the frozen creature in his grasp at the other three with full strength.


    They crashed together, their brittle bodies breaking like dry twigs. The sound of shattered bones and tearing flesh filled the air, and a geyser of blood spurted out from the impact, painting the walls of the tunnel with a crimson hue.


    The whip released its grip, and the creature''s lifeless form dropped to the ground with a sickening thud.


    Returning the sword to my bracelet I gave the dead creatures a suspicious look.


    How did creatures of beyond enter the city? Was it done by them?


    He wondered if they were being controlled, or if they had wondered into the tunnels by themselves.


    "So many things to find," I said to myself before walking passed the corpse.


    It will be a long night.


    Many things need to be done. Saving the captives was the main goal. But now another goal was added to that list.


    It was to hunt monsters. Every single one of them will be wiped out tonight.