The hallway was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon filtering through the windows. Tsukina moved silently, her steps light and careful. She felt an inexplicable pull towards the melody, as if it were a thread drawing her through the house. She descended the stairs, each step bringing her closer to the enchanting sound. Her heartbeat quickened as she reached the ground floor, the air around her charged with an electric energy. The eerie yet beautiful melody seemed to beckon her, calling her closer. It was elusive, otherworldly, as though it danced just beyond her reach. She opened the front door and stepped into the cool night. The path before her was bathed in a silvery light, the moon casting long shadows that wavered and flickered in the breeze. The sound came from the forest. Tsukina hesitated. She had always been warned never to venture into the woods at night, tales of strange creatures and dark forces filling her with unease. But the melody persisted, growing louder, more enticing. It was as if the song whispered secrets just for her. Against her better judgment, she found herself stepping into the trees, each step a commitment she couldn’t turn back from. As she ventured deeper into the forest, the trees seemed to shift, their branches weaving together in a dense canopy that blocked out most of the moonlight. The air was cooler here, thick with an otherworldly presence. Her instincts told her to turn back, but the song pushed her forward. Soon, she reached a clearing bathed in moonlight. The trees formed a natural dome, and in the center stood a figure, ethereal and impossibly beautiful. Her voice was the source of the melody, and Tsukina was captivated. She took another step forward when suddenly, the air shifted. The melody stopped abruptly, the figure turning to face her. Tsukina froze, the figure’s face no longer soft and enchanting. The eyes were hollow, glowing with an unnatural light, and the lips curved into a predatory smile. She felt a chill crawl down her spine, the realization dawning on her too late. It was a trap. From behind the trees, shadowy figures emerged, their glowing eyes piercing through the darkness. Tsukina gasped, her heart hammering in her chest as they encircled her, cutting off any route of escape. The creatures moved swiftly, their forms twisted and grotesque, like distorted humans with elongated limbs and razor-sharp claws.

Without thinking, Tsukina turned and ran, her feet pounding against the forest floor. But the creatures were fast, their footsteps barely making a sound as they pursued her. Panic surged through her veins as she dashed through the trees, her lungs burning with the effort to keep going. She stumbled as a figure darted in front of her, blocking her path. It was one of the siren's creatures, its elongated arms reaching for her. Tsukina barely managed to dodge its grasp, ducking under its arm and continuing her sprint. Her heart raced, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The forest seemed to close in on her, the trees growing denser as the shadows deepened. Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted in her leg as something slashed at her calf. Tsukina cried out, stumbling to the ground. She glanced down to see blood trickling from a deep cut. Before she could react, the creature loomed over her, its twisted face sneering with malice. Just as the creature lunged, a flash of silver shot through the air. The creature screeched, recoiling as a blade buried itself in its chest. Tsukina’s eyes widened as the creature collapsed, writhing in agony before dissolving into black smoke. From the shadows, a figure stepped forward, her presence commanding. It was an old friend, her sharp features illuminated by the pale moonlight. In one fluid motion, she pulled another knife from her belt, her eyes fixed on the remaining creatures. "Stay down," Crystal hissed, her voice low but filled with authority. The creatures snarled, their glowing eyes flicking between Tsukina and Crystal. The tension hung in the air like a heavy fog as the creatures slowly closed in, their movements calculated and precise. Crystal’s hand tightened around her knife, her gaze never wavering.

One of the creatures lunged at her, its claws outstretched, but Crystal was faster. She sidestepped the attack and slashed her blade across its chest. The creature screeched as black blood oozed from the wound, but it didn’t stop. It swung its arm, claws aimed at her face. Crystal ducked and kicked it in the stomach, sending it stumbling backward. Another creature tried to attack from behind, but Crystal anticipated the move. She spun around, her blade slicing through the air, cutting across the creature's throat. It let out a choked gasp before collapsing to the ground, dissolving like the others. Tsukina watched in awe, her body frozen in place. Crystal moved with precision, her every strike deliberate and deadly. But there were too many of them. The creatures kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. Crystal was breathing hard now, sweat beading on her forehead. "Tsukina!" she called, her voice strained. "Get out of here! Now!" Tsukina’s legs trembled, fear rooting her to the spot. But she knew she couldn’t stay here. She forced herself to stand, her injured leg protesting with every step. She stumbled forward, her eyes darting around for any sign of escape. A creature lunged at her, its claws slicing through the air. Tsukina screamed, raising her arms defensively, but before the claws could reach her, Crystal hurled one of her knives. It struck the creature in the chest, knocking it to the ground. "Go!" Crystal shouted again, her voice tinged with desperation.

Tsukina ran, limping as fast as her injured leg would allow. The forest blurred around her, the sounds of the battle fading as she put distance between herself and the clearing. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her heart pounding in her ears. She didn’t know where she was going; she just knew she had to get away. Behind her, she could hear Crystal still fighting, the sounds of metal clashing with claws and the guttural growls of the creatures filling the air. Tsukina’s stomach twisted with guilt. She wanted to go back, to help, but what could she do? She was no fighter. She would only get in the way. Just as she thought she was clear, a dark shape darted out from the trees, slamming into her side. Tsukina cried out as she hit the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of her. She gasped for air, her vision blurring as the creature loomed over her, its glowing eyes gleaming with malice. The creature snarled, raising its claws to strike, but before it could deliver the fatal blow, a deafening roar echoed through the forest. The creature hesitated, its eyes widening in fear. It backed away slowly, its gaze darting around as if searching for the source of the sound. From the darkness, a massive figure emerged, its body towering over the trees. Tsukina’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at the creature before her. It was unlike anything she had ever seen—an enormous beast with glowing red eyes and feathers as black as the night. The creature roared again, its voice shaking the ground beneath Tsukina’s feet. The smaller creatures screeched in terror, scattering into the shadows. Even the siren’s minions, those twisted and grotesque figures that had chased her through the forest, retreated at the sight of the shapeshifter who resembled more of a bird like beast. Tsukina could hardly believe her eyes as the massive creature stepped forward, its gaze locking onto her. She expected it to attack, but instead, it lowered its massive head, sniffing the air around her. Its eyes, though fierce, seemed to soften as it regarded her. The beast rumbled lowly, as if communicating with her, before turning its attention to the remaining creatures. With a final, bone-chilling roar, the beast charged forward, tearing through the creatures with terrifying strength. Tsukina watched in stunned silence as the battle unfolded before her. Crystal, now free of the onslaught, stood panting on the other side of the clearing, her eyes wide with disbelief as the beast fought off the remaining creatures.

When the last of the creatures had been defeated, the beast turned its gaze back to Tsukina, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. It stared at her for a long moment before, without a sound, it disappeared into the forest, leaving behind only the echo of its roar. Crystal approached Tsukina cautiously, her chest rising and falling with exertion. "You okay?" she asked, her voice breathless but steady. Tsukina nodded, still in shock. "What...what was that?" she whispered, her voice trembling. Crystal shook her head, her expression grim. "I don’t know" she admitted. "But whatever it was, it just saved our lives." The two girls stood there, the night once again eerily silent, the weight of the battle settling over them. Tsukina’s heart still raced, her mind struggling to process everything that had just happened. The siren, the creatures, the massive beast—it was all too much to comprehend. But one thing was clear: the world was far more dangerous than she had ever imagined. As Tsukina and Crystal made their way back through the forest, the night air still heavy with tension, the eerie silence that followed the battle seemed to hang over them like a shroud. Neither of them spoke, their breaths ragged and their minds still reeling from the events that had just transpired. Behind them, the clearing where the confrontation took place was now deserted, the remnants of the battle fading into the mist that clung to the forest floor. Unbeknownst to the two girls, something extraordinary was happening where the massive, fearsome beast had made its stand. The creature, whose glowing red eyes had struck terror into the hearts of the twisted minions of the siren, began to shimmer faintly in the dim light. Its massive frame, covered in dark fur and towering over the forest, slowly began to shift and shrink. The thick, muscular limbs that had torn through the enemy with such raw power started to slim down, the feral claws retracting into more delicate hands and fingers. The transformation was mesmerizing, a sight that would have left any onlooker spellbound. The once-monster’s snout, lined with sharp teeth, receded, replaced by the softer features of a human face. The beast’s black fur dissolved into the air, leaving behind pale skin as the figure shrank further, shrinking down from its towering height to a much more familiar, human size.

Finally, where the fearsome creature had once stood, a young girl emerged from the mist, now in her natural form. She was no longer a monstrous beast, but a slim and rather unassuming girl with long dark hair, her appearance deceptively ordinary. She sighed deeply, brushing away a few strands of hair that had fallen into her face as she took stock of her now human form. "Geez... I hate using that form," she muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with exhaustion. She stretched her arms above her head, trying to shake off the lingering discomfort that came from transforming back into her smaller, human body. Her claws, once so deadly, had reverted back into normal hands, and her body, which had been hulking and powerful moments ago, was now small and slender. The girl grumbled as she began fixing her hair, running her fingers through it to untangle the knots that had formed during her transformation. Her clothes, which had miraculously survived the shift from beast to girl, were rumpled and torn in places, and she fussed over them with irritation, straightening the fabric and dusting off bits of dirt and leaves that clung to her. "Seriously, why do these fights always end with me looking like I just crawled out of a swamp?" she complained, glancing down at her disheveled appearance. She kicked at a rock in frustration, watching it skitter across the ground and disappear into the underbrush. "I swear, one of these days, I'm going to figure out a way to transform without ruining my hair and clothes every time.”

With a final huff, she adjusted her outfit one last time and began walking around , her footsteps light and silent. As she moved, the mist that had gathered around her faded into the night, leaving no trace of the enormous creature she had been just moments before. She looked completely ordinary now, just another civilian wandering the forest in the dead of night, though there was an undeniable air of power and mystery surrounding her. As she walked, the girl cast a glance over her shoulder, her sharp eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. She knew the siren’s minions were gone, at least for now, but that didn’t mean the danger had passed completely. Creatures like that were rarely ever truly defeated. They had a habit of slinking back into the shadows, licking their wounds, and waiting for the next opportunity to strike. "I really hope those two make it back without running into more trouble," the girl muttered under her breath, referring to Tsukina and Crystal, the two girls she had silently helped. A small, fleeting smile crossed her lips, though it was tinged with weariness. "They’re lucky I was here tonight... and even luckier I felt like intervening." Her voice trailed off as she continued through the forest, her form disappearing into the dense trees, leaving the clearing empty once more. The night resumed its eerie quiet, the forest seeming to breathe a sigh of relief after the chaos that had erupted just moments before. As she walked, the girl’s thoughts wandered back to her earlier battle with the creatures. She had taken them down easily enough, but the transformation had drained her energy more than she’d anticipated. Shapeshifting into her beast form was always a last resort for her, something she did only when absolutely necessary. The process was exhausting, both physically and mentally, and it always left her feeling slightly out of sync with herself afterward, like she was a puzzle that hadn’t quite fit back together properly. "That’s the last time I get involved in someone else’s mess for a while," she grumbled to herself, though she knew it wasn’t true. She had a habit of sticking her nose into other people’s business, especially when it came to protecting the defenseless from the supernatural threats that lurked in the shadows of the world. It was something she had been doing for as long as she could remember, even if it meant putting herself in danger in the process. Still, the exhaustion was catching up to her now. Her limbs felt heavy, and her eyelids drooped as she made her way through the forest. The adrenaline that had fueled her during the fight had worn off, leaving behind a bone-deep fatigue that made every step feel like a monumental effort. She needed to rest soon, to find somewhere safe where she could lay low for a while and recover. As she moved deeper into the woods, her sharp senses remained on high alert, scanning her surroundings for any potential threats. She knew the creatures she had fought weren’t the only ones lurking in these woods. This forest was ancient and filled with dark magic, and it had always been a hotbed for strange occurrences. There were rumors of other beings—older and far more dangerous—roaming the forest at night. Some called it cursed; others believed it to be a place where different dimensions overlapped, creating a crossroads where monsters, spirits, and otherworldly entities could slip into the human world.