Within moments, we arrived at the shoreline. The vast sea stretched endlessly beneath the night sky, its dark waters shimmering under the pale glow of the moon. Waves crashed violently against the shore, their echoes sounding almost like mournful voices from another realm. The salty breeze swept across our faces, cold yet strangely oppressive, filling the atmosphere with an unsettling tension.
We exchanged silent gestures with the policemen guarding the area. Their rifles reflected faint streaks of moonlight, but the fear in their eyes was impossible to hide. Moving closer, I quietly warned them not to fire unless there was no other option. They nodded nervously, tightening their grip on their weapons. After that, silence consumed the beach so completely that even the ocean seemed to fall still.
The clock struck exactly ten at night.
For nearly thirty minutes, nothing happened. Only the relentless sound of the waves disturbed the darkness. Then, without warning, the air changed. A suffocating weight descended upon us, making it hard to breathe. From the shadows, an enormous silhouette began to emerge—far too massive to belong to any ordinary man.
Instinctively, all five of us rushed forward, forming a semicircle around the figure. Guns were raised, though our shaking hands betrayed our fear. As the stranger stepped fully into the moonlight, every ounce of courage within us nearly vanished.
He stood like a titan carved from rock. His frame was gigantic, his shoulders impossibly broad, and his skin resembled burnt stone. His eyes burned bright red, glowing with an unnatural intensity. When he grinned, his teeth gleamed sharply, giving him the terrifying appearance of death clothed in human flesh.
Before anyone could speak, the stranger burst into booming laughter. The sound rolled across the shoreline like thunder, mocking our fragile bravery.
“Those weapons,” he said in a deep, echoing voice, “are merely toys to me. They cannot wound me.”
What terrified us most was not his monstrous appearance, but the fact that he spoke flawlessly in our own language.
Peter swallowed hard, staring in disbelief. “He… he speaks exactly like us?”
Gathering my courage, I stepped ahead cautiously. “Can you speak other languages too?”
The giant’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Every language spoken in this world is known to me.”
Fear tightened around us, yet curiosity pushed us onward.
I asked carefully, “Was it you and your beast who have been frightening the people here?”
The glow in his crimson eyes dimmed slightly as he shook his head.
“No,” he replied. “My hound and I are not here to terrorize mankind. We are guardians. We hunt those who escaped the fires below. Their master…” His voice hardened into a growl. “…is Pharaoh.”
The name struck us like lightning.
Peter and I spoke at once, unable to stop ourselves. “The Pharaoh from Exodus?”
The giant fixed his burning gaze upon us.
“Yes,” he answered. “That very Pharaoh. His spirit still exists. He walks among the living once more, gathering the wicked and building an army of darkness to dominate humanity.”
The waves crashed harder against the rocks, as though the sea itself mourned his words. None of us spoke for several moments.
“My purpose,” the stranger continued, “is to capture the souls that fled from Hell. They wander this earth corrupting people and carrying out Pharaoh’s commands. With every passing night, Pharaoh’s strength increases. Soon he hopes to spread his control over this nation—and eventually the entire world.”
I struggled to steady my voice. “Can we help you fight him?”
The giant shook his head slowly.
“No ordinary human can survive against Pharaoh himself. I already command ten warriors from the underworld to confront him. But you and your officers can fight his followers—the criminals and corrupted souls who act as his spies among society.”
Amit stepped forward boldly. “Then tell us… is there any way to stop or imprison Pharaoh?”
A strange ancient fire flickered in the giant’s eyes.
“There is,” he said. “Strike him first with the Hunter’s Lash, a weapon forged in the depths of Hell. That blow will weaken him. Afterward, bind him with the Holy Knot. Only then can Pharaoh be captured.”
At that moment, a terrifying growl echoed somewhere nearby.
We realized instantly that his hound was close, though hidden in darkness. Its growl sounded deeper than any creature born on earth, and its breath carried across the shore like burning wind.
Finally, the stranger revealed himself.
“My name is Abayomi,” he declared, “Guardian of the Abyss. And my hound…”
A faint smile crossed his face.
“…is named Fluffy.”
The harmless-sounding name felt absurd against the terrifying presence surrounding us. Yet the distant growls erased any thought of humor.
Abayomi’s expression soon became grim again.
“I fear Pharaoh’s servants may one day succeed in imprisoning me. But until that day arrives, I will continue this fight.”
One after another, we extended our hands toward him. His handshake carried overwhelming strength, like grasping the hand of a giant carved from iron itself.
“We’ll stand with you,” I promised, despite the fear shaking inside me.
Diljeet quickly turned toward the policemen. “You heard everything, didn’t you?”
The officers nodded silently, their pale faces betraying their terror.
I faced Abayomi once more. “Tomorrow night. Same place. Same time.”
The giant gave a slow nod of approval.
Then, without another word, he stepped backward into the darkness. Within seconds, both he and the unseen hellhound disappeared completely, leaving behind only the fading echo of its monstrous growl.
For a long time, we remained frozen on the shore, listening to the waves and trying to understand what had just happened. Eventually, we made our way back to the hotel.
That night was different from all the others before it. Fear no longer kept us awake. Instead, we slept with the heavy knowledge that a terrible war had begun—and that we were now part of it.
But this is only the beginning.
Greater mysteries await us ahead. Darker enemies are rising from the shadows, and the trials before us may be beyond anything we can survive. Stay with us as the next chapter unfolds.
Author’s Notes:
Author’s Note: This chapter was edited with AI assistance for grammar, readability, and flow.
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