Beyond, With a Yokai

Chapter 1: Who Are You?

The creature was rising to its feet.
And now, in the faint light, it was obvious—this wasn't a dog.

It looked more like a wolf.
Emaciated. Hunched. Its jaw grotesquely long and twisted.

"Ahh... I'm starving," the beast rasped.

Its voice was torn and broken, leaking from a mouth that dripped with thick, viscous drool.
It didn't blink.
Didn't move.

Just stared at her.

Yesenia's stomach twisted into a knot.
That thing—it wanted to eat her.

And then it hit her:
If this is a dream, maybe dying will wake me up.

The beast lunged forward, jaws stretching open far too wide.

Yesenia didn't even flinch.
She accepted it.
Closed her eyes.

"You're really not all there, are you?" the stranger's voice cut through the air like a blade.

He appeared in front of her in the blink of an eye—just appeared—and in one smooth motion, snapped the beast's neck.
Its body crumpled to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Yesenia shrieked, stumbling back.

"Either you hit your head harder than I thought when I threw you out that window, or you've always been this dumb," he muttered.

"If you hadn't interrupted, I'd probably be awake by now!
Not that you'd get it—you're just a figment of my imagination."

The guy raised a brow, smirking.
"You think your imagination could cook up this level of good looks?"

Yesenia snorted, unimpressed.
"I've seen better in my dreams."

"Hmm. Maybe I shouldn't have saved you from that psycho Yakan," he said, feigning offense.

"From who?"

She didn't get an answer.

Because the "corpse" began to move.

The wolf rose slowly, its head twisting at an unnatural angle, as if its neck had never been broken at all.
Bones cracked like dry branches as it turned to face them.

"You can still give her to me," it croaked.

The scent of burning fur and rotting flesh filled the air, making Yesenia gag.

The stranger sighed.

"You know... now I'm starting to get hungry," he said, voice dipped in menace.

Flames flickered to life at the tips of his fingers.
The fire spread, glowing red and wild—lighting up his frame and reflecting in Yakan's dead eyes.

"Fine, fine! I get it!" the beast hissed.

And just like that, its body evaporated into the night—leaving behind the stench of sulfur and a high-pitched ringing that exploded in Yesenia's ears.

She clutched her head, trying to stop the piercing sound.Yesenia looked around, trying to process what the hell was happening.
If this is a dream, why does it feel so real?
Her heart pounded so violently she thought it might burst through her chest.

That rotting stench still hung in the air, thick and suffocating, clinging to her skin.
The air itself felt heavy, like it belonged in a nightmare.

She clenched her fists to keep from panicking.
But what if this isn't a dream? What if he's not just some figment of my mind?

"Who are you people, and what do you want from me?" she asked, trying to sound calm—but her voice shook, betraying her fear.

"I already told you," he said casually. "That was a Yakan. A dangerous kind of kitsune. The type that's too proud to ever take a human form. But trust me, they're disgusting. Especially compared to the others. He smelled a weakened soul—yours. For him, it's like blood to a vampire. And he won't stop hunting you until you're dead."