A bellowing howl echoed through the entire forest, sending shivers down the spine of the Devil and the Jujutsu sorcerer that where now running through it with blazing speed to get away from the monster they encountered.

Megumi reached his hand to Power and she grabbed it as they ran as far as they could throughout the forest, trying their best not to get separated from each other. When they reached a giant oak tree they hid behind it, catching their breath as they listened throughout the forest.

It was now silent, not a single sound was heard. No owls making sounds in the night, no footsteps of passing deer, not even the sound of crickets chirping. It was dead silent. And that was very bad news.

Megumi knew it. If a forest went silent, then there was a predator nearby.

"Megumi….you're bleeding…" Power said quietly.

Megumi looked as his girlfriend pointed at his hand. It was drenched with blood and because of the adrenaline he hadn't felt or noticed it. Power grabbed it and slowly began licking the blood away, using her ability as the Blood Devil to heal his hand.

Megumi grunted in pain and turned around the tree. He couldn't see anything but he couldn't shake the feeling that what they where running from, wasn't far behind.

Power had healed his hand very quickly and looked at him with a scared expression. "What…what was that…it looked like her but…"

Megumi held her hand and tried to reassure her "I know…I don't know what's going on with her but we need to get through this. We need to warn the others…"

He reached for his pocket to take out a small round electrical device. An emergency beacon used to send a signal just in case. And this was absolutely an emergency. He clicked the button and send out a signal, hoping for the best.

Leaning back against the tree Megumi thought about everything that had occurred just a mere few minutes ago. From the moment they stepped out of that car it had all gone downhill. When they laid eyes on the figure standing in front of them, looking like an old enemy who had been imprisoned long ago. It was impossible he thought? But before he could even put his arms together she had moved in on him with blistering speed, slashed his arm and knocked him to the side. It was only through Power's interference that they managed to make a run for it.

And now they where here like rats backed into a corner. The forest was still silent, but it was the silence that made Megumi all the more terrified.

They couldn't stay here, they had to move.

"Follow me" he whispered to Power as they began to move from their hiding spot. Walking through the bushes in front of them, carefully taking each step as silently as they could. They made their way and entered into a clearing.

The two stepped into the clearing looking around for any signs of a way to nearby civilization.

"We need to get back to the academy," Megumi whispered "we need to warn Gojo…"

And then a sudden shadow flew over them with incredible speed and landed in front of them. It towered over them, a gargantuan canine covered with fur and bright venom green eyes. It stood on two legs and looked as though it was made up of black smoke or shadows. Its howl broke through the silence of the forest.

Megumi and Power held each other's hand as they observed the beast, fear overwhelming them. It looked down upon them, showing its teeth in what appeared to be a grinning smile.

"Thought you could run did you…" it spoke with a mocking undertone, as if it was toying with them.

Maybe it was the adrenaline, the fight or flight response kicking in, but regardless Megumi set off running pulling Power along with him as they moved back into the forest. They could hear the creature behind them giving chase.

"Megumi what are we going to do!" Power said, her voice full of worry and sounding scared like a little child.

"It will be okay…" he tried to reassure her. In his mind he thought of only one idea on how to escape this raging monster. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out his portal device. He pulled Power close to him and they came to a stop as he pushed the button.

Not even a few meters away the beast came roaring at them as a portal opened and Megumi pulled Power alongside him as they jumped through it. The beast slashed at them with its claws just as the portal closed and he tore through air instead.

The beast looked around but saw no sign of its prey, letting out a loud howl of anger. He then looked to the ground as he saw something shiny.

It was their portal device, they must have dropped it when they made their escape.

He recognized the design of it. So the creature grinned as its lifted its foot and stepped down on the device, breaking it slightly but not fully destroying it.

Then the beast sighed as its form began to shrink and soon enough it had transformed into the disheveled looking Makima, her eyes now a bright venom green instead of her normal golden irises. She looked around the forest and smelled around her looking for something.

"Pfft they may have gotten away but good luck getting back now…" the voice coming from Makima was not her usual voice, it was indistinctively masculine and low. Whatever that creature was, it may look like Makima but it didn't act like her.

Makima tilted her head upwards towards the dark sky, illuminated only by the pale moonlight.

"I know you're out there somewhere…and I will find you…" Makima spoke in that low voice as she began to slowly walk through the forest.

"Chimes at midnight will you come and play me…" Makima began to sing as she walked through the forest, leaving the broken portal device behind her, her green eyes shining through the darkness of the forest.


A/N: So here it is, the prologue of the fifth installment in the main Collective Chronicles series. The title may be subject to change since it might not be fully appropriate for the story I have in mind and its quite different from the other titles in my series but it feels right to me and it conveys what I'm trying to go for, a whole new direction with the series as you will all soon see.

To everyone that has stuck with me for this long and has supported the series, thank you all so much. From what started as a simple story I wrote during my time in quarantine has grown into this massive multi part story that just keeps getting crazier and crazier, it may not be perfect, I may not be proud of it at some point but nonetheless I'm glad that you all still enjoy it to some extent. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you all so very much.

Keep a watch out for the other two stories running concurrently to this one. "Unforgivable Sinner" and one I have yet to publish which will show up very shortly.