Shadow slave:The Forgotten Spawn

Chapter 3: The Unseen Thread

The creature walked across a desolate expanse, the ground beneath its talons cracking like brittle glass. The Dream Realm stretched endlessly in every direction, a labyrinth of chaos and despair. Pillars of twisted bone jutted from the earth, towering high into the swirling sky. Veins of violet lightning forked above, illuminating the darkness for fleeting moments.

As it moved, it became increasingly aware of a pull—subtle, yet insistent. It wasn't the mindless drive to hunt or survive. This was something deeper, a tether buried within the shadows of its being.

It passed through a forest of dead trees, their leafless branches contorted like grasping hands. The air here was heavy, and the silence oppressive. Beneath the surface, the creature could feel a heartbeat—a slow, deliberate rhythm that resonated through the ground. It crouched low, pressing a clawed hand to the soil.

The pulse quickened.

The shadows around it stirred, creeping toward the center of the forest where an ancient altar stood. The altar was a jagged slab of obsidian, inscribed with runes that glowed faintly. Around it lay the remnants of nightmare creatures, their twisted forms torn apart as if by some great force.

The creature approached cautiously. It didn't understand the runes, but they called to something buried deep within its fragmented mind. Its glowing eyes flickered, the molten gold within swirling like liquid fire.

As it placed a taloned hand on the altar, a surge of energy coursed through its body. The shadows around it thickened, rising like smoke and coiling around its form. For a moment, the creature felt its mind expand—brief glimpses of visions flashing before it.

A sprawling labyrinth.

A dark ocean lit by silver light.

And… people.

Humans.

The creature recoiled, pulling its hand back from the altar. The visions faded, leaving only a faint, lingering impression. It didn't know what it had seen, but the images were burned into its mind. The humans weren't like the nightmare creatures of this realm. They weren't mindless or consumed by malice. They had purpose.

And one among them stood out.

A figure shrouded in shadow, their face obscured but their presence undeniable. The creature didn't understand why, but it felt connected to this figure—as though its very existence was tied to theirs.

Before it could linger on the thought, the air around the altar shifted. A low growl echoed through the forest, and the shadows retreated, revealing another creature emerging from the gloom.

This one was massive, with jagged spines running along its back and eyes that glowed a deep, venomous green. Its maw split into three sections, each lined with serrated teeth, and a thick, whip-like tail swayed behind it. The creature regarded the newcomer with a mixture of curiosity and hunger.

The golden-eyed aberration didn't hesitate.

The fight began with a thunderous roar as the larger beast charged, shaking the ground with its weight. The smaller creature leapt into motion, darting to the side with an almost ethereal grace. Claws clashed against claws, shadow against sinew. The two monsters became a blur of motion, their strikes sending shockwaves through the air.

The larger beast lashed out with its tail, aiming to crush the aberration beneath its weight. But the smaller creature anticipated the strike, leaping over the attack and landing on the beast's back. Its talons pierced deep into its opponent's hide, drawing a bellowing roar of pain.

The shadows coiled around the aberration again, sharpening its claws into blades of pure darkness. With a single, decisive motion, it plunged them into the beast's neck, severing the connection between head and body.

The larger creature collapsed, its lifeless form crumbling into black ash.

The aberration stood victorious, its glowing eyes narrowing as it turned back toward the altar. Whatever force had drawn it here, whatever connection it had felt to the humans in the vision, one thing was clear: this realm was not its final destination.

The unseen thread that pulled at its essence was growing stronger, tugging it toward a fate it could neither understand nor resist. It would follow the pull, step by step, until it uncovered the truth.

As the shadows thickened around it once more, the creature disappeared into the forest, leaving only the silence of the Dream Realm behind.