The Dreamer's POV

Chapter 134: Death In The Shadows

A thin smirk etched itself on the lips of Number 12,344, barely perceptible as he lurked in the deep folds of the encroaching darkness.

As one of the many shadows of the Nine Headed Dragon Alliance, he had no name, no distinct identity - he was just a number, a cog in the vast, ruthless machine of the Alliance.

His thoughts wandered to the arrogant soldiers daring to intrude upon their territory.

The audacity of the Lyma Family and their expedition team was laughable. A buzzing in his chest spoke of a deep amusement that was tinged with anticipation.

He had been brought up within the cruel embrace of the Nine Headed Dragon Alliance and he knew the extent of their brutality, the depths to which they would sink to maintain their dominance.

The Captain he served was not one to be trifaced lightly.

A grand figure within the ranks of the Nine Headed Dragon Alliance, he was one of the prestigious 99 Grands.

His might and prowess were such that he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the upper echelons of the Grand Knights of the Southern Kingdom, a terrifying figure that commanded respect and fear in equal measure.

In the face of such a daunting enemy, Number 12,344 couldn't help but scoff at the expedition team's foolhardy courage.

To him, their fate seemed to be sealed, their defeat a foregone conclusion. As far as he was concerned, they stood no chance.

They were like moths to the flame, willingly throwing themselves into the jaws of a monster they could not hope to defeat.

The Lyma family, their allies, they were all marching towards a precipice, ready to be swallowed whole by the churning abyss that was the Nine Headed Dragon Alliance.

Their annihilation seemed as certain as the waning moon in the night sky above. The fleeting glow of their defiance would soon be snuffed out, he was certain of that.

After all, they were merely the next in line to fall before the might of the Nine Headed Dragon Alliance.

"AARRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!"

A deafening, guttural scream ripped through the quiet of the night, sending cold tendrils of dread snaking down Number 12,344's spine.

"W-what was that?" His head turned in both confusion and slight apprehension.

Turning swiftly on his heels, he darted towards the source of the noise - the ominous call originating from the north, where some of his comrades were stationed.

'W-what is… this smell? NO… NO WAY!'

The stench of blood and death already hung heavy in the air, a sickly sweet perfume that churned his insides.

'T-this can't… be…' He stumbled upon a horrific scene.

The once familiar figures of his colleagues were now grotesque caricatures of what they had been, their bodies torn apart and strewn haphazardly around.

Blood splattered the ground, pooling into dark puddles that gleamed ominously under the dim moonlight.

'W-what could have… done thi—?!'

A flicker of movement in his peripheral vision, too fast for him to catch, alerted his instincts.

'W-what is that?'

Once again, his eyes noticed the giant shadow move.

And then, suddenly, low dangerous growls began to echo from a distant position. He felt his entire blood run cold at that moment.

'T-this…' He could see two gleaming eyes narrowing on his position.

"Eeeeeek!" Panic seized him as adrenaline shot through his veins, fueling his movements as he bolted away.

~WHOOOSH!~

He could feel the terrifying presence of the creature closing in on him, its monstrous aura growing more oppressive with each passing second.

'No! Stay away from me!' He begged desperately.

Unfortunately, the creature did not listen to his pleas. Instead, it seemed the monster was gaining on him by the second.

'No please… please… someone… anyone…' His heart raced in fear.

"H-HEEEEEELLLLLPPPPPPP!!!"

The air was squeezed from his lungs as he screamed for help, the fear making his voice shrill and desperate.

His foot caught on a protruding pebble, sending him sprawling onto the unforgiving ground, the breath knocked out of him.

"Haa… haaa… n-no… I can't die he-ereee…"

Each ragged breath felt like a struggle, the terror clawing at his insides as he waited for the inevitable.

"GRRRRRRR…."

He could see the monster draw closer.

"P-please…" Begged the desperate shadow. "... Not me…"

Just as the creature seemed ready to pounce, it halted abruptly.

"E-eh?" Number 12,344's heart stuttered in his chest as dozens of shadows flickered into existence around the beast.

His desperate cry had brought his comrades, their numbers swelling as more shadows materialized, a dark army ready to confront the monster.

'They came… for me!'

Hope flickered in his chest, as weak and wavering as a candle in a storm, but present nonetheless.

He watched with wide, fear-stricken eyes, praying to whatever gods might be listening that they would be enough to defeat the creature.

'I'm saved! I'm saved! I'm save—!'

"ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!"

The creature's roar echoed through the still night, a chilling promise of death and destruction.

Its voice reverberated through Number 12,344's body, causing his bones to vibrate with its sheer power.

He could feel a strange pressure descending upon them, the air growing heavy and constrictive, making it difficult for him to breathe.

"A-ahh… ahhh…"

His eyes widened in horror as his comrades, once agile and swift, were immobilized as if held by unseen shackles.

'No… god no…'

In the blink of an eye, chaos erupted.

The creature attacked with a ferocity that belied its monstrous size, its claws and tail slashing through the air, ripping through the helpless shadows like a reaper's scythe through wheat.

Each dreadful blow resulted in a spray of dark essence, the closest thing to blood that the shadow guards possessed.

The creature's massive jaws opened, revealing rows of sharp teeth that glinted ominously under the weak moonlight, like a set of sinister knives.

With a quick, savage movement, it bit down on a shadow guard, the creature's body quivering with the force before being torn apart effortlessly.

'N-no…' Number 12,344 watched, paralyzed with terror, as his comrades were slaughtered.

The scene unfolding before him was so horrific, so grotesque, that he could scarcely believe it was real.

He could only watch in stunned silence as his brethren were cut down one by one, their cries of agony and despair echoing hauntingly in his ears.

"Guaaarrghhhh!"

"Uaaaccckk!!"

"Bleughhh!!!"

His body trembled uncontrollably, his mind screaming at him to flee. But his feet were rooted to the spot, his eyes glued to the horrific sight before him.

The air reeked of death and despair, the metallic scent of fear potent enough to make him gag. Desperation clawed at him, the grim reality sinking in - they were going to die.

And he was powerless to stop it.

"GRRRRR…."

As the monstrous creature finished its grisly task, Number 12,344 could only watch in abject terror as it turned its blood-red eyes onto him.

'A-am I going to… to die here?'

Each measured step it took in his direction sent fresh waves of fear coursing through him, threatening to overwhelm him entirely.

He could see the dark essence of his fallen comrades smeared across the creature's terrifying visage, the sight alone enough to send his heart into a frenzied flutter.

'A-ah… ahhh… I don't want this… I don't want to die…' Find adventures at M-V-L

The creature loomed over him, its hot, fetid breath washing over him like a wave, carrying with it the sickening scent of death.

The air was thick with it, the metallic taste of fear coating his tongue.

He was next.

'Why? W-why is this happening? This wasn't supposed to happen…'

A desperate thought flitted through his mind then.

Was this the work of the Lyma Family?

'No! No way!' He quickly dismissed the idea.

No, no human could possibly control such a monstrosity, a being of pure carnage and destruction.

This creature was something else entirely, a force of nature, as relentless and merciless as a storm.

'This thing… is a monster from HELL! A DEMON!'

Who would be able to control such an entity save for a Demon Lord? No… such a being didn't… couldn't exist!

Then, without warning, the creature lunged, its massive jaws opening wide.

His breath hitched in his throat, his mind numb with terror.

This was it. His end.

"GUAAAARRRGHHHH!!!"

As the darkness encroached on the edges of his vision, his last thought was a pitiful denial.

No human could wield such power.

No human could be responsible for this.

He held onto that thought, clinging to it even as the darkness claimed him, pulling him into its cold, unforgiving embrace.

And then, there was nothing.

Just the silent darkness, his final, unspoken denial echoing hollowly in the abyss.

He, Number 12,344… was already dead.

*

*

*

[A/N]

Happy new month!

Thanks for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it a lot. If you do, please comment your thoughts.

Cheers!