《Boundead》


 Chapter 1: It Felt Like Eternity

    Chapter 1: It Felt Like Eternity


    "Sir, we''re almost there," a calm, measured voice spoke. The girl behind the control panel was slender, her long black hair framed by bangs. Her fingers moved fluidly over the controls, her gaze focused but hopeful.


    Beside her, a coffee sat cold and still, accompanied by a notebook and a pen. The ship''s interior was plain¡ªneither flashy nor futuristic¡ªbut the silence within was almost tangible. It felt like they were drifting through an empty, endless expanse. How much longer would this stillness last? Was it the calm before something inevitable?


    Juwana Taliah, second-in-command, glanced over her shoulder. Her black pupils, deep yet full of light, met the man sitting at the back of the ship. "We''re about to pass through, sir."


    In the shadows, a man sat in silence, his figure poised yet burdened. His hair was black, his brown eyes lacking the usual spark of life. His body was weary, as though worn by years of unspoken stress.


    "Finally..." His voice cracked as the words escaped, heavy with a weariness that seemed to resonate in the silence. "It... felt like eternity."


    Taliah didn''t speak, but her eyes softened. She knew the weight of those words. After everything, it felt as though something¡ªmaybe everything¡ªwas finally coming to fruition.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    She turned back to the front of the ship. Outside the cockpit window, colors exploded in a brilliant dance across the vastness of space. The stars seemed to swirl in a way that felt both new and ancient, as though the universe was offering them a glimpse of its secrets.


    A tremor shook the ship. Coffee, once warm and now forgotten on the control panel, rippled as it vibrated. Stains on the desk, the pen, and the notebook trembled with increasing intensity. A strange phenomenon¡ªthe void around them shouldn''t be capable of such disturbances.


    But neither of them reacted. This was nothing new. It was just another unpredictable moment in their work.


    The vibrations grew stronger, more intense, until their senses began to blur. They were nearing the threshold of something unknown, something they had only imagined.


    Taliah''s voice was barely a whisper as she turned toward Akhira. Her eyes glistened, filled with the quiet terror of the unknown. No words came¡ªonly the suffocating white light that began to envelop them, consuming their thoughts.


    A vast, endless whiteness surrounded him. There was nothing but blankness, stretching infinitely in all directions. Slowly, a figure emerged¡ªclad in a white trench coat, standing stark against the void. His brown eyes¡ªdark, without a trace of light¡ªstared ahead, confused and disoriented.


    "Where''s Taliah?" he called out, his voice echoing back, but only to meet silence. "Where am I? We were just in the ship... How did I end up here?"


    The oppressive white light swallowed him, pressing in from all sides. His heart pounded as the dread of being lost¡ªutterly and completely¡ªsettled in. He had left behind everything on the journey, but now, alone in this void, he was reminded of how fragile everything truly was.


    His thoughts were consumed with finding Taliah, dragging her back from whatever nightmare they had wandered into. He couldn''t let her be trapped here alone.


    Determination set his jaw as he began walking. Each step felt like a battle against the infinite expanse surrounding him. His black hair, a stark contrast to the whiteness, seemed to shrink with each passing moment as he made his way through the endless void.


    Time lost its meaning as he moved. Seconds stretched into minutes. Minutes bled into hours. And still, the void stretched on.


    But he did not stop.


    He had to find her.

 Chapter 2: Living The Eternity

    Endless silence reverberates through the atmosphere, as he traverses the desolate expanse of the wasteland without any discernible direction. What was once mere seconds of walking have transformed into minutes, which in turn have become hours of relentless kilometers.


    His throat has begun to dry up, a consequence of his decision to forgo water in favor of coffee. Regret now gnaws at him as his throat becomes so parched that even the act of gulping becomes a struggle.


    "Hufff" (he whips the sweat off his face)


    It feels as though he is walking on a desert. Yes! A desert!


    When he wipes the sweat from his face and opens his eyes, he finds himself in the very heart of the desert.


    Huh, this is impossible. I was just in that white space a moment ago. Wait!


    Am I beginning to perceive illusions due to my thirst?


    Yes, that explains it...!


    Perhaps I am dreaming or trapped in an illusion from the very beginning. Maybe I should find a way to escape this place. What if I end my own life? No, that would be too painful.


    Perhaps something that could jolt me awake with pain would suffice.


    As a person who remains remarkably calm and quick-thinking in such dire situations, he might have imagined himself in even worse circumstances. He was quick to think and act, realizing that it could all be an illusion and attempting to rouse himself from it.


    He begins searching for something, his hands frantically combing through his trench coat.


    While searching, he finds a pen tucked away inside.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Mmm, this is strange. I don''t recall ever using this pen or placing it here. It''s the same one Taliah uses! Maybe she put it here!"


    He sets aside his questions and prepares himself, taking deep breaths and exhaling.


    In a desperate attempt to escape, he stabs himself in the thigh.


    A piercing scream escapes his lips, but he musters the strength to endure because he is not out of this yet. His wound begins to hurt and burn, threatening to overwhelm him. His consciousness fades once again, fear gripping him tightly. He believes he is about to die. He thinks, "Since I feel this excruciating pain, it''s not a dream. I will die here, nowhere, and...and I haven''t found Taliah yet. I need to find her here. I want to go back home..."


    ...Miel... where are you, Miel?


    His life flashes before him, recalling a distant memory of a girl, now middle-aged and lost in nowhere, with no hope. He feels trapped alone, burdened by the worry of Taliah, also out there alone. His heart and mind are in chaos, and his will is not ready to give up. The burning sensation of regret, guilt, and responsibility consumes him. He stands up firmly, opens his eyes, and stretches his hands above him, trying to grasp the light. "I will," he whispers, but then he falls down and loses consciousness.


    He opens his eyes again, finding himself in the same wasteland of white void, but this time, he is covered in a pool of blood, presumably his own. Shocked, he checks his entire body and head, searching for the source of the blood. When he checks his body, he realizes that his thighs have healed. Next, he searches for the pen. He spots a somewhat bulging object in the blood pool and picks it up. It''s the pen, cowering in the blood. He looks at it and reminisces, then puts it back in his trench coat, now covered in bright red blood.


    He wonders what happened before, the burning sensation and thirst have all vanished.


    ...


    He gets up and looks up, taking a deep sigh.


    ...


    Sounds of horns and vehicles fill the air. Tall skyscrapers soar above him.


    Inside a dimly lit room, a small table lamp casts a warm glow on Akhira, who is sitting and designing a ship that can withstand high speed and pressure during their space travel. Akhira, a person who dedicated his entire life to thinking and fantasizing about different concepts, is at the end of his rope. He has designed many ships, but none that he could build with his limited funding, research, and manpower. As for the space part, it seems he has already planned something out.


    ...


    Those dreams! Those felt so unreal.


    He lies on the table, both hands on the table, closed, and his chin resting on it. He looks ahead at his space shuttle design.


    Akhira, a man with a peculiar dream, yearned for a distant world, a realm of swordlight, darkness, and magical wonders. He envisioned himself as a knowledgeable figure, standing above others in this enchanted land. However, his dream remained elusive, leaving him with only a faint imprint on a piece of paper and some enigmatic words in Ancient Arabic. He was certain that this imprint held the key to unlocking the mystery and a portal that could transport him through time.


    ...


    "I don''t care about whatever that is," he exclaimed, his focus shifting to the present.


    "Taliah!" he called out, his voice filled with urgency.


    "Yes, sir Nur!" she replied, her tone filled with concern.


    "How many times have I told you not to call me that?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.


    "I''m sorry, sir," she said, her voice filled with remorse. "I''ll bring you something to drink right away."


    "That''s good," he said, his expression softening.


    ...


    Akhira found himself standing alone in the vast expanse of the white void. He couldn''t help but wonder if he had always been like this.


    "Taliah!" he mumbled, as if reminiscing about something. But the only response he received was an endless silence.


    ...

 Chapter 3: Fear of Depth

    In a dark void space, it was as if everything within had been devoured. It seemed this dark space had no end, no roof, no floor. But from a crack in the upper part of the void, as though the roof had split slightly, light streamed through. The light cast onto the ground, where a wrecked ship lay. From inside the ship, a faint sound of a child crying could be heard. As you got closer, the sound became clearer, though it was as if the void was trying to devour the voice. If the white space echoed the voice throughout, this dark space tried to consume it. But the cry grew clearer the closer you got to the light projecting from above.


    Nowhere in the white space, Nur walked as though there was a tomorrow. He was tired¡ªexhausted. His mental strength, which had been holding him up until now, was rapidly draining. The hopelessness in his eyes was overwhelming. A tear, almost ready to fall, seemed on the verge of escaping, but he held it in. He couldn''t give up yet, not until he got out of this place.


    "I''m tired... I don''t think I can go on," he thought to himself. "Food... water... I haven''t had any for... I don''t know how long. This space... this space is eating me alive. Why? Why... why am I suffering like this? I don''t care anymore. Just get me out of here. Someone... anyone... I don''t know anymore. Please."


    He dropped to his knees, eyes filled with tears. He looked up at the endless light above him, clasped his hands together, and murmured a name¡ªone he hadn''t spoken in so long.


    "Please... Please let her be safe. Please keep her safe. I won''t ask for anything else. Please, Creator."


    The blood on his clothes should have dried long ago, but it hadn''t. It remained fresh, despite the long time that had passed. He was in the middle of this endless space, in tatters and a pathetic state. Such an uncool character.


    He opened his eyes again, tears still blurring his vision. Through the haze of his tears, he saw a black blurry spot in the distance.


    "Huh?" he sniffed, wiping his nose. He tried to clear his eyes, looking deeper into the distance.


    He couldn''t make sense of what he was seeing, but there was something stirring inside him.


    He wiped his tears away completely, staring at the spot.


    "What''s that black spot?"


    He sniffed once more and, driven by a newfound hope, he stumbled toward it, though his body felt as though it were being weighed down. His feet, his hands, and even his head seemed heavy, making every step a struggle. Sweat covered his body, and his tears wouldn''t dry. His limbs began to feel the strange sensation of moisture¡ªlike the air around him was becoming damp.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "It''s getting heavier... Ahh, my body... I''m almost there..."


    The black spot didn''t seem to get any closer, no matter how hard he tried. It remained a distant dot, mocking his efforts. Even though he had been running for what felt like an eternity, he wasn''t any closer to it.


    "It feels like I''m underwater..." he thought.


    Splash. A faint sound of water filled his ears. His body sank, but then he emerged, coughing and gasping for air.


    "Where am I? How did I end up here? I was..."


    A loud scream tore from his throat as the realization hit him. He was in the middle of an ocean that stretched out into an endless horizon. The water was dark and deep, the kind of ocean that made him fear what could be lurking beneath the surface.


    Akhira, who had always feared dark waters, could feel his sanity being tested. The fear of the unknown, the fear of something invisible yet ever-present, gripped his heart. The kind of fear that could drive a person mad.


    For a person who had never been afraid of water, this was a different feeling altogether. The vast, dark ocean surrounded him, and the thoughts flooded his mind.


    "What will happen to me now? Will something come and bite me from below?" He dipped his head into the water and peered into the depths.


    It was pitch black. And yet, he couldn''t shake the feeling that something was watching him from the dark, something with eyes that pierced through the deep water.


    Panic gripped him. He started swimming, but it wasn''t easy. His body was exhausted, and swimming in the deep ocean was far different from the clear pools he was used to. Akhira wasn''t much of an athlete. He could barely swim, and his stamina was nonexistent.


    The sound of splashing filled the air as he struggled to move through the water. His breathing became shallow, his chest tight.


    "No... No!" he screamed as the water flooded his lungs, choking him.


    He couldn''t stop now. Something¡ªhe didn''t know what¡ªwas chasing him from below. He had to escape, but his body was giving up. His heart raced, his muscles burned, and his mind was breaking.


    His heart thudded painfully in his chest. His legs and arms felt like they were no longer his own. He was losing it, unable to hold on any longer. The only thing that had kept him going until now was his sense of responsibility, the promise he had made to find Taliah. But now, his human limits had been reached.


    Akhira stopped swimming, floating in the water. His eyes were empty, devoid of any hope. The despair had consumed him completely.


    "No more. I can''t," he whispered. "If it wants to, let it eat me."


    His body and mind were overcome with fear, and he began to cry. His gaze drifted to the vast expanse of the ocean, but then, he saw something. The sky above was blue, and the sun shone brightly, casting its warm light on the surface of the water. The sight was peaceful, a view that could soothe any soul.


    "Yeah... this end... isn''t so bad. At least I''ve faced my fear. And this view... it''s a worthy last scene," he thought.


    He closed his eyes and floated on the surface of the ocean, letting the waves carry him.


    But then, he began to think. He had been swimming for so long. Yet, whatever creature had been chasing him had never caught up. In fact, it seemed like it had been a while since he had heard or felt anything behind him.


    He opened his eyes again, seeing the vast ocean and the bright sun above. The water had cleared, and the storm clouds that once threatened had disappeared. Everything seemed peaceful.


    "I''m too scared to look into the water again," Akhira thought. "But I can''t just let this fear control me. For Taliah, I have to try."


    Taking a deep breath, he dipped his head into the water once more. His heart pounded as he expected to see something monstrous lurking beneath him.


    But when he opened his eyes, there was nothing. The ocean was calm, clear, and peaceful. There was no danger.


    For the first time in a long time, Akhira felt a surge of courage. Whatever fear had gripped him before, it was gone now.


    "For Taliah," he said to himself, closing his eyes again. "I''ll keep going."

 Chapter 4: Depths of Despair

    (Sound of ocean)


    It had been more than an hour since he started floating on the ocean, his body resting on the surface as if lying on his back, drifting aimlessly wherever the waves carried him.


    "The pen! Looks like I lost it while swimming for my life back there."


    He sighed, disappointed. Nur felt the exhaustion settle deeper into his bones. The water, relentless, had begun to prune his skin after so long.


    "I don''t have a way to get out of here," he muttered. "I''ve lost the pen... the one I could have used to stab myself awake."


    He stared at the blue sky, where clouds drifted and floated gracefully, as though performing a dance to cheer him up.


    But his eyes, filled with hopelessness yet again, turned hollow. "What should I do now?" he mumbled.


    "Will I find a shore if I try swimming with everything I''ve got?" he wondered. His frown deepened as weariness clawed at him. His eyelids grew heavier. A dark thought crept in, whispering, What if this place is like those endless spaces¡ªa world with no boundaries, only water?


    "It''d be better if something came from the deep sea to swallow me whole," he thought grimly. "Maybe I''d wake up then... and if not, at least this pathetic life would end once and for all."


    His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, his body still drifting. In that brief darkness, he saw shadows¡ªTaliah and Miel.


    "How did I end up in this miserable state?" he thought, bitterness cutting through his despair. "Now that I''ve lost the pen, I don''t have a way to..." His voice trailed off. "No, it''s not that I don''t have another way. It''s just... terrifying."


    The memory of drowning flashed in his mind. "I''ve tried before, but I couldn''t hold on..." He sighed, disgusted at his own lack of resolve.


    The shadows of Taliah and Miel lingered in his thoughts. Their presence stirred something within him. Determined, he steeled himself. Drowning is better than floating aimlessly. At least it has a chance of ending my misery¡ªor maybe it''ll get me out of here.


    Taking a deep breath, he dove.


    He swam toward the ocean''s depths, his body fighting against instinct and terror. The darkness beneath him was suffocating, a dreadful abyss that taunted him with both the fear of death and the unknown.


    His lungs burned as he pushed himself further. It was choking him, the pressure growing unbearable. But he clung to his resolve.


    Just as his consciousness began to waver, something caught his eye¡ªa shimmer on the surface of the water above. It radiated brightly, reflecting the sunlight in a single dazzling spot.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    What is that? he thought as his vision blurred. It''s... curious. But the effort to swim back up felt impossible. His body was giving in.


    (Sound of ocean)


    (Sound of seagulls)


    Keow... Keow...


    The blue sky greeted him again. A mountain of clouds floated on the horizon, their reflection rippling on the water.


    Nur opened his eyes, gasping softly. "Huh!?" The familiar sound of seabirds filled the air.


    For a moment, he questioned everything. "What happened? Did I fail?" he muttered, letting out a heavy sigh as he floated on his back.


    But the scene was oddly peaceful. The ocean''s rhythmic waves and the cry of seabirds felt almost like a dream¡ªlike a summer vacation spent lounging on the deck of a luxurious boat.


    He turned his head. That same shimmer he had seen before was still there. It sparkled, calling to him.


    "Aah... that. Let''s check it out," he said, his curiosity winning over his fatigue.


    Swimming toward it was no easy feat for the unathletic Nur, but somehow, he managed.


    And then, in the vast unknown ocean, it surprised him¡ªhis pen. The same pen Taliah had used. The same pen that had stabbed his thigh once to wake him up.


    It floated on the surface, radiating brilliantly.


    The pen was beautiful¡ªa black handle adorned with elegant silver engravings. It was a twist pen, the kind where the top had to be turned to release the writing point. On the twisting part, a small crystal sparkled¡ªa diamond-like gem that glinted under the sun.


    The reflection he had seen earlier had come from that crystal embedded in the pen,


    While he was busy reeling from the shock of getting his pen back, Nur suddenly noticed seagulls flying overhead, their cries piercing the air.


    "Keow... keow..." they sang, the song of the ocean.


    The once lifeless world¡ªthis illusion¡ªwas now beginning to birth life.


    Oh... I didn''t notice there were seagulls before, he thought, blinking rapidly.


    But then his thoughts shifted, and unease crept in. Wait... if there are seagulls and this illusion¡ªor world¡ªis starting to come alive... then¡ª


    Suddenly, he felt it. The water beneath him began to vibrate.


    His heart thudded violently against his chest, each beat faster than the last. His ears began to itch, an eerie sensation that made him panic. The once tranquil ocean felt ominous now.


    The sunlight still shone brightly above, but the water around him was growing darker. Far off in the distance, he saw a storm brewing¡ªa swirling mass of dark clouds creeping closer, swallowing the horizon.


    His breathing quickened as dread set in.


    Nur grabbed the pen tightly and tried stabbing his thigh again. He hoped to wake himself up, to escape this nightmare, but this time, the ocean resisted him. The water pushed against his movements, making it nearly impossible to stab with the same force as before. It was as if the ocean itself was stopping him, refusing to let him harm himself.


    Gritting his teeth, he didn''t give up. Again and again, he tried, the sharp pain searing through his thigh.


    And then, beneath the water, he saw them.


    Shadows. Rising.


    From the deep emerged a terror unlike any other¡ªsharks. Their sleek bodies sliced through the water with menacing precision, their presence radiating fear.


    One of the ocean''s apex predators.


    The nightmare of anyone with thalassophobia.


    The once lifeless and beautiful ocean had birthed life, and that life was now becoming Nur''s nightmare.


    Panic consumed him. Desperately, he pushed the pen harder against his thigh, willing it to pierce through. The pain was excruciating, but the fear of what was coming was far worse.


    Finally, the pen broke through his skin, stabbing deep into his flesh.


    The immense pain tore through his body, his mind barely able to process it. He wanted to scream, but he couldn''t.


    The fear of what awaited him¡ªthe thought of sharks tearing into his flesh, torturing him until death¡ªwas unbearable.


    Blood began to seep out, staining the water around him. The once clear blue now swirled with crimson, an ominous invitation to the predators circling below.


    The sharks had surfaced. Their fins broke the water, cutting through the waves as they circled him like vultures waiting for their prey.


    Nur''s heart pounded as his blood mixed with the ocean. The water turned a sickening shade of red, and he began to lose consciousness.


    Finally, he thought. Maybe this will be the end.


    But the sharks weren''t about to wait.


    One surged forward, its jaws clamping down on his right arm. The pain was indescribable, shooting through his body like fire.


    Another tore into his belly, ripping flesh as if it were nothing.


    And then, they came in waves. One after another, the sharks attacked. Flesh was torn, his body becoming a feast for their hunger.


    Nur, still clinging to the last threads of consciousness, could feel it all¡ªthe tearing, the burning pain, the utter helplessness.


    Tears welled in his eyes, but they were swallowed by the ocean, blending into the blood-stained waters around him. He wanted to cry properly, to scream, but even that was denied him.


    It was as if fate itself wouldn''t allow him the release of his emotions.


    His body began to sink, dragged down by the weight of his injuries and exhaustion.


    Deeper and deeper he fell, the darkness below swallowing him whole.


    ...

 Chapter 5: A Divine’s journey to where the darkness prevails

    The endless dark void. A ship lay wrecked, surrounded by plants and beautiful flowers that had begun to grow around it. Vines and mosses crept across the hull, as though forming life from the crack of light above, giving it warmth and comfort, soothing the faint sound emanating from inside.


    (Snuffling and weeping sounds of a child echo in the silence.)


    Somewhere far away...


    The village of Nouneya.


    A calm yet bustling forest, where birds chirped in harmony.


    It hadn''t always been so. Three hundred years ago, the world trembled under the shadow of darkness. The Hero, chosen by the goddess of Nouneya, rose to defeat Umundel, the Lord of Darkness. A being so vile and powerful, it was said he could devour one world and move to the next if left unchecked.


    But, as the tale goes:


    "Peace and prosperity were restored because of our dear hero, chosen by the goddess of Nouneya, Hero Erun Tharos."


    "Cough, cough."


    "Grandma, are you alright?" came a soft, trembling voice.


    "Hahaha," she laughed weakly. "How many times have I read this book to you? You never get tired of it, do you?" Her voice, though rough, was filled with affection.


    "Yeah, because every time you read it, it feels like I''m Hero Tharos! It gives me the strength to stand up to those bullies in the village who always pick on me!"


    "Hahaha... Kayl, hurting others, even those who hurt you, is never the answer," she said, her voice faltering as she coughed. Her condition seemed critical, and it looked as though she might fall unconscious at any moment.


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    The grandmother, over 80 years old, had pale white hair, wrinkled skin, and eyes that still carried the light of youth. Her face spoke of a life filled with stories passed down from her mother and grandmother.


    Kayl, her 12-year-old grandson, had black hair and a pair of vibrant eyes that brimmed with boundless energy, as if ready to take down a demon king or two. Yet, his small and weak frame made him a frequent target for bullies. Despite this, his indomitable willpower made him a treasure to his grandmother.


    She read him all kinds of stories, but his favorite was "A Divine''s Journey to Where the Darkness Prevails," the tale of Hero Tharos defeating the dark lord Umundel.


    Umundel.


    A wretched demon whose motives were shrouded in mystery. He sought to fight and devour the strong, growing in power and threatening to destroy the world.


    The dark lord was described as wearing a cracked skull mask with twin horns¡ªtorn, it seemed, from the head of a long-forgotten demon. His hair was long, reaching his elbows, tied together in a crude knot. The aura around him was ominous, the air reeking of decay, so toxic and filthy it could make any man vomit.


    Erun Tharos, the hero chosen by the goddess of Nouneya, awakened his divine power by eating the fruit of the sacred tree. This tree, it was said, grew above the mortal body of the goddess herself, buried in the village after she descended. The tree''s location was a closely guarded secret, known only to the village elders, passed down through generations.


    Although Erun Tharos gained divine power, it came at a price. The weight of the world''s fate rested on his shoulders. He endured unimaginable pain and suffering, battling the dark lord''s demon and human subordinates alike, spilling blood on countless battlefields.


    He was a vision of light: bright brown hair, golden eyes with rims of glowing light, clad in shimmering silver armor adorned with a magical red stone. The stone, enchanted with life-giving power, could revive him if his heart ceased beating. His white cape bore the emblem of a lion, the symbol of bravery, and the mark of the Nathaliyan Empire, the flourishing realm where Nouneya village resided.


    The emperor, Marko van Nathaliya, pleased with the hero''s progress, sent him to defeat the dark lord. The people waited with bated breath, hoping for victory.


    And victory came.


    But the hero..Never..Came..


    Back.


    ...


    All that remains now is his story, immortalized in the book titled "A Divine''s Journey to Where the Darkness Prevails," a tale passed down to inspire future generations.


    ...


    Drip... drip...


    The sound of water droplets echoed in the darkness of a cave.


    "Oooooouummmm..."


    A deep, chilling voice resonated from within.


    In the dark chamber, figures in dark robes knelt in prayer.


    "O lord of darkness, bring destruction upon this land once more. Show these hypocrites what despair and hopelessness mean. This time, let us claim victory in your name."


    The cave, lit with an eerie bluish glow, bore engravings on its walls. To the untrained eye, it might seem like a gateway to hell¡ªor perhaps a path to summon Umundel back into the world.


    ...


    Deep in the forest, a solitary tree stood dormant. Bathed in the evening sun, its leaves gleamed with green and yellow hues.


    At its center, a bud slowly began to open.


    It wasn''t just a flower¡ªit was a herald of something monumental to come.


    In the depths of darkness...


    ...


    Blurgle.


    The sound of air rising through water echoed faintly, growing louder in the abyss.


    Something was stirring.