《SHADOW BOUND》 CHAPTER 1:THE AWAKENING OF FEAR Chapter 1 ¨C The Awakening of Fear The world was a chaotic balance of monsters, spirits, devils, and humans, all confined to their own realms. Among them, the human realm, Veldor, stood as the last bastion of mortal life, ruled by a single figure¡ªthe Void Monarch. A title passed down through generations, given to the strongest who could protect humanity from the creatures beyond. But one monarch changed everything. He didn¡¯t just rule; he conquered. He waged war against the demon realms, slaughtering their kings and setting humanity free. He was called a legend. An immortal. Until his closest disciple drove a blade through his heart. With his death, the demons and monsters returned, and Veldor fell into an age of desperation once more. --- The purple sky stretched endlessly over the dense forests of Veldor, where a small village lay nestled between the trees. Birds chirped, the wind whispered through the branches, and the scent of fresh soil lingered in the air. A 12-year-old boy sat up abruptly from his bed, thick black hair disheveled, sweat dripping down his face. His brown eyes darted around the dimly lit room. Another dream¡­ or was it a nightmare? Loki let out a sigh, rubbing his face. "What a weird dream¡­" Shaking off the unease, he grabbed a cup of water from the wooden table and took a long sip. His mother¡¯s voice called from outside. ¡°Loki! Don¡¯t forget to come back early today!¡± "I will! Just make sure dinner is good, Mom!" Loki grinned as he strapped his worn-out hunting sword to his belt. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Outside, two familiar figures waited. Hilda, a sharp-eyed girl with short blonde hair, was tightening the straps of her leather armor. Beside her, Bo, a broad-shouldered boy with messy brown hair, grinned, adjusting the arrows in his quiver. ¡°Finally awake, lazy ass?¡± Bo smirked. ¡°Shut up,¡± Loki muttered. Hilda rolled her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go before the sun sets.¡± The trio wandered through the woods, heading towards their usual hunting spot. The tall trees loomed overhead, their branches swaying gently. The place was peaceful, the same as it always was. Bo crouched behind a bush, nocking an arrow. A deer stood a few feet ahead, grazing quietly. "Gotcha," Bo whispered. He pulled back the bowstring, eyes locked on the target. With a sharp twang, the arrow shot forward, piercing the deer¡¯s flank. The animal let out a pained cry before collapsing. "Perfect shot!" Bo grinned. But Hilda didn¡¯t look happy. Her expression darkened as she scanned their surroundings. ¡°¡­Something¡¯s off,¡± she muttered. Loki frowned. "What? It''s just a deer¡ª" CRACK. A deep, rumbling sound echoed through the trees. The ground trembled. Something heavy was moving. Then¡ªa monstrous bear lunged out of the shadows. It was unlike anything they had ever seen¡ªtwice the size of a normal bear, fur black as night, glowing red eyes burning with hunger. It roared, shaking the air. ¡°SHIT!¡± Bo yelled, barely lifting his bow in time. The bear swiped its massive claws, aiming straight for Hilda. She was frozen. Paralyzed with fear. Bo threw himself in front of her, the bear''s claws slashing against his arm. He screamed, his bow dropping to the ground. ¡°Loki! CUT IT DOWN!¡± Bo shouted. But Loki¡ªhe couldn¡¯t move. His whole body stiffened. His fingers trembled. His breathing became erratic. What¡­ is this feeling? His heart pounded against his chest. Fear. Real, unshakable, paralyzing fear. The bear roared again, towering over Bo. He was going to die. Move. MOVE. Loki tried, but his legs refused to listen. Bo gritted his teeth, struggling to lift his arm. The bear¡¯s massive jaw opened wide, ready to tear him apart¡ª FWIP! An arrow pierced the bear¡¯s skull. It let out a final growl before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. A shadow emerged from the trees. A man in dark hunting gear, bow still raised. ¡°Hey, kids,¡± the man said, lowering his weapon. ¡°Go play somewhere else.¡± The three of them stood frozen¡ªnot from the man¡¯s presence, but from what had just happened. Loki hadn¡¯t moved. He hadn¡¯t fought. He had done nothing. --- That night, as the village fires burned, Loki sat in silence, staring at his hands. He wasn¡¯t the same anymore. The fear still lingered in his chest. The memory of the bear, its glaring red eyes, its breath reeking of blood, its sheer overwhelming presence. Hilda and Bo sat beside him, but none of them spoke. Loki clenched his fists. He had always dreamed of becoming strong. Of being a warrior, a hunter. But today, he had realized one thing. He was weak. Terrifyingly weak. CHAPTER 2:THE MISSION BEGINS Chapter 2: The Mission Begins Four years had passed. Loki jolted awake, his body drenched in sweat. That fucking dream again. Every night, the same goddamn thing. He sat up, rubbing his temples, trying to shake off the unease clawing at his mind. "Oi, Loki!" Bo¡¯s voice cut through the silence as he barged into the room. "Are you seriously still scared of a dream? Come on, man, grow a spine already!" Loki shot him a glare. "Shut the fuck up, Bo." Before Bo could retort, something flickered in front of Loki¡¯s eyes¡ªa glowing, translucent screen hovering in midair. "The hell is this¡­?" Loki muttered. Bo frowned. "What are you talking about?" "You don¡¯t see it?" Loki asked, pointing at the hologram. Bo stared at him like he had lost his mind. "See what? You daydreaming again, dumbass?" Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Loki ignored him and focused on the text displayed before him. > System Activation: Start the system? Yes | No Without thinking, Loki muttered, "Yes." The screen flickered again, shifting its text. > Mission Assigned: Kill Cyclops, the One-Eyed Giant. Warning: Denial will result in a penalty¡ª5 years of lifespan lost. Loki¡¯s heart pounded. Five fucking years?! Bo waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello? Earth to Loki? You seriously losing it, man?" Loki exhaled sharply. So it¡¯s only visible to me¡­ Shit. Trying to play it cool, he said, "Nothing. Forget it." But his mind was racing. If this thing is real¡­ then I don¡¯t have a fucking choice. Loki turned to Bo. "Hey, Bo. Have you ever been to the outskirts of Veldor?" Bo narrowed his eyes. "The fuck kinda question is that? You know how dangerous it is out there." "If I don¡¯t go¡­ I¡¯ll die." Bo snorted. "You¡¯re talking nonsense. But fine, I¡¯ll tag along. If you get eaten, at least I¡¯ll have a funny story to tell." Loki nodded, but deep inside, anxiety twisted in his gut. He wasn¡¯t just taking a risk¡ªhe was stepping into something far bigger than he could comprehend. At home, he told his mother, "Hey, Mom, I¡¯m heading out for a hunt. Make something good for dinner." A lie. When night fell, Loki and Bo made their way to the outskirts of Veldor. As they walked, the weight of the unknown pressed down on Loki. "Hey, Loki," Bo muttered. "You sure about this? A fucking Cyclops? Do you even know what that is?" "You¡¯ll see," Loki replied, but inside, doubt gnawed at him. What if I¡¯m wrong? What if I believed some fairy tale and dragged us both to our deaths? The city lights faded behind them, swallowed by the thick darkness of the wilderness. Streets emptied. Houses locked. The world became eerily silent. Bo shivered. "Loki, why the fuck aren¡¯t you scared?" Loki took a sip from his water flask. "I don¡¯t know, man. Ever since this morning¡­ I just feel different." "You mean after your little ¡®daydream¡¯ about killing a Cyclops?" Bo scoffed. "You got played, dumbass." Loki¡¯s breath hitched. "If I don¡¯t do this, I lose five years of my life, Bo." Silence. Then Bo finally spoke, his voice low. "That¡¯s some fucked-up shit, Loki." Before Loki could respond, something moved in the shadows. A dark figure. Lurking. Watching. Loki¡¯s body tensed. "Bo," he whispered, eyes locked on the creeping silhouette. "I think we just made a huge fucking mistake." CHAPTER 3:THE CRY OF A COWARD Chapter 3: The Cry of a Coward The forest was eerily silent as Loki and Bo ran, their breaths ragged, their hearts pounding like war drums. "Hey, Loki¡­ what the hell was that?!" Bo gasped between strides, his voice shaking. Loki didn''t answer. His mind was spinning. They had seen something¡ªa shadowy figure lurking in the trees. But when they looked back¡­ nothing. "Fuck this, we need to get out of here," Loki muttered, grabbing his bow. Just as they turned to leave, a massive shape blocked their path. A giant. Its towering body loomed over them, its single, grotesque eye glaring down. Drool dripped from its open mouth, its rotten breath filling the air. A cyclops. Both of them bolted. But they were too slow. A massive hand snatched them up, squeezing tightly. The monster lifted them into the air, its mouth opening wide, ready to devour them whole. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Loki¡¯s mind raced. His life flashed before his eyes. His mother. The only family he had left. The woman who hid her pain behind fake smiles, pretending to be strong for him. His father. Gone in a tragic accident. His older brother. Left without a word. His fear. The moment that changed him. From a brave hunter to a coward afraid of his own shadow. ¡°Why¡­ why is it always me?!¡± The frustration, the fear, the helplessness¡ªit all exploded inside him. With a guttural scream, Loki twisted in the cyclops¡¯ grip and sank his teeth into its filthy skin. The beast roared in pain, dropping them both. Loki hit the ground hard but didn¡¯t hesitate. His eyes burned red as he grabbed his sword, his knuckles white from the grip. The cyclops snarled and swung its fist¡ªa boulder-sized punch aimed to crush Loki. But something inside Loki had snapped. He jumped. The blade sliced through the air, cutting deep into the monster''s stomach. Blood splattered across the forest floor. "Loki¡­ you¡­" Bo gasped, wide-eyed. The cyclops let out a monstrous roar, grabbing Loki with its remaining hand in a blink. "Shit!" Bo cursed, notching an arrow. He fired¡ªthe arrow piercing straight through the cyclops¡¯ shoulder. The monster howled in pain. "Hah! Fuck you, you ugly bastard!" Bo grinned. Loki, gasping for breath, tightened his grip on his sword. He met Bo''s eyes. No words were needed. They moved as one. Bo fired an arrow straight into the cyclops¡¯ chest. Loki, with every ounce of strength left in his body, leapt and brought his blade down¡ªsevering the cyclops¡¯ head in a single, bloody strike. The monster crumbled, its massive body falling to its knees before finally collapsing into the dirt. Loki hit the ground hard, his body aching. His vision blurred before everything faded to black. Bo, panting, wiped sweat from his forehead. He looked at Loki and chuckled. "Ha¡­ Good job, dumbass," he muttered, carrying Loki on his back. As the night settled, they found a small, abandoned shelter and collapsed inside. Bo let out a sigh. "See you tomorrow, buddy," he whispered before exhaustion took him. --- Meanwhile¡­ In the heart of Veldor, a man sat upon a grand throne. His voice was cold, ruthless. "Listen up, you worthless bastards," he sneered at the generals kneeling before him. "I want that land¡­ no matter the cost." The generals bowed deeply. "As you wish, my lord." A war was coming. And Loki¡­ was at the center of it. CHAPTER 4:A DESPERATE SEARCH Chapter 4 ¨C A Desperate Search Loki jolted awake, his body aching from exhaustion. The cave was eerily silent. His pulse quickened as he sat up, scanning the dim surroundings. "Bo?" he called, his voice echoing against the stone walls. No answer. He staggered to his feet, rubbing his temples. "Ah, what a pain in the ass... Bo! Bo, where the fuck are you?!" Silence. Loki''s throat was dry. He grabbed a small pouch of water from his belt, taking a sip before strapping his sword to his back. If Bo was missing, he had to find him. The scorching sun bore down on him as he stepped outside, sweat already forming on his brow. --- Meanwhile, in Hemir Village... The village square was filled with chaos. Loki and Bo¡¯s families were frantically searching for them. Hilda stormed into the town center, demanding help from the guards. ¡°You have to send a search party! My friends are missing¡ª¡± A guard shoved her back, laughing. "Tch, why should we waste our time on some damn brats?" Hilda¡¯s father clenched his fists. "You bastard¡ª!" He swung a punch at the guard, but before he could land it, another officer struck him in the gut, sending him to the ground. "You low-life filth," the guard sneered, kicking him aside. "You fucking slaves should know your place!" This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Loki¡¯s mother, Elena, stepped forward, pleading with them. "Please¡­ my son. Just help find him, I beg you." The officer¡¯s smirk twisted into something darker. He grabbed Elena¡¯s wrist, pulling her closer. "Oh? What a beautiful little slave we have here..." She gasped, trying to pull away, but he tightened his grip and dragged her toward the barracks. "No¡ª!" she screamed, her voice swallowed by the merciless laughter of the guards. --- Back to Loki... Hours passed as Loki wandered through the dense forest, his body drenched in sweat. His feet ached, but he couldn''t stop. He had to find Bo. Then, a rustling sound came from behind him. He froze. Something was there. A gust of wind howled through the trees as a massive shadow loomed over him. Loki turned slowly, his breath catching in his throat. A giant bird stood before him. "Shit!" Loki bolted, his heart hammering. The bird shrieked, its wings flapping wildly as it chased him through the trees. He barely dodged a falling branch, his mind racing. Think! Think, damn it! He dived behind a thick tree, pressing his back against the bark. The bird sniffed the air, searching for him. Loki barely dared to breathe. Then, a strange blue screen flickered before his eyes. [SYSTEM ACTIVATED] New Pet Available: Eera, The Falcon Loki blinked. "What the hell...?" Warning: Denial this pet will deduct 5 years from your lifespan. His fingers trembled. Five years? But if he didn¡¯t do something, he was dead anyway. "Yes! Fuck it, I accept!" The screen vanished. Loki clenched his fists and stepped out from his hiding place. "Hey, bird-brain! Come get me!" The falcon screeched and lunged at him, but instead of attacking, Loki leapt onto its back. Eera thrashed wildly, twisting and turning in the air, trying to throw him off. Loki held on for dear life, his fingers digging into its feathers. "Holy shit¡ªSTOP!" But the bird wasn''t listening. It rolled in midair, trying to kill him. How the fuck do I control this thing?! Before Loki could figure it out, an arrow whizzed past him, nearly impaling his skull. "What the fuck?!" Loki turned to see a masked figure standing on a nearby ledge, bow drawn, aiming right at him. Another arrow flew straight at Eera''s heart. Without thinking, Loki caught it midair. Pain shot through his fingers, but he didn¡¯t care. "You bastard!" he yelled. The masked figure paused, surprised. "Why did you stop me?" "Because you were about to kill my goddamn pet!" The stranger scoffed. "Pet? That thing was about to kill you." Loki jumped off Eera, who now lay on the ground, screeching in pain. The arrow had grazed its eye. He turned to the masked man, fists clenched. "You could''ve fucking killed us both." The stranger smirked. "And? You''re alive, aren''t you?" Loki¡¯s patience snapped. "Fuck off." He lunged, tackling the man to the ground. The two rolled in the dirt, exchanging blows. The stranger landed a punch on Loki¡¯s jaw, but Loki retaliated, slamming his knee into his gut. The fight ended when they both collapsed, panting. The man sat up, chuckling. "Not bad, kid. You¡¯ve got guts." Loki spat blood. "Yeah? And who the hell are you?" The man pulled down his hood, revealing striking golden eyes. "The name¡¯s Raik. And you just stepped into something way bigger than you realize.