Choose A Different Path

Within the heart of the threshold, darkened landscapes stretched endlessly before Zhelis as he surrendered to the pull of the shadows. Twisted mountains loomed in the distance, shrouded in mist that writhed like a living thing. These were the same mountains' the Redstone Castle was build on but strangely, in Myhra's subconcsious the Redstone Castle is not present. But the high mountain temple was still there. Jagged cliffs rose and fell, while forests teemed with malevolent spirits. The air hung thick with a suffocating dread, the kind that gnawed at the bones, whispering of the countless souls lost to despair. This was not merely a nightmare—it was a place where her fear and power had taken physical form.

Zhelis felt a surge of excitement as he descended into Myhra's subconscious. Here, within the deepest recesses of her mind, the vampire believed he could unravel her greatest weaknesses, her most paralyzing fears. But what struck him wasn't the chaos he had anticipated; it was the strange and eerie calm beneath the darkness.

Whereas outside and in the Castle's chamber, Myhra's blood flames flickered around her body, keeping her suspended in the void while his shadow magic twisted and writhed in a grotesque dance around them both.

As Zhelis hit the carpeted floor at a distance, he let out a low, frustrated growl. The ground beneath him seemed to shift and breathe, as though the very world itself was alive. Tendrils of his shadow magic coiled around him, binding the space between dreamer and invader in a sinister circle. The energy in the air was thick, pulsing with malevolence, and the portal behind him pulsed rhythmically, as if urging him deeper into the abyss of Myhra's mind.

"Such a curious place," he mused, casting a wary glance at the shadowed tendrils that seemed to reach out from every corner of the landscape. "Your mind is more resilient than I expected. But no matter… I'll find the cracks soon enough."

As he stood, regaining his balance, Zhelis allowed his power to expand, sending ripples of darkness through the void. He intended to bend this dream world to his will, to twist Myhra's subconscious until it yielded to him. He stepped forward, his gaze sharp, as the eerie calm around him shifted. The landscape rippled, and Zhelis felt the first stirrings of resistance.

In the distance, the jagged cliffs seemed to writhe, their edges distorting, as though the land itself was rebelling against his presence. The shadows that had initially obeyed him now hesitated, their tendrils slowing as they brushed against something unseen, something powerful.

"Fascinating," Zhelis murmured, his voice a low hiss. "What are you hiding, Myhra? What lies beneath this calm?"

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the abyss, cutting through the thick silence like a blade. It wasn't Myhra's voice, but something darker, something ancient.

"You've come too far, vampire," the voice warned, reverberating through the empty air. "Turn back, or face the consequences of meddling in places beyond your understanding."

Zhelis's lips curled into a wicked smile. "A threat? How delightful. But I'm afraid it's too late to turn back now."

With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of shadow energy crashing into the darkened terrain ahead, hoping to reveal what lay hidden beneath Myhra's mind. The land trembled under his command, the jagged cliffs breaking apart to reveal an immense chasm, its depths swirling with crimson light. From within the chasm came a low, guttural sound—like the rumbling of an ancient beast stirring from its slumber.

Myhra's blood flames flared brighter, sensing the disturbance. Her body hovered just above the ground, her eyes closed, yet she seemed to be aware of every move Zhelis made. The calm expression on her face never wavered, even as the landscape around her twisted and bent under the force of Zhelis's magic.

Suddenly, from the depths of the chasm, something stirred. It was massive—an ancient, towering figure made of shadow and flame. Its form was indistinct, shifting and morphing with each passing moment, but its presence was undeniable. It radiated raw power, a force of nature bound within Myhra's subconscious.

Zhelis took a step back, his confidence faltering for the briefest of moments. "What… is that?" he whispered, more to himself than to anyone else.

The shadowy figure turned its burning gaze toward him, its eyes blazing with an intensity that sent a chill down Zhelis's spine. It spoke with a voice that seemed to resonate from the very core of the nightmare.

"You have trespassed," it rumbled, its words vibrating through the fabric of the dream world. "Leave now, before you awaken something far worse than fear."

Zhelis clenched his fists, fighting the urge to retreat. "I fear nothing," he hissed, though the shadows around him trembled in response to the presence of the ancient being.

The figure moved closer, its immense form casting a long shadow over Zhelis. As it did, the land beneath their feet quaked, and the crimson light from the chasm grew brighter, more blinding. Myhra, still suspended in the air, seemed untouched by the chaos unfolding around her, as though she were a part of it—an extension of the nightmare itself.

"You will," the figure promised, its voice a whisper now, cold and unforgiving. "You will fear."

With those words, the landscape shifted once more, the very fabric of Myhra's mind bending to the will of the ancient force. Zhelis found himself losing control of his shadows, the magic slipping from his grasp as the darkness turned against him. The tendrils that once obeyed him now lashed out, binding him in place, dragging him toward the chasm's fiery depths.

Panic flashed across his face for the first time. He struggled, his power faltering as the ancient being closed in. The air grew heavy with anticipation, of something far more dangerous lurking just beyond the veil. 

Just then he saw her.

At a short distance, Myhra was rushing towards the top of mountain, the girl looked unaware and seems to be talking with someone but he could see no else other than them.

"Myhra!!!!" Zhelis cried desperately for her attention as to wake her up so he could finish her off. He shouted as his own shadows began to choke him, he could not last here any longer. It was excuriciatingly suffocating as he felt a hell fire blazing every inch of his skin, he could burn to ashes any minute. But no matter how he tried to grabbed her attention he failed.

Just when he thought she could not hear him, Myhra's eyes glowed red and she stared directly at him, seeing his condition, the one end of her lips slowly pulled up. Zhelis eyes went wide, she could hear him, she knows it. 

"Why do you smile?" he demanded, irritation seeping into his voice.

Her astral form blazed, glowing with an inner light, and she gazed directly at him. Seeing his dismay, the corner of her mouth lifted higher.

"Impossible," he whispered. "You shouldn't be aware."

Realization struck him—she had lured him into a trap within her own mind. Panic surged as he felt the shadows he commanded turning against him, binding him. The oppressive darkness he had summoned now sought to consume him.

"What's happening?" he gasped, struggling against the constricting void.

Myhra's voice echoed softly, resonating through the darkness. "You thought to control my fears, but I have none for you to exploit. In this realm, your shadows hold no power, the shadows that lead you here and bounded you... these are mine."

Desperate, Zhelis tried to retreat, but the shadows tightened their grip. "Impossible! you can't have them....Release me!" he roared, genuine fear edging his voice.

Zhelis's expression darkened further, his eyes blazing with fury as the blood sucking shadows clung to him like a second skin. "You speak of strength, girl," he spat, his voice sharp with venom, "but you're just a mortal playing with fire. You've no idea what lurks in the abyss you dance so carelessly on the edge of."

"It's time for you to understand," Myhra continued, her tone unwavering. "True strength doesn't come from preying on the fears of others but from overcoming your own."

Myhra opened her eyes, descending gently to the ground. She approached him, her gaze compassionate yet resolute.

"You brought this upon yourself," she said softly. "But it doesn't have to end here. When she gives you an opportunity, choose a different path."

Zhelis looked up at her, defeat and confusion swirling in his eyes. For once, words failed him.

"The choice is yours," Myhra affirmed, turning away, she rushed ascending the steps toward the mountain temple that stood as a beacon in her subconscious. Is that the way out of here? But he could not move, let alone climb the mountain. Zhelis watched helplessly as she moved beyond his reach, the realization of his defeat settling like a weight upon him.

Back in the physical realm, Zhelis's body convulsed, his connection to the shadows severed. The tendrils of darkness dissipated, and he collapsed to his knees, drained and vulnerable. He looked up and saw that Myhra was still floating with her energy circling this time, it blazed wildly around her that he had to get back to the walls.