Into the Shadows

Chapter 6: Into the Shadows

Lucian found himself in a place he had never been before, a place he had always dreaded. The towering trees loomed over him, their twisted branches casting eerie shadows that danced in the dim light of the moon.

The air was thick with an unsettling silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of unseen creatures. Fear clawed at Lucian's heart as he tried to piece together how he had ended up here.

His mind raced back to the events of the past few hours.

It had all started right after Old Man Asher had sent Sylass's men packing. Lucian had felt an overwhelming sense of relief, believing that he was finally safe.

But that moment of respite was short-lived.

Old Man Asher had turned to him, shaking his head in disappointment.

"What the hell have you been doing with your training?" Asher's voice was sharp, filled with scorn.

"Not even able to defeat two improvising old men and a half-dead Seeker. You should be ashamed. I feel second-hand embarrassment for you." Asher continued as he covered in head in shame.

"It wasnt even like that...."Lucian, stung by the harsh words, tried to defend himself. He recounted how valiantly he had fought from the start, how he had been unlucky to face a Mythbound—there was no way he could have won that battle, even with two heads and six hands.

But Asher remained unimpressed, waving off Lucian's explanations with a dismissive sigh. "Excuses, thats all you ever have" he muttered, his tone cold. Lucian sighed" I've had enough of it"

feeling the sting of the criticism Lucian felt pained, but he had no grounds for rebuttal and could only resort to asking for help with his injuries. But before he could get the words out, Old Man Asher suddenly vanished, taking the three dead guards with him.

"And there he goes again " Lucian had no idea where Asher had gone, nor did he care much at that moment, this was how Old man Asher was he only appered when he wanted and was barely ever seen even though they staye in the same mansion together.

Lucian pressing concern was treating his injuries. So Under the watchful gaze of Midnight, who seemed to pity his state, Lucian dragged his broken body to a nearby storage locker.

There, he rummaged through the supplies, finding some aspirin and other painkillers. Not bothering to care about the dosage, he swallowed them all down, feeling the sharp sting of pain begin to dull. He applied ointment to nearly every inch of his battered body before collapsing onto his bed, desperate for rest.

But his sleep was cut short when he felt strong hands wrapping around him.

"No not again!" Lucian sprang up in terror, certain that more intruders had come for him. But before he could react, he was hoisted onto someone's shoulder and carried off.

Panic gripped him as he struggled to break free, but his captor was as solid as a rock. No matter how hard he fought, he couldn't escape.

Despair began to sink in as he realized that the legend of Lucian might end before it even began. Tears welled up in his eyes as he prepared for the worst.

"Pathetic. Crying in the face of death—a complete waste." The words were dripping with disdain.

But that voice—Lucian recognized it. His heart leaped with hope. "Uncle Asher, is that you?" he asked in a shaky voice.

"Who else would it be? If it was someone else, you'd already be dead," Asher replied, his tone clearly discontented.

Lucian didn't know how to argue with that. "Uncle Asher, could you please let me down? I can feel my injuries opening up," he said, wincing as the pain flared.

In response, Asher snorted. "Just a few scratches, and you're whining like a brat, you didnt even get stabbed or get a nice scar. All you ever talk about is how you desire to be sent to a Lunar Ascension Vision, yet your fried head knows nothing about enduring some little pain and suffering."

"But—" Lucian tried to protest, but the agony was too much. His wounds throbbed with every bump and jolt as Asher continued moving, seemingly oblivious to the damage he was causing.

Lucian could feel blood pooling in his mouth, which he spat out weakly. "Uncle Asher, please... scold me later. I might really die if we continue like this."

"You can die if you want," Asher said coldly, as Lucian spat out another mouthful of blood. "That would be better than dying in your first Vision, despite all the effort you've put into getting this chance for years."

Though his tone was icy, Lucian could detect a hint of concern beneath the harsh words.

"Uncle Asher, I'll be fine. I've made preparations. I know about the Visions—I won't die," Lucian said, trying to reassure him. He could sense the worry behind Asher's gruff exterior.

"Heh, preparations you say? You? The one who went straight to bed after a near-death encounter without setting up any contingencies to ensure your safety or prevent being caught off guard again? You call that being prepared? What if your Vision sends you to some wilderness? You'll be beast food before you even realize what's happening. All you know are theories from other peoples experience, you know so little of the wild and the countless dangers creping behind it, you've always desired the power and fame that comes with being a mythbound but a fatty like you doesnt have what it takes to survive it, with how little you know and how little youve seen youll be dead at best in your first Vision at worse you will be stuck in an endless loop of nightmare relegated to being a trifling form of amusement to the higher beings is that what you want?" Asher admonished fiercely.

Lucian sighed, then said, "no uncle Asher, but I have too besides I'm not in a Vision is yet. I'm still in the real world, aren't I? And you're here. Could there be any better contingency than your presence?"

Asher sighed, and Lucian heard him murmur, "I won't always be here."

Lucian was stunned by those words and wanted to ask what Asher meant, but before he could speak, Old Man Asher announced, "We're here."

Asher unceremoniously dropped the sorry-looking Lucian onto the ground. Lucian looked around, his heart sinking as he took in his surroundings.

They were in a forest, but not just any forest. The trees were massive, their trunks twisted and gnarled, their branches reaching out like claws.

The air was thick with the stench of decay, and every shadow seemed to hide some lurking danger. Lucian could feel the oppressive weight of fear settling over him.

"Just where are we?" Lucian asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"This is the Murkmire Forest," Asher replied, his voice grave. "A place where even the bravest Mythbounds dare not tread. The period of theories from burying your self in countless books are over. It's time you learn what real danger feels like."