Chapter 9: The world below 2

The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light casting long shadows over the dense forest. Reed sat silently, his back against a gnarled tree, his eyes scanning the world around him. It was difficult to comprehend this place.

To him, it wasn't any different from the world above. In fact, if it weren't for the whole "sinking," he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the two worlds.

The sink itself seems to differ from the stories I've heard, Reed thought, his mind drifting to the tales he'd been told. Stories of first sinks described worlds without light, or worlds without earth's pull, where sinkers had to tie themselves down to venture forward.

Those worlds were said to be filled with remnants of old civilizations, guiding sinkers to the "end." But this world was different. There were no mysterious dangers, no remnants of any ancient society.

He was expecting the worst, but this was just too ordinary. The night seemed as natural as the morning, the forest as ordinary as any he had seen before.

How is one supposed to find something in this abnormally large area? Reed's gaze drifted to the endless expanse of trees, his thoughts swirling. Within this dense forest? How does one even know what the "end" looks like?

Just as Reed lost himself in his thoughts, a sudden voice broke the silence.

"Still awake? I can take the watch now. You should go rest." Spike sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he spoke to Reed.

Reed remained silent, his expression unreadable as he stared into the darkness.

Spike sighed inwardly, his tone shifting to one of curiosity. "I honestly didn't expect myself to wake up after that slumber. Why did you keep me alive?"

Reed didn't respond immediately. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, his gaze still fixed on the forest. Then, out of the blue, he asked, "What is the end of this sink?"

Spike blinked, caught off guard by the question. He hesitated, unsure if Reed was joking or genuinely asking. "Uh, the end of the first sink? It's for one to consume the world seed."

Reed's eyes finally shifted to Spike, his voice calm but probing. "I see. And where do we find this 'world seed'?"

Spike stared at him, his confusion evident. "You're joking, right? The world seed will be led to us. When they absorb enough of the power within us, they'll appear. As Father Ursus mentioned previously, there will be three survivors. That means only three world seeds will spawn within this sink."

Suddenly, Reed's stomach growled, which prompted him to stand up. "Since you are awake, I will go hunt for food." Then he quickly stepped away into the night, brightened by the moonlight.

"Hey, wait!" Spike hurriedly followed Reed into the dark woods. "Let's go hunting together. There isn't any sign of animals lurking around here."

"I have no use for you. You don't even possess a weapon," Reed said coldly.

"You can use me as bait. I was part of a hunting group, you know. I'm pretty good at using myself as bait," Spike insisted. "Hide somewhere, and don't approach me no matter what."

Reed hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He walked a fair distance away from Spike and hid himself among the shadows of the trees.

Spike sighed, then placed both palms facing outward. He closed his eyes, and the air around him began to change.

Reed felt it immediately—a strange, overwhelming desire to approach Spike. His blood boiled with an inexplicable urge to kill, his hunger growing stronger, more primal. He gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles white, as he fought against the temptation to rush toward Spike. The minutes went by, and Reed was about to take a step and pull out his blade.

Then he heard it—a faint rustling, almost imperceptible. Reed's eyes darted toward the sound, but he saw nothing. The creature was silent, its movements unnaturally quiet, as if it were part of the shadows themselves.

And then he saw it.

The creature stood at the edge of the clearing, its form towering and grotesque. Its head was hound-like, with jaws filled with rows of jagged, glistening teeth. Its eyes glowed faintly, two pale orbs that pierced through the darkness. Its body was impossibly tall, standing at least 2 meter high, its long, spindly limbs reaching the ground like twisted tree roots.

The creature's arms were unnaturally long, its fingers ending in sharp, claw-like appendages that dragged silently across the forest floor. Its movements were slow and deliberate, each step eerily quiet. The moonlight reflected off its slick, black hide, giving it an otherworldly sheen.

Reed's breath caught in his throat. The creature's presence was suffocating, its silence more terrifying than any roar. It stared directly at Spike, its head tilting slightly, as if studying its prey.

Reed tightened his grip on his sword, his heart pounding in his chest. The creature's gaze was hypnotic, its stillness unnerving. It didn't make a sound—no growls, nothing. It was as if the forest itself had birthed this monstrosity, a predator designed to hunt in perfect silence.

Spike stood frozen, his hands still outstretched, his breathing shallow. He seemed to sense the creature's presence, though he couldn't see it. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear.

Reed's mind raced. He had to act, but the creature's unnatural silence made it impossible to predict its movements. It was like hunting a shadow—a shadow that could kill.

The creature took a step forward, its long limbs moving with unnatural grace. Reed's grip on his sword tightened, his muscles coiled like a spring.

When Spike opened his eyes, all he could see were two red orbs staring at him. Silently, his hands began to shake, his limbs going weak. He didn't move, as if frozen in time. His gut screamed at him that if he were to move even an inch, it wouldn't be pretty.

The appearance of the world had given both of them a false sense of confidence. They claimed to know where they were, from tales told before. This should have fallen within their expectations, but it did not.

Sweat crawled down Spike's face as he tried to control his breathing, but it felt suffocating with the creature silently staring at him. When a drop of sweat fell into his eyes, causing him to blink, the next moment felt like time had slowed down. The creature was suddenly directly in front of him, its jaw wide open and its claws raised high, preparing to strike.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Reed sprinted out as he saw the monster charge toward Spike. He pulled out his blade while running, and before the creature could reach Spike, Reed lunged the sword deep into the creature's eye.

BOOM!

The creature's momentum was interrupted, and the force of Reed's strike caused it to lose its balance and tumble to the side. The creature's fall sent a cloud of dust high into the air, obscuring their vision.

Without hesitation, Reed grabbed Spike's arm and pulled him to his feet. "Run!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

The two of them sprinted through the forest, their footsteps pounding against the ground. Behind them, the creature let out a low, guttural growl—a sound that seemed to reverberate through the trees.

The creature got up, its movements slow but deliberate. Its glowing eyes locked onto their fleeing figures, and it began to follow, its long limbs carrying it forward with eerie silence.