The void's mist wrapped around him, dragging his body through threads of dimensions. It felt like falling through liquid lightening -- endless colors, memories, fragments of worlds flashing before his eyes.
When the light finally faded, he found himself standing on cracked stone. The air heavy, hot, and dry.
Above him, two suns burned fiercely in a crimson sky. Broken chains floated through the air, connecting massive chucks of land that hovered miles apart like shattered islands suspended in gravity's refusal.
Ancient ruins surrounded him, black stone temples covered in glowing runes, half- burning in dust and ash.
The portal behind him vanished with a whisper leaving behind silence. Until the system's voice came in again.
[ Location: The Realm Of Shards]
[ Current state: Collapse imminent]
The voice of the system echoed faintly, distorted as if struggling to exist here.
Dream exhaled slowly, his eyes reflecting the crimson cracks that spread beneath his feet. " Finally out of the void.... But this world" he murmured "also looks like it's dieing "
For a moment, he remembered the void when it was still broken. The resemblance was uncanny, almost cruel.
He took a step forward. The ground groaned under his boots, the light beneath the cracks pulsing faintly like a heartbeat. Then, just ahead, something moved.
They emerged one after another- crystaline beast, their bodies refracting light like a living prism. They had no faces, only hollow cores glowing with shifting hues.
Dream's eyes narrowed "Reveal"
[ Name: Crystaline Remnant]
[ Rank: high Intermediate]
[ Vital Point: Central core]
[ More information is visible due to the upgrade of the skill Reveal]
He smiled faintly. " So that's what the upgrade does" he drew his sword. The first beast lunged, claws slicing the air with a shriek. Dream met it head-on, his blade cutting through its chest- but instead of falling, the beast reformed, its body knitting back together with radiant cracks.
He frowned. " You've got to be kidding me"
The system's voice followed, faint but calm.
[ Their cores are bound to residual soul fragments. Destroying the body alone will not suffice]
He glanced again at the faint light deep inside its chest. "The core... right, that's its vital"
The next strike was precise, his blade pierced straight through the glowing center. The beast froze, it's light flickering, then shattered into fine dust that dissolved into the wind.
Dream exhaled, almost amused but then he felt a weight of sorrow and pains but he didn't have time to dwell on that because there were more.. a dozen at least. They circled him, reflections of light and shadow. Dream raised his sword, his expression calm but sharp, how movements flowing like water. He slashed, pivoted, parried - every motion deliberate, shards burst around him with every strike. The air filled with the sound of breaking crystal and echoing rouse.
Even when he adapted, each kill felt... Heavy. Not like haunting beasts - more like tearing down something sacred. He didn't know why, but every shattered remnant left behind an echo, a whisper, like faint prayers dissolving into the wind.
By the time the last beats fell, Dreams coat was sliced, his breath visible in the cold light. He wiped the blood from his lip, gaze turning forward.
In the distance, a tower stood- black and gleaming, reaching past the fractured sky. It's surface pulsed faintly with red light, like a heart still trying to beat.
[ Dimensional Rune located]
[ Head to the black tower]
He sheathered his sword halfway, walking towards it through the ruins. Along the way, the beats grew fewer, their light dimmer, their attacks weaker- as if the realm itself was running out of strength.
[ Warning: Energy degradation detected]
[ Dimension decay accelerating]
[ Host will loss -0.5 HP for every minute he spends close to the Black tower]
" What kind of situation is this"
[ The tower is surrounded in dimensional decay which drains life force. Getting inside the tower should stop HP deduction]
Dream started running towards the tower , he stopped on a bridge of broken glass suspended in the air. He looked down- beneath him was nothing but endless void, devouring even the falling shards.
" This realm... It's eating itself alive" he murmured as he continued moving.
[ Correct. Energy collapse level is approaching terminal stage]
His jaw clenched slightly. " Then I'll have to make this quick"
The closer he got, the heavier the air become.
[ -4 HP per second]
" Are you for real?"
The obsidian tower loomed ahead like a black monument to despair, it's surface covered in fractures glowing faintly from within. Every step closer, the ground trembled - not from instability, but from something breathing.
When he reached the gate, it opened by itself, exhaling a wave of energy that almost pushed him back.
The interior was vast- walls of black crystal reflecting distorted fragments of him from every angle.
[ HP deduction has not stopped]
He breathed a sign of relieve.
At the center of the hall stood a massive crystal throne. Upon it sat a figure - a tall creature of cracked transparent flesh. His face was humanoid, though old, worn, broken. From his eyes glowed golden tears that never fell.
Dream froze. For a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold it's breath.
Then the bringing's eyes opened.
"Another thief" the figure spoke, voice rumbling, ancient and deep, "come to take the heart of this realm"
Dream tilted his head, his tone even. "another?"
" Yes another. You all come and die the same. Seeking power, seeking the rune. You are no different"
" I didn't come for power" Dream said quietly. " I came for what the void needs"
The figure's gaze sharpened, "Th void? Hah... Lies. How can the void need anything, if it was destroyed a long time ago. As was its Emperor "
Dream's brow twitched faintly. 'Destroyed?..., I meant it broken but not destroyed'
[ Warning: Combat potential of the entity exceeds current threshold]
' even if you hadn't told me that, it's pretty obvious ' he said inwardly.
" Can you consider giving me the run, the void is actually still alive and it needs this worlds rune to return to its former glowrt" he said
" Do you take me as a fool, if you want the rune you will fight to get it or die trying" the figure stood, standing at around 12ft tall.
Dream drew out his blade. "Reveal"
[ Eror]
" Huh?, what do you mean error"
[ This beings stats can not be viewed]
" I am the Guardian of the shattered throne. Though I am not at my full glory, I'll protect this realm until my last breath"
Dream didn't even have time to think further.
The guardian moved.
The first strike came faster than thunder- a blade of translucent crystal descending like judgement. He barely leapt aside as the floor exploded into shards.
Each step the guardian took cracked the air itself.
"Hmm, I send no superior energy in you... You are no God" he said, raising his weapon. " You are dust, trespassing upon divinity"
'system, I thought you said this was a lower realm. Why I'm I fighting a god!?'