8 8

Doyle eased himself onto the plush mattress in his private room, savoring the unparalleled comfort it offered. It was a luxurious experience, a far cry from the nights he spent in a cramped sleeping pod while compulsively playing the mandatory virtual reality game, Cosmic Strife, in his original body.

As he settled in, his thoughts involuntarily drifted to the addictive virtual world of Cosmic Strife. This virtual reality game had taken the world by storm, captivating an astonishing 2 trillion people, almost the entire global population. From young children to the elderly, virtually everyone was drawn into the immersive universe of Cosmic Strife, all thanks to the remarkable Celestial Sphere—an enigmatic creation with the unique ability to harness pure energy from virtual reality games.

Over time, governments recognized the immense potential of this energy extraction method and encouraged its widespread adoption. The belief emerged that it could elevate humanity to a new level of existence, transcending physical limitations, and potentially leading to a merge of human consciousness with machines and the internet, offering the elusive promise of immortality. This grand vision became a compelling incentive for people to immerse themselves in the game.

However, Cosmic Strife was not without its flaws. Dying within the game meant losing all progress and starting from scratch. But Doyle managed to distinguish himself as one of the best players by soloing and avoiding death altogether.

Yet, despite his meager strength compared to his game-counterpart, Doyle now felt a sense of relief. He no longer needed to worry about wearing specialized masks or the toll Cosmic Strife took on his health. In this new reality, he could live without the need for escapism.

As he kept on thinking about useless things, slumber soon took him into the realm of nightmares.

////

Doyle found himself in what should have been his Soul Sea, a realm of ethereal stars and a serene ocean. However, to his dismay, he was back in the harrowing underground chamber he despised. The scene he had hoped to escape had manifested once more.

He looked around, and as expected, the chamber appeared pristine, illuminated solely by the seven pillars. Confused and disheartened, Doyle decided to explore the dungeon, hoping to find something different this time.

For several minutes, Doyle traversed every corner of the underground chamber. He wasn't entirely sure what he had been searching for, but thankfully, he discovered no path leading downward. However, to his surprise, he did find a pathway that ascended.

With mixed emotions, Doyle decided to venture upward. After all, if this was truly his Soul Sea, it should be the safest place for him to explore.

Feeling a sense of unease, he cautiously proceeded along the path. The ascent seemed to stretch on for what felt like half an hour, but Doyle pressed forward, guided by a growing curiosity.

Finally, the ground beneath him began to level out, and ahead, he could see a dark void that seemed to be the exit from the dungeon.

"What's the harm, goddamnit," he muttered to himself, trying to quell the nervousness creeping up on him.

With determination, he stepped into the darkness, emerging from the dungeon into an astonishing sight. The expanse before him was engulfed in a perpetual darkness, with an inky sea stretching out endlessly beneath a pitch-black sky. Despite the absence of light, Doyle could somehow see his surroundings.

However, the vision that greeted him made his heart skip a beat and sent shivers down his spine. Hundreds, if not thousands, of nightmarish creatures were locked in fierce battles across the dark sea. Bizarre and grotesque beings clashed in a chaotic display of otherworldly power.

Among the nightmarish beings that filled his Soul Sea, Doyle's attention was particularly drawn to the multi-headed dogs, the humanoid figures shrouded in darkness, the large sinister monsters, and the unsettling ordinary humans. Each entity exuded an aura of malevolence and seemed locked in a perpetual struggle for dominance.

Feeling a surge of trepidation, Doyle quickly left the nightmarish scene, descending back to the underground chamber where he had first found himself. As he entered the chamber, a sense of relief washed over him, and his gaze fell upon the statue of a sinister woman.

Seeking solace in familiarity, Doyle summoned his Virulent Spear and assumed a defensive stance a few steps away from the exit. He knew that he couldn't allow any of those nightmarish creatures to breach this chamber. The safety of his soul was at stake, and he was willing to defend it at all costs.

With every fiber of his being on alert, Doyle stood guard, his eyes scanning the chamber for any sign of intrusion. He was ready to face any threat, even if it meant risking grave injury. He had to protect his soul, no matter what.

As Doyle stood guard in the underground chamber, the cool air brushed against his tense form, heightening his senses. His ears were greeted by a cacophony of monstrous wailings echoing throughout the dungeon.

The nightmarish creatures outside were locked in a relentless battle, their otherworldly cries reverberating through the walls.

Soon, one by one, the wailings ceased, leaving Doyle tense and alert in the now silent chamber. The abrupt silence was almost eerie, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. The monsters outside had either finished their relentless battle or had moved away, but Doyle couldn't determine which was more unsettling.

Suddenly, the tunnel before him started to expand in size. It was as though the dungeon itself was trying to welcome the intruder, the victor.

When the tunnel was large enough, Doyle started to feel suffocating, hearing something. It was a chilling amalgamation of haunting whispers and guttural growls, weaving together in an otherworldly chorus. Each word it uttered carried an eerie resonance, as if the very air itself trembled under its command.

Dispersing his nerviousness, he peered into the large tunnel. Somehow, he was able to see it's contours from far away. He concentrated harder on his senses, and he cursed under his breath. He saw it. He saw the nightmare craeture.

The creature was an abomination of nightmarish proportions, a grotesque and revolting entity that seemed to have been forged from the darkest corners of the human imagination. Its elongated limbs writhed and twisted, adorned with sharp, gnarled claws that dripped with an ominous black ichor.

Its body was covered in a tangle of mottled, slimy black silk, like a macabre cocoon spun from the fears and despair of those it had ensnared. Its face, if it could be called that, was a horrific fusion of warped features and empty hollows. The eyes of the creature were vacant, like pools of infinite darkness and it gazed back at him.

The nightmare creature lunged forward with startling speed, its movement now even more feral and frenzied than before. Its grotesque form seemed to blur as it closed the distance between them, its slithering appendages reaching out with a malevolent hunger.

The creature loomed large, its grotesque form barely fitting into the now enlarged tunnel. If that thing managed to enter, its massive body would have far more freedom to wreak havoc, and its dozens of writhing limbs might come perilously close to his vulnerable soul.

In a split second decision, Doyle rushed into the tunnel. No matter what, letting it in the inside the chamber would maximize the chance of his death.

Doyle knew he had to act swiftly. Without a moment's hesitation, he made a split-second decision and rushed into the tunnel, narrowing the distance between himself and the nightmare creature.

He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, heightening his senses and sharpening his focus. His instincts screamed at him to stay alive and run away, but at the same he felt an instinctive inclanation to keep the creature at bay and protect the sanctity of his soul.

The haunting whispers and guttural growls of the nightmare creature reverberated through the cavern, growing louder and more unsettling as Doyle closed in on it. It was as if the creature sensed his proximity and responded with a cacophony of nightmarish sounds, almost as if it was pleased by his actions.

Soon, the creatures grotesque body loomed over him. He tightened his grip on his spear instinctively.

In that split second of confrontation, the nightmare creature closed the distance between them with frightening speed. Its limbs snapped towards him with uncanny precision, seeking to ensnare him in its malevolent grasp. Reacting swiftly, Doyle put all his effort into thrusting his Virulent Spear, aiming directly at the approaching limb.

With a sickening squelch, the spear penetrated the nightmare creature's limb, causing black blood to spill over Doyle's body. The creature let out an otherworldly screech, its eerie chorus of nightmarish sounds intensifying in response to the pain. Doyle's senses were on high alert, picking up on more dangers lurking in the darkness around them.

His instinct snapped and Doyle quickly leaped backward, hoping to dodge its reaching limbs. But fate seemed unkind as two of its elongated appendages pierced through his shoulders from the shadows. The pain was almost imperceptible amidst the surge of adrenaline coursing through him, but the intense hatred and fear for the creature flared within him.

The nightmare creature had rendered him immobile, pinning him to the spot with its monstrous limbs. Despite his predicament, Doyle refused to give in to despair. He released his grip on the Virulent Spear, pinching it between his feet as he attempted a desperate counterattack.

Summoning all the strength he could muster, Doyle used his feet to throw the spear towards the hollow eyes of the creature. But the creature was far from defenseless, and with a swift movement, two of its limbs caught the spear before it could reach its mark.

Doyle's heart sank as he watched his weapon shatter before his eyes. His legs were soon ensnared as well, leaving him completely immobilized. He was trapped, at the mercy of this nightmarish entity.

He heard the creature's guttural whispers surrounding him, its eerie sounds echoing through the darkness. Painfully, he was thrown into a slimy cocoon of black silk.

The black silk encased him like a suffocating shroud, wrapping around his body with a sickening embrace. He struggled, trying to break free from the nightmarish prison, but the cocoon seemed to tighten its grip with every desperate move he made. Soon, he was completely immobile.

Then his world turned black.

________

I got tangled up in school trip, olimpiad, and a basketball contest all in one week. Updates may slow down.