Horror

Tyrel's eyes opened, and he yawned.

"Good morning, Saphira."

Saphira replied.

"Good morning, pup. How did you sleep?"

Tyrel snuggled into Saphira's tails.

"I slept well. How about you?"

Saphira softly chuckled.

"I slept alright, pup."

Water rushing away sounded, and faint grey light entered the dim place.

Tyrel smiled and asked.

"What do you think about staying in this area and killing all the creatures in this region?"

Saphira smirked.

"Well, this place is far more dangerous than the meadow I lived in. But we can use it to our advantage. I mean, I can easily kill the carapace scavengers."

Tyrel nodded.

"For a few days, I suggest we hold off on hunting. I believe who is watching us has brought their friends."

Saphira sighed.

"I have enough carapace scavenger meat and blood to feed you for a few days. However, if it's longer than that, I'll have to go hunt anyway."

Saphira frowned.

"Why do you want us to hide from them so much? I can protect you from whatever threat they pose."

Tyrel grimaced.

"Because I don't want them to follow you back here. They are other people. I don't trust them not to stab my back. They'll probably try to get us to join them. I don't want to travel with them. I just want us traveling."

Saphira sighed.

"I understand your fear of people knowing much about you. Your fear of trusting anyone but me in the Dream Realm. However, it's not healthy to live like this."

Tyrel shivered a little.

"It's either living away from them or fearing I'll be killed in my sleep. I also don't want them to know you're a Titan. The government and clans would hound me if they find out that."

Saphira gently licked Tyrel's face.

"Rely on me, pup. And I doubt they could follow me back. I can fly, and humans cannot."

Saphira's eyes focused on Tyrel's.

"And besides, if they dare lay a hand on you. I'll use my telekinesis and force them to drown under the sea. I won't tolerate anyone hurting you."

Tyrel's eyes widened, and his shivering stopped.

"T-Thank you, Saphira."

Saphira smiled.

"You're welcome. Now I'll go hunting today—no need to fear. I'll protect you. Besides, I doubt three humans can take out your three Echoes and yourself."

Tyrel replied.

"You're right. If they come and try to kill me, I'll try to hold them off until you come back. Also, I forgot, how close is this place to the carcasses?"

Saphira pondered. "About a kilometer."

Tyrel grimaced and thought.

'Sunless's shadow could reach here and find my position.'

Tyrel's brows furrowed.

'The one I'm terrified of is Nephis. Her fire does soul damage, and I would easily be destroyed by it.'

Saphira asked.

"What's wrong?"

Tyrel sighed.

"I'm still worried, is all."

Saphira sighed, too.

"Alright. I'll be back tonight."

Saphira ran across the artificial cave floor and down the vertical entrance.

Tyrel closed his eyes.

'I hope Cassia gets no visions about me. That would be terrible.'

***

Sunless POV

Sunless sat on the western edge of a stone platform as Cassia and Nephis sat beside him. Sunless's shadow scouted a path to the next high landmark. The trio observed the situation near the shark-like nightmare creature's carcass.

Around a thousand carapace scavengers ate the corpses of the fallen and of the shark-like creature. A beautiful seven-tailed silver fox weaved through their ranks, killing one every few minutes and harvesting each one's shard. Its attacks were calculated and precise.

The carapace scavengers fled whenever it approached. However, their bodies were too slow to get away from it. Azure blood soaked the ground, and corpses piled up. Each carapace scavenger kept their distance and ate corpses.

"Were there always that many?"

Sunless glanced at Nephis and shook his head.

"No. There is double what was here before. That fox's slaughter has resulted in more coming, it seems. I believe we have three to four days before they finish their meals. That is if that fox stops slaughtering them."

Nephis frowned and pondered.

"We may have that long. However, that fox is a grave threat. Its strength, speed, cunning, and flight make it a horrific foe."

Sunless grimaced.

"We should avoid the fox. It could massacre us easily."

Nephis grimly nodded and spoke.

"We should listen."

Sunless obliged.

The trio listened to the barely audible clamor of the scavengers. A while passes, and Sunless notices some disharmony in it.

Nephis tensed up and pointed toward the labyrinth. Sunless concentrated on it and saw two massive shadows stepping out of a particularly wide passage.

A second later, the creature's casting those shadows appeared in sight. Sunless gulped.

'Damn.'

The monsters looked like the scavengers, but not quite. To start with, they were much larger, towering above the surroundings at more than three meters of height. Their carapace seemed to be thicker. It was colored in deep black and scarlet, like an ancient armor drenched in blood. Here and there, vicious-looking spikes were growing out of the carapace, making their every move much more dangerous.

Additionally, instead of heavy pincers, their upper arms ended with long, curved, terrifying bone scythes.

Sunless felt cold sweat falling down his spine.

"What are those things?"

Nephis tilted her head.

"Monsters, I guess."

The fox turned towards the monsters and backed away. Its teeth bared as it locked on them. The scavengers rushed away from them. Those who were too slow were thrown to the side or cut apart by the bone scythes.

'What are they doing?'

The monsters reached the carcass and dug into the meat. Their scythes make quick work of the obstruction. A minute quickly passes. Each pulled out an extremely large luminescent crystal.

Sunless's eyes widened.

"Are those..."

"Yes. Shards of two Transcended soul cores."

The monsters turned around and carried the precious crystals away. The scavengers made their way, following the shards with their little hungry eyes. The fox growled at the monsters, and they turned toward it.

'Are they going to fight?'

The fox took a step forward before shaking its head and backing away. The monsters turned away and left.

Sunny blinked and looked at Nephis.

"When should we leave?"

Nephis's brows furrowed.

"A few days from now."

Nephis turned west, observing the retreating monsters.

"Get your shadow to follow those two back."

Nephis turned toward the fox and observed its slaughter.

"And then make it follow the fox back when it leaves."

Sunless made his shadow follow them but only found out their general direction. They were heading west. He moved his shadow toward the fox and watched it slaughter.

"I believe the fox only leaves when it becomes nighttime, Nephis."

Nephis nodded.

***

Tyrel POV

Tyrel slept In the cavern for the whole day. The trio of Echoes guarded the entrance. A deep rumble sounded alongside quakes. The faint light from outside dimmed into obscurity.

Tyrel's eyelids opened.

'The ocean is coming back soon. I hope Saphira makes it back in time.'

Tyrel waited. A minute briskly passes. Saphira crawled up the vertical entrance and flew over the Echoes. She landed next to him, opened her jaws, and two hundred soul fragments flowed out.

"I'm done hunting. And I saw the monsters you warned about. They had Transcended soul shards."

Tyrel's eyes widened.

'I forgot they had those. Luckily, I don't need them to die. My plan still will work.'

Tyrel spoke.

"That sounds great. However, I doubt two Transcended shards would match the treasure trove of soul shards we have."

Saphira nodded.

"I also saw three humans on top of a statue. Are they who you felt were around?"

Tyrel grimaced and replied.

"Yes. I hope they decide to pass us. I don't need them trying to steal our soul shards. Killing them would be unpleasant."

Saphira sighed.

"Alright."

Saphira sat beside Tyrel and gave him blood to drink and raw meat to eat.

Tyrel drank the blood and ate meat from carapace scavengers. He closed his eyes and thought.

'How many cores has Saphira absorbed in total.'

Tyrel summoned the runes and looked. He focused on specific ones.

[Cores Saphira absorbed]

[Dormant: 0]

[Awakened: 675.]

'She has immense amounts of essence. She could probably face an awakened terror and win if using all her abilities.'

Saphira asked.

"Did you obtain any Echoes or Memories?"

Tyrel summoned his runes and smiled.

"I've received two more Echoes and a Memory."

Saphira chuckled and licked Tyrel's face.

"What kind of Memory is it?"

Tyrel said, unsummoned the Cephalopod Quiver.

"I'll show you, but I need to look up the runes."

Tyrel summoned the Memory's runes.

Memory: [Azure Climbing Claws].

Memory Rank: Awakened.

Memory Type: Tool.

Memory Description: [Great climbing claws, helpful in scaling rough terrain.]

Tyrel summoned the memory.

Claws made of azure steel formed over his fingers. He walked over to the wall and tried climbing. He was able to climb up with ease.

"This Memory is useful, just not for me. Perhaps I can trade this Memory if I decide to return to Earth."

Saphira smiled as her seven tails wagged.

"Alright. Now it's time for you to go to sleep. Come here. I'll keep you warm and cozy."

Tyrel walked over to Saphira and unsummoned the Memory. He lay against her, and her tails wrapped around him.

"Goodnight, pup."

Tyrel replied.

"Goodnight, Saphira."