I move as only a Lifeless can following myself into The Shrinking. I need to find a way to move my old self the way I want. He shouldn't be sure as to what a Dusk Fiend Looks like the farmer who handed him the mission simply said, "A golden spirit." That is a vague description. I try to touch myself. No not like that, I need to check if I can grab him or something, after all this is also new for me. I push my hand onto his neck.
My golden hand shimmers right through him. The only response is him turning around quickly as a shiver goes down his spine. Fuck what should I do now, I was hoping to push him into one of the death traps. Before I passed The Shrinking only getting hit by physical traps that cut or release thorns. While irritating not exactly deadly.
I wait as my old self with his light leather red boots steps on a thorn trap. He wails as he falls to the ground grabbing his right foot in exquisite pain. Like the noob he is, he snatches the thorn with his bare hand. The purple barbed ball secretes a non-lethal poison. Another shout shrieks into The Shrinking. The purpose of the poison is to cause muscle throbbing stinging pain. Similar to getting stung by a wasp that then expands into a billion pins and needles. The barbs making his hand pulse as the poison gets to work. I watch with a smile on my face. Watching him suffer makes me happy like drinking water, this is an essential part of who I am now. Knowing it only makes it better as the feelings of shame, anger and pity feed into my spirit. I pulse with a sinister joy even my body responding involuntarily.
I watch basking in his cries of pain. It lasts a short ten minutes. As he gathers himself his head wet, this time using his blade he pops off the barb from the bottom of his boot. He should have let it do its work but which living person wants to suffer. The Shrinking is a place where if you embrace the pain you are more likely to survive. I spiral over to him this time pushing my whole body through him. He shudders moving back and looking around. He can't see me but the moment of contact produces an effect in him that is bone-chilling.
He swings his sword I wonder what he is thinking? I can make an educated guess and most likely be right. As a Dusk Feind, I have no skills whatsoever. I have a signal that I can use so I do every trap I can remember as a chance to earn trust. The Shrinking isn't very big but there are three big traps that are deadly. He starts making his way towards the first. The path is narrow and lined with wall vines and blue moss dripping flowers. The Shrinking is much like a maze in that there is only has one way through.
If he could see now I doubt he would follow my advice. I have a wicked smile on my face that won't go away because my plan is now in motion. He walks when he gets to one of the Dripping flowers that is mature. I spiral into him causing him to take a few steps back. Right after the loss from the dripping flower lunges at him. If it connected it would have locked him in an illusion for thirty minutes while the dripping flower drains him.
He pats his face making sure none of the moss got his face. His voice is exactly like mine back then thin naive and excited to him it's just an intro level mission at the beginning of the game. To me, it is the most important mission. While my knowledge of the Lifeless is not perfect I can leverage some of my experience to get a great start. A dusk Feind is an extremely rare kind of Lifeless. HInts of purple energy tinge my golden body it is my thirst for power. Triggered by a desire to kill my previous self to gain the ingredients I need to become more powerful.
I repeat this process every time he is about to step into any danger, I spiral into him protecting him from a trap. My mind belittles him automatically he is not very awe-inspiring, my memories of this time are in sharp contrast to what I am seeing. I guess I started sipping my own Kool-Aid. He doesn't look as scared as before the sensation is not any different only I am making sure to associate my bone-chilling effect with something good. After all, he is just a meat bag, a delicious soul-filled meat bag.
Again I spiral my particulars fattening him with a bone-chilling sensation, he sidesteps the vines. These benign-looking vines are the feelers of a Thrasher. Thrasher is a kind vine monster, I want him to get to its eye. Like a storm at its centre, there are no vines but it is also where it is at its most dangerous. I fill myself into his cold goosebumps directing him to his left closer to the centre of the beast. I figured out that I can inhabit him temporarily for about five seconds before I'm forced out.
I even forced myself through sheer willpower to stay a little in my mouth if it could be watering as I lead myself to crocodile-infested waters. As he reaches the centre I'm flung out of him. Without me, he probably feels normal and safe. He doesn't realise where he is standing this clearing will be doom. I expand in satisfaction and relaxation it is taxing on me to continuously invade my body. He takes a breather in the eye sitting on his butt not in the least wandering why such an oasis exists.
The vines start to crush some of the stone lining the walls. There is an old saying in Neumeria about Thrasher, "Leave the eye or you will die, Do not lie inside the eye. Say bye-bye for in the eye you will die." Meat bags love their rhyming, the first thrash comes! A vine twisted around rock slam just next to him. I snicker thrashers are plants after all. Slow and limited in ability still this version of me shouldn't get off easily. He cries out as another rock held vine hits him in the back. The rocks are the size of a baby. He crawls about trying to get away from the increasing drumline of thrasher vines. At one point he rolls into a vine that smacks him in the knee. In glee, I can hear his knee crack the sound making my mouth salivate with anticipation.
Around him, the vines miss smashing their rocks onto the ground causing them to shatter into smaller shrapnel which cuts him. The vibration caused by the smashed further enrage the Thrasher. Dragging his leg behind he shows some of the future grit he will have. My particulars dance as a vine grabs him coiling around him. His eyes popping as the python-like vines brings the rock ever closer. With a maddingly pleasuring shriek, the rock strikes him in the kidneys.
The shivers through my particulars are so entrancing and alluring, unfortunately, the vines are coiled around him. The stupendous stupidity of the plant drags my old self out of the centre. He reacts quick, pulling his sword and cutting himself free. I shrink in fury pulling all particulars together I won't let him rest.
As he lies there battered, bruised and bleeding, I invade every part of him. Sending chills throughout his body. He feels it reacting exactly as anyone would looking behind him he can see the vines creeping towards him. More so with my chills, he must believe it is much more dangerous right that he is free. He bolts up running through the weaker vines leaving the Thrasher behind. He is heading towards the paths.
When he slows I force my way into him again. He can't be allowed to rest on the path. I want him on edge thinking every slightly raised stone and gentle breeze is a potential enemy. Like any normal person, he should just think it is because his ability is new, who would ever think that their won ability is trying to kill them.
I can feel he is getting increasingly stressed and distrustful I even got him to jump away from his shadow when a bright bug exploded near his back. Unfortunately it was alone otherwise it would have been an excellent primer for me to work with him. I sneer at him he looks like a puppy and I am training him to die. Poor stupid scared little puppy doesn't even realise how just a few more steps away is his doom and I will gladly drink his soul...