As Zerin finally succumbed to sleep, a faint whisper pierced the stillness.
A horror of screams—those of hundreds, no, maybe even thousands of people—rang in his moment of slumber.
[You have acquired a new Attribute]
Startled, Zerin jetted awake. Sitting up, he strained his ears to check for any unusual sounds but was greeted by the sound of the calm fireplace crackling in the background.
Shaking his head, he murmured to himself,
"I could have sworn I just laid my head down,"
But no matter how hard he tried, sleep remained out of reach.
Running a hand through his blonde hair, Zerin's attention was abruptly diverted by a soft exhalation behind him.
Whirling around, he was met with the sight of the ugly, slug-like bastard nestled on the bed beside him, curled up into a grotesque ball.
Recoiling, he yanked the covers, trying to shake the beast.
"Hey! Get out of here, you chubby freak!"
The beast shifted slightly in its sleep.
Springing off the bed in fear of the creature's potential reaction, he stumbled to the floor with a thud. Arising to his feet, his knuckles were painted white.
"You little..."
Zerin grabbed a pillow and struck the creature with it, but the little demon remained undisturbed.
Contemplating hurling a book at the slug, he hesitated.
"Tempting... but I'd rather not end up as food!"
Placing the book down on the lavish dresser, he observed the intricate cover, which depicted a serious middle-aged man in noble attire.
Opening the book, he found that the initial page mirrored the cover, adorned with mystical runes. Running his fingers over the runes, he could translate only one word:
"King."
He fluttered through the entire book. To his disappointment, all the other pages were blank; not a single line was drawn on them.
"What's the purpose of this entire book if it contains only one written page?"
Zerin hurled the book at the slug on the bed, missing by a long shot as the book lands beside the creature on the bed.
'Lucky bastard...'
It took every fiber of Zerin's being to prevent himself from tossing anything else at the creature, but he managed to battle against the impulsive urge.
'Bastard thinks he can sleep in my room!?'
Zerin caught his thoughts,
"My room? Am I truly losing my grasp of reality? This is my worst Nightmare!"
Turning his gaze away from the creature, Zerin cautiously approached the door, each movement calculated to avoid disturbing the slumbering intruder.
With a cautious hand, he pushed the door open, wincing at the protesting creak that pierced the quiet room.
Under his breath, he muttered,
"Isn't that lovely..."
He poked his head back into the room, glancing at the slug creature, oblivious to the world around it.
Zerin shook his head in disgust, quietly exiting the room and venturing down the dimly lit hallway.
His gaze fell upon a portrait of a family frozen in time. The dusty picture seemed out of place as Zerin inspected it further.
In this ancient, dusty castle adorned with portraits, this peculiar photograph stood out, a stark contrast that left him wondering about the actual origins of the castle.
With an ever-increasing surge of curiosity, Zerin removed the photograph from the wall, stealing glances down the empty hallways before returning to his quarters.
Dusting off the family photograph, he was able to make out distinct features upon the portrait. The ominous figures transformed into that of a happy family of four.
Further examining the family in the photograph, he noticed more details. The crest they had on their clothing was that of a crescent moon.
Zerin searched his own clothing but didn't see any such emblems on himself.
He felt a sort of familiarity with the man in the photograph, though he couldn't quite place it. As he looked around, his gaze fell on the book near the creature on the bed.
Inching closer, he navigated carefully to the bed and grabbed the book before retreating for his own safety.
This is the same man in the book. However, in this book, his attire didn't have the emblem of the moon on it, and he seemed much happier compared to the book's crude depiction.
This moment of revelation was abruptly shaken by the intrusive snoring of the slug, now sprawled out on his bed.
"You've got to be kidding me,"
Zerin muttered, turning away from the sight before him.
The resounding clash of what sounded like pots and pans clattering against the stone floor of the castle pierced the silence, diverting his attention from the slumbering bastard.
Entering the cool and quiet confines of the stony hallway, Zerin approached the same set of double doors. He hesitated before pushing them open. The aged hinges wrenched in protest, eliciting a frustrated mutter from Zerin.
"Damn it!"
Throwing caution to the wind, he pushed the door open further until it was fully revealed...
Before him, scattered pieces of black knight armor lay strewn across the floor, leading to the door. Below him, the very same girl, her hair dirty blonde, once mutilated, now stood whole, just as the priest had foretold. She quickly scattered the dark armor about the floor, swiftly moving it aside before fleeing from him.
Pushing the door further, Zerin paid her no mind. His vision met the back of the Entity, seemingly distracted with something, its appearance reminiscent of their initial encounter.
A nervous chuckle escaped Zerin's lips as he offered a soft apology,
"Sorry..."
Just as he attempted to close the door, an unseen force halted its movement before swinging it open once more.
"Come...forth..."
A commanding yet seemingly compromising voice emanated from the fleshy priest as its voice echoed in the massive expansive room.
Stepping into the expansive room where he was captured, its atmosphere was much more accommodating due to what could be seen as a group of people gathered conversing.
A look of curiosity played on Zerin's face,
"Well, it turns out you weren't lying after all..."
The Entity turned towards Zerin, its body floating in the air, maintaining its intensity.
Accompanying its speech was an undertone reminiscent of a man, creating an eerie atmosphere.
"Results..."
Struggling to conceal his unease as he understood the Entity was voicing concerns over his practice with weaving the threads, Zerin's expression faltered slightly.
"It's only been a single day..."
An exhale exuded from the flesh of the creature, leaving several moments of chilling anticipation.
"Understood... Follow..."
Emerging from behind the Entity, the much larger creature, the fleshy lizard, rose from its previous coiled position, exuding an air of composure and focus that starkly contrasted the chaotic behaviors of both the intense serpent and the clumsy devil that now resided on his bed. Just remembering that pudgy slug was enough to cause irritation.
'That little...'
Setting his anger aside, he followed the lizard that led the way. Zerin found himself captivated by the journey through the castle. They traversed the expansive room, passing by rows of intricate black knight armor lining their path, descending down the winding staircase carved from stone. As they approached the vast Great Hall, its towering ceiling reaching a couple of hundred feet high, as Zerin could only guess, it seemed as if it had been forged by giants.
Emerging through a grand archway, Zerin felt the chilled air sweep past him, carrying a faint metallic scent. Despite its hint of iron, it offered a refreshing breeze.
Perched on a cliff, the castle overlooked a landscape embraced by mountains, with a single black bridge stained with blood stretching out from the fortress. The rain of blood that had coated the black surface added a touch of detail to the otherwise monotone expansive surroundings.
Following the creature alongside the black walls of the kingdom, cascading red vines adorned the structure, while black shrubs lined the base of the wall, creating a stark contrast of colors that began to wear on Zerin as he surveyed the monotonous sight.
Their path diverted as the lizard guided him down the side of the castle, passing by massive white pillars supporting platforms above. The pillars extended into a catwalk leading out into the moonlit sky, overlooking a sea of crimson below. The sea of blood originated from a distant waterfall of blood cascading down from the mountains, pooling into a vast expanse of blood-soaked land.
The surreal scene stretched out before Zerin, a stark reminder of the ominous and otherworldly nature of the castle and its surroundings.
The lizard continued its leisurely stroll down the catwalk, a sweet fragrance wafting through the air as Zerin followed.
Approaching the end of the catwalk, Zerin's gaze fell upon a towering presence—the colossal tree. Though in no way was it competing for dominance with the imposing castle, the tree commanded attention with its appearance alone. Its bark, a pristine white akin to the surrounding pillars, reached skyward, adorned with black and white leaves speckled with hints of red where the fruits nestled high above.
Adjacent to the tree stood a lone pillar, severely marred as if weathered by a storm, its upper half missing. On the opposite side, remnants of a secondary pillar that was placed parallel with the other pillar.
The fleshy lizard sniffed the ground, gradually making its way to the tree's base. With a graceful motion, it hoisted its upper body onto the white bark, fixating its gaze on the high-hanging fruits above.
Zerin stepped forth alongside the lizard.
"How are we supposed to get up there?"
Zerin observed the lizard's apparent resignation as it descended from the tree, venturing towards the white railings of the clearing. A sharp whistle pierced the air, emanating from the lizard's mouth and echoing over the tranquil waters several hundred feet below.
Gazing down at the serene yet ominous lake, Zerin grappled with a wave of vertigo, the depths hundreds of feet beneath him triggering his fear of heights.
The lizard's attention returned to the tree, its stance shifting as it fixed its gaze once more.
Taking a deep breath, Zerin addressed the creature, his nerves steadying.
"Uh... Hello? Aren't you supposed to help me get the fru-"
A figure emerged slowly and silently, shrouded in the crimson moonlight, its colossal form casting a profound shadow over Zerin, enveloping him in a familiar haze of terror.
Turning slowly, Zerin's apprehension heightened as he craned his neck, locking eyes with the towering Leviathan, a dreaded presence from his earlier encounter, its menacing silhouette looming over him once more.
Zerin hastily retreated alongside the lizard, his eyes fixated on the creature coiling its massive form around the towering, marred pillar, the structure groaning under its weight. His heart pounded in his chest, a primal fear taking hold.
The Leviathan's long hair danced in the wind, crimson droplets shimmering as they fell from its body. Its unblinking eyes bore into Zerin's soul, its imposing length rivaling even the colossal tree as it focused its attention on him.
Another whistle from the lizard pierced the air, yet the beast remained focused, its predatory gaze locked on Zerin as it lowered its head slightly to examine him more closely.
A subsequent whistle from The Lizard diverted The Serpent's attention toward The Tree.
Zerin watched in awe as the serpentine behemoth lifted its tail, deftly encircling the tree's highest branches where the fruits awaited. With an eerie grace, it bowed the branches under its weight, bringing the fruits close to the ground.
The lizard nudged Zerin forward, prompting him to cautiously approach the towering Leviathan, trying to reassure himself,
"It's just a large snake..."
Forcing a nervous smile, Zerin inched closer to the colossal creature, its neck snapping towards his movements.
'I am so fucking dead!'
Extending his hand, Zerin hastily plucked as many fruits as he could, stashing them into his pockets while his legs trembled, the Leviathan's unwavering gaze fixed on him.
As Zerin filled his pockets, a sense of urgency gripped him, prompting a quick retreat that triggered an instinctive response from the creature. The Leviathan swiftly unraveled its tail from the tree, inching its head closer to Zerin on the platform.
The tree branches recoiled, whistling through the air as they returned to their original positions.
As the colossal creature, larger than two, no, three buses, crept closer to him, Zerin's terror reached its peak. Trembling uncontrollably, his legs gave out, causing him to collapse to the floor, cowering as he held his head in his hands, fruit scattering and rolling against the ground.
He glanced down to see the massive Levithan devouring one of the crimson fruits.
Anticipating his impending demise, he closed his eyes, moments of silence stretching on, leaving Zerin teetering on the edge. Slowly, he raised his head, only to find the Leviathan mysteriously vanished.
Struggling to regain his composure, Zerin rose unsteadily to his feet, the lingering fear threatening to overwhelm him. Leaning against the pristine white railing for support, he mustered the strength to stand upright, peering over the edge.
Several hundred feet below, just beneath the crimson surface of the bloody waters, the Leviathan slithered gracefully before vanishing into the depths.