After Lex left the library, he headed back home immediately, his mind still filled with the thoughts of everything he read in The Chronicles Of The Primordials book.
He didn't know if he should believe them and Khaos himself wasn't helping.
Lex knew that he had to do something about all these. He thought about finding a way to get Khaos out of his head but how would he even do that. He had never for once believed in the supernatural, and here he is, housing a god-like being in his head.
"That's impossible. And even if it is, you will die the moment I leave your body," Khaos taunted, his words dripping with malevolence.
"You see, Lex, it seems like you don't understand these things yet, I'm like the battery powering your body, You're nothing but a hollow shell, Lex. Your memories, your body – they're all yours. But the soul? That's mine. Don't get me wrong, your soul is still in here but it is…should I say half-alive, sustained by my presence." Lex's eyes widened after the explanation.
"Liar!" Lex spat, desperation creeping into his voice. But Khaos merely chuckled, the sound echoing in his mind like a cold wind.
"Believe what you want, Lex. But know this, I am the spark that keeps your soul from fading into oblivion. And soon, you'll realise that our bond is unbreakable."
Lex shook his head, concentrating on the road. Before he knew it, he was already heading into the woods. He looked like he wasn't conscious of his surroundings as he ventured into the woods, his eyes wide open.
As his feet carried him away from the familiarity of the main road, the dense foliage of the woods seemed to swallow him whole, like an abyss devouring a wandering soul. The trees, like sentinels of the forest, stood watchful and still, their leafy canopies a vibrant green, filtering the sunlight that struggled to penetrate the gloom. The air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, a primordial aroma that filled Lex's lungs as he walked deeper into the woods.
The trees seemed to close in around him, their branches tangling above his head like skeletal fingers, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs beneath his feet served as a haunting serenade, a siren's call drawing him further into the heart of the woods. Lex's eyes, wide with a mix of confusion and trepidation, remained fixed on the winding path ahead, his mind a blank slate, devoid of conscious thought.
His legs moved of their own accord, carrying him deeper into the woods, as if driven by a force beyond his control. The trees blurred together, a verdant blur, as Lex's feet carried him further and further from the world he knew.
Only when he stumbled over a hidden root, his foot catching on the gnarled wood, did Lex's trance-like state shatter, his eyes snapping into focus like a shutter releasing. He blinked rapidly, his surroundings crystallising into sharp relief, as if he had emerged from a dream, gasping for air. The woods, once a vague, green haze, now loomed before him, a tangible, menacing presence that seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see what he would do next.
His mind raced as he tried to process what was happening and how he had ended up in the woods. He attempted to converse with Khaos, but the latter's eerie silence only added to the growing sense of unease. The forest, once alive with the chirping of birds and rustling of leaves, had fallen deathly still. The air was heavy with an unsettling quiet, like the held breath of the woods themselves.
Suddenly, a faint whisper of wind caressed the right side of Lex's neck, sending shivers down his spine. Before he could react, a swift, deadly projectile whooshed past him, its path marked by a soft, menacing hiss. Time seemed to slow as Lex's gaze followed the sound, his eyes widening in horror as an arrow struck the tree mere inches from his face. The force of the impact sent splinters flying, and the arrow's feathered fletching quivered ominously, as if mocking him.
The reality of the situation became clear in Lex's mind like a splash of icy water. He was under attack. The silence was broken by the sound of his own ragged breathing, and the pounding of his heart in his chest. His eyes darted wildly, searching for the source of the assault, but the trees seemed to loom over him, their branches tangling together like skeletal fingers.
"Damn, I missed my target!" A soft, feminine voice whispered through the air, sending shivers down his spine like a gentle winter breeze. Yet, his gaze swept the surroundings with a mix of confusion and desperation, and still, he saw no one.
The trees stood silent, their leaves rustling in the faint wind like a chorus of whispering spectators. No time to ponder the mystery, he dropped to his knees and burst into a zigzag sprint, desperate to evade the next arrow's deadly kiss.
His heart pounded in his chest like a blacksmith's hammer, and his breath came in ragged gasps. His eyes darted back, but the path behind him lay empty, a seemingly endless stretch of dirt and stone. Still, he ran, fueled by adrenaline and the eerie feeling of being watched, like a rabbit fleeing from a predator's unseen gaze.
He was still running, his legs pumping like pistons, his heart racing with the ferocity of a wild beast, when suddenly, he felt something collide with him by his side. It was like a deer had clashed into him, a sudden and unexpected impact that sent him stumbling.
But it wasn't a deer - it was a body, a male figure that had seemingly materialised out of thin air. The person held onto him with a desperate grip, their fingers digging into his arm like talons. "Keep running!" a hoarse voice yelled in his ear, the warm breath sending shivers down his spine. "Don't stop, don't look back!"