Niko blinked awake, his body aching like he'd been thrown through a stone grinder. Dust hung in the air, coating his tongue with grit as he coughed and forced himself upright. The Book of Beginnings rested in his lap, glowing faintly as if taunting him.
"Of course, I survive by the skin of my teeth. Again," he muttered, shoving the book into a makeshift sling. Every part of him screamed in protest, but this wasn't the time to fall apart. He tapped his wrist implant, and the menu flickered to life.
[Objective: Return to surface. Time remaining: 1:22:45]
"Yeah, because nothing says 'relax' like a ticking clock," he said, shaking his head.
As he pushed himself to his feet, a sharp twinge in his arm caught his attention. Glancing down, Niko froze.
His forearm—his own flesh—had turned the same impossible shade of Vantablack as the demon's arm he'd consumed. The blackness didn't just look dark; it felt wrong, like it absorbed more than light. It radiated a coldness that sent a shiver through him.
"Well, that's not horrifying at all," he muttered, flexing his fingers experimentally. The blackness didn't fade or shift. Instead, it almost seemed alive, writhing faintly under his skin like shadows caught in a current.
He clenched his fist, forcing himself to focus. "One crisis at a time, Niko. Let's survive first, freak out later."
The air in the cavern felt heavier as he began moving. Each step echoed ominously, and the silence was far too complete, far too watchful. His eyes flicked to every shadow, every flicker of movement in the corner of his vision.
Then he heard it—a low, guttural growl that vibrated through the stone.
Niko froze, his blood turning cold. The growl deepened, followed by the unmistakable slither of something massive and alive.
"Ah, perfect timing. What's it gonna be this time? Another eldritch nightmare? Oh, it's you again, fucker!"
From the darkness ahead, the shadow creature emerged, its form impossibly larger than before. It dragged itself into view, its amorphous mass coiling and uncoiling like smoke given life. Tendrils of black lashed against the walls, cracking the stone as it advanced.
"Didn't get enough last time, huh?" Niko spat, summoning what little Eternal Night essence he had left.
The creature roared, a sound that seemed to claw at his very thoughts. It surged forward, its tendrils whipping out like spears. Niko barely dodged, rolling to the side as one slammed into the ground beside him, shattering the stone.
He bolted.
The tunnel ahead stretched out like an endless maze, but Niko wasn't about to stick around and fight. The creature's tendrils lashed out again, slamming into the walls and sending debris raining down.
"Why do these things always want to eat me?" he muttered through gritted teeth, dodging left as a tendril snapped inches from his shoulder.
The creature's growls echoed behind him, growing louder. It wasn't just chasing him—it was closing the distance. The tendrils moved faster now, slicing through the air like whips, each one narrowly missing its target.
Niko sprinted harder, the glow of the tunnel exit in sight. "Come on, come on!"
A sudden crash reverberated through the tunnel, the walls groaning as the creature's massive form scraped against them. One tendril shot forward, wrapping around his leg and yanking him off his feet.
He hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of him. The creature's maw opened wide, a swirling void of darkness that promised oblivion.
"Nope!" Niko snarled, summoning his shadows with everything he had left.
Darkness burst from him, spreading through the cracks in the walls and ceiling. The tunnel groaned, stone shifting as his power wove into the structure itself.
"You're not dragging me back, asshole!" he yelled, slamming his fists together.
The ceiling above collapsed with a deafening roar, stone and shadow raining down in an avalanche of destruction. The creature screeched, its tendrils flailing as the weight of the collapse crushed it.
The grip on Niko's leg loosened, and he scrambled forward, dragging himself out of the tunnel as the last of the rubble sealed the creature inside.
He tumbled into the open air, coughing and gasping for breath. Sunlight poured down, warming his battered body. For the first time in what felt like hours, he allowed himself to lie still, the tension easing just slightly.
"That's what you get for chasing me," he muttered, staring up at the sky.
His arm caught his attention again. The blackness hadn't faded; if anything, it seemed deeper, more alive. Niko flexed his fingers, the coldness still clinging to him like a second skin.
The Book of Beginnings pulsed faintly in its sling, reminding him that his journey was far from over.
Adjusting the sling, he pushed himself upright, his legs wobbling beneath him. The sound of distant waves called him toward the forest. He grinned despite himself.
"Always remember to leave with a smile," he murmured, stepping into the unknown once more.