The Abomination flew backward, crashing into several trees. It clutched its chest, where a gaping wound from Sirius's mysterious claw strike was bleeding profusely. It knelt on the ground, immobile from the pain, letting out a loud howl as it writhed in agony.
Sirius woke from his slight trance, surprised by the state of the kneeling shade.
'Did I do that?' he thought, glancing at his hand, which had transformed into a dark claw with cold, dragon-like talons tipped in gold. They were covered in dark, oddly shaped scales, their leathery patterns hinting at a strange, otherworldly origin. Sirius wanted to study it further, but a loud growl from the Abyssal Shade reminded him of his predicament.
Thinking quickly, he realized he didn't know the origin of this strange, dragon-like claw. However, if he could wield it to slay the Abyssal Shade, it wouldn't be a bad deal. He regarded the injured shade for a moment, contemplating the potential rewards. If he could kill it, he would amass quite a bit of soul energy, bringing him closer to the next rank, right?
But the shade was incredibly powerful. If it were serious, he might actually die. He struggled with his decision but eventually dismissed the idea. This conclusion solidified when he saw the claw transforming back to normal.
Turning away, he ran, the Abyssal Shade too wounded to chase him, merely watching with hatred seeping from its eyes. As he sprinted, Sirius could feel the weight of its gaze on his back, literally doubling his speed. As he ran, he realized he wasn't in as much pain as before.
'Are my injuries gone?' he thought, but he didn't dwell on it. He kept running, not intending to get caught by that horror or any other terror lurking around.
He continued until he felt exhausted, sure he had put enough distance between himself and the Abomination. He sank to the ground, leaning against a tree, panting heavily. He had run faster than when the shade had been chasing him, and even though he felt drained from the sprint, a strange energy surged within him, urging him to keep going despite his fatigue.
But then, suddenly, he felt drained of energy, as if he had just finished a marathon. Drowsiness washed over him, and he fell to the ground, his eyelids heavy. "Huh? But... I can't... fall asleep..." he murmured as his consciousness began to fade. " I... might get killed..." he slurred before surrendering to sleep.
He lay in the middle of the dead forest, exposed and vulnerable. While he slept, he entered another dream, one much different from the others.
He found himself in a dark room with crystal walls, illuminated by a dark purple hue. Twinkling silver starlight dotted the walls, giving the impression that he was in outer space. It was both beautiful and eerie. Unlike previous dreams where he relived the life of Sirius Ren, this one granted him freedom to explore.
As he surveyed the fairly large room, he noticed another version of himself standing there, a creepy smile stretched across its face, as if he were some kind of prey.
"Huh, what's this?" he thought, silently observing his double before finally speaking up. "Umm, hello?" The other Sirius didn't respond, continuing to stare with that predatory grin.
"Hey, if this is a dream or something, then I need to wake up immediately. My life's at stake," he said, frustration creeping into his voice. The other Sirius remained silent.
"I have to leave. Don't you understand?" he pressed, but just as he was about to speak again, his double pushed away from the wall and began to circle him. Anxiety surged within Sirius as he wondered what this other version wanted.
"Is there some kind of issue? Can you let me go?" he asked hopefully. But the double just continued to observe him, still grinning. Panic set in when he saw its arms transform into the same dark claws he had just witnessed.
He wanted to back away, but he wasn't quick enough. The double lunged at him, ready to slice him into pieces when another figure appeared, its back to Sirius.
The mysterious figure stretched its hands forward, and the salt granules on the floor flew into its palms, forming a sword. The claws and sword clashed, the latter pushing back the menacing double.
"Damn you!" it shouted at the figure. Sirius turned to see who had come to his aid.
"Shut up," the figure replied, wielding the sword with ease, it flicked its wrist. The double was sent flying back, landing against the wall, letting out an enraged dragon-like roar. Sirius paled at the deep, sonorous sound while the mysterious figure remained unfazed.
Tilting its head slightly toward Sirius, the figure said, "You're not ready," waving a hand dismissively.
"Wait, what was that?" Sirius asked, wanting to understand what was happening, but the figure had already vanished.
Back in the dead forest, Sirius jolted awake, jerking up from his strange dream. He checked himself; apart from his bloody, ragged clothes, he felt surprisingly okay.
'No shade found me in my sleep. Lucky. I can't be careless anymore!' he thought as he stood up.
He surveyed his surroundings, considering his next move when he heard a commotion a short distance away. His first instinct was to run; he didn't want to encounter any more of those terrible shades. But a second thought stopped him.
People!
The clanging sounds echoed through the air, unmistakably the sounds of humans engaged in battle. Hope surged within him.
Cautiously, he approached the scene, careful not to alert anyone involved in the fight, unsure of what he might find. Shades clashed against one another, their grotesque forms moving with a relentless ferocity. What he saw brought tears to his eyes—tears mingled with joy, relief, and hope.
Before him stood a young man in his twenties, wielding two daggers with terrifying precision, effortlessly slaying shades with calculated strikes. He moved with confidence, weaving through the chaos of battle, his life seemingly hanging by a thread.
Nearby, a girl around Sirius's age was locked in combat with one of the abominations, skillfully dodging its menacing claws. Behind her, another girl fired a specialized gun that seemed to inflict real damage on the shades. Though she appeared vulnerable, the shades attempting to close in on her were continuously thwarted by a nearly invisible figure darting around the battlefield, delivering precise strikes that the girl could exploit.
Sirius's attention was drawn solely to that elusive figure. "Xander!" he called out, his voice breaking through the noise. The figure, momentarily pausing in the midst of battle, turned to look in Sirius's direction. "Big bro?"