The moon hung high over Barron Island, its pale glow washing over the silent landscape. Within the wooden walls of the small inn, Kyle, Maya, Arthur, Josuke, Hinata, Lily, Ace, and Silver had all retired to their respective rooms, their exhaustion from the day's events pulling them into a deep slumber. The rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore was the only disturbance in the otherwise peaceful night.
But for Silver, the night was far from over.
He moved soundlessly through the dimly lit halls, his form barely visible as he melded with the darkness itself. His heart pounded in his chest, though his expression remained blank. The weight of his mission pressed heavily upon him. He had waited for this moment waited for everyone to fall asleep, waited until Kyle, the greatest threat, was in deep rest. The shadows wrapped around him like a comforting shroud, ensuring that no one would sense his movement.
Reaching Josuke's door, Silver placed a hand against the wood, feeling the warmth of life beyond it. His fingers trembled for a brief moment before he steeled himself. With a swift motion, he slipped inside. The room was quiet except for Josuke's steady breathing. The moonlight cast long shadows across the walls, highlighting the peaceful expression on Josuke's sleeping face.
Silver took a slow, deep breath and unsheathed his dagger. The blade glistened faintly in the darkness as he raised it, positioning it just above Josuke's chest. He hesitated. A strange feeling gnawed at the back of his mind. This wasn't his first mission he had ended lives before, all in the name of his purpose. But for some reason, this time, his hands trembled.
Just do it, he told himself. End it now.
But before the dagger could pierce Josuke's skin, the world around him twisted.
An Abyss Beyond Reality
In an instant, everything was gone. The room, the bed, the sleeping Josuke all of it was swallowed by an endless darkness. Silver's breath hitched as he found himself standing in a vast, nightmarish landscape. The sky was a swirling void of colors that defied logic, shifting between deep reds, purples, and blues, like a wound in reality itself. Jagged black structures jutted from the ground, distorting in and out of existence, as though the entire world was rejecting its own form. The air was heavy, suffocating, filled with an eerie whispering that seemed to slither through his mind.
Silver turned sharply, his instincts screaming at him. Then, from atop a towering obsidian spire, he saw it him.
A figure stood at the summit, his presence undeniable. At first glance, Silver's mind forced him to believe it was Josuke in his devil form, but something was wrong terribly wrong. The being's very existence radiated an aura of absolute dominance, suffocating and infinite. His hair, pitch black with streaks of deep crimson, floated as though untouched by gravity. His eyes were pure chaos, shifting and spiraling endlessly, filled with unfathomable knowledge.
Then, it spoke.
"Welcome," the entity said, its voice smooth yet carrying an overwhelming weight, as though the very fabric of reality trembled with each word.
Silver took a step back, his grip on his dagger tightening. His mind screamed at him to run, but his body refused to move. He forced himself to speak. "What… what is this place?"
The entity tilted its head slightly, as if amused. "A terrible place, wouldn't you agree?"
Silver barely had time to process the words before the figure casually raised a single finger.
Then, with no warning death.
A force beyond comprehension struck Silver, his entire existence unraveling in an instant. His vision blurred as an unbearable sensation of nothingness overtook him. It was not pain in the conventional sense it was erasure. For a moment, he felt himself being wiped away, as though he had never existed at all.
Then, just as suddenly, he woke up.
Gasping, Silver clutched his chest, his body drenched in cold sweat. He was still in the abyss, still trapped in this forsaken place. His breath came in ragged gulps as he looked up, his entire being trembling.
The entity sighed, shaking its head. "Pathetic. You stepped into my domain and dared to insult it?"
Silver's mind reeled. That was death. He had died—he was sure of it. But he was back. It made no sense. His body still ached, his very soul felt like it had been torn apart and hastily stitched back together.
"W-who are you?" Silver finally managed to say.
The entity smirked. "I really need to stop taking Josuke's shape," he mused, stretching his arms lazily before his form subtly shifted, becoming even more terrifying, more eldritch in nature. "I am Chaos."
Silver's breath caught in his throat.
Chaos.
The embodiment of destruction, the being beyond comprehension.
Chaos leaned forward, grinning. "Be grateful, little shadow. Few get the honor of standing in my presence."
Silver clenched his fists. "I don't have time for this. Let me go."
Chaos chuckled. "By all means. But first, entertain me."
Silver narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Chaos' expression darkened, amusement flickering in his gaze. "Fight me," he said simply.
Silver's gut twisted. "I have no quarrel with you."
Chaos let out a low hum. "Ah, but I have one with you."
Silver gritted his teeth. "Why?"
Chaos leaned closer, his grin widening into something almost sinister. "Because you are weak."
Silver stiffened.
"You are a failure," Chaos continued. "A broken tool that cannot even carry out simple revenge."
The words struck deep. Silver's grip on his dagger tightened. "I don't care what you say."
Chaos smirked. "Don't you? Then allow me to help. Let me remind you of something…"
The air grew colder as Chaos' voice dropped to a whisper.
"Glenda was right about you."
Silver froze.
Chaos' grin widened. "Useless. Unfinished. A broken doll incapable of fulfilling its purpose."
Silver's vision blurred with rage. "Shut up."
Chaos laughed a deep, cruel laugh that echoed through the void. "Did I stutter? Your looking at the very reason your precious Glenda died."
Silver's heart pounded violently in his chest. His breath grew heavy, his fingers trembled. "You're lying…"
Chaos tilted his head mockingly. "Am I? I you don't believe me I can tell you how where and when she died "
The shadows around Silver began to ripple, his power reacting to the storm of emotions inside him. His blue eyes glowed with fury, his body tensing as his hands clenched into fists.
Chaos spread his arms wide. "Come then, little shadow. Show me your rage."
With a roar of unbridled fury, Silver lunged forward, his shadows exploding outward in a storm of black tendrils.
And Chaos simply smiled.