The void world stretched endlessly, a desolate expanse of terror and despair. Every step I took sank slightly into the fleshy, pulsating ground beneath me. The air felt thick and suffocating, charged with something unnatural, as if the void itself were watching my every move. Above me, the blue orb hovered in the pitch-black sky, its faint light barely illuminating the grotesque landscape.
The whispers returned, faint at first, like a breeze carrying fragmented words. They slithered into my mind, weaving around my thoughts, poking at my resolve. *"You will fail… you cannot win… you are nothing."*
I gritted my teeth, shaking the words off as best as I could. I couldn't afford to let them get to me. Not now. Not when I was this far in.
I trudged forward, the fleshy ground squelching under my feet. The ground pulsed with faint veins of dark liquid, shifting and writhing as though it were alive. Disembodied hands crawled like spiders across the terrain, their fingers twitching and grasping blindly. Some reached for my legs as I passed, their icy touch sending shivers up my spine. I kicked one away and kept walking.
Far ahead, I saw something new—blackened bones, arranged in strange, ritualistic patterns, glowing faintly in the blue light. I couldn't stop the chill that crawled up my back. The whispers grew louder, more insistent now. *"Turn back... it's not for you… leave…"*
"Shut up," I muttered, my voice hoarse.
The whispers didn't care. They wrapped around my thoughts, a cacophony of taunts and jeers, their sharp edges slicing at my sanity.
I clenched my fists, ignoring the growing ache in my void body. This place was designed to break me, to crush my will before I even had the chance to face the challenges ahead. But I wasn't about to let it win.
After what felt like hours, I saw it—a faint, pulsing glow in the distance. As I moved closer, the source of the light became clear. It was a bone, larger than my forearm, perched atop a pedestal made of blackened skulls. The bone radiated a sickly energy, etched with intricate patterns that shifted and writhed like living veins.
My breath caught in my throat. This was it. The first Rotten Bone.
But as I took a step forward, a low, guttural growl stopped me dead in my tracks.
From the shadows emerged a massive Void Hound, its sinewy body rippling with void energy. Its matted fur revealed patches of raw, pulsating flesh, and its blazing blue eyes locked onto mine with a feral intensity.
The creature circled me, its claws scraping against the ground. Saliva dripped from its bared fangs, sizzling as it hit the fleshy terrain. It was bigger than any Wraithling I had fought before, and its sheer presence sent a wave of dread crashing over me.
"Guess I'm not getting that bone without a fight," I muttered, cracking my knuckles.
The Void Hound lunged without warning, its massive jaws snapping inches from my face. I ducked, rolling to the side, but the beast was relentless. It spun around with a speed that seemed impossible for its size, swiping at me with claws that could tear through steel.
I dodged, narrowly avoiding its claws, but I wasn't fast enough to avoid the second strike. Pain exploded across my chest as its claws raked through my void body, sending me stumbling backward.
"Damn it," I hissed, clutching my side.
The hound growled, its eyes blazing brighter as it prepared for another attack.
This time, I was ready.
When it lunged, I sidestepped, grabbing hold of its mangy fur. Using all the strength I had, I slammed it into the ground. The creature howled, thrashing beneath me, but I didn't let go.
I grabbed a jagged piece of bone from the ground and drove it into the hound's shoulder. The beast let out an ear-splitting roar, twisting violently to throw me off.
I rolled to my feet, panting, my hands slick with black blood.
"Not so tough now, are you?" I taunted, though my voice trembled with exhaustion.
The hound snarled, its muscles tensing as it prepared for one final charge.
As the hound lunged, I dodged again, this time jumping onto its back. My arms wrapped around its neck, and I used the jagged bone to stab deep into its throat.
The creature thrashed, its movements wild and frantic, but I held on, driving the bone deeper with every ounce of strength I had.
Finally, the hound collapsed, its body twitching before falling still.
I rolled off its back, collapsing onto the ground, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. My void body was screaming in pain, my vision swimming, but I couldn't afford to rest.
I crawled toward the hound's corpse, placing my hand on its still-warm body. The void essence within it called to me, a dark energy that pulsed with life.
As I absorbed it, a surge of power flooded through me, healing my wounds and strengthening my void body. The pain began to fade, replaced by a strange, cold clarity.
I stood, my legs still shaky but my resolve stronger than ever. The first Rotten Bone was mine.
I approached the pedestal, my hand trembling as I reached for the glowing bone. It was warm to the touch, pulsing faintly, as if it were alive.
"This is just the beginning," I muttered, tucking the bone into my void cloak.
The whispers returned, louder now, angrier. They swirled around me, their voices overlapping in a chaotic storm.
*"You will fail... you are nothing... you cannot win..."*
I grinned, wiping the blood from my face. "Bring it on."
With the first Rotten Bone secured, I turned my gaze to the dark expanse ahead. The journey was far from over, but I wasn't about to back down.
No matter how many monsters stood in my way.
The path stretched endlessly into the void, the terrain growing darker and more twisted with every step. But I didn't care.
This world wanted to break me, to crush my resolve under its endless horrors. But I wouldn't let it.
I was Ash—the Void Demon's inheritor.
And I was just getting started.