Shadow Slave: The Ascencion

Grey, still lying on the ground, moved with difficulty within his bindings until he reached the metal door.

When he stopped moving and was finally in front of the door, his body ceased protesting against the movement that had been sending waves of pain, and Grey was able to take a break while concentrating on what he could hear outside.

"Hey, have you heard the rumor that the seal is weakening? A friend who works near the nobles told me they're planning to send a research team."

"Do you really believe those rumors? The creature was sealed with one of the most powerful weapons created by that man; I don't think that thing can break free."

"Come on, man, you're so boring. Being down here all the time has made you bitter. How about some drinks when our shift ends?"

"I'll go, but only if you're buying."

"Damned cheapskate... Fine, I'll pay this time, but next time it's on you."

'What are those men talking about? A sealed creature...? Could it be that...?'

At that moment, Grey heard the sound of metal echoing inside his cell. His gaze shifted to the steel door. A small hatch opened, and they threw in what appeared to be bread and a kind of leather pouch containing water.

"Figure out how to eat that, kid." The guard's voice echoed in the empty cell. But Grey didn't care at all.

Dragging his body like a worm, Grey reached the water pouch and used his teeth to grab it by the spout. He rolled over, and the water began to flow down his throat.

'The water is delicious.' Grey eagerly drank all the water in the leather container and, when the water stopped flowing, he turned once more to look at the bread lying not too far from him on the floor.

'This is pathetic...' Even with those thoughts, Grey crawled over to bite off a piece of bread and give his stomach some food.

'Even hard bread seems delicious after days without consuming anything.'

Satisfied, Grey dragged himself once more, enduring the pain, to an iron wall opposite the door, patiently waiting for something to happen...

Hours continued to pass as Grey waited patiently. His wait was not in vain.

Heat began to invade and envelop Grey's entire body. With a grimace, Grey smiled.

***

Night had fallen, and darkness engulfed the city. The streetlights were lit one by one, and the citizens retreated to their homes to rest.

The wall guards patrolled, and silence reigned in the tranquil night.

Suddenly, the guards patrolling the wall looked on in bewilderment as a blinding white light expanded from the depths of the prison.

"What is that...?"

Suddenly, a deafening noise spread throughout the city, glass cracked and shattered, the ground trembled, and a large section of the wall collapsed.

The night turned into day for a few moments, and many people died from the sudden explosion and its subsequent consequences.

The houses closest to the prison were destroyed, and entire families were killed by the debris. Many others died with bleeding ears from the internal tearing caused by the shockwave and the loud blast.

The city was filled with noise, and hundreds of guards immediately ran toward the prison, which was now completely demolished and replaced by a massive crater.

***

[You have killed a mundane human whose name is unknown]

[You have killed a mundane human whose name is unknown]

[You have...]

...

In a corner where the debris had been disintegrated by the force of the explosion, Grey's body was covered in bruises everywhere, but his chest was still rising and falling with breath.

He was still alive.

"What the hell... That was much more than I expected..."

'No, this isn't the time to think about that; I need to get out of here.'

With groans, Grey moved his semi-naked body while his bones protested. Surprisingly, his body seemed... better than before.

He couldn't explain it, but it seemed that the explosion not only didn't affect his body but might have even healed it a bit.

His body, although warm, was still bruised and full of contusions.

'I need to run, or they'll catch me. The explosion will draw a lot of attention...'

The crater where he found himself measured several dozen meters, but with his body more recovered than before, he was able to move quickly and managed to climb out.

Of course, this came with its own dose of pain and agony, but he knew he couldn't afford to rest or catch his breath.

Grey began to run despite the pains coursing through his body and continued running because, in the distance, he could hear the hurried footsteps of many people, thundering on the ground like a stampede.

The forest wasn't too far from the prison, so Grey arrived after a few minutes of running as fast as he could. The lights of his pursuers could be seen in the distance.

But he had an advantage they didn't: being able to see in the dark gave him more freedom when running through a forest with abundant, massive trees.

When Grey stopped to rest, he turned his head in the direction he had come from and couldn't see any lights following him. He frowned.

'Have they given up? It can't be that easy to escape from them, can it?...'

Still doubtful, Grey rested for a few minutes before continuing deeper into the forest, careful not to draw too much attention.

'No one knows what kind of creatures might be hiding here.'

The cold night wind brushed against his bare skin, sending chills down his spine. However, his body still managed to preserve warmth, perhaps due to the earlier burst of heat.

As Grey explored, he began to pay more attention to his surroundings.

The forest was dark and eerie. The treetops towered several meters above Grey, their branches swaying gently with the wind and their leaves falling like a light drizzle.

The moonlight could barely penetrate the leaves, illuminating some spots with small columns of light. Grey's footsteps sometimes echoed with the crunch of branches and dry leaves scattered throughout the forest.

'You can't even hear the sound of insects, if they exist in this forest.'

Some time later, Grey spotted an immense mountain, as tall as several buildings, with slopes spanning at least two hundred meters. At its lowest point, right in the direction Grey was walking, there was a cave; the darkness looked like a somber doorway hiding some evil within.

'This is terrifying...'

___

Note: Any thoughts? And please send those power stones and populate the collection! That would really help with the fanfic recommendation. Thanks for reading 😊