The void trembled.
Joshua burst free from the creature's gaping maw, his body ablaze with energy. A shockwave of crimson light erupted as he tore through the monstrous flesh, sending a deafening howl rippling through the abyss. He crashed onto the warped terrain, landing in a crouch, his red eyes burning like twin embers in the darkness.
The beast recoiled, its shifting form writhing in pain. A grotesque mixture of bone, shadow, and molten flesh twisted unnaturally as it tried to reform itself. Its golden eyes flickered, no longer smooth and inviting but erratic, fractured—uncertain.
Joshua staggered to his feet, his entire body aching from the energy he had unleashed. But he didn't have time to rest. The creature was still alive. Still watching.
Then, with a low, guttural screech, it lunged.
Joshua barely had time to react before the monstrous limbs lashed out. A jagged tendril, pulsing with an eerie black glow, struck the ground where he had stood a second earlier. He flipped backward, his instincts guiding him as another attack followed.
He dodged left. Right. His breaths were sharp, ragged. His muscles screamed in protest, but he pushed forward. He had already come too far. He would not let this thing consume him again.
Then, he countered.
With a furious cry, he channeled all his remaining energy into his fist. Crimson light crackled around him as he dashed forward, weaving through the creature's attacks. And then—he struck.
His glowing fist met the monster's shifting form, and the impact sent a seismic wave through the abyss. The creature howled, its entire body convulsing as raw energy tore through it. Its golden eyes blinked rapidly, their glow flickering like dying embers.
It staggered. For the first time, it hesitated.
Joshua panted, his body trembling. He could feel it—this was his chance. One last push, and he could end this.
Summoning the last of his strength, he raised his hands, energy surging once more. But before he could strike—
The creature moved.
Not to attack. Not to counter.
But to retreat.
Its grotesque form rippled, the golden orbs pulling away, vanishing into the abyss. Its flesh melted into the shifting shadows, sinking back into the darkness. The whispers faded, the suffocating presence lifting.
It was leaving.
Joshua stood frozen, his fists still clenched. His red eyes flickered as his body swayed slightly. It was over. He had won.
Or so he thought.
Just as the last traces of the creature disappeared, an icy sensation crawled over his skin. A slow, creeping chill, unlike anything he had felt before.
Something had changed.
The battle was over, but the creature had not left without a final act.
Joshua exhaled, his breath shaky. He didn't understand what had just happened, but—
His vision blurred.
His knees buckled.
The energy he had pushed beyond his limits drained from his body all at once, and before he could fight it—he collapsed.
Darkness rushed in, swallowing him whole.
Joshua's body felt like lead, his limbs aching with exhaustion. He drifted between consciousness and the void, his breath slow and shallow. The battle had drained him, left him on the edge of death. The last thing he remembered was the creature's grotesque form retreating, its many shifting eyes glowing as it vanished into the darkness. But before it left, it had done something—something unseen.
Now, he was here.
His eyes fluttered open, his vision blurred. The ceiling above him was rough stone, damp with condensation. The warm glow of firelight flickered across the cave walls, casting shifting shadows. A scent of burning wood mixed with the damp air, grounding him in the present.
Joshua exhaled. He was alive.
A rustling sound pulled his attention. He turned his head, muscles screaming in protest, and saw him—an old man sitting near the fire.
The man's silver hair flowed past his shoulders, and deep wrinkles lined his weathered face. He wore a tattered cloak, its fabric patched and worn from time. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze was piercing, watching Joshua with quiet intensity. In his hands, he absently rolled a small carved bone between his fingers.
Joshua tried to sit up, but pain jolted through his body, forcing him to stop. He gritted his teeth.
The old man let out a dry chuckle. "Easy, boy. You fought an Akugbe and lived." His voice was deep, calm—but laced with something else. Amusement? Or disbelief?
Joshua frowned, his breath still ragged. "An… Akugbe?"
The old man nodded, his sharp eyes never leaving him. "The beast you fought. Not many see one and tell the tale. Even fewer survive." He tilted his head slightly. "No… you didn't survive. You barely lived."
Joshua clenched his fists, his mind replaying the battle. The creature—its shifting form, its countless eyes, its monstrous maw. He could still feel its presence. Still feel it.
The old man exhaled, his fingers still rolling the bone. "And now, it has marked you."
Joshua stiffened.
His hand moved to his chest instinctively, searching for a wound. But there was nothing. No scars. No physical trace. Yet deep inside, something felt… wrong. Heavy. Like an unseen weight pressing against his very soul.
"What does that mean?" Joshua asked, his voice low.
The old man's expression darkened. He tossed the carved bone into the fire, watching it sizzle before looking back at Joshua. "It means the Akugbe isn't done with you yet."
Joshua's pulse pounded in his ears.
The old man studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "That mark… it binds you to the Akugbe. It will know where you are. It will wait. It will return."
Joshua's jaw tightened. "Then I'll fight it again."
The old man chuckled—a sound neither warm nor mocking. "You barely lived the first time. Do you truly think you'll be so lucky twice?"
Joshua didn't respond. He didn't need to.
The old man leaned forward slightly, the firelight casting deep shadows across his face. "I can remove it."
Joshua's breath caught. "What?"
"The mark," the old man said simply. "I can take it away. Free you from its grasp."
Joshua's fingers twitched. He wasn't sure why, but something about those words made his body tense.
The fire crackled between them. The cave walls seemed to close in.
And for the first time since waking up, Joshua wasn't sure if he was truly safe.
The old man's gaze remained fixed on Joshua, his sharp eyes glinting in the firelight. "Let me remove the mark," he said, his voice steady.
Joshua hesitated, his fingers curling into the rough fabric of the blanket covering him. Something about the way the man spoke—so certain, so insistent—put him on edge.
"Why do you want to help me?" Joshua asked, narrowing his eyes.
The old man scoffed. "Boy, if I wanted you dead, I would've left you to rot ." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "That mark is a tether. A link between you and the Akugbe. You may have survived today, but it will come back. And next time, it won't leave without taking something from you."
Joshua exhaled sharply. He knew the old man wasn't lying. He could feel it—that unseen weight pressing against his soul, an invisible presence lurking just beyond his senses. A connection he hadn't asked for.
His jaw tightened. "And you can really remove it?"
The old man simply extended his hand. His fingers were long, bony, and etched with deep scars. "I can."
Joshua studied him for a moment longer, then sighed. He had no choice. "Fine. Do it."
A knowing smirk tugged at the old man's lips as he muttered, "Smart boy."
Without another word, he placed his hand over Joshua's chest. The moment his palm made contact, the air around them shifted. The cave darkened, the fire's glow dimming as a strange force pulsed through the space.
Joshua inhaled sharply as a deep, icy sensation shot through him, spreading from the old man's touch. It wasn't painful—at least, not physically. It was something deeper, something that reached into his very being.
The old man closed his eyes, murmuring in a language Joshua didn't recognize. The words slithered through the air, unnatural yet strangely rhythmic. The pressure in Joshua's chest grew heavier, his breath coming in short gasps.
Then—pain.
A sharp, searing agony erupted from within, like something being ripped away. Joshua's vision blurred, his head spinning as he clenched his teeth to keep from crying out. The old man's voice rose, his chant intensifying. The air crackled, the fire flickering violently—
And then, it was over.
Joshua gasped as the weight vanished, leaving behind an emptiness he hadn't even realized was there. His body slumped forward, sweat clinging to his skin as he caught his breath.
The old man leaned back, exhaling deeply as if he, too, had expended great effort. He studied Joshua with quiet satisfaction before finally speaking.
"So," he said, "what's your name, boy?"
Joshua took a moment to steady himself before answering. "Joshua Destiny."
The old man chuckled, shaking his head. "Joshua Destiny…" He leaned back, rubbing his chin. "Welcome to the Unknown World, where rotting souls like us wander, forgotten by time and purpose." His voice carried a strange mix of amusement and bitterness.
Joshua's fists clenched. "I'm not supposed to be here," he said firmly. "I was supposed to be in the Ancestral Realm."
The old man arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Then why aren't you?"
Joshua hesitated, then exhaled. "Because someone betrayed me."
The old man didn't respond, simply watching him with those sharp, knowing eyes.
And so, for the first time since arriving in this twisted world, Joshua told his story.