I Guard The Book That Slays Gods

The Leviathan path was usually smooth, until it suddenly wasn't.

The realization struck them all simultaneously as the leviathan's massive form began to convulse more violently than before, as though under relentless assault during its journey. They frantically sought stable footing—some desperately clutching its horn-like protrusions, others seizing hold of its razor teeth.

But that alone wasn't enough to save them. Without warning, the leviathan convulsed its massive body in terror, and they felt the crushing force reverberate through them even from within its depths.

Raiden's grip on Ash's hand tightened as the true horror of this dark dream became clear; it was far worse than he'd ever imagined. Cold sweat drenched his skin, every instinct shrieking for them to flee home while he desperately clutched the leviathan's razor tooth. He trembled alongside Ash, his panicked gaze searching the darkness as his breath came in ragged gasps.

His brain remained razor-sharp, but his other senses shrieked in agony, each forced breath hitting him like a punch to the gut.

It wasn't long before his sharp mind slowly began surrendering to the fear. Had he been a fool to come here at all?

But before he could spiral further, he realized he wasn't the only one breaking down. Behind him, the rest looked more deranged than he did. When he turned to Ash, she was staring vacantly into the void, her consciousness seemingly adrift.

They weren't just afraid—they were drowning in it.

"I think we're too late," Chrono whispered from behind, his parched voice fracturing with hopelessness.

Raiden struggled to turn toward Chrono's voice, every muscle rebelling against the movement, yet he forced his body to comply.

But the moment he turned, his eyes widened in pure terror, his mind reeling as his soul sank into despair. Behind him yawned absolute darkness under storm-wracked skies crackling with lightning.

Skeletal trees clawed at the distant horizon while frigid wind howled through the void. He was utterly alone in nothingness.

He gulped down his mounting fear, eyes flickering with panic. Beside him, Ash stood motionless, still completely lost in her daze.

But at that moment, confusion overtook even the terror coursing through his veins. How did he end up here? And where the hell was everyone?

He pressed his palms against his eyes, desperate to dispel the hallucination, but every sensation hit him with perfect clarity—the tender soreness of his eyelids and the sharp pain from the pressure. Everything felt impossibly real.

He turned his gaze toward the distance, and there, rising from the gloom, stood what appeared to be a haunted gothic mansion, consumed by shadows as dark clouds devoured the moon hovering overhead.

Raiden pressed his palms against his face, completely lost. All he could recall was Chrono's strangled voice, and then—what? Silence. Were they still trapped in the leviathan's mouth?

Questions multiplied in his mind without answers, but he realized that if he was going to get any clarity, his only option was to enter the mansion.

He looked at Ash, still lost in her fearful trance, and carefully hoisted her onto his shoulder. Through the graveyard of dead trees, the path to the mansion stretched empty and desolate. So without a doubt, he began his approach.

His gaze darted frantically in every direction as he pressed forward, yet no trace of life existed anywhere. Only the crash of thunder overhead filled the vast silence.

Yet as Raiden drew near the mansion, primal fear seized him, his very bones telling him to go no further.

His legs shook violently, buckling and intertwining as his stride faltered, threatening to send him sprawling. He managed to steady himself at the last second and adjusted his hold on Ash.

Yet when he regained his footing and looked back at the mansion, the distance hadn't changed at all. What had changed was the solitary figure now perched on its highest point.

Raiden's eyes darted back and forth as he blinked in bewilderment. Squinting hard, he activated Gaze Beyond to examine the figure more closely. His blood ran cold the instant he focused—he might as well have been staring into the depths of hell itself.

"What is going on?" he breathed.

He stood still, trying to process everything, trying to remember what had happened before this nightmare began. But thought after thought yielded nothing. No logical explanation existed for any of this.

How was it possible, one second trapped in the leviathan's mouth, the next stranded in this wasteland? Confusion was beginning to eclipse even his terror. Still, he had to attempt the mansion again. Maybe his urgency for answers had somehow distorted what he'd seen before.

He started toward the mansion again, this time forcing himself to focus on each step, determined not to stumble over his own feet like before, assuming that had occurred.

He continued walking, yet with every step forward, the mansion seemed to retreat deeper into the distance. Raiden's jaw tightened as fury began to crack through his composure.

But he knew this situation required a clear head, not blind rage. He drew a deep breath and steadied himself. Just as he was about to continue forward, he stopped and allowed himself a knowing smirk.

He had to know if he was truly making progress. Using his heel, he scraped a mark into the earth before setting off again. Step after step he walked, only to realize he was caught in the exact same cycle as before.

He searched frantically, scanning the ground again and again for the mark he'd made, but it had vanished completely.

"Why can't I reach the mansion if I'm actually moving forward?" he whispered, bewilderment lacing every word.

"Because you haven't called for me yet."

A stranger's voice drifted through the void, terror coursing through Raiden like liquid ice. He whirled around, eyes searching desperately as he retreated step by careful step, finding nothing but emptiness.

"Who's there?" he called out, his pulse hammering in his chest. He held his breath, waiting for a response that never came.

He came to a complete halt and exhaled shakily. "Am I losing my mind?" he whispered, pressing his palms against his temples over and over.

"Not yet, but you will be soon enough if you refuse to heed my words." The voice returned, now warm and musical, seductively inviting yet threaded with sinister honesty.

Raiden glanced around in all directions once more and asked, "Who are you?"