The same nightmare returned.
Ethan found himself once more in that dark space, shackled to a massive throne by chains anchored to his ankles. The black fog loomed in the corner, tethered to him by the same chains, pulsing faintly with eerie life.
He struggled with all his might—twisting, shifting, trying to stand or tip the throne over—but it was no use. The throne remained immovable, fixed to the ground like an extension of the void itself.
"Funny seeing you here again so soon, comrade," came that familiar, grating voice from the darkness.
Ethan flinched. The sound was still as obnoxious and chilling as before.
"What brought you here this time?" the voice teased. "Someone hit you? Or did you faint from starvation? Oh no—let me guess. You just took a nap. Kehihihihihi!"
Ethan's instincts screamed at him—this thing was dangerous. He could feel it deep in his core.
"Can't you speak, for fuck's sake?" the voice snapped, irritation bubbling in its tone. "This place is already boring enough."
Ethan gritted his teeth. "What are you? And where am I?"
A dramatic sigh echoed through the void. "When I asked you to talk, I hoped for something interesting, not more questions. But whatever. Don't worry about who I am—hell, even I don't know exactly. What I do know is this: I have a strong desire to live. Just like you."
The voice shifted from mocking to menacing. "But not just to live—I have ambitions. Big ones. And as long as you're sitting on that throne... I can't fulfill them."
Ethan's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"Tch. Thought you were clever, Sherlock," it sneered. "I mean that one day, I'll be sitting on that throne instead of you! Kehihihihi! KIHHHAAHAHAHA!"
The laughter rose in pitch until it echoed in every direction, a chorus of insanity drilling into Ethan's skull. He trembled, his head pounding—then, suddenly, silence.
He woke up.
Eyes snapping open, Ethan found himself staring at a wooden ceiling. For a split second, he panicked, thinking he was back in Stanley's hovel. But as he scanned the room, he sighed in relief. This place was cleaner. There was no stench of rot or filth, and certainly no lingering stench of Stanley and Wayla's vile habits.
He was in a well-maintained chamber—pentagon-shaped, lit evenly by candles on every wall. There were no windows. Just a single wooden door.
"Please be open," Ethan muttered, rising to his feet. "I don't know what I'll do if that monster trapped me here."
He walked to the door, gently pushing it open—and to his surprise, it creaked ajar without resistance.
What lay beyond left him dumbfounded.
An immense underground hall stretched into darkness. The room he was in stood atop a high platform, accessible only by a long staircase carved directly into the stone.
Heart pounding, Ethan descended slowly. The steps were uneven and precarious, and he feared one wrong step could send him tumbling into the abyss.
Finally, after a tense descent, his feet touched solid ground.
Strange stone pillars lined the space in symmetrical rows, vanishing into the gloom beyond. Then, one by one, torches lining the path burst into flame, lighting a narrow corridor forward.
"Creepy," Ethan whispered. But he didn't stop. Something urged him forward.
As he walked, his thoughts whirled. "I'm at the mercy of whoever brought me here. I need to stay calm. I've survived worse. I can survive this."
Eventually, the corridor narrowed, forming a tunnel that ended in a large double door. As he approached, a lock clicked open, and the doors swung wide with a boom.
Eyes wide with a mix of fear, awe, and curiosity, Ethan peeked inside.
It was a large study, filled with peculiar tools and contraptions. A man perched on a ladder, sifting through a bookshelf.
"Ah, you're awake!" the man said, voice light and friendly. "Sorry about the accommodations. I know this place can give the wrong impression, haha!"
"I assure you, my room looks the same. Hold on—I'm looking for something."
He climbed down carrying a thick, dust-covered tome.
Standing before Ethan, he smiled and extended a hand. "Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Isaac—the Non-Elemental Guardian."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Are you the one who sent that monster to catch me?"
Isaac's grin widened. "Oho? So you knew the Doomblade was sent by someone? Interesting. Care to tell me how you figured that out?"
Ethan frowned. He didn't like having his questions answered with more questions. But something told him Isaac wasn't trying to mock him—just curious.
"Because I sensed its presence before—but it never attacked. Not until I escaped," he replied.
Isaac's eyes twinkled. "Fascinating. A boy your age, able to sense the gaze of a Doomblade? That's rare."
He nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll believe your answer. Now, as for your question—no, I didn't send the Doomblade. You just got lucky enough to run into my territory. That gave me the legal excuse I needed to intervene."
Ethan let out a shaky breath. "Thank you… for saving us. Where are the others?"
Isaac's expression softened. "Unfortunately, the only ones I could save were you and that black-haired man. Jenkins, I believe? I couldn't bring him here, but I gave him directions. I'm fairly confident he made it out."
Ethan's eyes widened. His heart sank.
More than twenty people had been in that caravan. And only two had survived?
He tried to stay composed. He had made peace with survival—knew that in the face of death, choices were limited. But the weight of it still hit hard.
He glanced back at Isaac. "Why did you bring me here but not him?"
Isaac's tone grew serious. "Because the one who wants to lock you up is dangerous. The only place safe from him right now is deep underground, protected by layers he can't penetrate."
"That's the first reason," he added. "As for the second…"
Isaac crouched to Ethan's eye level and smiled.
"I like you, kid. How about I make a strong man out of you?"
Ethan's heart stirred. His eyes flickered with cautious hope.
"What do you want in return?"
Isaac blinked, surprised. Then he grinned. "Didn't think you'd ask that so quickly."
He paused for dramatic effect, then chuckled.
"Well… what about giving me your soul?"