Chapter 264: Darkness!

The night was pitch black, broken only by the sickly green glow emanating from scattered corpses. The dwarf sat on a massive boulder, elbows resting on his knees, chin propped on one fist. His expression was one of pure boredom, eyes half-lidded as he watched the grotesque scene unfold before him.

The creature possessing Kragg’s body was feasting again. It tore into another fresh corpse with wet, crunching sounds, black blood and chunks of flesh flying as it devoured everything — organs, muscle, even bone. The air reeked of death and corruption.

The dwarf let out a long, tired sigh.

"Is this all you want to do?" he asked, voice flat and laced with irritation. "Eat and eat and eat? We’re wasting time."

The creature paused mid-bite, Kragg’s once-proud face now twisted into something monstrous, with glowing red eyes and jagged teeth. It slowly turned its head toward the dwarf, blood dripping from its chin.

The dwarf continued, choosing his words carefully. He knew he couldn’t force this thing to do anything it didn’t want to. Brute force was useless here. He had to use his head.

"We only have about two days left before you lose this vessel," the dwarf said, gesturing at Kragg’s body. "If you burn through too much energy feasting like this, we’ll never bring down the barrier in time. Or have you forgotten why we’re even working together?"

The entity let out a low, gurgling chuckle and tossed aside the half-eaten body like it was trash. It rose to its full height, towering and imposing, yet the dwarf didn’t flinch.

"You think this is wasteful?" the creature asked, its voice a distorted version of Kragg’s. "This... strengthens me. You should be grateful I’m refilling my power."

The dwarf shrugged, still looking bored. "Maybe. Or maybe you’re just indulging because you enjoy it. I’m starting to think that’s all there is for you."

He stared into the darkness, his voice growing quieter, almost reflective. "Violence. Eating. Killing. Is that really all there is? I’m beginning to understand you might not have any true purpose anymore..."

The creature tilted its head, studying the dwarf with unsettling interest. For the first time since their uneasy alliance began, a wide, sinister smile spread across its blood-stained face.

The dwarf noticed the change immediately. He narrowed his eyes.

"The goblin," he said carefully. "Byung. What is he? Really?"

The smile on the creature’s face widened further, revealing rows of sharp teeth. It almost looked amused.

"I have no idea," it replied smoothly.

The dwarf stared hard at the entity, trying to read its expression. Something in his survival instincts screamed at him — warning him not to push. The air grew heavier, thicker with unspoken danger. He could tell the creature might be lying, but pressing the issue felt like poking a sleeping dragon.

He leaned back against the boulder, forcing a casual tone. "You sure about that? You’ve been acting strange ever since we got close to his territory. Almost... cautious."

The entity licked blood from its fingers, still smiling. "Cautious? No. Curious. There is something different about that one. Something even I cannot fully see. But do not worry, we need him alive for now."

The dwarf grunted, clearly unsatisfied with the answer but smart enough not to challenge it further. "Two days. That’s all we have. If you keep wasting time feeding like this, we’ll both lose."

The creature turned back to the pile of bodies, grabbing another corpse and ripping into it with renewed vigor.

"Then let me eat in peace," it growled between bites. "Strength is what we need. You focus on finding us a way through the barrier. I will handle the power."

The dwarf shook his head slowly, muttering under his breath, "This alliance is going to get me killed..."

He remained seated on the huge stone, bored eyes watching the monster feast, while his mind quietly turned over plans, contingencies, and the growing suspicion that the creature knew far more about Byung than it was willing to admit.

-

In the dead of night, far from the roaring bonfire and the sounds of Byung’s breeding ritual, a lone figure stood at the center of a once-lush clearing that had now become a desolate wasteland.

Every step it took drained the life from the world around it. Grass withered and turned black beneath its feet. Small shrubs shriveled and crumbled into dust. Even the soil seemed to rot, releasing a foul, acrid stench as worms and insects rose to the surface only to die instantly. A circle of death expanded slowly with each movement, the vibrant forest floor transforming into a barren, cracked patch of decay.

The being wore a long, tattered robe that covered it from head to toe in dark, heavy fabric stained with unknown substances. From beneath the deep hood protruded two large, curved horns — thick, ancient-looking, and blackened at the tips. No face was visible, only darkness and the occasional glint of something unnatural within the shadows of the hood.

It made no noise.

No breathing. No footsteps. No rustling of fabric. Complete and utter silence surrounded it, as though the world itself refused to acknowledge its presence — or feared to do so. It simply stood there, motionless for long stretches, observing the distant glow of Byung’s settlement with cold, patient interest.

This thing had not come with the dwarf. That much was certain. The dwarf had his own corrupted companion — the entity currently possessing Kragg’s body. This creature was something else entirely. It had slipped through the crack in the barrier on its own, drawn by forces older and darker than either the dwarf or Byung could understand.

Its motives remained completely unknown.

It did not hunger like the beast possessing Kragg. It did not speak. It did not rage. It simply existed — a silent plague that killed everything it touched without effort or emotion. Trees that had stood for centuries now leaned and collapsed behind it, their trunks turning soft and rotten. Birds that had been sleeping on these branches moments ago fell from them like stones, their bodies decaying before they even hit the ground.

Whatever this entity wanted, it was in no rush. It had arrived, and it was here to stay.

After several minutes of stillness, the creature finally took another slow step forward. Another ring of life died around it. The wind itself seemed to die as it passed, carrying only the smell of rot and malice.

In the distance, the lights of Byung’s growing empire flickered merrily, unaware that something far more patient and insidious than the dwarf’s ally had crossed into their world.

And it was watching.