Chapter 131 ‒ Shadows Behind the Door
Chapter 131 ‒ Shadows Behind the Door
The darkness in his mind pulsed like a wounded heart, each echo throbbing through Tyler’s skull. He stood on a thin plane of blackness, a void so deep it swallowed every footstep, every breath. In the far distance, a shape slowly coalesced, as if rising from the abyss itself.
A figure stepped forward — his own silhouette at first glance. But as Tyler’s eyes adjusted, the illusion cracked.
The creature’s skin was torn and mangled, a patchwork of deep gashes and gory rents that oozed a viscous black ichor. Blood gushed from its eyes and mouth, staining its chin and splashing down its chest like a ritualistic brand. Its eyes glowed an unnatural, furious red, glaring as if they could pierce through worlds.
Tyler’s throat tightened, but he forced himself to step forward. “Who… who are you?!” he demanded, his voice echoing around him like a frightened animal’s cry in a tomb.
The creature’s gaze flicked to him, slow and almost bored, as if acknowledging a fly buzzing at the edge of its perception.
“Answer me!” Tyler’s voice cracked, desperation clawing at his ribs. “Why do you keep taking over my body?! Why do you fight like that?! Tell me—!”
The other self tilted its head slightly. Thick drops of blood sizzled as they struck the unseen floor. Slowly, its mouth curled — not into a smile, but into something closer to a snarl, a contemptuous twist that spoke of endless scorn and sorrow woven together.
Then it spoke, voice low and jagged, like bones scraping across iron.
“Leave me alone.”
The words slammed into Tyler’s chest like a hammer blow. The creature turned away, the heavy sound of its breathing deepening, echoing in the void like thunder rolling over black seas.
“No! Wait—” Tyler lunged forward, arm outstretched, fingers grasping at air.
Without warning, a massive black iron door erupted from the ground between them, towering and featureless, its surface glinting with a cold, unnatural sheen.
The creature placed a blood-slicked hand on the door and, with a single shove, slammed it shut. The echo rattled through the darkness, an impossibly heavy, metallic crash that reverberated through Tyler’s skull like an explosion.
Tyler’s fingers slammed against the cold iron just as everything shivered and blurred. His consciousness splintered, yanked backward by an invisible hand.
---
A sudden thunderous clang — the sound of metal crashing against metal — jolted Tyler’s senses back to life. His eyes snapped open, his lungs gasping as if surfacing from deep water.
System messages flooded into his blurred vision, the last pieces of reality slotting back into place like shards of glass.
[+514 XP]
[Level Up! Tyler Level 181 → 192]
[Attribute Points: +11]
He lay on a firm surface, a heavy scent of forge oil and scorched iron filling his nose. The rhythmic pounding of a hammer filled the air, each strike echoing like a heartbeat through the dark tent around him.
A moment later, Tyler’s gaze darted around, piecing together the smell, the sounds, the heat — he was in Vitamin Ape’s forge. Relief coursed through his veins, his body surprisingly light and unburdened, no hint of the poison’s sharp sting or the clawing exhaustion that had devoured him before.
He jerked upward, almost spilling from the table, before a deep, rumbling voice boomed from somewhere beyond a curtain of hanging tools.
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“So you’ve finally woken up! How did you like the Matcha Tea?” Vitamin Ape called, his voice both gleeful and faintly scornful. “Honestly, I don’t get it. That stuff tastes like swamp water to me. But if you enjoyed it, feel free to have it all.”
A crisp notification slid into Tyler’s view:
[Acquired Item: Matcha Tea Leaves x11]
[Description: These leaves can be used to prepare Matcha Tea, which removes all special effects upon consumption.]
Tyler exhaled sharply, shoulders collapsing as tension drained from him. He glanced toward the massive silhouette emerging from behind the hammering bench — Vitamin Ape, his massive figure framed by dancing forge sparks and tools gleaming like stars in a black sky.
“Tha— thank you,” Tyler managed, his voice fragile, barely above a whisper. His throat burned as the words tumbled out. “I don’t know if I could ever repay you… I… thank you. Truly, thank you so much.”
Vitamin Ape barked a rough laugh, swiping a cloth across his forehead. “Aye! I could at least do that much for you, [Player]. After all, you’re my favourite customer!”
Then, uncharacteristically, Vitamin Ape’s broad shoulders slumped. He set down his hammer, head lowered, eyes hidden beneath heavy brows.
“But… I also apologize,” he said slowly. “I had no idea that Yandeon would turn out… like this. I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess, [Player]. Truly… I didn’t have a clue what that old wizard was planning…”
Tyler shook his head, pushing himself upright. “Don’t apologize. No one could have known… Still… thank you for helping me. I know it can’t have been easy to side with an outsider… against Yandeon, someone you’ve probably known for ages.”
Vitamin Ape’s heavy chest rumbled, and his head snapped back up, an almost mischievous glint returning to his eyes. “Of course I should help you!” he bellowed, slamming a giant palm against the bench with a clatter. “You brought me that divine meteorite core, which gave me this majestic hammer! And don’t forget the dark shards, the ancient bones — I got to work with literal divine materials! Why would I stick with some old geezer who just sat on his dusty stone seat, barking orders all day?”
Tyler let out a weak, disbelieving laugh, his lips cracking into a small, genuine smile for the first time in what felt like centuries.
Vitamin Ape pointed at him with the hammer, eyes fierce. “Remember, [Player]! You ever need help, my forge is always open. Always!”
Tyler nodded, his hands balling into trembling fists. “Thank you… truly.”
---
A short time later, Tyler set out again, the world around him a blur as he raced from place to place, each step echoing in his mind like an urgent drumbeat.
First, he scoured the rocky hills and quiet outskirts of Yandi. Dust drifted underfoot, the wind whistling between jagged stones. No sign, no trace — only silence.
Next, he plunged into Muckwood. The swamp choked him with its thick, rotting breath; each murky pool glared back at him like empty eyes. Locals shied away, shaking their heads or simply slipping away into the mist without a word.
Then, Dustville. Familiar streets and worn wooden fences greeted him. He found Farnak leaning against a new fence, hammer in hand, sweat streaking down his soot-darkened face.
Farnak straightened up, wiping his brow. “Hey… it’s been a while, huh?” His grin was sheepish, heavy with awkward warmth. “Guild’s mostly stabilized now. We… we’re holding on. But I haven’t seen any wizard wandering through here, sorry.”
Tyler nodded, his heart a tight, twisting knot. “Thank you… stay safe.”
Next, Heartwood. The forest trails felt eerily serene, the whisper of leaves brushing against his ears like distant sighs. But no sign — just the gentle hush of nature, as if holding its breath.
Finally, he arrived at Virelia. Before he even stepped through the main gates, Sir Caldus’s armour gleamed in the sun, blocking his path.
“You dare step into Virelia again after swearing to stay away?” Caldus thundered, his spear tip poised.
Tyler, breath ragged, shot back, “I’m looking for a wizard — he stole divine artifacts. If he finishes what he’s planning… the entire world could collapse.”
Caldus glared, his gaze slicing into Tyler. After a moment’s silent battle, he clicked his tongue. “Hide in Lira’s Remedies. I’ll contact the king and buy you some time.”
Inside the shop, Lira welcomed him with a motherly coo, dusting off bottles on her shelves. “Oh my, I told you to be careful last time, right? Trouble follows you like a lovesick puppy. You want to try my new potion? Morning Sunsh—”
“Sorry,” Tyler snapped, eyes burning with urgency. “I don’t have time. Please tell Caldus… I left.”
Lira’s face fell in surprise, but before she could speak again, Tyler vanished in a shimmer of blue light.
---
He found himself in Noobia next, its old piers creaking under salty winds. Tyler stumbled to a bench, his hands clawing into his hair.
What if he’s already across the sea… What if I never find him… I failed again… Everyone… Milo… I’m so sorry…
Tyler’s breath hitched in his throat. In that moment, the entire world seemed to pause — the crashing waves, the distant gulls, even the wind that tore at his hair and armour. All of it stilled, as if waiting for his answer. His fingers dug deeper into his temples, heart pounding like a war drum. At the edge of his spiralling despair, that deceptively cheerful voice slipped in like a dagger between ribs:
“Oh [Player], looking for something?”
And in the echo of that single, innocuous question, Tyler felt the fragile boundary between resolve and collapse tremble, ready to shatter.