Chapter 156: Twilight Land (Part 2)
Adyr’s energy form floated above the tranquil surface of the endless, translucent sea that formed the foundation of his [Sanctuary].
Suspended in a sky without a sun, bathed in light but untouched by any visible source, the island pulsed gently beneath him.
It had grown. Where once it was barely large enough to fit a single car, it could now easily hold two parked side by side. The grass that blanketed its surface shimmered beneath the warm hues of perpetual sunrise. Each blade stood tall and unnaturally vivid—some glowing with soft orange, others catching faint traces of violet, as though feeding on the radiance of a morning that never fully arrived. Though the air was still, the land felt alive, as if exhaling with every pulse of ambient energy.
Three rooster-like creatures with flared, trumpet-shaped yellow beaks stood near the center of the island, their harmonious cries rising and falling in near-perfect rhythm. It wasn’t mere birdsong; the tones carried structure and purpose, like a ceremonial overture reverberating across the Sanctuary.
Floating just above them was the Echo Screamer, its tiny, deep-red head swaying with grace, as if nodding in approval. It looked like a miniature gentleman in a velvet suit, silently sipping in the melody like an opera connoisseur tasting fine wine.
Under the shade of a broad, ancient tree—its bark dark like obsidian and its wide canopy tinged with gold—a fourth rooster remained apart.
Unlike the others, this one was larger, unnaturally muscular, and its call didn’t quite match the symphony. Each note it sang bent slightly off-key, subtly fraying the harmony. The signs were clear: the Null Maggot was burrowed deep in its neural system, feeding off the creature’s senses and triggering an irreversible mutation.
Off to the side, the Pulse Hopper darted about like a child on too much sugar—its grasshopper-like frame leaping from one vibrant tuft to another with gleeful energy. Each jump left tiny glowing footprints that faded seconds later. It would pause, nibble at a particularly lush blade of grass, then vanish in a blur to another corner. If the others were residents, it was the whirlwind.
And yet, the most stunning change wasn’t on this island.