Shadow Slave | A Slave Once Again

Chapter 22: The Fallen Tyrant

A/N: I can't really believe it took this long, My apologies.

Third POV:

Sunny stepped carefully over the gnarled roots twisting across the uneven floor of the cavern.

The bunker, if it could even still be called that, had been swallowed entirely by the jungle. What once might have been a vast, reinforced dome was now a surreal, alien environment, unrecognizable from its original purpose.

White trees sprouted from both the ground and the ceiling above, their trunks twisting in unnatural, elegant patterns as though pulled toward one another. The greenish-blue light that emanated from their smooth bark was soft but ever-present, casting faint shadows across the cavern floor. The crimson leaves hanging from the branches above glimmered faintly, swaying despite the still air. Some glowed faintly, as though they were imbued with the energy of the Labyrinth itself.

This deep into the Jungle, there was no sight of the Twin-tailed creatures, nor the ones holding the glowing orb to their faces.

It's been almost an hour now since they had left their previous spot where they witnessed the harrowing abomination enjoying its meal. Venturing deeper into the jungle was their only option in hopes of not crossing paths with that creature.

Sunny paused to examine one of the glowing leaves that had fallen to the ground. It seemed to shimmer faintly as he picked it up, its surface unnaturally smooth.

"What do you think this place used to be?" he asked, his voice low.

Nephis was a few steps behind, her silver hair catching the faint glow of the jungle around her. She replied, her tone even and detached.

"A bunker. Maybe a command post. It doesn't matter. Whatever it was is long gone."

Sunny sighed and let the leaf fall from his fingers.

"Sure. But don't you think it's weird? Everything here feels like it's alive. Even the trees. Especially the trees."

Since the harrowing encounter with the Fallen Tyrant, Sunny and Nephis dove deeper into the Jungle, making sure not to cross paths with the creature that has just eaten its meal, and also not to become its meal snack.

Nephis finally glanced back at him, her silver eyes calm but alert. "This is the Labyrinth, Sunny. Everything is alive. Or trying to kill you. Usually both."

The Coral labyrinth was far above them, but considering the resemblance the leaves held to the crimson coral, it was quite reasonable to assume it was from the same source.

He gave her a crooked smile.

"You're a real ray of sunshine, you know that?"

Now a few steps ahead, She turned back toward the jungle, her sword appearing in her dominant hand in a faint shimmer of light.

"Stay focused. This place is too quiet."

Sunny frowned, their conversations had been all but whispers since earlier, but this place seemed much odder than even before. The very leaves seemed to refuse making a sound even as it rustled, as his gaze flicked around the cavern. She wasn't wrong.

The cavern was vast, its boundaries hidden behind a haze of light and shadow. The jungle grew thicker the deeper they went, the roots and branches of the glowing trees twisting together in strange, chaotic patterns. Some trees even hung upside down, their roots spreading out across the ceiling like gnarled fingers, their entangled mess creating a doom of sorts. The air was still, heavy, and suffocatingly silent.

Sunny couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

"Why is it always quiet?" he muttered, stepping over a cluster of roots that seemed to writhe faintly underfoot. "I'd almost prefer screaming monsters over this. At least then you know where they are."