The world swirled around Vex like an ink-black whirlpool, threatening to pull him under and swallow him whole. The ground felt as unsteady as the deck of a ship tossed about in a raging storm. As he gasped for air, each inhalation felt like trying to suck through a wet rag.

As his thoughts spun as wildly as his surroundings, Vex felt fear gnawing at the edges of his consciousness. Images of the elder gremlin's twisted grin flashed through Vex's mind, taunting him with the knowledge of his helplessness. He tried to shake the visions away, knowing that dwelling on them wouldn't help. Instead, his failures crashed against his conscious thoughts as he did his best to focus on his immediate needs: getting away from the plateau and reaching safety.

As the world spun around him, and the darkness closed like a suffocating shroud, Vex was plagued with doubt and uncertainty: was there any place safe, and did he even have the strength to make it?

Fighting against the mental spiral, Vex attempted to move, rolling from side to side on the ground as breaths came in ragged gasps. Each exhale fogged the air like the whispers of ghosts. The earth beneath him was unforgiving, but he couldn't afford to linger there any longer. With a growl of determination, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, ignoring the stabbing pains that shot through his battered body.

Not trusting his equilibrium, Vex began to crawl towards the bogs, inch by painful inch. His limbs trembled under the strain, and every movement sent waves of agony coursing through him. While it was clear the elder had used some sort of healing spell to prevent Vex from bleeding out, it didn't stop the sharp pains that felt like skin and muscle threatening to tear open.

As he crawled onward, the endless night bore down on Vex, sapping what little strength he had left. He could feel his body weakening, the insidious fatigue creeping into his bones. Sharp rocks, roots, and thorns quickly threw themselves in the path. On more than one occasion, Vex cried out in pain as he was cut, scrapped, and seemingly mocked. And yet, he forced himself to continue moving.

"Almost... there," he panted, his voice barely audible over his labored breathing. "Just... a little further."

But with each torturous step, his exhaustion grew heavier, threatening to crush him beneath its relentless grip. It wasn't just his body that was faltering, but his spirit, too, as the stark awareness of his vulnerability plagued his mind.

Vex found himself losing track of time, caught in a whirlwind of self-deprivation and despair as his intrusive thoughts refused to give him a moment's reprieve. Every time he stumbled forward, he could hear the echoes of failure warring against logic. "There was an army of them — You could have stomped on them and won. I had to run — It was over! You had the high ground. They were so heavy, I couldn't move — do some crunches, you lazy fuck."

As time escaped and his mental struggles warred on, Vex's vision blurred in tandem, the edges of his consciousness fraying as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him. He blinked hard, trying to force the encroaching darkness back, and it seemed to work for a time. Then, like a snap, the world faded to black. Despite the dramatic close of the curtain, neither time nor effort of will stopped.

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Through the haze of fatigue and pain, Vex forced his eyes open, catching sight of the familiar silhouette of the bogs through the trees in the distance. Summoning the last reserves of his energy, he pressed onward, each movement forward fueled by sheer determination and self-loathing.

"Almost there... just a little further," he whispered, each word a prayer to the darkness that threatened to engulf him.

His arms and legs shook with every movement, muscles screaming in protest as they strained to hold him upright. Every bit of forward progress was more strained than the last, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to the crushing weight of exhaustion.

As the strain of moving left his body wracked with pained coughing, Vex finally reached the edge of the bogs, the dark waters lapping at the shore like inky tendrils ready to claim him. With a final groan of effort, he collapsed, his body trembling from exhaustion and pain.

Lying there, sprawled in the mud and filth, Vex had never felt more vulnerable or desperate. The cold seeped into his bones, making his teeth chatter uncontrollably while his heart hammered against his ribcage as if trying to burst free from its prison.

As the world around him continued its cacophonous symphony, Vex's thoughts grew dimmer, the edges of consciousness fraying like an old, worn tapestry. And yet, something kept him from simply closing his eyes and letting the world permanently fade away.

A soft rustle of shadows caught Vex's sparse attention, and he swayed sideways to see Chaser emerging from the darkness like a phantom. The Shadowling's presence was a welcome relief, and despite the pain coursing through his body, Vex couldn't help but smile.

"Chaser...," he whispered, gratitude filling every syllable.

The shadowing tilted their head, studying Vex with a silent concern that spoke volumes. They reached out a wispy hand and gently touched Vex's face to confirm that their summoner was still alive. Satisfied, Chaser motioned for Vex to follow them deeper into the bogs.

Mustering strength he didn't have, Vex forced himself to stand and stumble after Chaser, each step punctuated by a wince or grunt as his injured body protested.

As the pair trudged along the edges of the murky waters, Vex's mind raced with self-doubt and loathing. The thoughts swirled together, forming a tempest of uncertainty within him.

"Focus on the present, Vex," he reminded himself, gritting his teeth. "One step at a time."

With each passing moment, Vex's energy drained further, his body threatening to give out beneath him. But Chaser was there, its tiny silhouette lending the hope necessary to push forward. It was a slow and arduous journey, but eventually, they reached a small shelter and fire pit. As he collapsed onto the damp ground next to the tiny encampment, Vex couldn't help but feel a small glimmer of hope. He wasn't safe, but he had at least escaped the proverbial woods.

"Thanks..." Vex croaked, his eyelids drooping from exhaustion. "...For having my back."

As Vex hovered between wakefulness and oblivion, he couldn't help but worry about his other Shadowlings, Sir Sneaks and Strikesies. "Please be okay," he thought, his heart heavy with concern.

Time seemed to stretch and warp around Vex, his mind slipping further away with each passing moment. As the minutes passed, Vex's world faded in and out like a distant dream, the pain in his body ebbing and flowing like the tides. And just as he was ready to let go, Vex realized he hadn't checked his notifications.

> Your Shadowling, Sir Sneaks, has respawned.

>

> Your Shadowling, Strikesies, has respawned.

Vex whispered, his heart swelling with relief and gratitude, "They're back..."

A spark of hope ignited within Vex with the affirmation that his companions would come back from death. Despite the crap this new world had thrown at him, he was not alone.