Crumbling walls broke and fell into the abyss below. Under the powerful attacks of Dream and Nightmare, the building couldn't hold up.

Inside, was a large space of sorts, not one that Cain had ever seen. The floors were made of what looked like polished wood. It was empty and dark, filled with black hollow spores and thick oozing veins.

'Wow, impressive.'

Peering inside, Cain spied through the darkness and watched as the Dream Master conjured a sharp spear crafted from light itself. The weapon was like a single flame in the dark, yet the darkness couldn't extinguish it. On a nearby balcony, even Cain felt its heat from so far away.

As the master readied his spear and attacked the corrupted Nightmare, Cain's eyes narrowed at his party.

'Indeed, three wardens...the two soldiers will be the easiest. But first....'

Shifting his gaze once again, Cain witnessed the might of the corrupt Nightmare; it was a massive abomination made of flowing darkness. Continuously wrapping around itself, the Nightmare flooded the basketball court with flooding ink.

The shades in the ink seemed to get empowered while the other hunters were slowed as ink blobs tried to climb up their legs.

'One of the soldiers seems to be part of the Dreamfolk, and one of the wardens has an imagined body. Good, humans are always the easiest to deal with.'

Shifting into mist, Cain stealthily traveled through the gap in the abyss to the other side where his targets fought.

'Ah, how nice it is to be able to remain fully conscious in this form! I can properly attack!'

The Dream Realm opened many opportunities for Cain, including his improved abilities of the Animum mist. He no longer had to fear losing consciousness and could even turn back into human form without need for another vessel.

Taking the time to slowly seep into the breaking building, Cain turned into a crimson liquid, joining the black flowing ink and hiding deep beneath its shadowy surface.

"Gabe, watch out behind!"

One of the Soldiers fighting called out to his buddy. They were the only two Soldiers in the whole party. They were nothing more than backup and meat shields, so they had to look out for one another.

Gabe twirled around with his curved blue sword; it flowed like water, hitting the shade's weak point and decapitating it. But shades were not human; no, they were another being entirely.

The ink from below swarmed up the Shade's body and remolded it with a new head. Alarmed, Gabe attempted to step back, but the ink stopped him.

"Gabe! No!"

The soldier tried to run to his friend, but he was slowed as well. His emotions rampaged as time seemed to slow, but wait, time was slowing down?!

'What the hell? What's going on?'

(An opportunity)

An enchanting voice filled the man's ear as the sound of a single ink droplet from the nearby battle rang out.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The soldier tried to speak, but he couldn't; his body wouldn't move, but his thoughts seemed to be free from this slowing of time.

'What is this?!'

(A trick, the mind can speed up if need be. Time is not distorted, more... you are outpacing time, or more accurately, the time most people exist in.)

Although the voice's explanation was vague, the soldier had no more patience to question it.

'What do you want?!'

(I simply heard your pleas for help from within your soul. So I am here to help.)

The soldier didn't know why; the enchanting voice seemed to sway his heart. He felt calmed by it, captivated by it. But with that feeling came instinctual fear, for what this voice might be attached to.

'Remember, never trust the voices, never trust-'

(Are you done? I cannot keep this up for long; your friend will die. I can help you, but you need to open your mind)

'No! Are you some Nightmare wanting to consume my soul?'

The voice sighed, (No, I am not, but I understand why you would think that. In truth, I am a soul wandering through the abyss for...training. I help people when I can. I can show you, but I cannot help without your approval. Please choose now, or else your friend will really die.)

Distraught and filled with different emotions, the man swallowed his fear, and his thoughts responded.

'Fine'

(Good, everything will come instinctually, just let it flow)

The voice dimmed, and the man's thoughts slowed, connecting back to the 'normal' speed of time.

Almost instantly, the Soldier's feet seemed to glide through the thick ink, as if he had traversed a thousand battlefields thick with blood.

Almost in an instant, he was before his friend, and two menacing blades appeared in his hands as a flurry of strikes turned the Shade into mincemeat, no... mince ink?

Gabe, still thinking he was going to die, looked in awe at his comrade's skill.

"H-How'd you do that!"

"I-I don't know...it just felt natural."

He looked down at the twin blades; they were abnormally long with the hilts of daggers. The hilts were comfortable, and the blades were misshapen as if they weren't meant to be pulled out of their victims.

(Nice, right? I've given you my skills. With them, you can face all the Shades here without any problems. Maybe even that Corrupted one isn't your opponent.)

'This...this is amazing! Thank you!'

(Now go support those wardens; they're in trouble.)

The soldier did as the mysterious voice said and ran off, almost gliding on the ink to support his comrades.

'Hehe, it seems I can indeed use my knowledge and prowess as an anchor. The experiment was a success! Always give before you take, that way I won't feel too bad!'

On the surface of the black liquid, a dark figure seemed to reflect on its surface, with a wide smile, it blatantly showed its evil intentions.

...

"So what will we go fight while down here? Corrupted? Or just shades?"

Rex looked at Cain, his thoughts unknowable. "Even Masters have trouble with some Corrupted. We'll be fighting just Shades to get you used to fighting."

Cain frowned, "When do you think I'll become a soldier?"

"Not for a while; you need time for the mind to rest as well. You cannot strain it, or you could do more harm than good. Just focus on fighting skillfully for now."

'Fighting...fighting...should I use that guy's techniques? No...it's time I make my own.'

Cain looked down at his hand; it shifted between different invisible grips he was imagining in his mind. He was no doubt creating a weapon in his head at the moment.

While he did, Rex intervened. Seemingly smug, "I recommend using a weapon with lots of popularity. Weapons more people know about and believe to be powerful, the easier and more powerful your own would be.

"This place has a sort of hive mind of the subconsciousness; the more people believe or imagine something, the more the scales tip in that direction."

Cain didn't respond; instead, he continued to focus.

'If that's the case...then this should do, right?'

In a flash of light, a bright white sword was created in Cain's palm. Its hilt was made from some unknown bone, and its blade was made from the purest silver, one with unbreaking will and sharp intent.

'Yes...this seems good. Silver is romanticized to kill undead and evil creatures in most places, right? This will do wonders, no doubt!'

Even Rex commented while Evette and the rest looked entranced.

"Good, such an intricate sword should slay any Shade we come across."

It was at that moment that the elevator stopped, and before Cain was a great expanse. It looked like a cancer had grown out of control; the entire lower levels were filled with death and stillness. It was unnatural and terrifying.

'He's down here too, right? He wouldn't miss the chance of something like this....'