Shadow Slave: Possibilities Without Meaning

Aldric looked down towards the bottom of the cavern. Sprawling across the ground in a circular fashion. A colossal worm was wrapped around itself leaving no view of the floor. It covered the span of a football field when folded and he could estimate that it had the thickness of a train tunnel. Coated in countless brown dead layers of skin, the worm had large ridges across its body. Aldric noticed that the horror had a plethora of scars littered across its body; each one bigger than the last. Most were completely healed and others were still damaged. The most prominent injury was a large pierce wound near the head of the worm. It was horrifically deep and had festering green congealed blood that turned a black color on the surface. Aldric did not know how it was still alive.

"My lord" the elder spoke in reverence.

The beast was awoken. In the center of its folded body, its head slowly rose to the podium level. It looked down on the human with no recognisable emotions.

Aldric could now see its open maw. A myriad of teeth were positioned inside the head of the beast. All around the inside, he could not see where the lining of teeth stopped. With no eyes or ears, it was a horrifying sight.

"SLAM"

The elder's body immediately dropped into a pose of prostration. 

After a moment of visible worship, the elder went on his knees and looked up at the ghastly creature. 

"My lord, your health is nearly restored. Soon you can leave this horrible crypt and journey back to the surface. You will become a titan and be able to bring ruin to wherever you stand. A calamity." He preached in excitement.

" Your wounds are nearly healed. After 50 years, we are finally at the climax."

"I apologise for taking so long."

The elder reminisced on the start of the relationship with his god. Born in the first generation of the sanctum. He was a young scout for the tribe. Having started on the path to becoming an Awakened, he happened upon this very room and saw the beast. Broken and on the brink of death. He was immediately taken by its beauty and pledged the rest of his life to it. No matter what it took.

What the young scout didn't know at the time was that even as close to death as it was, it could still enthrall the young man with a parasitic worm inside his brain. It required the last amount of energy it had. Taking control of his memories, implanted the need for worship and subservience into him. With only enough energy to commit one of its children into the brain of the juvenile, it could not take over the sanctum. It fell into a deep slumber.

With the subtle guidance of the worm, the young scout grew into a man. A leader. A father. A grandfather. After the beast woke, the man fed the beast all sorts of things to fuel its healing and ascension. Souls shards, carcasses of nightmare creatures, and even his fellow humans. He plotted and schemed to influence the sanctum in a way that could support the worm. As the leader of the sanctum, he slowly diluted the knowledge of the process of becoming an awakened to then getting rid of it, he made sure not to foster the growth of a human that could possibly kill the creature in its pitiful state. All without knowing the origin of his fealty.

" It has been an honour to serve you." 

Aldric silently left the cavern. Contemplating what he learned.

Flashback end

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"RING"

"RING"

"RING"

Aldric heard the sanctum bell ring three times. This was a notice for all members of the tribe to come to the communal area. 

A large group of over 200 people were standing around a 40-year-old man. The group had a mixture of men, women, and children who were all erratic from being summoned so early in the morning and anxious about the cause. The man had a small contingent of 5 other people with him. Aldric recognised him as Nacht, the head enforcer. The title of enforcer was given to members of the tribe who dealt with civil and criminal disputes. Humans were humans wherever you go. 

"ATTENTION!" the man shouted.

"We have discovered the dead body of Elder Yarnm just before dawn. He was found showing signs of being killed by the poison from the insect colony." He said in a commanding voice.

There was a cacophony of sound erupting from the crowd. Shouts of indignation and denial rang out. 

"SILENCE" the burly man beside him shouted.

"The body of his helper was found in the same room. Showing signs of being murdered by the elder with a sharp blade."

"That is all. Can all abled adults remain." He commanded

The crowd dispersed as the elderly, children, and mothers left. All that were left were the hunters which comprised 4 squads and a spread of other people. The group counted to just over 100. Aldric was standing in the crowd.

"The helper whose body was found was named Ralt. Ralt had left a note detailing some harrowing stories regarding the true nature of our elder." The enforcer spoke in a horrified voice.

The man went on to describe a tale regarding a worm and the journey the elder took to worship and care for it. Detailing the disgusting actions the man took to achieve his ideals.

The crowd exploded in anger. Each shouting louder than the last. 

A clear voice spoke spoke in the chaos.

"What evidence do you have to support this claim?" 

It was Thorne. 

Thorne was the name of the hunter who initiated Aldric. 

Murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd.

"Good question. I have sent a scouting party to check the cavern described in the note. The path to it was drawn on the back of the leather note." 

"That was when a while ago. The party has returned and described the note to be telling the truth in the description of the worm. However, there is another piece of damning evidence." The man said.

The crowd was listening in rapt attention.

"A large parasitic worm was seen attempting to leave the skull of the elder but died when exposed to the air."

Silence. Not a single person spoke.

Until a soft voice broke out.

" So.... what can we do?" an anxious voice spoke.

" The worm will not stand by in silence. It will look for another host or try to kill the entire tribe to feed its ascension."

"Therefore, WE MUST FIGHT!. We must take the fight to the beast before it comes to kill our women and children. Before it takes over the mind of the brothers and sisters beside you."

Exploding in energy, the crowd was angry at the possibility and swore to take arms. However, not all were as easily riled up but still saw the threat for what it was. 

" We will attack at midday. The scout has gained a lot of valuable information. We will plan accordingly."

"FOR THE SANCTUM!!" Nacht shouted.

"FOR THE SANCTUM!" the crowd echoed back.

-------------

" It is just beyond the large boulder. It took all of us just to move the damn thing." A member of the scouting party complained.

A large group of 50 capable men and women were charging into a decisive battle. A battle that would determine the fate of the sanctum. The group shrunk from its original size due to not wanting to leave a group of elderly and children alone with nothing but death waiting for them. Key members of the sanctum like crafters, foragers, and healers were left behind. 

The group reached the cavern and followed the spiraling pathway leading to the beast. The signal to start the battle was a large explosive dropped on the worm from the podium. It was made of a collective of flammable nightmare creature parts. 

"BOOM"

The explosion sounded out.

"CHARGE!" Thorne shouted. 

Like a swarm of insects, they attacked.

"Aim for its weak spots." He shouted while heading for the large pierce wound near its head. 

"SQREEECH"

The terror was not going to take this lying down. Even while wounded and lacking a majority of its capabilities, it still thrashed with the intent to crush its enemies. 

Slipping away at the beginning, Aldric tried his best to get a good vantage point to see the battle happen.

----------

The battle wagered on and the group was losing. The power of 50 unawakened was not enough to kill a terror, no matter how injured. Their teamwork and strategies were amazing but they did not have the strength to go further. With over half dead or seriously injured,the battle was nearing its climax. 

Hidden from view, a silhouette was watching the battle.

'It's not time yet'. Aldric affirmed to himself.