As Dawn's body shimmered into particles of light, he escaped the grasp of the Great Abomination, teleported into the inner workings of the Nightmare Spell.
Endless streams surrounded him, forming a dark black void. Distant strings of luminescent white light shone beautifully in the background as he fell onto what seemed to be water—though he couldn't quite tell. Yet, the cold and impartial voice of the spell rang through his mind—no, through this entire place.
But something was wrong with it.
---
[ERROR]
[ERROR]
[OUTSIDE ENTITY INTERFERENCE]
---
For the first time in a long while, he showed true emotion—his face contorting into one of panic.
"What? No, no, no, no."
---
[S-searching for solution]
How is this possible? What is going on? Even the spell... it's stuttering.
---
[Calibrating r-r-reasonable options]
[Solution found]
[Teleporting to nearest human settlement]
---
"No, no, no, don't do this to me! Please—I've survived months in this hell, and now you're going to send me to another one? No—this… this isn't fair!"
The luminescent white strings of beautiful light coiled around his body. Before he realized it, he was in a dark place. There was no light.
And he was suffocating.
There was no air.
---
Soon, his mind caught up with the situation. The reason there was no air—he was underwater. A dark, black ink surrounded him. Moving toward the surface, he saw something that left him shocked—the first time he had felt shock in a long, long time. Months, most likely.
Around him, an endless sea stretched in all directions—a void of black water, swallowing even the darkest of shadows. At certain key points, small outcroppings of blood-red coral jutted from the depths.
In stark contrast to the Nightmare Desert he had just escaped, the Black Sea had small mounds of obsidian-black sand.
Yet, the thing that truly left him astonished—the absence of light.
To his far left, he saw something.
A city?
---
Before he could dwell on it, a sudden wave of pain washed through his body as his adrenaline finally faded.
Looking downward, he saw his limbs—torn away—reduced to bloody stumps.
He could feel the gaze of unseen beings fall upon him, their hunger ignited by the scent of blood leaking into the water.
Crying out in agony, he forced his body forward—toward the nearest mound of sand.
---
After a long and agonizing swim, he finally reached the shore of a small mound, stumbling onto the soft ground. He grunted in pain, dragging himself toward the middle of the mound.
Delving deep within his Soul Sea, he reached the empty void within. He moved his remaining hand toward his Soul Core, willing its flames forward with the help of the Small Flame.
He began to carve runes into the air of his Soul Sea—shimmering yellow and orange light forming intricate patterns.
Having finished forging the enchantment—at the cost of a piece of his soul essence—he left the Soul Sea and returned to the outside world.
With the enchantment formed, he pushed forward—willing it from within his soul. The Small Flame aided him, guiding the enchantment until it was expelled from his very heart.
Radiant flames surged into existence before him.
Reaching out his hand, his voice—hoarse from pain and agony—whispered softly into the wind.
---
"Regenerate."
---
The runes shattered into countless strings, weaving themselves into nonexistent flesh, bone, and blood—recreating every single thing he had lost in battle.
Searing agony coursed through him as his body was forcefully tampered with by an external force. Yet, he did not scream. He had endured this suffering too many times before.
Clenching his teeth, he watched as luminescent flames surrounded his body, taking the shape of his lost limbs.
Once they had fully formed, the radiant constructs began to slowly convert—solidifying into flesh and blood—until, finally, it was as if he had never been wounded at all.