The shadow stilled.
In the black meadow of Alex's dream, the absence of movement was more terrible than any attack. The thing that had no shape held itself like a predator deciding whether to strike or wait, and Alex felt the weight of that calculation pressing against his chest.
"What do I want," the shadow repeated.
It was not a question. It was the sound of something tasting the words, rolling them around a mouth it didn't have, examining them from every angle before deciding how to answer.
" Freedom," it paused. " And Revenge. Punish those who harmed me. When they convicted me, they made this world my prison. I want them to pay for centuries old torment and pain."
Alex clenched his fist in the blackened meadow of his dream, the shadow's words settling into his chest like stones dropped into deep water.
"You were sent here," Alex said slowly. "Like System was sent here. Like I was sent here."
" Why?"
