The Lord of Veins | Shadow Slave

Dex awoke in the depths of a ravine. An uncertain sanctuary, shielded from the icy whirlwinds that roared just above the rugged maw of the gorge. Besides the furious winds, there were sounds of trickling water and the growls and noises of creatures that were unseen above.

A chill wrapped around him as he stood. Quickly, Dex wrapped himself in his memory---the Sycophant's Enshroudment.

This memory wrapped around him in individual strands, like a living entity—swift and unyielding. The dark silken ribbons entwined with his body in a suffocating embrace. Around the most notable parts of the body, the fabric was denser, creating a cushion for safety. His face was concealed beneath the interwoven ribbons of silk, making him appear like a living silhouette.

 He enjoyed the sensation; it made him feel weightless, almost free. 

He summoned another memory with high hopes but was disappointed upon doing so. In his hand, Dex gripped a pale staff. It held a flame at its tip, a blue fire that danced like a will o' wisp. The torch guard surrounding the flame was intricately crafted—a fantastical ornament for something that offered no warmth.

Memory Name: [Pale Stick]

Rank: Dormant, Tier I

Description: ---

Enchantments: 

[Unquenchable] - "A useless flame that refuses to fade, consuming nothing, yet stubbornly defying every attempt to extinguish it."

[Doubtful] - "The light doesn't believe what it's seeing—and neither should you."

You are shitting me!

Dex thoughts shouted as he wrapped his fingers around the [Pale Stick].

The flame though mesmerizing, was just an imitation of fire, its glow barely illuminating the path ahead, leaving the path in front of him enshrouded in darkness.

Dex lifted his gaze up jagged mouth of the ravine. Above, he was only graced with the greyed darkness of the clouds as a snowstorm raged on. It was a unique scene, as he saw flakes of snow descend down into chasm. His focus was to make sure that any creature would not catch sight of him or the light of his blue torch.

 Dex scoffed. "Look at my luck..." 

Driven by the primal instinct to survive, he decided to venture further into the ravine. He couldn't feel at ease unless he was certain that this ravine was secure.

***

"...so damn stupid."

He cursed himself as he tossed a piece of wood aside; he should have paid attention to Jerika's lessons. Fire-making was something she had explained fervently, yet here he was, shivering as a consequence of his inattention.

Although the armor covered his body, it offered little protection from the elements. The cold was relentless, a frost that sought to consume him and gnaw at his bones.

Descending further, the faint trickling of water grew louder.

A smirk raised on his lips.

A consistent stream flowed down glimmering like liquid silver in the blue light of his torch. 

He summoned his [Traveler's Gourd], and he set it on the rough stone floor, to catch the icy stream. Perhaps he was doing better than he previously thought. Securing a source of fresh water was one of the most crucial parts of survival.

Dex continued exploring, leaving his gourd to fill with the crisp, cold water.

After a few steps, he came across an odd circular tunnel. The yawning opening was perfectly symmetrical, its smooth walls encased in a thick layer of glistening blue ice that shimmered under the cool glow of his torch. The tunnel curved smoothly, then abruptly descended to the left.

Dex turned away from the peculiar tunnel. Shifting his attention back to the gourd, but something else caught his eye.

 A tablet, blended almost seamlessly with the ravine wall, left unnaturally undisturbed with even a speck of dust on it.

He stepped closer, raising the torch higher. The blue flame illuminated the runes on the tablet and with the limited translation that the spell offered he read it:

"Who will be in the inky depths of the sea? Who will be high up alongside the stars? Who will follow a command? Who will be left after a disaster?" 

Dex stepped back from the intricately etched runes and furrowed his brow. "Huh?"

How else could he possibly react to such a nonsensical string of questions?

Who dwelled in the deep depths of the sea? Maybe a fish. Who would be high alongside the stars? A bird? Who would follow a command? A dog?

His thoughts stopped abruptly when his stomach growled.

Seriously? A man's best friend? That is what managed to spark your hunger?

He shook his head and settled down against the rocky wall. The gourd sat in front of him, steadily catching the consistent stream---the gourd itself was capable of holding much more water than one would think.

Dex closed his eyes, letting the sound of the water lull his mind into a calm state. But soon, a sharp and insistent sensation pulled him back to reality.

The return of his hunger, a grumble in his belly.

Damn it... 

Dex took another deep breath, ignoring the growl the best he could. Time was not on his side, but he could only hope that fortune would smile upon him soon.