He could see the massive skeleton approaching rapidly. Even though it was still dozens of miles away, the ground shook and cracked under Logan’s feet.
Even as he struggled to keep his footing, Logan stared at the massive skeleton in shock.
As the skeleton got closer, he could finally see it in greater detail. It had a massive white greatsword on its back, a silver crown on its head, and eyes made of dark green wisps.
’Why is it running?’ Logan thought, fearing the answer.
The skeleton crossed a mile with each step it took, merely taking half a minute to finally get near Logan.
Logan’s body froze in fear as the towering skeleton closed in, now just a few miles away.
Instinctively, he tried to take a few steps back.
Each step the skeleton took sounded like an explosion, leaving behind massive craters.
Then, it stopped.
Only a few miles away now, the towering skeleton turned its head.
Its glowing green eyes locked onto him.
Logan’s breathing stopped as sweat began to pour out.
’No... it can’t see me,’ he thought, despair in his eyes. ’Everything else ran straight through me.’
But the moment their eyes met, all his hopes were shattered.
A massive wave of pressure slammed into him, forcing him to his knees in an instant as the ground under him cracked open.
Then, a voice echoed through his head.
Ancient, cold, louder than any thoughts inside Logan’s head.
’’You...’’
It rang out, sending chills through Logan’s body.
’’What are you?’’
The voice echoed once more, colder than last time.
Logan opened his mouth, but no words came out.
His throat felt dry, his chest tight, and every instinct screamed that the creature in front of him was way beyond his league.
As his mind raced with countless questions, the giant raised its head again.
Its massive skull turned away from him, looking past the shattered hills behind Logan.
Before Logan could even register what was going on, he was hit by a fierce wind as he heard a loud, high-pitched caw.
His body flew back like a ragdoll from the sheer wind the caw had sent his way.
Logan’s head hurt while his ears rang painfully. Opening his eyes, his blood ran cold.
Descending from the black sky was a colossal raven, its wings stretching wider than a city block. Each feather on its body was pitch black, leaving streaks of a familiar dark fire behind as it flew.
The giant skeleton reacted instantly.
It reached behind its back, grabbing the white greatsword that had been resting on its spine with one hand.
As it held its greatsword in front of him, it grabbed it firmly with two hands.
’’Spawn... of the abyss,’’ its voice echoed, the ground shaking all around them.
The abyssal raven didn’t flinch and let out another high-pitched caw, flapping its wings to float in the same spot in the air.
Logan’s body was stuck in the ground, eyes wide as he stared at the confrontation between monsters.
’If this is a dream,’ he thought. ’I’d like to wake up now.’
The giant lowered its greatsword to the right side, the tip driving into the earth and sending shockwaves toward Logan.
The shockwaves threw Logan’s body through the air, broken and blood leaking everywhere.
Then, the giant’s greatsword tore through the ground towards the raven, unleashing a torrent of sickly green energy that howled like lost souls as it surged forward.
The abyssal raven didn’t flinch.
Its wings curled inward, as black flames erupted from its body, colliding head-on with the wave of undead energy.
The explosion as the energies collided lit up the sky, dark fire and green mist spreading everywhere.
Logan could only watch, paralyzed.
As the energy rushed towards him from miles away, he saw the rocks far ahead of him disintegrating.
His thoughts blurred as the energy struck him, the combined energies shredding his broken body layer by layer.
Then—
Nothing.
No sound. No pain. Just endless darkness all around him.
Logan floated through a void, unsure if he was dead or still dreaming.
’Is this... the end?’
But then, something moved.
Far in the distance, two glowing eyes opened in the dark.
Both were a deep, unnatural violet in color.
They didn’t blink, just stared straight at him.
A high-pitched caw sounded through the void.
Then—
Logan gasped awake.
His body shot upright, chest heaving like he’d been holding his breath for hours.
Scanning the familiar room around him and the soft noise from the building’s mana systems entering his ears, he felt relief run through his body.
For a moment he just sat there, his eyes unfocused as his hands trembled.
’’What the hell... was that?’’ he whispered, the violet eyes and massive fight between creatures still vivid in his mind.
His heartbeat still rang through his head, racing from the stress he’d experienced.
The violet eyes flashed in front of his eyes again.
But that wasn’t what Logan was really worried about.
’That skeleton... and the raven,’
’The skeleton even spoke to me.’
Countless questions raced through his mind.
’What was that place?’
’Why did he ask me what I am?’
’Did those creatures really exist?’
He didn’t have any answers. Though, he was certain about one thing.
’This cannot have been a normal dream,’ he was convinced.
The undead mana inside his core pulsed strangely—not in a bad way, but enough to catch Logan’s attention.
’I can’t tell what’s changed,’ he thought, paying close attention to it. ’But something definitely feels different.’
Before he got the chance to examine it any further, his watch beeped.
[Call incoming: Edric]
Logan hesitated for a moment before accepting the call.
’’Is everything alright?’’ Edric asked, concerned. ’’We were supposed to have a meeting with the investigation team fifteen minutes ago.’’
Logan forced a smile, even though he felt completely drained inside. ’’I was just a little tired from yesterday,’’ he said, trying to make himself sound perfect.
’’Do you want me to reschedule the meeting?’’ Edric asked.
Logan shook his head. ’’No need, I’ll head over there now.’’
Edric gave a firm nod before Logan disconnected the call.
’That’s right,’ he thought. Despite the strange dream stuck on his mind, he pushed himself to continue. ’I need to clean the company up before the conflict with the Alvarez family.’
’Even if that means I’ll take some losses.’