THE UNKNOWN WORLD OF SHADOWS

Chapter 5: The First Layer - The Void Serpents

The morning air was thick with anticipation as Evelyn, Asher, and Fenrir gathered their gear. The weight of their mission hung heavily on their shoulders, and as they moved through the village, villagers whispered in hushed tones. The boy stood close, his eyes wide with a mix of admiration and fear, knowing that those who entered the Non-Space rarely returned unchanged. Mr. Alexander, the scientist with an eccentric air, triple-checked the Shadow Frequency machine strapped to Evelyn's back, murmuring adjustments.

"Remember, this machine could disrupt the dimensional energy in case things go wrong. But it's still experimental, so..." he trailed off with a grim expression, leaving the unspoken dangers hanging in the air.

Evelyn offered him a small nod. "We'll manage," he replied, though deep down, even he wasn't sure if they were ready for what lay ahead. As they moved toward the portal at the edge of the village, they passed a set of ancient, rune-inscribed stones—the remnants of a civilization long vanished, swallowed by the Non-Space. These stones had once guarded the village from the Void Serpents, or so the chief had told them, but now their power was weakening. The old chief stood near the gateway, eyes sunken with age and knowledge, his hand resting on a staff.

"Beware the Void Serpents. They feed not just on flesh, but on fear and doubt," he warned them softly. His words lingered in the air like a heavy fog as the sky above darkened unnaturally, as if the Non-Space was already reaching out to claim them.

The portal shimmered ominously before them. With a final glance back at the village and its watchful eyes, Evelyn, Asher, and Fenrir stepped into the swirling energy of the Non-Space. Reality around them twisted like a broken mirror, shards of light and darkness melding together as they were hurled into the first layer.

The Void was a place of absence—a barren expanse that seemed to stretch into infinity. The silence here was more than a lack of sound. It was oppressive, a thick, consuming quiet that made their breathing feel amplified. As they walked, their boots left no footprints in the strange, powder-like ground, as if the world itself refused to acknowledge their presence.

"This place... it's empty, yet it's watching us," Asher muttered, gripping the hilt of his blade tightly, his gaze darting around the endless horizon.

Evelyn, his instincts sharp, halted them suddenly. "We're not alone," she said in a whisper that felt unnaturally loud in the stillness.

Fenrir crouched, his fingers brushing the ground that seemed to pulse faintly beneath them. "Void Serpents," he whispered. "They are one with this layer—nearly invisible until they strike."

Suddenly, the ground trembled lightly as if something massive moved beneath their feet. Asher immediately drew his blade, scanning the ground and sky. Without warning, the earth erupted as a colossal shadowy figure lunged toward them. A Void Serpent, its body undulating like liquid smoke, coiled in midair, its enormous maw yawning wide.

Evelyn barely had time to react as it struck, its dark form wrapping around her like a vice. He gasped, feeling the icy tendrils constrict around his chest, and for a moment, the cold drained his strength. Asher and Fenrir lashed out at the serpent, but their weapons cut through the creature as if slicing through water, leaving nothing but ripples in the dark.

"This can't be it," Asher growled, eyes scanning for a weakness. "Our blades are useless here!"

Fenrir's eyes narrowed as he remembered the legends. "The core... these creatures are anchored by a core, hidden within their bodies."

But finding the core was easier said than done. Evelyn struggled to focus, his vision dimming as the serpent tightened its grip. Closing his eyes, she reached out with her senses, letting the strange energies of the Non-Space guide her. There—a faint pulse beneath the ground, like a heartbeat hidden in the void.

"Below us!" he gasped. "The core is buried underground. We need to make the serpent expose it."

Asher and Fenrir exchanged a quick glance, formulating a plan. Asher swung his blade in a wide arc, forcing the serpent to recoil. Meanwhile, Fenrir took a small device from his belt—a modified explosive—hurling it toward the serpent's massive form. The explosion of light disoriented the creature just enough for Asher to dart forward, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws.

With a furious screech, the Void Serpent lunged, and at that moment, its body surged upward, revealing the core deep within the ground. A radiant, pulsing orb of energy shimmered beneath the surface.

Evelyn, regaining his strength, leaped toward the exposed core, driving his weapon deep into the pulsating mass. The serpent screamed, its voice an ear-splitting wail that echoed endlessly through the void. Its body convulsed, unraveling into tendrils of smoke and shadow as it was pulled back into the darkness.

As silence once again consumed the air, the trio stood breathless, surveying the empty landscape. The first layer had been cleared, but the fatigue was palpable. The energy-draining properties of the Non-Space were already taking a toll.

"We're not going to last long like this," Asher said, sheathing his weapon. "We need to pace ourselves. This realm is designed to break us, not just physically, but mentally."

Fenrir nodded grimly. "And we've only scratched the surface."

Evelyn looked out at the endless void ahead. "Then we press on."