The master spy or Puss in the boot adventures

Lyra, the Goddess of Dreams part 13, Part 143

Just as it seemed the Lady's entreaties were breaking through the veil of madness ensnaring Lyra, a powerful new presence made itself known. The air shimmered and warped, the very fabric of the nightmare realm straining against the intrusion of a dark and terrible will.

With a deafening crack, reality split asunder. Through the jagged rift strode a figure of pure, unadulterated dread - a towering entity clad in armor of deepest midnight, its edges traced by veins of balefire that pulsed in hypnotic patterns. A tattered cloak of liquid shadow billowed behind it, seeming to drink in the sickly luminescence of the nightmare citadel. The face beneath the ornate helm was a ruin of scar tissue and tightly-stretched skin the color of bleached bone, set with eyes that blazed with the cold, pitiless light of dying stars.

The dream-warriors cried out in dismay as they beheld this new foe, for they knew it well - Set the Dread, the Lord of Unending Nightmares, most feared among the dark princes of the Neverborn. His very presence radiated an aura of existential horror that sapped the strength from limbs and sent icy slivers of despair lancing into even the boldest of hearts.

With a contemptuous wave of his hand, Lord Set sent a tidal wave of roiling shadow crashing into the Dreamlands' champions. Warrior and sage alike were swept away, their forms swallowed up by the hungering darkness. Eldritch flames leapt from the ebon warlord's fingertips, searing flesh and setting the very air ablaze with the stench of madness and ruin.

"Little godling," Lord Set rumbled, his voice the grind of tombstones and the skitter of insects in dead men's skulls. "You dare to oppose the rightful rulers of all that sleeps and dreams? You who are but a fading echo of a forgotten age, a relic of a time when the Dreamlands were still bright and untainted?"

The Lady of Dreams stood firm, her radiance undimmed. "Your power is an illusion, Set," she retorted, her words ringing with the clarion purity of a crystal chime. "A shadow cast by a sputtering candle, a fleeting chill spawned by the fever dreams of a madman. The light of hope and wonder will always triumph over the darkness you and your kind embody."

Set threw back his head and loosed a howl of laughter that sent icy talons raking down the spines of all who heard it. "Bold words, little Dreamweaver. Let us see if you still cling to them when the last light has been extinguished and all the cosmos screams to the tune of the Neverborn!

Lord Seth pointed a bony finger at Lyra, his eyes glowing with malice. "Her soul has been corrupted by the darkness, and only I can set her free," he sneered.

The Lady of Dreams stood tall, her ethereal form radiating power. "If we must, we will kill you," she declared firmly.

Seth laughed, his voice echoing through the cavernous throne room. "You cannot kill that which is already un-dead and un-alive," he taunted. "But I'll tell you something - I will open a temporary portal to the Shadow Realm. I want you to sneak in there and steal my Shadow Soul."

"What's that?" asked the Mistress of Dreams, her voice trembling.

"It is a powerful artifact that can even allow shadows to rest and dream," Seth explained, his gaze shifting between them. "If I control the dreams of the shadows, I will become the mightiest ruler of all realms."

"And where can we find this Shadow Soul?" demanded the Lady of Dreams.

"In the palace of Tartarus," replied Seth with a wicked grin. "But be warned - the entrance to the dark realm is guarded by the three-headed Cerberus, and the path is filled with obstacles and pitfalls. But if you bring me back the Shadow Soul, I promise to release Lyra from the realm of nightmares."

"How do we know you're telling us the truth?" questioned the Mistress of Dreams skeptically.

Seth's laughter turned sinister. "You don't have a choice," he hissed. "Otherwise, I will give Laura to Solaris - the old man has decided to make her his queen. So decide quickly!"

A malicious gleam danced in his eyes as he waited for their decision.

Despite their doubts and fears, the Lady of Dreams and her companions had no other option but to embark on this treacherous quest for the sake of Lyra's freedom.

As Lord Seth's words echoed through the chamber, the shadows began to twist and contort, forming a swirling vortex that pulsed with dark energy. The heroes braced themselves, knowing that this portal could lead them face-to-face with the guardians of the Shadow Realm - the three-headed Cerberus, god of chaos Tartarus, and powerful shadow-mages  and shadow beasts. 

Fear and anticipation gripped their hearts as they waited to see if Lord Seth was telling the truth or simply trying to deceive them. But soon enough, they would find out for themselves...