[SL/SL:R x Reader] Illumoria

24. Bound by shadow [Igris]

You wake up in nothingness. No sky. No ground. No sound, no feeling. Just darkness.

Never-ending, chilly, and strangely quiet.

You have no idea who you actually are.

You have no idea where you are or what has passed. But one thing remains - a stab in your heart. A sense of loss like a cold knife still lingers, refusing to let go. Vague memories flash by like ashes: a sword in your hand, the sound of metal clashing, the screams of battle. And then - nothing. Like a dream torn to shreds.

You're no longer human.

A voice rings out - so powerful, so authoritative, it makes the entire space shake.

"Arise."

You can't resist.

Your body moves as if your will is no longer your own. When you open your eyes, the world around you is no longer empty - but filled with living darkness.

Warriors in black armor kneel at the feet of one.

A king - with cold eyes and undeniable authority.

Him.

Shadow Monarch.

You don't speak, but you understand. Every vein in your body, every movement, every thought confirms one thing: you have become part of the army of darkness - a warrior reborn without a heart, only the will to fight.

And as you rise with the others, the gaze of one stops you.

Another soldier. His purple eyes burn like a fire smoldering beneath the surface of an icy lake.

Tall, majestic, carrying an air both noble and dangerous. His red cloak flutters despite the lack of wind. He was not holding a weapon, but a part of himself, as if it had grown along with him.

He didn't say a word. But he looked at you.

And you could feel it - he had been watching you since the moment you 'rose.'

Igris. The so-called Red Blood Commander. The one who had been Beru's most worthy opponent. The greatest warrior under Monarch.

And you didn't know why, but you knew - this wouldn't be the last time he looked at you like that.

_____________

The order is given, short and absolute as always.

A new dungeon opens. The monsters inside do not obey the rules. They have escaped control, spreading, slaughtering every living thing within a few dozen kilometers.

You and Igris have been sent. Not to save. But to destroy.

The gate opens, and you step through with him. No words are exchanged, no tactics are needed. Only one goal: destroy them all.

You slash through the enemy like a blade cutting through the mist.

This body - though unfamiliar - reacts as if it has been through a hundred battles. You do not need to think. Every strike, every move is coldly precise. And even though you are buried deep in blood and flesh, you still feel him there.

Igris.

Never too far. Never leaves you alone. You do not understand why. He is the leader. He doesn't need to pay attention to a rookie - even if you're stronger than average.

And then a monster suddenly rises from the ground, its claws piercing through a shadow soldier near you, aiming straight for your chest. You turn around a beat too late.