Shadow Slave: A visionary's guide

Ivan's expression twisted, the veins on his forehead pulsing with a strange intensity, a stark contrast to the calm composure he'd shown moments before. But Cassie didn't notice. Her tears, now flowing freely, consumed her focus. She held onto him, her sobs ragged and desperate, unaware of the subtle changes in him.

For a brief, unsettling moment, Ivan's gaze shifted. Confusion flickered in his golden eyes as if he'd been snapped out of a trance. But the look was fleeting—replaced almost instantly by a softness that matched the comforting rhythm of his hands on her back, gently patting her as she cried herself to silence.

As Cassie's sobs slowed, her breathing becoming more steady, Ivan pulled back slightly, his hands lingering on her shoulders. He gave her a reassuring smile, though there was something distant about the way his lips curved. She didn't notice. she was, after all, blind.

They sat together in silence for a while, the weight of the night's events settling between them like a blanket of stillness. The golden light of the rising sun continued to bathe the world around them, the eerie glow of the coral labyrinth beginning to fade into the harsh clarity of daylight.

Ivan finally broke the silence, his voice low and steady. "This place…" He gestured to the strange landscape stretching before them, the coral structures pulsating like the very heart of the dream realm. "It's unlike any other region in the dream world."

Cassie frowned, her brow furrowing as she tried to understand what Ivan was saying. She'd heard of many strange places within the dream realm, of course

"I've never heard of this place," she murmured, her voice quiet with uncertainty. "Not in any of the academy's lessons."

Her voice wavered slightly, a trace of worry creeping in. Ivan noticed the change in her tone, the way her eyes narrowed with growing concern. He turned to her, his expression calm, unreadable.

"Well, it's a big world," he said, as if the answer was simple. "And the dream realm is vast. Some places just haven't been discovered yet."

Cassie wasn't convinced. But Ivan's demeanor was unwavering. To her, it was both reassuring and unsettling. She wanted to ask more but was afraid—he had already done so much for her.

Still, her worry continued to gnaw at her, She wrapped her arms around herself, pulling the lace cloth tighter around her eyes.

"Ivan…" she began again, her voice trembling, though she tried to hide it. "Can we get out of this place? What if we can't get out?"

Ivan's eyes softened, and for the briefest moment, a flicker of something—concern, maybe?—passed over his face. But the moment was gone as quickly as it came.

"We'll figure it out," he said, his voice gentle yet firm.

Cassie nodded slowly, though her heart was still heavy. "But… what do we do now?."

Ivan was silent for a moment, his gaze far-off again, his golden eyes reflecting the brightening light of the morning. "We will have to move from here eventually, staying in one place would pose more danger"

he said at last, his voice resolute. "From what i understand of this place the sea comes back the moment the sun sets and goes back into hiding the moment dawn comes"

Cassie. She didn't have to ask what he meant. .

her fingers brushing the lace cloth over her eyes again, and lightly nodded. "Alright…."

***

Ivan's pov

Ivan and Cassie had decided to wait on the rock formation for another day. It was a precarious decision, but staying in one place was safer than wandering aimlessly—at least for now.

Ivan had envisioned some basic meals—biscuits, beef jerky, and military-style canteens. He could have envisioned something more comforting, like a warm homemade stew, but he didn't. There were two reasons for this. First, eating envisioned food too frequently might have side effects, though he wasn't entirely sure if that could be true but he decided to be careful. He wasn't willing to take a risk on it. Second, growth—real growth—could only happen if they adapted to the world around them, and that meant getting used to the meat of nightmare creatures. That's what the dream realm demanded. To survive, they needed to embrace its horrors, not shy away from them.

Aside from that there was something deeper, Until now, Ivan hadn't had a clear goal. Surviving the Forgotten Shore had been the only thing on his mind. But that had changed after their conversation earlier.

Cassie had talked about her family—her childhood dreams, the things that once brought her joy. And then she asked him a question. A simple one: What was your dream before the nightmare spell?

Ivan had no answer. It wasn't that he didn't have dreams once, but they felt like distant memories now—almost as if they belonged to someone else. He'd guided the conversation away from that question without offering a real answer. But deep down, something had shifted.

Now, as he watched Cassie eat her dried, packaged food, he found his thoughts turning toward the future. His gaze flickered to her side profile, watching the blind seer carefully break off a piece of jerky and chew it slowly. She had been silent for a while, her blindfold securely in place, but there was a hint of calm in the way she moved. The sense of change was ever-present, but she was adapting, albeit slowly.

Occasionally, he stole glances at her out of the corner of his eye, but then he refocused on his own food. They needed to stay vigilant. After they finished eating, there was a sound—a faint rustling from the edge of the rock formation. Ivan's senses sharpened, and without hesitation, he turned to Cassie.

"Hide," he ordered, his voice steady but urgent. "In the tent. Now."

She didn't hesitate, ducking inside immediately. Ivan's eyes followed her for a moment before he moved swiftly to the edge of the rock formation, peering over to see where the sound had come from.

As Ivan neared the edge of the rock formation, his eyes locked onto a creature that looked like an oversized crab clad in jagged armor. He had never seen this creature with his own eyes, but he instantly recognized it from the descriptions in Shadow Slave.

Carapace Scavengers.

The realization sent a chill down his spine. While knowing about them gave him an edge, it didn't make him feel any safer. The scavengers were dangerous, and he was no match for them.

They were nightmare creatures he couldn't afford to confront.

Thankfully, they were still at a distance. For now, there was no immediate danger. Ivan backed away carefully, making sure not to disturb any loose rocks, and returned to the tent.

Inside, Cassie sat her legs pressed against her chest, her posture was tense clearly showing he was worried and scared. The blindfold over her eyes made her expression more pronounced then he had expected or he might be seeing too much.

"What did you see?" she asked quietly, her voice tinged with apprehension.

"Some nightmare creatures, ones we should avoid at all costs ," Ivan replied, keeping his voice calm. "They're far away right now, but we will need to stay alert."

As he expected, Cassie's face paled, and her breath quickened almost on the verge of panic. Only a few months ago, she'd been an ordinary person, unaccustomed to the harsh realities of this world.

Ivan crouched down in front of her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Cassie, listen to me," he said firmly but gently. "We're safe for now. They haven't noticed us. But I need you to stay calm. Trust me—I've got this under control."

She nodded shakily, her fingers loosening their grip. It took some time, but her breathing steadied. Ivan felt a pang of guilt as he watched her struggle to keep it together.

He stood and glanced outside the tent, keeping his voice low. "We'll need to move soon."

Ivan could have tried to challenge those oversized crabs however he couldn't. Unlike others, who bore only one flaw, Ivan's power felt as if it had multiple flaws. He could manifest items, abilities and other things, but sustaining them demanded a toll that no ordinary sleeper could or should be able to bear for extended periods of time.

Even so, he reminded himself, "it's still absurd that I can do this at all and as a sleeper no less".

Few could rival him, perhaps only divine aspect holders like Nephis. But even comparing himself to her felt premature—she was a seasoned warrior, capable of healing herself and with years of experience in combat. Sunny was still growing into his power, and Mordret... Well, Mordret remained imprisoned in the Chained Isles.

His thoughts returned to Cassie. In the short time they had been together, she had started leaning on him more, seeking his reassurance and preferring to stay by his side. It wasn't surprising, given her circumstances, but Ivan couldn't help but feel conflicted.

He was protective of her, maybe even overly so, but. Cassie was a pivotal figure in the story—her actions shaped key events. By ensuring that she was safe and went according to the story albeit with some changes with me guiding her, he could influence the course of the novel's events without disrupting the story too drastically.

But as he watched her lying down beside him, her expression soft and vulnerable, another thought gnawed at him. She's already endured so much. I shouldn't let her carry more than she has to while I am around".

He frowned and shook his head. "No," he murmured under his breath. "I'll lighten her load. That's one thing I am changing in this world."

Speaking of Sunny and Nephis—the central figures of the story.

The burst of light I created last night might have alerted them. A miniature sun in the dead of night wasn't something they could ignore. Two outcomes seemed likely: they'd either investigate or steer clear.

"Hmph." Ivan exhaled sharply. "Whatever the case, they'll start moving soon."

As he prepared to settle in for some rest, a strange sensation prickled at the back of his neck. Something felt off. He sat up abruptly, scanning the tent's interior. His eyes caught on one side of the tent's fabric—it wasn't taut like the other.

A premonition gripped him. He bolted outside and strode to the edge of the rock formation, his movements swift but silent. Peering down, he couldn't make out much.

He envisioned a periscope—one modified specifically for this situation. The device shimmered into existence in his hands, its intricate parts fitting together like clockwork. He raised it to his eyes, adjusting the lens to focus on the base of the rock formation.

What he saw made his blood run cold.

The foundation of the rock pillar was crumbling. Large cracks spread across its surface like spiderwebs, and the entire structure had begun to tilt dangerously, as if it were a tree about to fall.

His heart hammered in his chest. "Fuking hell…" he muttered.

If the pillar collapsed, they'd lose their vantage point—and worse, it would draw the attention of the scavengers.

Ivan's mind raced. We need to move. Now.