Chapter 19: My nightmare

*Owens pov*

As I drifted in the abyss of space, surrounded by the silent vastness, a whirlwind of thoughts enveloped my mind, each one probing the circumstances of my existence.

Had I met my demise? The notion lingered like a specter, haunting the recesses of my consciousness, its truth elusive amidst the void.

Was I singled out for a purpose? Maybe I had a soul only seen in a thousand years or have a legendary heavenly body? A thought that was soon scratched out by the mere fact I got my shit nearly kicked in by a mimic on my first day here.

"Owen, would you please hurry and follow Morgan? The distance between you two is about to surpass 50 meters," January's urgent warning crackled over the coms, jolting me out of my reverie. With a swift turn, I refocused, prepared to trail behind Morgan as we descended into the lower reaches of Talos 1.

*5 minutes later*

In all honesty, the game failed to convey the true scale of Talos 1. It took a good five minutes just to catch up to Morgan, and even then, we were still traversing along the exterior, descending towards the cargo bay.

"Something is wrong..." Morgan's voice broke the silence, prompting both of us to halt beside a set of windows that peered into a room resembling a break area. We readied our shotguns, bracing for whatever awaited us.

"Phwargh..." Suddenly, a sound reverberated through the vast expanse of space, defying all logic. It was an eerie, elongated exhale, carrying with it a pressure that seemed to scream at every fiber of my being, compelling me to retreat from its source. Yet, it emanated from everywhere and nowhere, an enigma that left us rooted in place, helpless against its eerie presence.

"What is going on?" I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and bewilderment. My gaze darted frantically in every direction, scanning the vast expanse of space for any sign of the source of our distress. And then, it materialized before us.

A bizarre, bloated creature emerged, its grotesque form defying all reason. Four long stilt-like limbs extended from its dark mass, evoking a sense of dread that gripped me to the core. But as it drew nearer, its shape shifted, morphing into a hunched humanoid figure with a single pair of stilt-like legs and two arms, each adorned with long, claw-like fingers.

It moved with an eerie grace, reminiscent of a whale gliding through the depths of the ocean, its unnatural presence casting a shadow of terror over us. As it loomed closer, I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, a primal instinct urging me to flee from the nightmare that now floated towards us.

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[BOSS BATTLE ALERT]

[Bosses: 2]

[Echo of Terror(Nightmare)]- 30 meter away

[Shadow Stalker(Nightmare)]- 5 meter away

[Reward: 2 skill tokens, 2 item tokens, 1 Golden chest(24h)]

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Seeing the notfication a shiver thought to my spine as with not much thought a activated my propulsion system and tried to rotate my body but sadly i was to late as something heavy smashed into my chest sending me Careening backwards and into the glass that seperated the inside of the aboretum from the cool vacuum of space.

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Health: 82%

Status gained: Fractured Rib

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"Owen!" That all I could hear as my head was ringing from the impact as i stared forward at what ever smashed into me each breath harder than the last.

What materialized before me seemed more akin to a shadowy apparition than a tangible creature. At first glance, its form bore a humanoid semblance, adorned with long antlers that rose silently like the gnarled branches of a withered tree. But as I continued to observe, the creature defied conventional description.

Its legs appeared digitigrade, reminiscent of the anatomy of a deer, with feet that resembled the sturdy hooves of the woodland creature. Its hands, in stark contrast, stretched out with elongated, claw-like fingers, poised to strike with an otherworldly grace. And its face... Its face bore the haunting visage of a deer's skull, its hollow eyesockets staring into the abyss with an unsettling emptiness.

As the creature loomed closer, the shadows seemed to dance around its form, casting an aura of dread that enveloped us in its chilling embrace. In the face of such otherworldly horror, I could feel the primal instincts within me awaken, urging me not to flee, but to fight as fleeing would not save me.

"GOD THIS HURTS" I screamed mentally as I moved my body to take out a medkit and began to use it to heal as I watched the creature approach the distance between us quickly closing as morgan sadly unable to do anything as he to was entangled with his own nightmare.

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Health: 100%

Status Healed: Fractured Rib

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With a surge of relief, the pain in my chest dissipated, replaced by a welcome notification indicating that I was fully healed. As the agony receded, I seized the opportunity to act, my movements unencumbered by the shackles of pain.

The nightmare drew closer, its ominous presence looming ominously as its clawed hands reached out, aiming for where I had previously floated. With a chilling determination, it pierced through the specially reinforced glass, the sound of shattering echoing through the space as cracks spiderwebbed across its surface.

In a stroke of fortune, the creature found its arm ensnared in the shattered remnants of the glass, its movement hindered by the unexpected obstacle. With a newfound sense of urgency, I seized the opportunity and leveled my shotgun at its head. But as I began to pull the trigger, the nightmare's trapped arm seemed to surge with newfound strength. With a swift motion, it broke free from the glass, shattering the barrier with ease.

The shards of glass flew towards me, obscuring my vision in a chaotic flurry. Reacting instinctively, I propelled myself backward, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles. Yet, even in my evasive maneuver, I felt something graze my chest—a chilling reminder of the imminent danger that lurked before me.

"ALERT! A BREACH IN HULL DETECTED. COMMENCING SEALING PROTOCOL!" The automated voice blared through the chaos, signaling another stroke of luck. The giant breach in the glass, caused by the creature, unleashed a sudden rush of escaping air. The force launched the nightmare away from me, hurtling it towards the boundless darkness of space. It was a chance I seized, taking a moment to glance over at Morgan, now just a small dot in the distance, with the monstrous nightmare hot on his tail.

"I can't worry about him right now," I reminded myself, urgency guiding my actions as I swiftly moved into the room with its only entrance sealed off, preventing the precious air from escaping the rest of the station. The thought of Morgan's safety lingered in the back of my mind, but the immediate task at hand demanded my full attention.

With my gloo gun in hand, I set to work, sealing up the now shattered window with meticulous precision. As the last streak of foam settled into place, a profound silence descended upon the once chaotic scene. The blaring alarm, which had pierced the air moments ago, now fell silent, replaced by an eerie stillness that permeated the room.

As the door that had been previously sealed unlocked, I wasted no time in exiting the now messy break room, stepping out into the cold hallway beyond. The desolate corridor stretched out before me, empty and devoid of life. Yet, the tranquility was short-lived.

A black mist began to coalesce at the far end of the hallway, its sinister presence heralding the return of the creature that had been flung into the abyss. With an unsettling calmness, it marched forward, as if emerging from the depths of the abyss itself. Dread tightened its grip around my heart as I braced myself for the imminent confrontation that lay ahead.

...

Holy shit this is a long chap but honestly its decent. throw some skill suggestion or item suggestions just make sure their not too broken.

also i feel like mc is getting into a fight every chap maybe i should relax on the confrontations.