Chapter 363: Behind enemy lines

As the Shades began searching the vast darkness, it became apparent that they were on a mission to find something, or someone. My heart pounded loudly in my chest, and the tension in the air was palpable. I knew with a sinking feeling that they had indeed sensed our presence and were actively hunting for us.

With trepidation, we drew close together, seeking safety within the confines of Sidus's darkness magic. The swirling shadows masked our presence and veiled our auras from prying eyes. We remained as still as possible, fearing any sudden movement might betray us to these ominous intruders.

The three leading shadowy Shades were menacing but still manageable. It was their human-looking leader who truly sent shivers down my spine. His presence felt suffocating, and my instincts warned me that he was far beyond our capabilities to handle. The sense of dread was overwhelming, and I knew we stood no chance against him.

As I looked around at my siblings and Breta, I felt a deep sense of responsibility to protect them, to shield them from this impending threat. Yet, even with my cosmic mana, I couldn't help but doubt if it would be enough to face this enigmatic Shade. His aura exuded power and darkness, and it seemed as if his very existence defied the laws of nature.

All we could do was huddle together, hidden within the shadows, and hope against hope that we could remain undetected. My scales tingled with unease, and a heavy weight settled in my chest, knowing that our lives hung in the balance, and the outcome was far from certain.

Just as I was praying to the King, their leader suddenly spoke, "Hmmm, it seems like some rats have made their way to us."

The leader of the Shades spoke with a voice that carried an unsettling resonance as if it echoed from the darkest depths of the void. His words cut through the silence of space, and I couldn't help but feel exposed, as though he could see right through our concealment.

My heart pounded in my chest, and my scales bristled in alarm. The realization that he might have detected us sent a chill down my spine. I exchanged glances with Ynos and Breta, their tension evident, but I noticed that Sidus remained motionless, his dark mana spell still swirling protectively around us.

I hesitated, torn between my instinct to flee and my trust in Sidus's abilities to keep us hidden. My eyes flickered between my little brother and the menacing Shade, who floated ominously in the distance. For a moment, I considered taking action, but I decided to hold my ground and trust in Sidus's judgment.

The leader's words lingered in the air like a haunting echo, and I braced myself for whatever might come next. The weight of uncertainty and the fear of what he could do weighed heavily on me. In the cosmic silence, we remained suspended, waiting for the inevitable confrontation. Time seemed to stretch, and the darkness felt oppressive as we awaited our fate in this perilous encounter.

"Interesting, seems like the little rats have some skill," the Shade leader remarked, his voice dripping with a mix of amusement and disdain. Without warning, he made a swift gesture, directing a wave of abyssal darkness downward, in the opposite direction to ours. The sheer force of his attack caused the darkness of space itself to tremble, as if cowering in fear. The suddenness of the assault caught us off guard, and we had no time to react.

The darkness surged out from his hand, expanding rapidly and threatening to engulf everything in its path. It devoured the space around it, leaving us vulnerable and exposed. In those tense moments, I felt the oppressive weight of the darkness closing in, suffocating us with its malevolence.

Just as quickly as it had begun, the Shade retracted the darkness back to his palm, a perplexed expression crossing his shadowy features. "Strange, have they left already?" he muttered, his gaze scanning the surroundings, his eyes grazing our direction. I quickly averted my eyes, not daring to meet his piercing gaze.

We held our breaths, waiting in trepidation for his next move. After an agonizing pause, the Shade finally withdrew his gaze and turned to address his three shadowy followers, "There should be three of them and one divine. They shouldn't be far from here, but it seems like they have some method of hiding themselves. Find them."

His followers nodded, their formless shapes seemingly acknowledging his command. With a sense of purpose, they dispersed in different directions, their dark fog trailing behind them like haunting wisps of smoke. I clung to the hope that Sidus's darkness mana would continue to shield us from their senses, but the lingering fear of being discovered gnawed at my heart. We remained motionless, surrounded by the enigmatic darkness of space, unsure of what would come next.

The Shade leader's departure brought a sense of relief, but the tension lingered thick in the air. We remained frozen in place, hesitant to move even as his shadowy followers continued their search. My gaze shifted between Ynos and Breta, both of whom looked equally wary.

Approaching Sidus, I intended to offer some words of reassurance or comfort, but my voice caught in my throat as I caught sight of his face. He had finally healed his blinded eye, but kept the scar. His bloodshot gaze was fixed on the direction the Shade had vanished, and I felt a pang of helplessness surge through me. Blood trickled from both his eyes and mouth, a haunting image of the toll the previous encounter had taken on him.

I wanted to reach out, to say something, anything to soothe his pain, but the words eluded me. Instead, I settled for gently placing my tail on his shoulder, offering silent support. Sidus had shown great strength and resilience, but even he had his limits. As his older brother, I would do whatever it took to protect him!

Silently, we remained in our cloaked state, waiting for the opportune moment to move. By now, it was obvious that the place we had teleported to held many dangers, and we could not afford to make any missteps. We were without a doubt, behind enemy lines, and I could only hope that we would find a way back home and put an end to this nightmarish journey.