(The past has finally caught up to Seth. His former comrades—those who once fought alongside him, bled for him, and mourned him—have arrived. But what stands before them now is no longer the man they loved, but a creature they can barely comprehend. A being twisted by power, by death, by something beyond mortal understanding. The Seth they knew is gone… or so they believe.)

  This chapter contains psychological horror, existential dread, and disturbing imagery. Themes of lost identity, monstrous transformation, and shattered bonds are heavily present. Reader discretion is advised.

  ?? SYSTEM NOTICE: ? UNKNOWN ENTITIES DETECTED. ? LINK TO HOST’S PAST LIFE CONFIRMED. ? WARNING: HIGH RISK OF UNSTABLE INTERACTIONS.

  The village was dead silent.

  Seth stood at the center of the ruins, the last embers of battle still smoldering in the cathedral’s shattered remains.

  The undead did not move.

  They did not flee.

  They did not bow.

  They simply stood still, as if waiting for something.

  For someone.

  And then—

  Footsteps.

  At first, distant.

  Then—closer.

  "By the gods… what happened here?"

  The voice was familiar.

  Seth’s head tilted slightly, but he did not turn.

  Instead, he listened.

  "That power… that presence… this can't be… No. No, it’s not possible."

  A different voice now—this one trembled.

  Then—the first one again, stronger, commanding.

  "We need to be cautious. We don't know what we're dealing with."

  A short silence.

  "Lorien," the first voice called out, "can you sense anything?"

  "...Yes."

  A woman's voice this time—cold, uncertain.

  "Something… monstrous."

  "Something that shouldn’t exist."

  "Something that is… watching us."

  ?? SYSTEM NOTICE: ? HOST IDENTITY MAY BE RECOGNIZED. ? REACTIONS WILL VARY.

  Seth turned.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Slowly.

  Deliberately.

  And when his burning, inhuman eyes locked onto them—

  The past shattered.

  "No…"

  One of them—**a man with silver hair, battle-worn armor, and a scar across his jaw—**staggered backward.

  His eyes widened in horror.

  His breath caught in his throat.

  "That… that’s not possible."

  Another figure—**a woman with crimson streaks in her dark hair, gripping a sword far too tightly—**took a step forward, her voice barely a whisper.

  "It’s him…"

  The silver-haired warrior shook his head violently.

  "No. No, it can’t be. We buried him. We watched him die!"

  "Then why…"

  Her voice cracked.

  "Why is he standing right there?"

  ?? SYSTEM WARNING: ? HOST APPEARS AS A MONSTROUS ENTITY TO OBSERVERS. ? EMOTIONAL DISTRESS DETECTED.

  Seth said nothing.

  He simply watched them.

  Waiting.

  Calculating.

  And then—he smiled.

  Not out of joy.

  Not out of warmth.

  But because he wanted to see their reactions.

  And they did not disappoint.

  "Gods…"

  The silver-haired warrior stepped back again, gripping his sword instinctively.

  "That thing is not Seth."

  The woman’s breath hitched.

  "You’re wrong."

  Her hands shook.

  "I know those eyes."

  Seth’s smile widened.

  His voice—when it came—was not as they remembered.

  It was low, cold, tainted with something unnatural.

  "You’ve changed, too."

  The silver-haired warrior stiffened.

  The woman swallowed hard.

  The others remained frozen.

  Because the way he spoke, the way he moved—it was him.

  But it wasn’t.

  "What… happened to you?"

  The woman’s voice was small now.

  "You were… you were the kindest person I knew."

  "And now… you look like a demon that crawled out of hell itself."

  Seth tilted his head.

  "Maybe that’s exactly what I am."

  The warrior gritted his teeth.

  "We need to leave. Now."

  "Wait!"

  The woman took another step forward, desperate.

  "Seth—if you’re still in there—"

  "No."

  Seth’s voice was final.

  Cold.

  Uncaring.

  "The man you knew is gone."

  "I am what remains."

  The woman’s eyes burned with pain.

  The warrior tightened his grip on his weapon.

  And the others—they just watched in silence.

  Because they had come searching for a ghost.

  And instead, they had found something far worse.

  ?? SYSTEM NOTICE: ? HOST HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY PAST-LIFE CONNECTIONS. ? REACTIONS VARY BETWEEN FEAR, DENIAL, AND GRIEF. ? FUTURE ENCOUNTERS MAY BE INEVITABLE.

  End of Chapter 8: The Return to a Nightmare

  ?? Author's Note: This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and settings are purely imaginary. This novel contains dark themes meant to enhance the story and character development. Reader discretion is advised.