bullyxtreme Chapter 239 Nightmare
Chapter 239 Nightmare
Russell had never felt so tired.
Weeks of intense fighting had pushed his body and mind to the limit. His muscles ached from overuse of his skills, and his mind was filled with the echoes of explosions and the screams of his comrades. Even in his dreams, he couldn't escape the shadow of war.
Russell found himself standing on a desolate plain, the sky shrouded in a crimson vortex, the air thick with the smell of sulfur and tar. In the distance, a spire of twisted metal and crystal pierced the clouds, its apex shimmering with an eerie blue light.
"Russell." A familiar voice came from behind.
He whirled around, his pupils contracting sharply—it was Kayanth. His brother, the Cardinal warrior who had gone missing in the Nurgle Plague War. Kayanth was still wearing that familiar armor, but it was covered in eerie runes, and his face beneath the helmet was pale and distorted, his eyes gleaming with an inhuman intelligence.
"Kayans? You're still alive?" Russell's voice was filled with disbelief and a glimmer of hope.
“Living? No, Russell, I have long since transcended the boundaries of life and death.” Kayans’s voice was low and hoarse, as if it came from the abyss. “I have found true power, true freedom.”
Kayans raised his hand, and a ball of blue flame appeared in his palm. Within the flame, Russell saw countless images: moments of fighting alongside his comrades, Sigismund training him, the sacrifices of countless soldiers on Vigilant Planet…
“Do you see that, Russell?” Kayans’s voice carried a hint of seduction. “It’s all in vain. The Empire’s faith, the Emperor’s lies, are nothing but shackles binding you. You have the power to change everything, yet you willingly allow yourself to be used by them.”
Russell clenched his fists, his voice filled with anger: "Shut up! Cayans, you betrayed us! You betrayed the Emperor!"
“The Emperor?” Kayans sneered. “He has long since abandoned us. Look around you, Russell. Your comrades are dying, your faith is crumbling. But I, I have found the real answer.”
He pointed to the spire: “Join us, Russell. Tzeentch gave me boundless knowledge and power, and he can give you the same. You can become a greater being, transcending the limitations of mortals, and taking control of your own destiny.”
Countless images flashed through Russell's mind: the days he fought alongside Cayans, Sigismund's teachings, the sacrifices of countless warriors on Vigilant Star... His heart was in turmoil.
“No, Kayans.” Russell’s voice was low and firm. “I will not betray my beliefs, nor will I betray my comrades.”
Kayans' smile faded, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes: "Foolish loyalty will only lead you to destruction. Russell, you will eventually understand that only power is eternal."
His figure began to twist, transforming into a ball of blue flame. Within the flame, countless whispers surged into Russell's mind, attempting to erode his will.
Russell awoke with a start, his clothes soaked in cold sweat. He looked around and found himself still lying on his bed in the camp. Outside the window, the night sky over Vigilant Planet was stained dark red by artillery fire.
…………
Russell's dream returned once more.
This time, he stood in a vast library, bookshelves soaring into the clouds, their pages shimmering with eerie runes. The air was thick with the smell of ink and sulfur, and in the distance came the low chanting of voices.
“Russell, welcome to the temple of knowledge,” Kayans’s voice came from between the bookshelves.
Russell turned and saw Cayenne standing on a spiral staircase. His figure was more contorted than before, his armor covered in flowing runes, and his eyes gleamed with a mixture of intelligence and madness.
“Kayans, you’re here again.” Russell’s voice was weary and wary.
“Of course, Russell. How could I abandon you?” Kayans smiled as he descended the steps, holding a thick book in his hands. “Look, this is a gift bestowed upon me by Lord Tzeentch—endless knowledge, endless possibilities.”
Kayans turned the pages, and the runes on the pages created three-dimensional illusions: moments of fighting side by side on the battlefield, nights of sharing food by the campfire...
“Russell, do you still remember these things?” Kayans’s voice carried a hint of nostalgia. “We were once the best brothers, the best comrades-in-arms. But what did the Empire give us? Endless wars, endless sacrifices. We were just the Emperor’s currency, used to exchange for his ambitions.”
A flicker of pain crossed Russell's eyes: "Kayans, we are fighting for the future of humanity."
"The future of humanity?" Kayans sneered. "Look around you, Russell. The empire is long since decayed, the emperor has long since abandoned us. But I, I have found the real answer."
He pointed to the vision in the book: "Lord Tzeentch has granted me boundless power and knowledge. I am no longer the currency of the Emperor, but the master of my own destiny. Russell, you too can have all of this."
---
Kayans raised his hand, and the illusion within the book's pages transformed into a dazzling starry sky. Within that starry sky, countless civilizations rose and fell, and countless streams of knowledge flowed like rivers.
“Look, Russell. This is the greatness of Lord Tzeentch,” Kayans said with fervor. “He bestowed upon us knowledge, he bestowed upon us power, and he allowed us to transcend the limitations of mortals. Here, we can explore the mysteries of the universe and grasp the key to destiny.”
A flicker of doubt crossed Russell's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination: "No, Kayans. I will not betray my beliefs, nor will I betray my comrades."
Kayans' smile faded, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes: "Russell, you're too stubborn. But it's alright, I'll continue to wait for you. Because I know you'll eventually understand that only power is eternal."
Russell awoke with a start, his clothes once again soaked with cold sweat.
"I've had this dream for two days straight..." Russell muttered to himself, but the unease deep in his heart wouldn't go away.
Russell sat up, thinking about the past. It had been so many years since he joined Kashezin that he felt numb. All he had experienced in those years was war, and he had forgotten how to be a normal person. What did Kayans' reappearance mean?
However, Russell has never taken these two dreams seriously. He believes they are just dreams, and even though they seem real, they are still dreams. He will always remain loyal to the "Emperor," the "Empire," and "Humanity."