A few minutes before...

    Eryndor and the rest kept moving in the space in a single direction.

    As far as his sight went, he couldn’t see any heavenly bodies nearby, just a few twinkling dots.

    Just as he was getting bored, Liliana made a sign on her hand.

    It meant they had reached the vicinity of the Forbidden Void.

    Eryndor had read in the reports that one would feel inexplicable pressure weighing down on their very existence as they got closer to the entity.

    So for a moment, he was confused when Liliana displayed the sign. Because that’s when the pressure should start mounting, but he wasn’t feeling anything yet.

    Is it because of my Eldritch Origin?

    He couldn’t help but muse. Maybe it was because of that indeed, as he couldn’t come up with any other reason.

    As they kept approaching the Forbidden Domain though, he couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong.

    It was already wrong if he didn’t feel pressured, but the emotion which was welling up inside him was even more wrong.

    It was hunger.

    As the distance narrowed, the intensity of hunger only increased.

    What is happening?

    Eryndor had zero idea what was going on. This hunger definitely wasn’t his. It felt like something deep within him was craving for whatever it was that was out there.

    Don’t tell me...hunger for Shx’Trelith?

    Eryndor didn’t dare continue this line of thought. Enduring the growing hunger, he kept moving.

    Finally, two minutes later, they reached the place.

    They could now bear witness to the spectacle before them.

    In the endless expanse of space, the Forbidden Void loomed like a great abyss, an unnatural rupture in the fabric of existence.

    It was not merely empty—it was a presence, a wound in reality itself.

    Its edges blurred and shimmered, as though the universe recoiled from touching it, leaving a jagged, chaotic boundary where laws of reality seemed to wane.

    It felt like it wasn’t a part of the universe.

    Encasing this unfathomable chasm was the Forbidden Film, an imperceptible barrier.

    His hunger had grown too intense.

    It was like he just needed to stop resisting and his body would do the rest, what it had been itching to do.

    Apart from the basic reasoning, there was another reason which kept his mind intact and helped him resist the intense craving.

    Danger. His senses were tingling, informing him of the upcoming danger if he acted on impulse. It was fear of demise.

    This feeling felt like it originated from him. It was like a counterforce to keep his hunger in check.

    To keep him from acting rashly. That it was a bad idea to release restraint on himself in front of an Eldritch Entity.

    His rationality was in place purely through sheer force of will, basic sense of logic, and danger acting together to keep the primordial force of hunger in check.

    If Eryndor could take a look at his Mind Palace, he would’ve been even more surprised.

    The entire Palace was shaking intensely, its main doors were closed shut, with wisps of black smoke leaking out of it.

    Threads of black smoke could be seen wafting out from various places of the palace.

    If one could see inside the palace, they would find that all the smoke was emerging from the fifth door.

    The door was opened completely, no one could see what was situated inside, it was just endless black smoke exiting the room which clouded one’s vision.

    A deep guttural roar escaped Eryndor’s mouth.

    Fortunately, they were in space, so no one could hear it. With Ken and Hellen resisting the effects and Liliana doing the job alone, no one could see him screaming either.

    Eryndor knew it couldn’t go on like this anymore. He feared he would lose control. He feared something terrible might happen.

    With what little was left of his rationality, Eryndor switched on the propellers of his spacesuit and moved backwards.

    He began distancing himself from the Forbidden Void. His propellers worked in full force as the distance between him and the Eldritch Entity increased.

    Just then, the Shx’Trelith, which might have been conversing with the AI all along, spoke into their minds again.

    Although everyone heard it, it was clearly meant for Eryndor alone.

    "Why are you shaking? Is it fear? What was that human phrase again, bestie?"

    The AI moved its mouth again, and nodded its head, before Shx’Trelith’s voice was heard once again.

    "Ah yes. I don’t bite."

    Eryndor could only think of a single response to it, although he didn’t dare say it out loud.

    You don’t, but I might take a bite out of you.