Imprints had been left on the crusty ground. A wanderer journeyed forward toward the center of the wasteland, hoping to find the source of the disturbance that piqued his curiosity. This disturbance held the promise of expanding his understanding of the world and potentially enhancing himself as well.
Descending a steep cliff, he reached a large valley encompassed by plateaus. The valley was lush with greenery, and at its heart stood a structure resembling a pyramid, draped in vines and trees.
Beneath, fires blazed and tents cluttered the area surrounding the pyramid. Tribals were visible, eating or sharpening their tools.
The stench of cooking meat mixed with acrid smoke hung heavy around the tents. Chanting voices echoed through the valley.
At first, they appeared ordinary, until Cain witnessed a tribal being bound and killed. His flesh was carved into fragments, separating different muscle groups and pieces of 'meat'.
Stunned, Cain stood silently, observing the cannibals feasting on their comrade's remains. Day after day, he quietly watched while hunting local wildlife.
Some days the tribe had food, while other days they did not—yet they always resorted to consuming one of their own. Children roamed freely, and adults, both women and men, entered different tents each night, engaging with partners of the opposite gender.
'They practice cannibalism, and the entire tribe seems to be polyamorous. Still, no signs of a core, but the energy is definitely emanating from this place. Most likely inside the pyramid.'
Cain's gaze wandered beyond the village, passing trees and ancient statues, until it fixated on the darkness of the pyramid, untouched by fire. It seemed that no one entered or exited the structure, yet Cain believed that the core was concealed within.
'Let's wait a bit longer.'
...
Time marched on, and Cain hunted the wildlife surrounding the tribe.
For a full month, he slept and took refuge in a cave where the tribe would send their 'used' sacrifices while monitoring the village's activities daily.
This method of information gathering might have been excessive, but he was determined not to make any mistakes.
The cave was roomy, though it had piles of bones, showing this practice has been going on for centuries.
Cain even almost got caught, one time he got careless and made too much noise while climbing for a vantage point. A tribal woman was alerted but thankfully he wasn't caught.
Finally, his patience paid off, and he uncovered some insight into what was transpiring within the pyramid. On the day he made this discovery, five tribals were offered as sacrifices, but their bodies were not cooked or consumed.
The tribe knelt as emaciated warriors emerged from the pyramid in a disciplined manner, collecting the sacrifices. Carrying their offerings, they retreated into the pyramid's darkness, and life resumed in the makeshift village.
'It seems to be inside there... I should explore the surroundings of the pyramid and then take action. There might be a ruler...'
...
More time elapsed before Cain was at last prepared to delve into the heart of the enigma he had been longing to explore. If he could obtain this core, the potential would be limitless—perhaps even a chance to fully regain his abilities.
Under the cover of night, he slipped into the tribe's den.
While the tribals slept, an unsuspecting intruder navigated through the underbrush and entered the pyramid. Based on Cain's reconnaissance, guards were stationed at the other entrances, leaving only this one unguarded due to the presence of the cannibals.
The interior of the pyramid was pitch-black, making it exceedingly difficult to see. Cain refrained from seeking any sources of illumination to avoid detection. The open design of the structure meant that illuminating his surroundings would likely alert others. Instead, he relied on sound to guide his way, as he remained vigilant even if the actual guards were not.
Given the pyramid's design, he initially assumed the core would be at its apex, but he was mistaken. The upper floors were devoid of anything meaningful; many had collapsed or were obstructed by debris.
In the den of darkness Cain took a step, the ground gave way, and he lost his footing, resulting in a fall.
"Damn, there was a crack!"
Faced with this unexpected turn, Cain chose to embrace the fall. For ten full seconds, he plummeted through the darkness, until his spine struck stone, breaking under the impact of his body.
Even though he was weakened, Cain's body was adaptable to various situations. A fall like this was trivial for his concussion-resistant organs and thick skin. Nonetheless, his skeletal system was not as resilient, and his spine snapped. However, thirty seconds later, thanks to his regenerative capabilities, he stood up as good as new.
Scanning around him, it appeared that no one had been alerted by the noise of his fall, or they might have assumed it was rubble. Regardless, he seemed to have landed in the right location—several torches illuminated a room in the distance, indicating he was on the correct path.
'Just a bit more... Hopefully, these tribals merely revere the object as some divine artifact or tool.'
Cain's quiet footsteps barely made a sound as he edged closer. Along the way to the lit torch, a few guards materialized from the darkness, patrolling the area.
Cain swiftly and deftly responded, concealing himself in the mist and shadows whenever necessary.
Unfortunately, his weapons were no longer functional, as he discovered halfway through his journey. Without the viruses contained in the runes, they were merely empty vessels. Still, in the expansive world, Cain was confident he could find something to fill them, or perhaps he could utilize Netherane's core to repair them but now was not the time.
Now standing by the torch, which was beyond a ruined wall, he faced a long corridor leading to a pair of large double doors crafted from green stone.
No guards patrolled this passage, allowing him to leisurely approach the gateway to his prize.
Studying the walls, he noticed depictions of humans worshiping colossal deities of various forms—a giant owl, a solitary eye, an insect, a bear, even humanoid figures were etched onto the doors.
'It appears this place once housed gods... I wonder what kind of power it held.'
With a deep breath, Cain extended his hands and pushed the doors open. On the other side lay complete darkness. Yet, in the distance, two blue lights resembling a pair of eyes fixated on him.