Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kaden reached the top of the staircase. "That really took it out of me. Huff. Huff. You were not wrong." He shouted at the emptiness. "This was hands down the most difficult thing I had ever done in my life."
Kaden looked down at the gaping cavern, and from where he was, it might as well be the abyss itself. As he stared into it, he could feel countless beings staring back at him.
"Fuck." Kaden shook it off and left the damned stairs, not wanting to look at the dreadful thing anymore.
In front of him, the darkness receded, replaced by a dim, flickering light that revealed a vast chamber bathed in an eerie glow.
From the bottom, it had looked a lot brighter, not so much from where he was standing at the moment. Shadows danced along the walls, casting grotesque silhouettes that seemed to whisper secrets of their own.
And there, at the center of it all, stood a massive obsidian altar radiating a sinister aura. Upon it rested something floating. Kaden walked closer to take a look, and when he did, his eyes became wide like saucers.
On the altar was a parchment floating mid-air. Perhaps a skill book or a recipe? Whatever it was, it did not look ordinary. A faint red glow emanated from its surface, pulsating with otherworldly energy.
Kaden cautiously reached out his hand, hesitating for a moment before gripping the parchment. As his fingers made contact, a surge of power coursed through him, causing his entire body to tingle with anticipation.
At the same time, the whispers in the chamber grew louder, echoing in his ears. The voices seemed to merge into a cacophony of desperate pleas and haunting melodies, but they lasted only for a second.
Kaden snapped out of the trance, and with a deep breath, he unfolded the parchment, revealing ancient symbols and cryptic writings etched in an unknown language.
As his eyes scanned the intricate script, a surge of understanding washed over him as if the knowledge was being imprinted directly into his mind. He was correct in guessing. This was a special version of a skill book.
"Damn!" Kaden whistled. As a second-time player of the game, he was very much aware of how amazing rare contracted beasts were. When leveled up, these creatures can form formidable combat partners.
"I wonder what creature will come out!" Kaden wanted to test out the skill immediately, but then he decided first to find a way out of this creepy place. However, suddenly it struck him. How was he supposed to get out of here?
"Fuck! Is this the real test of this place?" Surely, climbing a long array of stairs was nothing challenging, and the game probably was not handing over this skill to him without any test. So this had to be the test? Perhaps he had to defeat some beast to get out of here?
Kaden clutched his dagger and looked around, once again waiting for something to pop out. But, the next second, only the familiar lofty voice echoed.
"Fret not, human. There are no more tests. I can teleport you out of the realm." The woman remarked, with no sarcasm this time. To Kaden's surprise, this time, there was even a hint of respect.
He scanned the chamber, his eyes darting from one shadowy corner to another, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious entity that addressed him. Yet, the source of the voice remained concealed, hidden within the depths of darkness.
There also did not seem to be any other treasures or strange skill books. "Is there-" Kaden opened his mouth when the voice interrupted him. "Tell me, human. How did you do it? How did you increase your mental strength to such a frightening level that you were able to run up these stairs casually?"
Huh?
"The rest of you is pathetic and weak. Your body is just a meat puppet, and your soul is torn and tattered, but how… How do you possess such a strong mind? A human's mind shouldn't be this strong?"
Kaden was confused. What was this voice talking about? How is mental strength related to climbing up a bunch of stairs?
Seeing his confused face, the entity became even more angered. The very fact that he had absolutely no idea about what this trial entailed showed just how strong his mind was!
It also showed that the guy had no clue about mental strength.
If she had to guess, this human probably had the good luck to run into something fortuitous just like he had run into this realm.
"You would do well not to underestimate what is in store for you, human." The woman scoffed in annoyance, and before Kaden could ask anything else, he once again felt the overwhelming force assault him as he was teleported back near the same watering hole.
And as soon as he did, another notification chimed loudly.
Mark of the Abyss: The mark of the abyss brands you as a bearer of chaos, forever entwined with the sinister forces that lurk in the shadows and darkness.