Lilith
Thornhill,
Vankar Island
Northern Isle Region,
Kingdom of Ashtarium
October 29th 6414
While the others rested, I wandered through the cathedral's cavernous interior, letting my footsteps echo softly against the worn stone floor. The air was heavy, thick with centuries of neglect and a faint, metallic tang that seemed to cling to the cold walls. My eyes scanned the murals—faded and fractured—scenes of long-lost people surrounding an altar, their postures humble, their faces turned downward as if in silent reverence. Most of the paint had chipped away, leaving only fragments of the story behind, but one recurring motif caught my attention. It was a symbol, a creature coiled tightly upon itself, devouring its tail. I couldn't tell whether it was a dragon or a serpent, but its looping form carried an ominous weight, a mystery that gnawed at the edges of my mind.
As I approached a tall, arched window, a figure emerged from the shadows. Jennifer's emerald eyes glimmered faintly in the dim light, like distant stars peeking through a storm. She stepped closer, her presence calm yet watchful, and I studied her for a moment. A human girl, yet undeniably formidable, standing silently in the darkness as if she belonged there.
"You should be resting," I said, my voice low. "You need to recuperate your energy."
"I'm fine," Jennifer replied, her tone steady. "I've already restored most of my Mana. You're the one who should be resting—you did all the heavy lifting out there."
"I've got plenty of stamina," I said. "I'm not tired."
"Good," she said with a faint smile, turning her gaze toward the shattered town outside. Beyond the window, the streets lay in silent ruin, a place utterly bereft of life. The town felt abandoned not just by its former inhabitants, but by time itself. There was no wind, no movement, only a hollow stillness that seeped into every crack and crevice.
Jennifer stared at the desolation, her expression pensive. "Do you ever stop and wonder what happened here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I followed her gaze, my discomfort deepening. "I don't like this place," I admitted. The eerie stillness, the decayed remnants of a once-thriving town—it all felt wrong, as though the land itself mourned something unspeakable.
And then, just beyond the flickering light of the ruined cathedral's window, I saw it—something strange and otherworldly, like a glimpse beneath the surface of reality. The air seemed to ripple, and I had the unsettling sensation of looking at another layer of existence beneath the fabric of what my normal sight could comprehend. It was as if the world itself wavered, thin and fragile, with something else pressing against it.
A crushing pressure followed, heavy and suffocating, far beyond anything I'd ever experienced. The weight of it pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
Jennifer froze in place, her emerald eyes wide and sharp. She sensed it too. Behind me, Ella and the others stirred from their rest, their faces pale and tight with terror. The oppressive presence that had arrived filled the cathedral with a twisted dread that crawled through my veins, threatening to overwhelm even my resolve. I could feel it—an entity beyond comprehension, something that shouldn't be here.
Then it appeared. A brilliant pillar of light pierced the darkness, its radiance almost blinding. Within its glow, the outline of beings—strange, otherworldly figures—began to form. The pressure doubled, and my instincts screamed at me.
"We need to get out of here," I said, my voice sharp and urgent.
But before anyone could move, a spear of black energy tore through the building, its form crackling with sinister flames. The lance exploded on impact, unleashing a shockwave of fire and force. I darted toward Ella on instinct, raising my arms to shield her as she reached out. The dark energy surged at us like a tidal wave, and I strained to absorb as much as I could.
It wasn't enough. The explosion's force threw us out of the cathedral, hurling us through the air and slamming us into the ground outside. The impact rattled every bone in my body. A searing pain ripped through my arms as the dark flames licked at my skin. I gritted my teeth, feeling the unbearable heat until—suddenly—a soothing chill washed over the burns.
I glanced down to find ice crystals forming around the scorched flesh. Jennifer knelt beside me, her sword drawn and crackling with frost. The cooling effect dulled the pain, allowing me a moment to catch my breath. She didn't say a word, but her presence was steady and unwavering, her eyes scanning the chaos for what might come next.
"Looks like the rats survived, Cabran," a low, sneering voice echoed from the shadows. "Rejecting your mercy just to end up getting tortured instead."
"How did they get here?" another, rougher voice rumbled.
I shifted my gaze to the newcomers, my stomach tightening at the sight of them. A group of alien-like figures emerged, their presence heavy and foreboding. They were clad head to toe in black armor, the surface engraved with glowing red sigils that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat. Each carried an onyx weapon—sickles, swords, spears—crafted in sleek, angular designs that radiated menace. At the forefront stood the tallest of them, a towering figure in a full helmet that concealed their face entirely except for two slitted, red-glowing eyes. Those eyes burned with a cold, calculated malice as they scanned us.
"It doesn't matter. We should ki—" the speaker was cut off mid-sentence, his words replaced by the sharp crackling of frost. In an instant, he was encased in ice. Jennifer hadn't waited for them to finish; she struck first, a wave of glittering ice particles rushing across the space to engulf their target. The frozen figure stood motionless, trapped in her attack.
"Get out of here!" Jen shouted, her voice sharp and commanding. Without hesitation, Ben grabbed Neil, hauling him toward an exit as fast as he could. Ella followed close behind, her movements swift and purposeful. I hesitated for just a moment, tightening my grip on my enchanted blade.
The icy sheen covering the armored figure didn't last long. I lunged forward and sliced through the frost, my weapon cutting cleanly as cracks spider-webbed across the frozen surface. Jen had already turned her attention to the tallest figure, charging at them with her sword gleaming. The other alien-like beings, quicker than I had anticipated, leaped out of her path, their weapons raised in readiness.
Chaos erupted in the next heartbeat, the air thick with tension as the battle unfolded.
I stepped into the fray, placing myself between the three beings and the rest of my group. Whatever these creatures were, they radiated a dark, oppressive energy that made the air feel heavier, like the atmosphere before a violent storm. They weren't just strong—they were dangerous enough to rival Jen herself. I couldn't afford hesitation. My duty was clear: protect Ella at all costs.
I tightened my grip on my blade, feeling the raw energy within me start to surge. The power I'd kept buried rose to the surface, and I stopped holding it back. The world seemed to tilt slightly, my surroundings shifting as the force welled up.
"Urrgh! This pressure…" one of the armored figures growled, his voice strained. "Girl! What are you?" His words cut through the rising tension just before he lunged forward, thrusting his onyx spear toward me.
The moment his weapon neared, a burst of dark purple mist erupted from my body. It spread like a shockwave, thick and impenetrable, consuming everything it touched. The ground beneath us cracked, the edges of the mist glowing faintly as it devoured not just energy, but the very matter of the world around it. The three beings didn't stand a chance. In an instant, their armor disintegrated, their forms reduced to nothing more than traces of ash that dissipated into the air.
I stood still, breathing hard as the mist pulled back, retreating into me. The energy it absorbed coursed through my veins, more intense than before, yet controlled. I could feel it strengthen me, a double-edged gift I wasn't sure I wanted. The towering figure still battling Jen must have sensed the annihilation of his comrades. His blood-red eyes locked onto me, their burning intensity promising retribution.
Jen's sword flared suddenly, releasing a brilliant wave of blue light. The blast hit the remaining armored figure, hurling him backward with enough force to smash through several buildings. The sound of stone and metal crashing was deafening. Jen landed beside me, her movements sharp and efficient. Her eyes quickly scanned the area before turning to me.
"We need to go. Now," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. I nodded, and without another word, we turned and sprinted toward Ella and the others.
The others had gathered in the center of the abandoned town, where a grand stone fountain stood as its centerpiece. At its heart was a weathered statue of a winged figure, its two feathered wings outstretched, holding a trumpet as if caught in the act of heralding something long forgotten. This was the same place we had first arrived after stepping through the portal, and now we were desperately searching for the way out.
"Nothing," Neil muttered, frustration seeping into his voice. "It's not activating." He furrowed his brow, his hand raised as if grasping at something unseen. "I just used my internal sight, but for some reason, I can't see—"
He stopped abruptly. A suffocating pressure fell upon us, heavier than before. A shadow streaked across the sky, and then something crashed into the ground with enough force to send a shockwave ripping through the square. The impact triggered a mini-quake, shaking the earth beneath us. Neil lost his balance, tumbling backward. Ella caught him before he could hit the ground, her footing steady even against the tremor.
As the dust settled, a towering figure emerged from the debris, his presence an overwhelming force in the ruined town square. The armored warrior from before, the one Jen had blasted through multiple buildings, now stood unscathed, his blood-red eyes burning through his helmet like molten coals. His aura radiated power—raw, terrifying power that sent every instinct in my body into high alert.
Jen reacted first, stepping in front of me, her stance solid. But the enemy moved—too fast. Faster than I could track. In the blink of an eye, he struck.
The force of the impact sent Jennifer hurtling through the air. She crashed through a nearby building, the structure caving in on itself under the force. The ground trembled from the sheer power behind that single strike. My breath caught in my throat. Jen was strong. I had never seen anyone match her in combat. And yet—this being had just discarded her like she was nothing.
Then his gaze landed on me.
A chill ran down my spine, every hair on my body standing on end. This one's stronger than Jen. Maybe far stronger. My mind raced, analyzing the energy he exuded. If I had to place him, he wasn't just at the Grandmaster level—he was well into the Sage realm.
But I didn't have time to process the terror tightening in my chest. My body reacted on instinct, enhanced by all the energy I had absorbed. My senses were heightened, sharp enough that I saw his next move a split second before it happened. He came at me with a devastating blow. I dodged, barely, twisting my body just out of reach.
I need to end this. Quickly.
My instincts screamed at me to retaliate. I thrust my left arm forward, aiming at his face, prepared to unleash all the energy I had accumulated in a devastating counterattack.
And then—a thin, pale line sliced through the air.
A sudden, sickening pressure followed.
My vision blurred for a moment, and then—agony.
My arm—gone.
It took me a second to register it, to understand what had just happened. My left arm was severed, up in the air, a trail of crimson droplets following its arc.
Pain—blinding, unbearable pain—erupted from the stump where my limb had been. A scream tore from my throat before I could stop it, blood pouring freely from the wound. The searing agony nearly overwhelmed me, drowning out all other thoughts.
The warrior hadn't even moved.
He was that fast.
As my blood seeped into the ground, soaking the cracked stone beneath me, something strange happened. A pattern of symbols and sigils ignited across the area surrounding the fountain, geometric shapes forming a complex magical array. The air shimmered as the formula activated, intricate and precise, spreading outward in luminous veins of power.
The enemy's glowing red eyes narrowed at the sudden shift in the battlefield. He recognized the spell the moment it took effect. For the first time, he hesitated.
That was all the opening Jen needed.
In a blur of motion, she reappeared, striking him with a devastating kick that sent him flying out of the circle. The moment his body left the perimeter, the magic activated fully. A brilliant red pillar of light surged up from the center of the fountain, engulfing us in its glow. The world twisted, the town vanishing in a flash as we were forcefully warped away.
—
I barely registered what happened next. The pain in my body drowned out everything else.
I was still bleeding. My vision blurred as my senses flickered in and out. Between the unbearable agony and the toll of overusing my ability, my body was shutting down.
This is why I hate relying on this power. The thought scraped through my mind like a bitter curse. It leaves me so damn vulnerable.
A sudden cool sensation washed over my severed arm, easing the burning pain. I forced my eyes open and saw Neil crouched beside me, his hands glowing as he cast a spell to stop the bleeding. The wound's raw edges began sealing, the flow of blood finally slowing.
But it wouldn't heal fully.
Neil was talented, but he was still only a Warrior-realm Mage. Regrowing limbs was far beyond his ability. Even so, his expression was tight with determination, his concern evident in the way he worked—like he genuinely cared. His brown eyes flickered with emotions I wasn't sure I deserved.
"Ella…" I rasped, my first thought not for myself, but for her. Panic clawed at my chest, pushing me to move. I struggled to sit up, but a firm hand pressed against my shoulder, keeping me down.
"I'm here," Ella's voice soothed, close—too close. Her scent filled my senses, grounding me. She hadn't cared that I'd spoken her true name in front of the others. Right now, it didn't matter. Not when our lives were at risk. Besides, I suspected the others had their suspicions. This wasn't the first time one of us had slipped up.
"Where are we?" Ben asked, his voice sharp with wariness.
I turned my head, finally taking in our surroundings. The space we had been transported to was massive—far larger than any normal chamber. The walls were smooth, dark stone, inscribed with ancient runes that pulsed faintly with latent energy. Above us, glowing crystalline formations embedded in the ceiling bathed the space in a soft, ethereal light, holding the darkness at bay. Metal structures lined the walls, some appearing like massive workbenches, others humming with arcane enchantments.
I struggled to my feet, still dizzy, and Ella steadied me. Neil had done everything he could for my wound, but the dull throb remained a constant reminder of what I had lost.
Neil glanced around in awe, his fingers brushing across one of the nearby surfaces. His expression shifted from astonishment to sheer excitement.
"It's… a Forgelab," he breathed, barely containing his enthusiasm.
"A what?" I managed, my voice hoarse.
"A Forgelab," he repeated, eyes gleaming. "This is where high-level Arcane studies are conducted—arcane engineering, alchemical research, and forgemastery experiments. These places are rare and ridiculously expensive to build. I've always wanted to see one in person."
His voice trailed off in reverence as he absorbed every detail of the room. I, however, wasn't sure if landing here was a good thing. Because whoever built this? They had access to knowledge far beyond what any ordinary Mage should possess.
Holographic runes shimmered in the air, casting intricate patterns of light across the chamber. The walls were lined with shelves and workbenches filled with an array of weapons—each one an Enchanted blade of varying grades. I couldn't determine their exact ranks, but the raw energy emanating from them was undeniable. These weren't ordinary weapons. They were powerful, forged with magic far beyond standard craftsmanship.
At the center of the room, a glowing circle of holograms depicted a three-dimensional map of the ruined town we had just escaped from. As I stared at it, realization struck like a hammer. This place—this layer of reality—was what I had glimpsed beneath the town's fabric before those armored figures had arrived.
"What the hell…" I muttered, the pieces slowly falling into place.
It hadn't just been my blood spilling on the fountain that triggered our teleportation here. Something else had been set in motion before that moment. But what? What was this place really—
I took a step back, still lost in thought, when my heel caught against the edge of a bench. Stumbling, I reached out instinctively, my hand landing on a glass container. The fragile vessel shattered on impact, and its contents—a dense, viscous black liquid—spilled onto the workbench.
The fluid didn't spread like a normal liquid. Instead, it began to move, shifting and condensing into a swirling, amorphous blob. My extra senses flared in warning. The energy within it was immense—far beyond anything I had encountered before. It pulsed, sentient and predatory, as if recognizing me.
And then—it lunged.
The black mass surged forward, splashing over me like living ink.
"Lil!" Ella's scream rang through the chamber. She tried to run toward me, but Jen held her back.
The liquid moved with unnatural precision, slithering over my skin, tendrils of darkness coiling around my body. Then, without warning, it raced toward my severed arm. I felt it pierce through the sealed wound, forcing its way inside. The sealed flesh ripped open violently as the dark substance merged with me, sinking deep into my bones, my nerves—my very essence.
A scream tore from my throat as agony—both mental and physical—consumed me.
The world blurred.
And then—blackness.
I woke up in an ocean of darkness, suspended in its vast nothingness, falling endlessly with no control over my descent. The void swallowed everything—sound, space, even the concept of time—until, suddenly, I reached the bottom.
My feet touched solid ground.
At that moment, orbs of light flickered into existence around me, illuminating the space with an ethereal glow. The darkness receded, revealing a domain unlike any I had ever seen—a realm caught between the threshold of day and night, teetering in the delicate balance between dawn and dusk.
A vast, endless expanse stretched beyond perception. Above me, the sky smoldered with the dying embers of a sun that never fully set, while creeping tendrils of twilight encroached, shrouding the horizon in a night that never completely arrived. Countless orbs—some radiating with golden luminescence, others pulsating with abyssal shadows—drifted like celestial bodies, suspended in this spectral void.
The golden lights whispered of serenity, hope, and forgotten dreams, their soft glow inviting warmth. In contrast, the darker orbs pulsed with something far more ominous—echoes of sorrow, doubt, and hidden untapped power.
And then, before me, the black orb—the entity that had invaded my body—manifested once more.
It hovered, shifting, morphing, its shape flickering like ink spilled into water, trying to take form. It was humanlike, but indistinct, its edges blurred as though reality itself refused to define it.
"What the hell… What are you? Where am I?" The questions spilled from my mouth as my heart pounded in my chest.
Then, it spoke.
[Lilith Eisheth Kain, Implementation of the Codex of Aeternum into host has begun. Would you like Aeternum to activate the soul core of the host?]
The voice was mechanical, precise, almost emotionless—like an AI algorithm calculating data. And yet, something about it felt too alien, too ancient to be artificial.
"The soul core?" I echoed, my brow furrowing. "I'm not an Ascendant. I don't cultivate. What are you talking about?"
[Host is unable to cultivate due to the seal engraved within the soul. Does the Host, Lilith Eisheth Kain, permit me to undo the seal?]
My blood ran cold.
"What?" I breathed, my pulse hammering in my ears.
[Without permission, Aeternum cannot undo the seal on the soul core. Without a soul core, Aeternum cannot bind itself to the Host. If Aeternum leaves, Host will die, and Aeternum will be forced to seek out a new Host.]
Seek out a new host…
The words sent a jolt of fear through me, but it wasn't for myself. My thoughts immediately snapped to Ella.
If I rejected this thing—if I died—it would search for someone else. Would it go to her? Would it try to bond with Ella?
Rage flared inside me at the very thought. I would not let this thing anywhere near her.
"Do it," I spat through clenched teeth.
[Host has granted permission. Engaging removal of the seal…]
The air around me trembled.
[The seal is appraised to be of Divine grade… unable to fully remove the seal…]
Divine? My head swam at the implications, but before I could question it, the entity continued.
[Detection of a massive ominous presence already within the Host… The seal's function is to limit the Host from cultivating, restricting the growth of unknown power…]
I barely had time to process those words before another message followed.
[Unleashing surge of Spirit Essence into the Host to trigger soul core awakening. The Host must be prepared. Awakening could take days.]
Days? My mind reeled.
"I don't have days—"
Before I could finish, a searing agony exploded through my skull.
A scream tore from my throat as raw, unchecked Spirit Essence surged into my body. It was like my very soul was being unraveled and rewoven, breaking apart and reforming all at once.
And then, the real Awakening began.
_
Tower Market Square
Pandemonium city,
Yorkside Region,
Kingdom of Ashtarium
October 29th 6410
Lilith never expected it to happen there—in a simple food stall, of all places.
The meal had been unexpectedly good. A soft bread bun filled with grilled, savory meat, slathered in a tangy sauce that added layers of flavor and texture. The richness of it lingered on her tongue, leaving her satisfied yet intrigued by its peculiar taste. It had a strange name… something to do with dogs.
The thought unsettled her.
Do they actually use dogs to make this?
In an age where nearly every living creature had awakened into Manaborn status, mundane animals—true pets—had become rare. Finding a cat or a simple bird untouched by mana was almost unheard of. The idea that such creatures might be used as food left a sour note in her stomach.
She pushed the thought aside, trying to enjoy the moment.
But then, it happened.
And the last thing on her mind was the meal she had just eaten.
As Ella raved about the food, her excitement undeterred by anything around her, a sudden disturbance rippled through the crowd.
A figure darted toward them from the sea of people, moving with terrifying precision. Before Lilith could react, an orb-like canister clattered to the ground at their feet.
The moment it cracked open, a sickly green gas hissed out, spreading rapidly through the air.
Lilith's lungs burned. A violent cough racked through her as the acrid toxin clawed at her throat, her stomach twisting as if trying to purge the food she had just eaten. Even Ella was choking on it, her body doubling over as she gasped for air.
Lilith reached for her, instincts screaming to protect her, but something struck her from behind.
Pain exploded through her spine as a sharp voltage surged through her nerves. Her muscles seized, locking her in place as paralysis took hold. Her vision blurred, but through the haze, she saw a shadowed figure emerge from the swirling gas, their movements deliberate and predatory.
They grabbed Ella.
And then, in an instant, they were gone.
Panic flared in Lilith's chest, but she couldn't move. Around her, the poison spread mercilessly, its deadly tendrils claiming anyone caught in its wake. People collapsed where they stood, their bodies convulsing as the toxin overran their systems. Some were already still. Too still.
She could feel the poison working against her as well. It wasn't a simple paralytic—it was killing her, invading her cells, seeking to unravel the very essence of her being.
But it was useless.
Lilith might not be able to wield Mana, but there was one thing she possessed in far greater measure than even Ascendant Manaborn. Lifeforce.
Her vitality forcefield—the organ responsible for sustaining her physical body, for ensuring regeneration and longevity—ran deeper than anything known, surpassing even that of Vampires, the so-called eternal race.
Deep down, Lilith knew the truth: she could live forever, just like Ella. But it was something she never spoke about. Something she refused to dwell on.
Now wasn't the time to think about it.
Drawing upon her vitality, she unleashed a surge of lifeforce energy throughout her body. The poison burned away as the golden force rippled through her veins, restoring her strength in an instant. But that wasn't enough.
The others—they were dying.
Ella wouldn't forgive herself if innocent lives were lost because of this attack. Lilith wouldn't let that happen.
Forcing herself to act, she reached deep within, activating a power she rarely used. She preferred her fists, preferred the directness of combat, but this required something else—something delicate, yet overwhelming.
Dark purple mist seeped from her hands, curling and twisting like sentient shadows. The substance slithered through the air, weaving toward the poisoned victims surrounding her. As it touched them, it began to draw the poison out, siphoning the lethal mana-infused gas from their bodies.
The green mist—purely composed of refined Mana—was helpless against her ability.
Lilith might not be able to wield Mana herself. But she could consume it. The green mana-based toxin was drawn from their systems, pulled into the swirling darkness of her mist. Even though Lilith couldn't wield Mana, her Ability Factor allowed her to absorb external energy—even Mana, the converted Spirit Essence that governed all refined power in the world.
One by one, the victims gasped as clean air filled their lungs. Their bodies stopped convulsing, strength returning to them. The mist continued its work, extracting the deadly energy until the poison was no more. The people were saved.
But Ella was still gone. Lilith's gaze turned cold, her fingers curling into a fist as the last of the dark mist returned to her palm. She would get Ella back. And whoever had taken her...
Would pay.