Kael's breath came in ragged gasps as he swung his blade into the oncoming horde. His limbs were sluggish, his energy nearly drained, and even his Shadow Avatar had flickered out moments ago, dissipating like smoke in the wind. Varin stood beside him, his own attacks slower, more strained. The relentless tide of Darkspawns pressed in from every direction, their twisted forms shifting and warping as they surged forward. They were surrounded, and both knew it wouldn't be long before exhaustion would claim them.
Darkspawn after Darkspawn leaped at them, their inhuman screeches tearing through the air. Kael raised his sword once more, feeling the weight of it as though it were made of lead. His mind raced for a solution, but there seemed to be none. Varin's Rebirth Core was faltering, its energy flickering like a candle about to go out, and Kael's own power reserves were nearly spent. There were just too many.
"We're not going to make it like this," Varin muttered between labored breaths, parrying a vicious strike from a massive Darkspawn.
Kael gritted his teeth, focusing on the next strike, the next motion, anything to keep moving. But deep down, he knew Varin was right. They were fighting a losing battle, one that even his considerable skill might not be able to turn in their favor.
And then, just as despair began to creep in, a sharp ping resonated in Kael's mind. The system's voice, cool and mechanical, rang through the fog of his thoughts.
[Would you like to activate the Altar of Ardorr?]
Kael blinked, his tired mind barely processing the message. "What?"
[The Altar of Ardorr detected. Activate now? Y/N]
He had no idea what that meant. But at this point, he wasn't about to question the sudden offer of salvation. With no hesitation, he mentally selected Yes.
In an instant, everything shifted. Above them, a faint shimmer of light appeared, as if reality itself was warping. Kael and Varin both looked up, their movements momentarily paused in shock. From the skies, a massive structure began to materialize—a towering altar, its form cloaked in darkness and shadow. Runes etched along the sides of the altar flared to life, their ancient markings glowing with an otherworldly light.
The altar descended slowly, hovering above them as its sheer size became apparent. The pillars surrounding it crackled with raw energy, and Kael felt a surge of power ripple through the air. His fatigue began to lift, if only for a moment, as he stared at the monument looming overhead.
"Kael," Varin whispered, awe creeping into his voice. "What... what do you think is happening?"
"I... don't know," Kael muttered, his eyes wide. "But it feels powerful."
The Darkspawns, once ravenous and relentless, hesitated. They sensed it too—the shift in the air, the sudden emergence of something far beyond their understanding. And then, the altar awoke.
With a deafening hum, the runes on the altar ignited fully, beams of void and shadow energy erupting from its pillars. The blasts cascaded outward, sweeping across the horde of Darkspawns in a brilliant display of raw destruction. The creatures shrieked, their forms disintegrating under the sheer force of the energy. It wasn't fire or light that consumed them, but something darker, something far more primal. The void energy seemed to pull at the Darkspawns, absorbing their very essence.
One by one, the monstrous creatures were reduced to nothing more than dust, their grotesque bodies collapsing as their powers were siphoned into the altar. The ground trembled under the intensity of the altar's attack, and soon the battlefield was quiet, the once insurmountable horde completely eradicated.
Kael and Varin stood frozen, watching as the altar gradually shrank in size, the void energy dissipating until only the faintest shimmer remained. Finally, it disappeared entirely, leaving the landscape eerily still.
Kael collapsed to one knee, exhaustion finally catching up to him. He could barely wrap his mind around what had just happened. The Altar of Ardorr—a weapon? He hadn't known. How could he have known?
"Kael," Varin said, his voice rough. "Did you know it could do that?"
Kael shook his head, still panting. "No... I had no idea." He paused, then, a sudden thought crossing his mind. Ethan.
In the silence of his mind, he called out, "Ethan? Did you know the altar was a weapon?"
A brief pause, then the familiar voice of Ethan, his companion in the system, spoke. "No. I didn't."
Kael's brow furrowed. If Ethan didn't know... then who did? This wasn't something the system had prepared him for. Even Arthur... the Eternal Dimenshaper... could he have not known? The thought sent a chill down Kael's spine. This weapon—this altar—was something far beyond what he had anticipated.
Varin coughed, drawing Kael's attention back to the present. "Whatever it was, it saved us."
Kael nodded, pulling himself to his feet. "Yeah. But now we need to move. Your Rebirth Core won't hold out much longer."
They rested for a brief moment, allowing their energies to slowly recover. The battle had taken its toll, and neither of them were in any shape to continue fighting at this pace. Kael leaned against a rock, closing his eyes as the system chimed once more, pulling his attention back to the status screen.
[Altar of Ardorr: 65% Absorbed Energy.]
Kael's eyes widened. The altar had absorbed the Darkspawns' power? He continued reading as new information unfolded before him.
[When the energy reaches 100%, the Altar will be able to level up your Rebirth Core.]
His heart skipped a beat. This wasn't just a weapon—it was a tool, an artifact of incredible power. Kael checked the altar's description, his mind reeling from the possibilities:
Abyss Devourer: Absorbs the powers of Abyss creatures and converts it to energy for the altar.Beacon of Ascent: Acts as a beacon of hope and protection for Ascents in danger.Ascension Leveling: Levels up the owner's Rebirth Core when energy reaches 100%.
Kael stood in stunned silence. The altar wasn't just a weapon. It was connected to his Rebirth Core, and even more disturbingly, to something called "Ascents."
"Ascents?" he murmured aloud, confusion lacing his voice. "Who are the Ascents?"
Varin glanced over at him, catching the perplexed tone. "What is it?"
Kael shook his head, his mind spinning with questions. But now wasn't the time for that. They still had a mission, and Varin's Rebirth Core was weakening by the minute.
"We need to keep moving," Kael said, forcing himself to stand fully. "We don't know how long before more Darkspawns find us. And we need to reach the next Eternal City."
Varin, though pale and clearly fatigued, nodded. "Agreed."
Before they set out again, Kael activated the Abyssal Locator. His instincts screamed caution—he needed to know what was out there, and whether they would run into more Darkspawns along the way. With Varin in such a fragile state, they couldn't afford another ambush.
The screen flickered to life, showing the surrounding area. For now, they were safe. No Darkspawn signatures nearby.
"Let's go," Kael said, tightening his grip on his sword. Varin followed closely, though his steps were heavier, slower. Time was running out for him, and Kael knew they couldn't afford any more delays.
But as they moved deeper into the wilds, Kael couldn't shake the growing unease gnawing at him. The altar's power, the strange connection to something called the Ascents, and the fact that even Ethan didn't know about its full capabilities—it all pointed to something bigger, something lurking just beyond his understanding.
And as they approached the dark outline of the Eternal City ahead, Kael couldn't help but wonder what new revelations awaited them.
"Who are the Ascents?" Kael thought again, and this time, the question felt like a heavy weight, pressing down on his chest. He knew, somehow, that the answer would change everything.