Kael stood before the looming gate, its surface a mass of dark, twisted metal, as if the very essence of shadow had been forged into an impenetrable barrier. Cold air hissed through the cracks, swirling around him as the massive gate groaned open. A sense of foreboding flooded his senses, sending an involuntary shiver down his spine.
"The first trial," he muttered to himself, stepping into the void beyond the gate. His hand instinctively tightened around the twin Void daggers hanging at his sides. His mind was already racing—he knew the Ascension System well enough to expect that something was coming.
As soon as Kael crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind him with a heavy thud, trapping him in pitch darkness.
Then, the world lit up in blinding white light as a system notification flared to life in front of him.
[System Notification: Dark Gate of Requiem – Commencing Trial of Acceptance]
Trial Objective:
You have entered the Dark Gate of Acceptance, the first of the Dark Gates of Requiem. To proceed, you must prove the legitimacy of your Rebirth Core and accept the fate that awaits all beings—death.
Trial Conditions:
Defeat the Legion of Darkspawn: You will face waves of Darkspawns, varying in strength.Survival alone is not enough. You must clear all Darkspawns within a two-hour limit.
Embrace the Inevitability of Death: As a being of Rebirth, you must confront death itself.You must die in battle. There is no avoiding this fate.
Time Constraint: You must complete the trial within the two-hour limit. Failure to clear the Darkspawns in time will result in the trial's termination.
Acceptance of Death: True acceptance is key. Merely dying isn't enough. You must willingly embrace death in your final moments.
Kael's eyes narrowed as he absorbed the information. The system chimed again, this time with a warning.
[System Warning: You cannot cheat the trial. Only through sincere acceptance will you succeed.]
"Two hours... and I have to die?" Kael whispered under his breath, his brow furrowing. There was no mention of rebirth in the trial's wording—only death.
Before he could ponder further, the ground beneath his feet shifted. The dark nothingness transformed into a battlefield. Jagged rocks jutted out from the cracked earth, an endless plain that stretched into a sky choked with storm clouds. The air was suffocating, heavy with the weight of malice.
Then, a distant sound reached his ears—a low, guttural growl that rose into a cacophony of snarls and roars.
Darkspawns.
Kael's pulse quickened, his muscles tensing instinctively. He activated his Shadow Avatar, feeling the familiar surge of power ripple through him as the void energy wrapped around his body like a second skin. His Status Multiplier kicked in, amplifying his strength, agility, and endurance.
But this wasn't like the trials he'd faced before. The Cradle of Life had been more about endurance and skill. This trial was designed to push him toward death—and he had to face it willingly.
A countdown appeared in front of him, ticking down from ten seconds.
[Prepare for battle: 10… 9… 8...]
Kael's heart drummed in his chest. He flexed his fingers around his Void daggers, feeling the energy hum through them. The clock continued to tick down, but his mind was already racing ahead. If this was anything like the previous trials, the Darkspawn would come in waves—starting weak, then progressively getting stronger.
He needed to pace himself
[2… 1… Begin!]
The battlefield erupted into chaos as a flood of Darkspawns emerged from the horizon. Hulking, malformed creatures with twisted limbs and snarling faces surged toward him. The weaker ones—Basic Darkspawn—led the charge, followed by more formidable figures lurking in the distance.
Kael exploded into motion, his Void Step skill activating. His form shimmered, becoming intangible for a brief moment as he dashed forward, reappearing amidst the first wave of Darkspawn. His daggers sliced through the air with lethal precision, carving through the creatures like they were nothing more than mist.
Shadow Dash allowed him to weave between them, avoiding their clumsy strikes while his Veil of Shadows cloaked him in invisibility, granting him the upper hand. The first wave crumbled beneath him, their bodies dissipating into the darkness.
The system chimed in again.
[EXP gained: 1000]
Kael smirked. The satisfaction of leveling up washed over him, briefly distracting him from the grim reality of the trial. Gaining experience points from killing these Darkspawns was a new twist. The Cradle of Life trial hadn't offered anything like this.
But the respite was short-lived.
The ground trembled, signaling the arrival of a larger wave. This time, the Darkspawns were stronger—Advanced Darkspawn. Larger, more aggressive, and far deadlier. Their eyes gleamed with a hunger that promised only death.
Kael's smirk faded, replaced with grim determination. He couldn't let his guard down. Not now.
He switched to his Deathcaller class, summoning spirits from the abyss to fight by his side. Ghostly figures materialized, swirling around him, their dark energy bolstering his own. The spirits tore through the horde, but even they couldn't keep up with the sheer number of Darkspawns pouring onto the battlefield.
Kael gritted his teeth as an Elite Darkspawn lunged at him. He dodged, flipping backward just in time to avoid its massive claws. With a swift motion, he slashed upward, his Void dagger cutting deep into its flesh. Dark blood sprayed the ground, but more were coming. Dozens more.
The battle stretched on, relentless.
The system's timer continued to tick down, and the weight of fatigue began to creep into Kael's limbs. His Rebirth Core's energy was strained, the constant use of his abilities slowly wearing him down. Even his Shadow Avatar, which had always given him an edge, was beginning to flicker under the pressure.
One hour had passed, and the Darkspawn still kept coming.
Sweat dripped down Kael's brow as he sliced through yet another Elite. His breathing grew heavier, his movements slower. The endless waves of enemies had started to wear him down. His mind was clear, but his body was faltering.
Then, a realization struck him.
This wasn't just a trial of endurance. It was a trial of death. No matter how strong or skilled he was, no matter how many Darkspawns he defeated, he was meant to lose. The system had laid it out clearly. He had to die to complete the trial.
But that didn't mean the idea sat well with him.
Kael's instincts rebelled against the very thought. He was a survivor. Every battle he'd fought had been for his life. And now, this trial demanded that he let it go?
His body moved on autopilot, cutting down another Darkspawn, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Could he truly embrace death? Could he allow himself to fall when the time came?
As if sensing his doubt, the battlefield shifted. A new wave of Darkspawn appeared—this time, they were Lieutenant-ranked. Massive, hulking beasts whose very presence made the air feel heavy with dread. Their eyes glowed with a dark, unnatural light.
Kael's heart sank. He could barely stand against the previous waves, and now these abominations were here to finish him.
"I can't… die yet," Kael muttered through gritted teeth. His fingers trembled as exhaustion set in, but his will remained unbroken. He activated his Void's Embrace, cloaking himself in a shroud of darkness, blending into the shadows around him.
The Lieutenants roared, their eyes scanning for him. But Kael wasn't ready to give up just yet.
"I'm not done," he whispered, pushing through the pain, launching himself at the nearest Darkspawn.
He slashed through the creature's hide, his dagger tearing through muscle and bone. But the Lieutenant retaliated faster than he expected, its massive arm catching him in the side. The impact sent Kael sprawling across the battlefield, skidding to a stop against a jagged rock.
Pain exploded in his ribs, but he forced himself back up. He couldn't let them kill him yet.
But that's the point, isn't it? A voice whispered in his mind. You're supposed to die.
His eyes flickered to the system's timer—twenty minutes left. His body was on the verge of collapse. He could feel it.
Kael stood, blood dripping from his wounds, staring at the oncoming horde. The voice in his mind grew louder, more insistent.
"You have to die."
He tightened his grip on his daggers, but his hands shook. Death. The inevitability he had spent his entire life fighting against. Was this trial simply another test of his will, or was it more than that?
He could hear the system's warning echo in his head: You cannot cheat the trial. Only sincere acceptance will allow you to pass.
Kael's chest rose and fell with each labored breath. The Darkspawns were closing in. His Rebirth Core was nearly spent. He could feel the last remnants of energy within him flickering like a dying flame.
The Lieutenants towered over him now, their monstrous forms casting long shadows over his battered body. Every instinct screamed at him to fight, to survive, but deep down, Kael knew that this was the moment he had to face.
"I have to die..." he whispered, his voice barely audible. The weight of those words felt alien, uncomfortable, but undeniable. It wasn't just the trial demanding it—something deeper called for it, as if this moment was not just about death but about release, acceptance.
The system's notification hung in the air, taunting him with its unwavering clarity.
[Embrace the Inevitability of Death. True acceptance is the key.]