The sky was pitch black, almost like obsidian as the Icy wind brushed the mountains surface, creating a low whistle, the waves from the sea crashed onto the shimmering shores of the icy mountain.
Atop the slopes of the black mountain a boy stood as he took the details of his surroundings.
"Damm what is this place.." Zach eyes widened in fascination as he took in the sight.
The black ominous sky, no stars, no moon just an expanse of empty void.
The entire area would have be pitch black if not for the glowing boulders, that were littered all over the mountain range creating a combination of different lighting colours.
Zach looked over at the black sea to see a large silhouette, in the distance, like a huge pyramid.
Zach sighed..
"So this is the astryx...", Zach took a moment to take in the icy winds that brushed against his black training suit, he grabbed his long sword.
The first step was trying to to detect the potential threats in this area. The beautiful landscape around did nothing to fool him, he knew that the astryx was dangerous and he needed to be careful...
Zach knew that he got a 57% survival rate, and the only way he was going to survive to to find other weavers, and to lay as low as possible.
He looked at the black sky..
"What do I do now?."
Zach thought, as he shivered..
The air at the altitude was very thin, but Zach could breath without difficulty, he'd been taking his high altitude breathing exercises very seriously.
Zach turned to his watch which projected a screen showing Zachs status.
[Name: Zachariah]
[Age 19]
[Current rank: mortal]
[Status :marine]
Zach sighed..
Mortal rank huh...
The ranking system in the astryx is different from that of earth.
In the astryx, newcomers are often referred to as mortals, there are nine ranks in the astryx system and there are..
• Mortal rank
• Earth rank
• Sage rank
• Sky rank
• Star rank
• Ancient rank
• Heaven rank
• Divine rank
• Immortal rank
Zach was currently the lowest of the low. And the only way to get stronger is to rack up runes. *if you enter the astryx try to get as many runes as possible*, Zach remembered the words of the instructor, looking at his palm he pondered.
"How am I going get runes now..."
By the way runes are special insignias the astryx grants to a person for an achievement runes are completely random so anyone can get it.
At that moment a beautiful song shook the void skies, making the mountains vibrate and the waves of the seas dance.
Zach's eyes turned sharp he scanned the surroundings, the song continued, so beautiful that the mountains danced in tune.
Zach vision got blurry, but he slapped himself to snap out of it, "what the hell is going on?...".
Zach frowned...
*Boom*
The entire mountain quaked, as pats of it collapsed, Zach, startled by the phenomenon fell off his feet.
His eyes widened as he looked at the black sky once again.
A tear in the fabric of space as a majestic creature surface, it was bright, so bright that it looked like seeing a star up close.
Zach squinted his eyes at the sight of the bright light.
The light dimmed and what Zach saw was a creature, flying majestically over the mountains.
It looked like a giant bird, it's body was emanating a bright white light that seemed to rival the light of the moon on earth.
A melodious sound escaped it's mouth making the mountains to shame and the waves dance in tune.
Zach wide eye looked upon the majestic creature as he gulped.
"A Phoenix.."
Even a baby Phoenix was at least a star rank apex predator.
"I'm screwed..."
The Phoenix light was getting brighter, it was getting closer.
Zach wasted no time bolting from his position towards the edge of the mountain.
Zach wasn't the only one scared of the creature as numerous rocks grew tentacles and sprang from they're position, immediately bolting towards the cliff.
The body of the Phoenix glowed as it exploded in a bust of white flames engulfing the area were Zach was a few moments ago.
"Ahh shit.. I just came here" Zach gritted.
He stopped at the edge of the cliff and looked over, the shimmering boulders below made it easy for him to see what will await him at the bottom, there was a shallow looking river.
Before he could make the decision to jump a boulder with tentacles, jumping, pushing him off the edged.
Zach's eyes widened as he plummeted down the cliff.
He screamed...
His body plummetting down felt like he was going to turn to dust in an instant, his brain was on auto pilot, he couldn't think...
The wind whipped his hair as his body finally collided with the water.
[The astryx commends you]
[You have received the free fall rune].
Zach couldn't, even think, the water immediately rushed into his nose, overwhelming his senses.
His black eyes immediately sprang open as his teeth clenched.
Pain erupted all around his body.
His throat burned as water invaded his nostrils...
[The astryx commends you.]
[You have received the marine rune].
Zach stood upright, the water was only high enough to teach his thighs, as he struggled gasping for air water dripped of his black hair, as his eyes darted towards his palm.
Zach, wide eyed looked at his hands, little crab like insects gnawed on his hands.
Zach limped towards the rocky shores, the pain of the insects like hot needles in his skin, he had endured this kind of tourture in his pain tolerance training, a normal human would have collapsed from the immese pain.
Zach got to the shores of the shallow lake, immediately grabbing one of the black crabs, pulling it off him with all his strength, the black crab came off but carried a piece of his flesh with it, blood dripped from the wound.
Zach gritted his teeth, his hands began vibrating uncontrollably, as he grabbed the second crab...
One by one, he painfully removed the crabs off of him each of the crab grabbing a piece of his flesh off with him.
'Ah.. curses"
Blood flowed from his wounds as the salt water rinsed the bleeding.
He looked up as he saw the Phoenix above, soaring high and magestic cracks appeared on the sky as it passed over the cliff.
Zach gritted his teeth...
The Phoenix could still reach him so he had to get out of here as soon as possible.
Frist off he had to find a suitable hiding spot for now, and later at a convenient time he could look for pillars.
Zach tried to stand up but blood gushed out of his mouth, his vision turned red, the metallic taste in his mouth was strong.
Zach touched his mouth and glanced at his finger to see thick black blood, his nose began bleeding.
'The crabs were poisonous..?', he muttered.., his vision darkened as he collapsed on the rocky shores, bleeding out.
Zach was dead.
[Author's note: We're into the story guys help me grow.. stone me!!]