My breath came in shallow gasps as I opened my eyes, though it didn't feel like I had woken at all. The world around me wasn't like anything I'd ever seen or imagined. It wasn't a world, really. It was *nothingness*. A vast expanse of darkness stretched endlessly, suffocating and oppressive. The ground beneath me was neither solid nor liquid—it felt like stepping on shadows.
Above me, there was a sky. If I could even call it that. It was pitch black, but in the center hung a single blue orb, glowing faintly, like a warped version of the moon. The light it emitted wasn't warm or comforting—it was cold, sharp, and unnatural, yet it was the only thing allowing me to see.
I staggered to my feet, disoriented, the weight of the void pressing against me. I had no idea where I was or how I got here. All I remembered was Pyre, the alchemy room, and then... nothing.
That's when I heard it.
"Ash... Ashion Veyne."
The voice wasn't loud, but it reverberated inside my skull, deep and ancient, as though it had been carved into the very fabric of existence. It was both unsettling and strangely familiar.
"Who... who's there?" I said, my voice trembling. My words felt heavy, dragged down by the oppressive void.
"I am the Void Demon," the voice replied, resonating from everywhere and nowhere at once. "The one who begins. The one who ends. And now, I am your guide."
The void demon. Pyre mentioned this entity. My chest tightened as the reality of my situation began to sink in.
"You stand in the Void World," the demon continued. "A realm of nothingness, where time and light hold no meaning. Here, only the strong survive. Only the determined prevail."
"What do you want from me?" I asked, trying to keep the fear from my voice.
"You are here to undertake the Supreme Tests," it said. "Four trials await you, each tied to a temple. These temples hold the hearts of this world, the mythical items that will determine whether you are worthy to bear my power. You must retrieve them and escape each temple alive. Succeed, and you will rise above all others. Fail, and you will be consumed by the void."
I clenched my fists, trying to steady myself. "What's the catch?"
"Your current form in this realm is... fragile," the demon said. "Weak. To survive, you must strengthen your void body. Consume the essence of void monsters, but tread carefully. This world is alive, and it hungers."
The weight of its words settled heavily on me. "What are these void monsters?"
"They are the denizens of the void, creatures born from despair and darkness. They exist in ten ranks, each more powerful than the last."
The demon's voice grew darker, colder, as it began to list the ranks of the void creatures:
1. **Shades** – The weakest of the void creatures, little more than shadows with form. They are cunning but fragile.
2. **Wraithlings** – Slightly stronger than Shades, these beings are semi-corporeal and can move like whispers through the dark.
3. **Void Hounds** – Beasts of predation, their glowing eyes pierce through the void as they hunt relentlessly.
4. **Abyss Crawlers** – Large, insectoid creatures that thrive in numbers, their sharp legs and venomous bites deadly to the unprepared.
5. **Night Stalkers** – Feline predators with sleek, black forms and the ability to blend into the void itself.
6. **Shadow Wyrms** – Serpentine monsters that burrow through the void ground, their strikes are swift and devastating.
7. **Oblivion Walkers** – Humanoid creatures with fragmented, glowing bodies. Their intelligence makes them far more dangerous.
8. **Eclipsed Behemoths** – Towering giants that radiate darkness, capable of crushing anything in their path.
9. **Void Heralds** – Entities that exude power, capable of bending the void around them to their will.
10. **The Void King, Malvaris** – The supreme ruler of the void, a being of unparalleled strength and intellect. None have ever faced him and lived to tell the tale.
The air grew colder as the demon continued. "Malvaris watches all within his domain. Should you encounter him, you will not survive. Even I cannot protect you from his gaze."
The name lingered in my mind, heavy and suffocating. "What happens if I fail?"
"You will cease to exist," the demon said simply. "But if you succeed, you will become the One to Begin. The Void Demon's vessel. You will wield power beyond imagination, the strength to challenge gods and kings alike."
The promise of power was tempting, but the stakes were terrifying. I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. "Where do I start?"
"The first temple lies to the east," the demon said. "A place of shadows and whispers. But be warned—this world will test you in every step. Avoid the stronger creatures for now. You cannot hope to face them yet."
A path began to form before me, glowing faintly under the light of the blue orb in the sky. The voice fell silent, leaving me alone in the oppressive stillness.
I started walking, my footsteps barely making a sound on the shadowy ground. My body felt lighter here, almost weightless, yet every movement required effort, as though the air itself resisted me.
As I walked, the oppressive silence was broken by faint, guttural sounds. My heart raced as I saw movement ahead—a group of Shades, their forms flickering like static in the air.
The demon's voice echoed in my mind. "Consume them. Strengthen your void body. You will need every ounce of power for the trials ahead."
I steeled myself, rushing forward. The Shades darted toward me, their forms shifting erratically. I struck out, my fists connecting with their insubstantial bodies. They dissipated with each blow, leaving behind faint orbs of energy that drifted toward me.
As the energy entered me, I felt a rush—a sharp, searing sensation that spread through my limbs. My void body grew denser, stronger, more stable.
But the hunger within me stirred. A gnawing, insatiable hunger that demanded more.
Hours passed as I fought and consumed more creatures. The blue orb above me grew brighter, illuminating the path to the first temple. But the darkness around me deepened, shapes moving in the shadows just beyond my vision.
The void was alive, and it was watching.
As I pressed on, I couldn't shake the feeling that something far greater than me was lurking in the abyss, waiting for the moment to strike. The demon's words echoed in my mind:
"Consume. Survive. Endure. Prove yourself, Ashion Veyne. The One to Begin."
With every step, I felt the weight of the prophecy settle on my shoulders. There was no turning back.