WARNING: VIOLENCE AND GORE
Two weeks had passed since the Hunt of the Ravager began.
At first, I struggled. Every kill demanded everything I had—every ounce of strength, every drop of blood, every shard of resolve. Starting with Elite Level Beasts, I clawed my way forward. Soon, I killed my first Royal, then my second, and my third. Each victory tempered me like steel in a forge, pushing my abilities to their limits.
Now, I stood at the precipice of my final hunt: an Ascendant Moose.
If the word "moose" conjured an image of a typical animal, this creature shattered that illusion. It was colossal, its body covered in jagged, razor-sharp exoskeleton plates that gleamed like obsidian. Its crystalline, iridescent, and shimmering with latent energy, radiated an almost divine presence. This was no mere beast—it was an apex predator of the Transcendent Realm.
I knew I would only get one chance.
The moose grazed beside a rushing river, its movements deceptively tranquil. But I had learned better than to trust appearances. As I inched closer, every step silent, I steadied my breathing. My claws flexed instinctively, and my heart thundered in my chest.
Then, I leapt.
My claws slashed through the beast's leg, severing tendons and bone in a single blow. The moose stumbled with a deafening roar, its massive frame crashing to the ground. Before it could recover, I leaped back and unleashed Rend, the skill slicing through its exposed underbelly in a flash of energy.
The beast toppled onto its side, bellowing in agony. Victory seemed within reach.
But I had underestimated my opponent.
The moose's antlers glowed with a brilliant blue light, sparks of electricity cascading across its body. With a guttural roar, the creature unleashed a shockwave that knocked me off my feet. My body froze, momentarily paralyzed by the surge of power.
I barely had time to register the beast's retaliation before its crystalline antlers drove through my chest.
Pain exploded through me. My vision blurred, and I tasted blood. The jagged antlers pinned me to the ground, their electric charge scorching my flesh. Every instinct screamed at me to give up, to surrender.
But I refused.
I grabbed hold of the moose's skull, my claws digging into the beast's exoskeleton. With a roar of my own, I channeled all my remaining strength into my arms. Slowly, impossibly, I lifted the beast, wrenching its antlers from my body as blood gushed from the wound.
With one final surge of effort, I pulverized its skull between my claws.
A wet, sickening splat echoed through the forest as the moose's head burst into a gory mess of blood, bone, and brain matter. Its massive body slumped to the ground, lifeless.
I collapsed beside it, drenched in its strange blue blood, my wounds already healing due to the Ixorym's incredible tenacity. My breath came in ragged gasps as I stared at the sky.
It was over. I had done it. I had passed the hardest part of the trials.
Minutes passed before I noticed a faint blue light rising from the moose's corpse. The light twisted and shifted, forming an apparition that hovered before me.
"Follow," it said, its voice a ghostly echo.
Despite my exhaustion, I obeyed.
The apparition led me through the forest for what felt like hours. Finally, we emerged into a clearing, and I froze.
Before me stood a temple, its size incomprehensible. Towering statues of Ixorym ancestors loomed overhead, their forms chiseled with intricate detail, each statue as tall as a skyscraper. The structure itself seemed to pierce the heavens, its spires disappearing into the clouds.
Awestruck, I followed the apparition inside.
The interior of the temple was grander still, its vast halls lined with murals depicting the glory of our forefathers. At the center was a shrine, glowing with an otherworldly light. I knew what this was—the shrine of my ancestors.
It was time to take the Binding Vow.
Kneeling before the shrine, I swore never to betray my people, to honor our fallen, and to pursue vengeance against the gods who had betrayed us.
When I opened my eyes again, I was somewhere else. My body felt heavy, my mind foggy. Around me, I saw massive Ixorym figures gathered in the council, their presence imposing. Their voices rumbled like distant thunder as they deliberated, each word sharp and decisive.
"His performance was... adequate," one said.
"He lacks the strength required," another countered.
"Few have survived such a hunt at his age," one murmured.
The largest Ixorym rose to its feet, silencing the others with a single motion. This was the Last God, the only deity of our kind who had survived the betrayal. He had sacrificed his life essence to protect our people, and his words were absolute.
"A blessing he shall have," he declared, his voice reverberating through the chamber like a divine command.
I blacked out again.
When I awoke, I was surrounded by my people. Their cheers echoed around me, their powerful voices creating a symphony of victory. They encircled me, roaring and dancing, their joy palpable.
I had passed the trials.
But deep down, I knew the true trials—the trials of life—were just beginning.