The dining hall is in ruins. Shattered tables and splintered chairs are scattered across the floor, their remains mingling with dust and debris.
In the center of the destruction stands a young man. His brown hair is tangled, his forehead slick with sweat, but his crimson eyes burn with an unwavering intensity.
His left arm hangs limp, a bloodied and mangled wreck. Dark blood seeps through the torn fabric of his cloak, dripping steadily onto the ground, forming a small puddle that reflects his resolute face.
Despite the pain, Ravyn stands tall, his posture a mix of pride and despair.
His gaze sweeps across the scene.
Kael is supporting Samir, whose face is marked by exhaustion. Samir's chest rises and falls heavily, and even with Kael's help, he seems barely able to stand. The strain of overusing his Stigma has nearly broken him. The oppressive gravity that once filled the room has faded.
Seren lies motionless on the ground, her white blond hair matted to her forehead. Her uniform is stained with blood and dust. Nearby, the brothers Kieran and Finn lie sprawled, their bodies exhausted but still breathing.
Ravyn's eyes linger on them for a brief moment before shifting to the shattered doorway and the dust choked remains of the hall.
A low, unnatural hum breaks the silence. The sound sharpens, cutting through the air and drawing all eyes back to Ravyn.
It starts softly, a faint vibration, but quickly grows into a crackling, electrified noise, as though reality itself is straining under the weight of a certain presence.
Dark shadows pour from Ravyn's body, coiling like black smoke around him. They swirl in spiraling patterns, rising into the air before condensing into a dense mass above him.
The hum reaches its crescendo, and then it happens. A rift tears open behind him, shimmering and pulsating with otherworldly energy. It's a dark void, a gaping nothingness leaking the raw, oppressive essence of the Abyss into the world.
The room's temperature plummets instantly. Cold, clammy air spreads out in waves, and the breaths of the conscious survivors form small clouds in the freezing atmosphere.
Kael pulls Samir closer, his expression shifting from exhaustion to alarm. His voice is barely audible as he murmurs, "A Void Breach…"
Ravyn stands before the portal, his shadow stretching unnaturally toward the rift and merging with it. His crimson eyes glow brighter, reflecting the chaotic energy swirling around him. The power of the Abyss wraps around him like a dark mantle. He is holding something in his hands.
He turns slightly, casting a final glance at the wreckage of the dining hall and its occupants. His gaze lingers on Seren and the lifeless body of Lumen for a moment longer.
No words. No farewell.
Ravyn takes a single step backward into the portal. The shadows envelop him, and with a thunderous, ear-splitting crack, the rift collapses in on itself.
The echo of the blast reverberates through the room long after the portal closes. Silence returns, heavy and oppressive. Only the biting cold remains.
~~~
The air around Ravyn shifts abruptly. It grows denser, heavier, saturated with an invisible network of Essence that seems to permeate everything.
He feels it immediately, his weakened body is regaining strength, his wounds dulling as a flood of energy courses through him. A wave of relief washes over him.
He stands on a dark ledge, overlooking an endless expanse of shadow and light. The sky above pulses with a violent mix of crimson and black, split by golden cracks that ooze liquid fire. Streams of Essence pour from these fissures, cascading like molten rivers through the sky.
Below him stretches a vast valley, nearly 100 meters deep and thousands of meters long. At its heart lies a village.
Among the scattered, old fashioned homes are towering spires of crystallized Essence, some reaching heights of 30 meters. Rivers of pure energy snake through the land, glowing brilliantly yet radiating a dangerous, untamed power.
The Abyss feels disturbingly familiar. Its deep, constant hum fills the air, punctuated by distant screams and the sharp grinding of Essence reshaping itself. Shadows flit at the edges of his vision, forming vague shapes that watch him in silence.
Ravyn begins his descent into the valley. A rough, artificial path provides footing as his boots echo against the jagged, dark terrain. Above him, the golden cracks in the sky radiate energy, filling him with a renewed sense of strength.
~~~
Ravyn lies on a simple cot in the house of Sylvorn, the village elder. The room is small, its dark wooden walls intricately decorated with patterns of Essence crystals.
The air is fragrant with a soothing blend of herbs and the faint, invigorating scent of fresh energy, a byproduct of Sylvorn's Stigma.
Ravyn's body is relaxed, but his mind is a storm of turmoil. His left arm, mangled and bleeding in the battle, is slowly regenerating. The prickling sensation of Sylvorn's magic is oddly comforting, a sharp contrast to the pain he endured earlier.
"Ravyn, what have you done in the world of the humans?" Sylvorn's voice is calm, almost fatherly, but beneath it lies a sharp edge that Ravyn cannot ignore.
Ravyn opens his eyes, meeting the gaze of the silver-haired elder whose hair glows faintly in the room's dim light.
"I found someone," Ravyn begins, his voice quiet but steady. "A human who made a pact with Aureth."
Sylvorn's eyes widen slightly, but he lets Ravyn continue.
"He couldn't control his powers," Ravyn says, his tone laced with frustration. "He was weak… but there were two, no, three warriors who opposed me."
Sylvorn steps closer, placing a warm, calloused hand on Ravyn's shoulder. The touch is soothing, but the words that follow are anything but.
"It's not your fault that you think this way, Ravyn. Perhaps I'm to blame for your disdain for humans. I failed to guide you properly."
Ravyn frowns, confused by the elder's sudden admission.
"What are you saying, Sylvorn? You were the one who wanted me to go to the human world."
"Yes" Sylvorn admits, a sorrowful smile crossing his lips. "But I wanted you to understand them, their culture, their ways, their strengths and flaws. I didn't send you there to fight them. Your father… he was wiser than I was."
"My father…" Ravyn begins, but Sylvorn raises a hand, silencing him.
"Listen to me, child" the elder says gently but firmly. "What's done cannot be undone. But there's still a chance to set things right. Rest, recover, and return to Earth."
Ravyn's eyes widen in shock. "What?"
Sylvorn's expression remains calm, but his gaze is piercing. "I want you to attend the Sanctum Arcanum Academy. While you were away, your sister sent me a message."
"My… sister?" Ravyn's voice is barely above a whisper, disbelief and curiosity mixing in his tone.
"Yes" Sylvorn says with a solemn nod. "After the Void Breach, she was taken near the city of Arcanum. She has lived among humans for two years now. Unlike you, she cannot return so easily."
Ravyn closes his eyes, the elder's words striking him like a blow. The sister he thought lost is alive, living among the very people he despises. A surge of anger, sorrow, and hope swells within him.
"If you want to see her again," Sylvorn continues, "go to the Academy. Find out what has become of her."
Ravyn lies in silence, his thoughts a maelstrom. The scent of herbs, the tingling in his arm, Sylvorn's steady voice all fade into the background of his inner conflict. Yet, deep within, he knows Sylvorn is right.
"The Academy…" Ravyn murmurs at last.