Seren stands in the blinding white void, surrounded by an oppressive presence that feels intangible yet suffocating.
"This room... it does not feel like someplace on earth, or the Abyss. It is hard to grasp the true size of this place, it feels disconncted from space and time" Seren thinks, confused.
Before her hovers the same white hand that had reached for her earlier.
The air feels heavy, though there's no wind, no sound to break the silence. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she struggles to steady herself.
The command to fight, has vanished, and now the edges of the infinite white space begin to ripple and distort.
"My name is Aureth. I am the Sun God."
Seren suddenly feels the presence of something foreign within her body.
"For the trial to come, I grant you my mighty Stigma, Sol Invictus."
The presence of the Stigma burns within her, its power undeniable, but so too is the burden that accompanies it.
Before she can process the sensation, a creature begins to form from nothing.
It isn't large, but it is horrifying, a malformed shadow with glowing eyes fixed intently on Seren.
The sight makes her recoil, but she clenches her fists and steps forward.
The creature attacks. Seren moves instinctively, dodging with precision, her body reacting faster than her thoughts. She strikes with all her strength, landing a solid blow that sends the creature reeling with a pained growl.
Even without fully utilizing the Stigma, Seren feels stronger than ever before. Her body hums with energy, unshackled and alive.
The creature rises and leaps toward her. Seren ducks beneath it and counters with a sharp kick to its stomach.
The first creature dissolves into a cloud of dark mist, but almost immediately, two more appear. Their movements are faster, their attacks coordinated.
Seren dives to the side, narrowly avoiding one of their strikes, but pain sears through her as a claw rips through her infirmary clothes, grazing her side.
Biting back a cry, she retaliates, striking one of the monsters down.
"This won't be enough," a deep, commanding voice echoes through the space.
It's the voice of the self-proclaimed Sun God.
"You can fight, but you won't last. Accept my gift, child. Call upon my power."
"I don't need it!" Seren shouts, her fists trembling as she steadies herself.
"I can do this on my own!"
The space shifts again. The shadows thicken, solidifying into grotesque, hulking creatures with claws that spark against the air.
These monsters are faster, stronger, just overwhelming. Seren fights desperately, but every strike drains her of stamina.
A monster slams her to the ground, the air knocked from her lungs. She forces herself to her feet, but the darkness around her threatens to swallow her whole.
"Call my power" the voice urges again, insistent.
Despair rises within her. One of the monsters charges, its jaws aimed for her neck.
Time seems to slow. Seren makes a decision.
Unimaginable energy floods her body. Her left eye burns, the pain so intense it almost drops her to her knees.
Her vision narrows, but in her remaining eye, everything sharpens.
She feels the Stigma awakening within her. With a primal scream, she unleashes a devastating beam of light, obliterating the monsters in an instant.
But the power leaves her hollow, an unbearable emptiness filling the void.
"You've passed" the voice declares, triumphant.
Yet, despite the words, the space distorts once more. From the darkness emerges an even larger monstrosity,a towering, grotesque abomination with glowing eyes like twin moons.
"More" the God's voice demands, relentless.
Seren collapses to the ground, her body trembling, sweat and tears streaming down her face. Her vision blurs, and every breath feels like fire in her chest.
The massive creature looms over her, moving with the confidence of a predator certain of its prey.
But Seren refuses to surrender. With trembling arms, she pushes herself up, her body barely holding under its own weight.
The borrowed Stigma, Sol Invictus, flickers weakly within her, the golden seals around her body trembling as if on the verge of shattering.
The monster rises on its hind legs, its claws slashing the air with deafening force. The white void trembles under the weight of its roar, and waves of darkness ripple outward, threatening to consume everything.
"I won't give up" Seren whispers, her voice hoarse but resolute.
"Not now."
A golden light erupts from her chest, brighter than before. The seals coalesce into a blazing sword in her right hand.
Summoning every ounce of her remaining strength, Seren charges.
The monster swipes, its claws tearing through the air. Seren sidesteps and swings her radiant blade, slicing deep into its leg. The creature reels, narrowly avoiding decapitation.
Black blood sprays everywhere, and the monster howls in pain.
It retaliates, slamming a massive claw into Seren, sending her hurtling across the space. She crashes to the ground, motionless for a moment.
Pain wracks her body, but she forces herself to rise.
"It's not over yet" she thinks, her eyes burning with determination.
Golden seals flare to life, forming a radiant barrier beneath her feet that lifts her into the air, deflecting the monster's next attack.
Light and darkness collide in a moment of equilibrium, but Seren knows it's only a reprieve.
The monster is too powerful, and her strength is fading. Her heart pounds like a drum, and the God's words echo in her mind.
Seren looks at the luminous blade in her hand. Her fingers tremble, her lips quiver, but this time, she doesn't hesitate.
"Sol Invictus!"
A surge of power engulfs her, burning through her like a wildfire. Her left hand begins to dissolve, the energy siphoning from her arm.
"This is the burden of a divine Stigma, child" Aureth's voice mocks her.
The pain is excruciating, but Seren endures.
The Stigma fully manifests, forming an immense weapon in her right hand—a glowing, majestic blade of pure light.
The monster rears back, preparing its final attack.
With a piercing cry, Seren hurls the blade into the creature's heart.
A deafening explosion shakes the void as light consumes the darkness.
"Did I do it?" Seren thinks hopefully, but deep down she knows its far from over.
When the dust settles, Seren sees another, even more terrifying creature emerge from the void.
Each time, she's forced to sacrifice more, her vision, her limbs, she gains more power. But the enemies keep on coming, they seem endless.
By the end, she is left broken, blind, and unable to stand.
Lying on the ground, she curses the God and herself for her weakness.
"Just why?" she thinks desperatly.
The next monsters keep getting bigger and stronger, but what does this even mean? In a room where one looses the feeling of time and space itself.
Finally, she realizes the truth: this isn't real.
"It's all an illusion" she first whispers, then yells.
The monster strikes, but its claws pass through her as though she's made of air.
The void shatters like glass, and the monsters vanish.
Aureth's cold laughter echoes through the space.
"What a pity, I would've enjoyed seeing what you'd sacrifice next."
For him, it was all a game, a cruel distraction.
Seren kneels on the ground, trembling, her body restored but her spirit broken.
"You've earned my gift," Aureth says mockingly. "Take Sol Invictus, a mighty Stigma with unparalleled power."
Seren's voice wavers. "I don't want it. I just... want to go home."
"Don't be sad, child. You will need a Stigma in order to survive. You must know that." Aureth says, his tone feigning sympathy.
"I just want to help you, and it is your destiny to receive my blessing." he says.
"Perhaps you'd prefer Elyon, a Stigma for judgment, I think it is befitting of you, no sacrifices required. There are just minimal conditions, but who cares about that? Just hold my hand, and the power will be yours."
Too exhausted to argue, Seren nods weakly and grabs his hand. She just wants to leave.
A golden light envelops her, but it brings no joy.
The God's words linger, filling her with unease as the light fades.
Moments later, Seren is back in the shattered mall.