Ravyn stares at the swirling Void Breach in front of him, its edges flickering with chaotic energy that pulses in rhythm with his heartbeat. The air around it is heavy and oppressive, a tangible reminder of the power such a rift commands.
This has to be the one. Elder Sylvorn's map is clear. This breach leads to a forest near a small settlement just outside Arcanum, the famed city housing the prestigious academy of the same name.
'Aris...' the name lingers in his mind like a fragile ember amidst the suffocating darkness of the Abyss.
The hope of finding his sister is all that keeps him going. Even for someone born and raised here, the Abyss is relentless. To travel alone through its vast expanse is a death sentence for most, but Ravyn is no ordinary traveler.
Still, the dangers are ever-present. Every shadow threatens to conceal a predator, every distant sound a prelude to violence. His solitary journey has been grueling and forced him to push past his limits, ascending from Ignited to Flamebound, the third rank of awakening.
It's a significant milestone, yet he knows better than to feel secure. Each rank is an enormous leap, but the Abyss cares little for progress or preparation.
Ascension to a higher level of power works similar to working out. Regular humans who train their bodies push their muscles to the limit, basically injuring them on a very small level. The muscle fibers regrow stronger, strengthening the muscle.
Ascension works similarly. An Awakaend has to overexert himself, pushing past his limits. But this is easier said than done. Most people can only fully push themselves if the stakes are high, like fighting Abyssal Monsters that want to kill one.
So, just training takes way longer, and on higher levels, it doesn't help at all with ascending to the next milestone.
The difference in power between humans and Abyssal monsters underscores that stark reality. Humans follow a strict hierarchy of awakening:
Sparkbearer
Ignited
Flamebound
Starborn
Voidweaver
Celestial
Monsters, however, scale exponentially in power, and even creatures of the same rank vastly outclass their human counterparts.
It is unknown if their strength will rise like that of humans. But they also have a Hierarchy, even if Humans just make it up to classify them properly:
Wretched
Dreadling
Malformed
Eclipsed
Worldeater
Leviathan
It takes five Sparkbearers or one Ignited to bring down a single Wretched, and for a Dreadling, the odds are steeper: Either fifteen Sparkbearers, three Ignited, or one Flamebound. With less than that, the chances of slaying a Dreadling are very low.
But there are always exceptions, especially when comparing humans to other humans.
Because the power of one's Stigmata makes a huge difference, someone might be on a higher rank, but if his Stigma is not suited for combat while the enemy is, then he will most certainly lose.
The Void Breach Ravyn is looking at is just like him. It's not ordinary. Ravyn knows it, and so must the villagers.
Otherwise, it would have already been sealed. Formed during a Category 3 Essence Storm, this breach birthed a guardian of matching power: a Malformed ranked enemy.
It usually takes two to three Flamebound to subdue such a foe, but this breach's guardian is no ordinary Malformed. Sylvorn's notes suggest that this could be a Lesser Demon, one of the strongest Malformed. Large adventuring parties and seasoned mercenaries have tried and failed to slay it, their efforts ending in disappearance.
It is unclear if it possesses a Stigma, the unique mark of higher Abyssal beings, but even if it does not, the Lesser Demon's intelligence and power make it a threat Ravyn cannot underestimate.
His grip tightens on the hilt of his blade as he exhales slowly, steadying his resolve.
He pockets Sylvorn's map, preparing for battle. There's no turning back now, no alternative path. If the Abomination hasn't attacked yet, it's either completely blind—or so confident in its dominance that it doesn't consider him a threat.
Ravyn approaches the breach and feels the ominous presence of demonic energy radiating from within.
'Its power doesn't extend beyond the breach,' he thinks.
'That means it's either a trap or... it's somehow bound to the portal itself.'
He is ready to activate his most recently acquired Stigma, Absolute Void, if necessary. He takes a deep breath, steps out from his cover in the dense bushes, and moves into the clearing. His stride is steady and deliberate. It's as if his nerves are made of steel.
Nothing happens. There's not a sound, not even a ripple of movement from the breach. He pauses momentarily, then takes the final step forward and crosses through.
The world shifts. Instead of emerging under a blue sky filled with sunlight, Ravyn finds himself in an abyssal void. There is no sky above him; instead, it is an infinite black expanse with no stars or moonlight.
The ground beneath his feet is cold and unyielding, made of dark, ancient stone bricks. The air is thick and still.
He's inside a temple. Six massive pillars stretch forward into the darkness, their bases adorned with barely visible hanging lamps. The faint, flickering light illuminates a single path: a red carpet stretching toward a throne at the chamber's far end.
'This... has to be the guardian's domain. It's most likely tied to its Stigma.' Ravyn thinks.
Green splatters stain the pillars, and streaks of Abyssal blood dry against the ancient stone. These are signs of conflict. Either the monsters turned on each other—a rarity in the Abyss, or humans put up resistance against the Abomination.
Ravyn moves cautiously, his senses sharp. He approaches the throne with deliberate steps, his gaze darting between the shadows behind the pillars. Every flicker of light, every dark corner, is a potential ambush.
When he reaches the throne, he pauses. The chamber is silent, unnervingly so. There are no visible exits, no lurking enemies—just the oppressive stillness of the void.
'If there's nothing else...'
He hesitates for a moment before stepping forward and sitting on the throne. The cold stone presses against his back as he lowers himself into it. In his mind, it's the only course of action left.
As he settles, a sharp mechanical click echoes through the chamber, reverberating against the pillars. Ravyn's eyes narrow.