The village of Duskfield lay nestled at the edge of the great Ebonveil Forest, where sunlight struggled to pierce the thick canopy. Here, life was simple, governed by the rhythms of the land and the omnipresent influence of Cores. For every child born in Aetherion, their Core determined their worth. It was a gift of magic, a mark of destiny. But for Kael, destiny had been cruel.
Kael stood atop a jagged hill, gazing down at the village below. His fists clenched as he listened to the distant laughter of other children sparring with their burgeoning elemental powers. Flames danced, water surged, and winds howled in their playful battles. But Kael had none of it.
"No Core," the villagers would sneer. "He's just a hollow boy, destined for nothing."
At sixteen, Kael had grown used to their disdain. His lithe frame bore the marks of labor rather than combat training, his hands calloused from hauling firewood and tending the fields. Yet, despite his circumstances, he refused to bow to despair.
"Destiny doesn't decide who I am," he muttered, his voice firm despite the tremor of doubt within.
The sound of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. Turning, Kael found himself face-to-face with Mara, the village elder's granddaughter. Her fiery red hair and sharp green eyes made her stand out in their otherwise drab community.
"You're brooding again," she said, crossing her arms. "Let me guess, dreaming about fighting like the others?"
Kael shrugged. "What else is there to dream about?"
Mara sighed, her expression softening. "You don't need a Core to have worth, Kael. You're stronger than anyone here, even if they can't see it."
He chuckled bitterly. "Strength doesn't matter in a world that worships magic."
Before she could reply, a low rumble echoed from the forest. The sound was unnatural, like the groan of the earth itself. Kael and Mara exchanged a glance.
"What was that?" Mara whispered.
"I don't know," Kael replied, already moving toward the forest's edge.
The deeper they ventured into Ebonveil, the darker the air became. The trees seemed to twist unnaturally, their gnarled branches reaching like skeletal hands. Kael's heart pounded as they stumbled upon a clearing bathed in an eerie, pale light. At its center lay a crater, and within it, something pulsed with an otherworldly glow.
"What is that?" Mara asked, her voice hushed with awe.
Kael stepped closer, drawn by an inexplicable force. The object was a shard of obsidian, its edges razor-sharp and its surface etched with glowing runes. He reached out, ignoring Mara's warning cry.
The moment his fingers brushed the shard, the world shifted. Darkness surged around him, a tidal wave of cold and despair. Visions flooded his mind—cities consumed by shadow, titanic beings wreathed in fire and lightning, and a voice that echoed with infinite power.
"You are unworthy."
Kael gasped, falling to his knees. The shard burned against his palm, but he couldn't release it. Energy coursed through him, filling the void he had always felt. When the darkness receded, he was no longer in the forest.
Kael found himself in a vast, desolate plain. The sky was a swirling maelstrom of black and red, and the ground cracked beneath his feet, oozing a viscous, dark substance. He was in the Abyss.
"Welcome, mortal," a voice boomed, deep and resonant.
Kael turned to see a colossal figure emerge from the shadows. Its form was humanoid, but its flesh shimmered like liquid void, and its eyes burned with malevolence.
"I am Morvath, The Devourer, first of the Abyssal Kings. You have brought the shard into my domain."
Kael's mind raced. "I didn't mean to—"
"Intent is irrelevant," Morvath growled. "You have opened the gate. Now, the seals will fall, and the Abyss will consume your world."
Fear gripped Kael, but beneath it burned a defiant spark. "If you think I'll just let that happen, you're wrong."
Morvath laughed, a sound that shook the very ground. "Bold words for a hollow boy. But perhaps… you are not as empty as you seem."
With a wave of his hand, Morvath summoned a tide of shadowy beasts, their glowing eyes fixed on Kael.
"Prove your worth, mortal. Or be devoured."
Kael clenched his fists, feeling the shard's energy surge within him. For the first time in his life, he felt powerraw, unrelenting power.
"I'll prove it," he said, his voice steady. "Not to you, but to myself."
And as the beasts charged, Kael stepped forward, ready to fight.