As the moon's rays peeked over the clear sky, casting a warm glow over the pyramid, Ryker's gaze remained fixed on Dawn's lifeless body. Despite the absence of his soul, Dawn's chest rose and fell with a slow, rhythmic breathing pattern, a phenomenon that would have been perplexing to ordinary humans. However, Ryker had witnessed far more inexplicable events throughout his journey, so this peculiar sight barely registered as unusual.
With a deep sigh, Ryker slid down the pyramid, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he awaited the news about the Soul Dairy's destination for this year's participants. The air was heavy with anticipation, and the robed figures seemed to be exchanging worried glances.
Before long, one of the robed figures spoke up, his voice laced with a mix of anger and despair. "It's bad," he muttered, his words hanging in the air like a challenge. "They aren't coming back."
The atmosphere around them began to shift, as if the very fabric of reality was being stretched to its limits. Aether began to surge out of the robed figure's body, warping the air around him and creating an illusion that seemed almost tangible. The air compressed in waves, as if the pressure of his Aether was bending the laws of nature.
Ryker's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed intently on the robed figure. He could sense the turmoil brewing within the man, a maelstrom of emotions that threatened to consume him whole.
The principal's voice cut through the tension, his tone calm and measured. "Out with it," he said, his words a gentle prod that seemed to coax the truth out of the robed figure.
The man's face contorted in a mixture of anguish and desperation. "It took them to the lost city," he spat, his words dripping with venom.
The reaction was instantaneous. The air seemed to erupt into chaos, as if the very mention of the lost city had unleashed a maelstrom of emotions. Aether surged out of the bodies of the robed figures and the teachers, creating a pressure that was almost palpable. The air seemed to vibrate with tension, as if the weight of their collective emotions was warping the fabric of reality.
Ryker felt his own Aether responding to the chaos, his heart pounding in his chest as he struggled to maintain control. The principal's voice cut through the din, his words a calm, steady heartbeat that seemed to anchor them all.
"Dawn it," he bellowed, his voice a thunderclap that shook the air. In an instant, he planted his leg on the floor and shot out like a cannonball, disappearing into the distance with a speed that seemed almost supernatural.
The spot where the principal had planted his leg seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if the air itself was uncertain about how to react. Then, in a burst of energy, the floor cracked like a spider's web, exploding outward in a shower of debris. Water sprayed out from the crevice, a cool, clear liquid that seemed to wash away some of the tension that had built up.
As the dust settled, the robed figures and the teachers slowly regained their composure, retracting their Aether and surveying the damage. Ryker was among them, his eyes scanning the destruction as he felt a sense of trepidation building up inside him.
He remembered the stories about the lost city, the tales of students who had ventured in and never returned. Eight years ago, the first group of students had entered the trials, only to vanish into thin air. The same thing had happened the next year, and the year after that. It wasn't until the third year that the principal had decided to summon a stargazer, a being with the ability to read the stars and read future event.
The stargazer's report had been chilling. The students had been transferred to a realm known as the lost city, a place where even the stargazer couldn't understand as it was covered by a vail. Even though in recent times the vail has been weakened the stargazer still couldn't read it, the house Dark waters had tried to get to the lost city but it seems as if the storm city could move. The mortality rate had been staggering, with only a handful of students managing to survive but couldn't come back so they built a sanctuary.
However, the cost had been steep. The lost city had become a byword for danger, a place where even the bravest warriors feared to tread. The Soul Dairy's decision to send students there had been seen as a cruel joke, a twisted game designed to weaken the new generation and cripple humanity's chances of survival.
Ryker's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, as the robed figures and the teachers began to disperse. Some of them seemed to be discussing the implications of the Soul Dairy's decision, while others appeared to be lost in thought.
.......
As Dawn's consciousness flickered back to life, he was met with a disorienting sense of disconnection. It was as if his mind had been temporarily severed from his body, only to be reunited with it in the blink of an eye. The sensation was akin to falling asleep at night opened your eyes a second later only to find out that it was already day.
As he struggled to regain his bearings, Dawn became aware of his surroundings. He was floating in mid-air, surrounded by a breathtaking canopy of stars. The celestial bodies seemed to be within arm's reach, their gentle twinkle hypnotic and disorienting. A thin, shimmering line connected the stars, forming a intricate network that seemed to pulse with a soft, ethereal light.
Dawn's gaze wandered along the glittering web, his mind struggling to comprehend the sheer scale and beauty of the celestial landscape. He felt tiny and insignificant, a mere speck suspended in the vast expanse of space. And yet, at the same time, he was filled with a sense of wonder and awe, his spirit soaring on the solar winds.
A genderless voice echoed through the void, its tone devoid of emotion. "Soul evaluation in progress... Soul integrity: 0.003. Quirk rank: Celestial."
The voice paused, and Dawn felt a sense of anticipation building up inside him.
"Welcome, traveler," the voice continued. "You have been brought to this realm for a purpose. This world, nameless, was once a land of prosperity and peace. It's people prayed to the gods, but one goddess in particular, the benevolent deity known as tempestas heard their prayers and blessed them with a land of unparalleled beauty."
The voice painted a vivid picture in Dawn's mind, and he could almost see the rolling hills, the sparkling lakes, and the lush forests of city.
"For centuries, the people of this city lived in harmony with the land, and Tempestas blessing brought them prosperity and peace. However, as time passed, the people of this began to feel that they had the power to take care of themselves, and they slowly turned away from Tempestas guidance."
The voice kept speaking in his genderless voice.
"They betrayed Tempestas's trust, casting away the gem she had tasked them to protect. But as they were about to discard the gem, a greater evil crawled out of the depths of the earth and devoured everything in its path."
The voice fell silent, and Dawn was selient as he tried to comprehend what had happened. He couldn't imagine the scale of destruction that had been unleashed upon this city
"The people of the nameless city were consumed by the darkness, and the land itself began to wither and die. Tempestas's blessing was revoked, and the world was plunged into chaos. The gem, once the symbol of Tempastas's power and protection, was lost to the depths of the earth, or so the stories were told."
The voice fell silent, before Dawn could comprehend what was going on he suddenly lost consciousness.