Arion trudged through the endless stretch of scorched terrain, each step sinking into the ashen soil. The oppressive air weighed heavily on him, a reminder that Hell did not take kindly to intruders, even those who belonged. He clenched his fists, his mind racing with the revelation of the system's voice: "Sin Points accumulated. Unlocked: [Devour]."
The system had been cryptic about the details of this ability, but there was no time to ponder its intricacies. His focus was survival, and survival meant pressing onward. The towering obsidian spires ahead promised both danger and answers.
Just as he neared the base of one particularly jagged spire, a faint sound reached his ears—a muffled cry, desperate and weak. Arion paused, straining to locate its source. The voice grew clearer, and he realized it was coming from a narrow crevice nearby.
Cautiously, he approached, his hand resting on the hilt of the blade he'd scavenged from the twisted remnants of a previous adversary. Peering into the shadowed gap, he spotted a figure. A young woman, no older than twenty, was pinned beneath a fallen slab of stone, her face pale but determined.
"Help me," she croaked, her voice barely audible over the eerie hum of the spire.
Arion hesitated. Trust was a luxury he could scarcely afford in a place like this. Yet, something about her struck a chord deep within him—perhaps it was the defiant spark in her eyes or the faint, glowing mark etched onto her forearm, a sigil that pulsed faintly against the gloom.
"You don't look like you belong here," he said, his voice laced with suspicion.
She managed a weak smile. "Neither do you."
Her response earned a begrudging smirk from Arion. Despite himself, he crouched down and examined the situation. The slab was heavy, but not immovable. With a deep breath, he braced his arms and pushed, summoning every ounce of strength. The stone groaned in protest but eventually shifted just enough for her to crawl free.
"Thanks," she muttered, dusting herself off. Her movements were slow, as though each one cost her dearly.
"Name's Arion," he said, offering a hand. "You?"
"Liora," she replied, taking his hand reluctantly. Her grip was firmer than he expected, belying her frail appearance.
Arion's eyes flicked to the glowing mark on her forearm. "That... doesn't look ordinary. Care to explain?"
Liora pulled her arm back, her expression guarded. "It's nothing you need to worry about."
"Fair enough," he said, though he doubted her words.
The ground beneath them trembled suddenly, a low rumble that sent loose stones skittering down the spire. Liora's face darkened, and she glanced toward the horizon. "We need to move. Now."
"Why? What's coming?"
She didn't answer, instead grabbing his arm and pulling him forward with surprising urgency.
---
As they moved, Arion noticed that Liora seemed to navigate the terrain with an uncanny ease, as though she had been here before. She avoided certain paths, veering away from what appeared to be harmless stretches of ground. When he questioned her, she brushed him off, her focus unwavering.
"You seem to know your way around," he said finally.
"Let's just say I've been here longer than I'd like," she replied.
Arion's curiosity deepened, but he refrained from pressing further. If she was hiding something, it would reveal itself in time.
The pair reached a clearing surrounded by jagged rocks, the center dominated by a bubbling pit of molten sludge. The air shimmered with heat, and Arion could feel his skin prickling uncomfortably.
"Wait here," Liora said, stepping toward the edge of the pit.
Arion crossed his arms, watching as she knelt and placed her hand over the glowing mark on her arm. The sigil flared brighter, and a strange hum filled the air. The molten pit began to churn violently, and from its depths rose a small, crystalline shard, glowing with an ethereal light.
"What the hell is that?" Arion asked, his voice tinged with unease.
"A fragment of power," Liora said, carefully retrieving the shard. "It's what keeps me alive here."
Before Arion could respond, the ground erupted around them. A massive creature, its body a grotesque amalgamation of flesh and bone, clawed its way to the surface. Its eyes burned with malevolence, and its gaping maw revealed rows of jagged teeth.
Liora cursed under her breath. "A Sentinel. They guard these shards."
"And you didn't think to mention that before?" Arion snapped, drawing his blade.
"No time for lectures! Either fight or run!"
The Sentinel lunged, its claws slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Arion dodged, narrowly avoiding the attack. He countered with a swift slash, but his blade barely left a mark on the creature's thick hide.
"Great," he muttered. "This thing's tougher than it looks."
Liora, meanwhile, had produced a small dagger from her belt. The blade pulsed with the same glow as her mark, and she moved with surprising agility, landing a series of precise strikes on the Sentinel's joints.
"Hit where I hit!" she shouted.
Arion followed her lead, targeting the weak points she exposed. Together, they began to wear the creature down, though it was a grueling process.
As the battle raged on, Arion felt the system's presence stir within him.
"Ability unlocked: [Devour]. Activate?"
He didn't hesitate. "Do it!"
A surge of power coursed through him, and his vision darkened momentarily. When it cleared, he found himself moving faster, striking harder. The Sentinel roared in agony as his blade sliced cleanly through one of its limbs.
With a final, coordinated assault, Arion and Liora brought the beast down. Its body dissolved into ash, leaving behind another glowing shard.
Arion collapsed to one knee, breathing heavily. "That... was intense."
Liora nodded, equally exhausted. She held out the shard she had retrieved earlier. "Here. You earned this."
He frowned. "What about you? Don't you need it to survive?"
"I'll manage," she said with a faint smile. "Besides, it looks like you've got more potential than you realize. Consider it a thank-you for saving me."
Arion took the shard reluctantly, feeling its warmth seep into his palm. "Thanks. But we're not even close to being even."
Liora laughed softly. "Fair enough. Stick with me, and maybe we'll survive this place together."
Arion couldn't help but smirk. For the first time since his arrival in Hell, he felt the faintest glimmer of hope.
---
As they prepared to move on, the system's voice echoed in his mind once more:
"Ally acquired: Liora. Unique skills detected. Bond progression unlocked."
Arion glanced at Liora, who was already scouting ahead. An ally, huh? He wasn't sure if he trusted her completely, but for now, she was better than being alone.
Together, they ventured deeper into the unknown, the fires of Hell blazing around them.