In a vast, desolate expanse. Darkness and the conceptual meaning of "end" seemed to be engraved at every part of this world.
Ominous clouds of ash swirled endlessly, with the sound of sharp, howling winds echoing throughout the barren wasteland.
The air was heavy with the scent of decay.
This was not a place for the living – it was a graveyard of a forgotten epoch, where time itself felt stagnant, suffocated beneath layers of soot and ruin.
This was the Ashen World, one of the countless realms within the Myriad Labyrinth. Here, the sun had died, and the land lay buried beneath endless layers of gray dust.
However, miles away, the faint roars of unfathomable beings could be heard, as the echoes of a fierce battle created violent tremors underground.
***
Within the Forgotten Tomb, a man stood in silence, his gaze fixated on an object within his grasp – it was a glowing red orb, around the size of a marble.
The man was protected by a thin layer of armour that covered his vital areas, with a snow-white cloak draping over his attire. His armour was the definition of roguish, yet it carried a sense of elegance and authority that was hard to describe.
Silver hair framed the face of this man, an individual who despite being over two hundred years old, looked as if he hadn't aged over twenty. With an utterly impassive and cold expression, his silver eyes glinted dimly, their glow evoking an unreadable sense of darkness.
With this object in his grasp, all fighting had abruptly ceased. Countless gazes were now directed at him.
Envy, greed and a feeling of unease.
Those were the emotions which everyone held towards him at this moment.
After all, the object in the man's hand was a Divine Relic. Such relics were said to possess the power to shape destiny itself, allowing users to distort the line between illusion and reality.
They defied all natural laws of the world. Thus, everyone who had previously fought for it remained silent and dumbstruck, too afraid to move in fear of the power of the relic.
***
Holding the relic, Klyde swept his gaze over the various factions and organisations. Behind them, mountains of monster corpses littered the tomb.
Seeing each of their expressions, he smiled faintly in disdain. However, it was not at them, but at himself.
'I can't use it.'
He thought with a hint of bitterness.
'All of my plans have been for nought. In the end, I am not worthy to wield such an artifact.'
He couldn't control it. No matter how he tried activating the relic, it wouldn't show a single reaction. It had been a gamble – him obtaining this relic. He had done everything in his power to aquire it, but it seems his journey will likely end here as he can't use it to change his fate.
"Obediently hand over the relic you sinner!"
The leader of the Midnight Order exclaimed, only to be met with silence. Klyde was the master of the Shadow Covenant, a ruthless organisation of crazed lunatics. He had sacrificed everything to get here, but his situation looked extremely dire now that he was holding this relic.
"I'll ask once more! Hand over the relic and I'll grant you a quick death!"
Klyde ignored his empty words. He merely had a thoughtful expression, as if contemplating something which deeply troubled him.
Met with indifference, the old man clicked his tongue in annoyance, his eyes burning with hate. However, he wasn't foolish enough to act first, similar to these people next to him. They all valued their lives.
At their reaction and hesitance, Klyde chuckled inwardly in amusement – truly spineless! All those words yet not having the courage to even take a step forward?
Hehe.
He couldn't even activate the relic, what was there to fear?
Well, of course, they didn't know that, however, it was still amusing.
"Want me to hand it over? Why don't you come forward and take it? Its merely an offensive type relic, why hesitate?"
Klyde spoke casually with some amusement in his tone.
Of course, he was lying. He had utterly no clue what this red orb did, however, he wouldn't reveal that. He was just buying more time for himself.
The expression of everyone inside the tomb stiffened from Klyde's words
"You– You bastard! You're bluffing! Why haven't you use it then?!"
A random man shouted.
Klyde curved his lips, expecting this question.
"Hehe, why else but fear? It's a Divine Relic after all, a power much beyond me. Using it is simply too risky and might even kill me. However, I still won't hesitate if my life is in danger!"
He then continued in a mocking tone:
"However, who here is willing to risk their lives to verify my words? All it'll take is one person, hehe..."
Everyone here was incredibly selfish, each holding powerful positions and authority. The person who steps forward first would feel the most amount of danger. However, what human would willingly risk their lives for the benefits of strangers?
"BAHAHA!!"
Laughter suddenly resounded.
It came from an old man with grey hair, wearing flawless white armour and wielding an azure sword. Despite his old appearance, he had an extremely oppressive aura.
"I like your guts, kid! To make everyone here hesitate in attacking you with a few words, clever move!"
He roared with laughter, filling the oppressive silence in the tomb with noise.
Towards Klyde, he had a friendly expression. After his laughter stopped, he continued:
"I really should have thanked you for killing that brat from the Midnight Order! When I heard the news and that man's anger, I felt myself becoming a thousand years younger, haha!"
Klyde frowned inwardly.
'Has this man gone mad? Isn't he part of the orderly faction?'
Naturally, Klyde didn't know who he was referring to that he killed. He's simply killed too many. Moreover, he wasn't one to remember the faces of such insignificant people.
However, judging by his words, he assumed this old man had some enmity with the Midnight Order.
Unbeknownst to Klyde, he had killed the son of the patriarch from the Midnight Order some time ago. Furthermore, this old man and the patriarch were arch nemesises who's fought each other for hundreds of years. They likely know each other better than their very own wives!
"Since you killed that annoying brat of that old fool, it means you aren't completely terrible, bahahaha!"
He roared with laughter once again before making a proposition.
"How about this, I'll give you a place within our Mystic Sword clan as long as you hand over that relic. Not only that, with your strength, I can even grant you a high position!"
Suddenly, an uproar emerged from the various organisations and factions, each expressing their disapproval. Klyde was simply too heinous of an individual to be offered a chance to change his alignment.
However, as they glanced at the relic in his hand, they all began quieting down.
If that relic was really an offensive type relic, they knew that death was a strong possibility. If they act now and Klyde rashly activates it, they could very well be erased into oblivion!
Their first priority should be getting that relic off the hands of that sinner. Once their safety was assured, they can go complain and give him the retribution he deserves.
However, despite the sincerity of the offer, Klyde merely scoffed.
Seeing the blatant expression of contempt, the man furrowed his brows.
"Is my offer not good enough? Don't bite off more than you can chew, boy. I'm already being very reasonable. You have nothing left backing you. A lone force that can easily be crushed by everyone here. At least by changing your alignment, you won't have to forfeit your life. Accept my– "
However, before he could finish speaking, Klyde did a move no one expected.
With one deliberate and sudden clench of his fist, the Divine Relic in his hand was crushed into fine powder.
"..."
The thousands who saw what had transpired were left speechless and with their mouths agape.
"Sorry."
Klyde smirked, continuing:
"I won't be able to accept your offer as I accidentally destroyed it..."
Disbelief and shock!
Everyone had the same reaction.
Destroying a Divine Relic, what fool would even consider it?!
This was why Klyde had been so troubled a few moments ago. He was simply thinking about an escape to his current predicament.
Realising he was out of options, this was his last idea to activating the relic – destroying it!
The best case scenario would be the relic activating and he survives due to its mysterious powers. The worst case scenario is the relic still not activating, and he gets hunted down by everyone here.
'If this doesn't work, so be it! Death has long been a face I recognise! Whether I live or die – I will hold no regrets!'
However, before anyone could truly comprehend what Klyde had done, that was then.
Time itself began compressing and distorting – folding and turning, like sharp strings cleaving reality apart.
Images of Klyde's past, present and future soon displayed itself all at once like shards from a broken mirror.
And for a moment, in this forlorn tomb, Klyde caught a glimpse of its history.
The Ashen World reversed millions of years back, displaying an image of a world brimming with life, free of the current chaos and ruin.
And there.
Grand and majestic, a silver castle could be seen towering above the clouds.
Radiant. Blinding. Suffocating!
With all of his experience, Klyde had never felt so insignificant and miniscule.
However, before he could make sense of what was happening, his vision began fading into darkness.
And finally.
A world of black...