(Third-Person POV)
Darkness.
Cold.
Silence.
For what felt like an eternity, there was nothing but the empty abyss of unconsciousness.
Then—
A single breath.
Alistair's eyes snapped open, his pupils contracting as his senses awakened all at once.
His body felt… different.
The mana within him churned, heavier, denser than before, as if something fundamental had shifted inside him. His limbs trembled slightly as he pushed himself upright from the cot.
Something was wrong.
Or rather—something had changed.
--
A flood of memories rushed through his mind—some his, some not.
He gritted his teeth as images flashed behind his eyes.
A different world.
A life not governed by mana, constellations, or awakenings.
A place of steel towers and artificial lights.
A man—Ethan Kael.
The name sent a strange sensation rippling through him.
It was not his.
And yet, now, it was.
Ethan's emotions, his experiences, his struggles—they had become part of Alistair.
A second existence forcibly merged with his own.
He inhaled deeply, steadying himself.
He was still Alistair Vaelthorne.
And yet, he wasn't.
His thoughts felt altered, his instincts sharpened, his understanding of the world… broader.
Ethan Kael had been a warrior.
A man who had fought relentlessly in a world of enhanced beings, where science had attempted to create monsters and kings alike.
A world where strength dictated survival.
Not so different from this one.
Alistair let out a slow breath, his fingers curling into a fist.
He had not merely devoured another soul.
He had become something more.
---
The Constellations React
Far beyond the mortal plane, where the divine and abyssal forces watched the world unfold, the constellations had taken notice.
Their gazes, vast and unfathomable, had all turned toward a single point.
A place where something unnatural had occurred.
---
[The Moon Huntress Watches in Cold Silence.]
Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, once the patron of House Vaelthorne, gazed upon the heir who had rejected her.
She had foreseen his strength.
She had acknowledged his potential.
And yet, he had turned away from her light.
Now, his existence had changed even further.
Something else had taken root within him.
She did not speak.
She did not rage.
She simply watched.
But the Huntress never forgot those who had denied her.
And she never forgave.
---
[The Ever-Hungry Maw Rumbles with Amusement.]
Unlike the goddess, the abyssal entity that had claimed Alistair's soul was pleased.
It had chosen him not as a mere pawn, not as a disciple—but as a vessel of consumption.
And now, the hunger within him had deepened.
Not only had Alistair denied the gods of light—he had devoured something even greater.
Another existence.
Another life.
The Ever-Hungry Maw pulsed in satisfaction.
Its chosen vessel was evolving.
And this was only the beginning.
---
[The Silent Serpent Observes With Interest.]
A shadow among constellations slithered through the void, watching as Alistair's very essence shifted.
A soul merger was rare.
A forced fusion was even rarer.
But this?
This was unprecedented.
A mortal who had devoured another identity, yet maintained his own.
The Silent Serpent, an entity of betrayal and cunning, flicked its unseen tongue.
Perhaps this one would be worth testing.
***
Alistair ran a hand through his black hair, exhaling slowly.
His body felt stronger.
Not just in terms of mana, but in a way he couldn't quite describe.
It was as if his very core had become denser, more stable, more… refined.
His movements felt smoother, his reflexes sharper.
And more than that—his mind had changed.
Before, his thoughts had been razor-sharp, focused purely on the acquisition of power.
Now, they were even more calculated.
Ethan Kael's memories had added new layers of understanding to his already brilliant mind.
Strategies from another world.
Tactics refined through a lifetime of war.
Knowledge that should not belong in this world—but now, it was his.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the surge of mana pulsing beneath his skin.
Everything about him had shifted—but he was still himself.
Or at least… a new version of himself.
He had not been devoured.
A flicker of dark energy coiled around his fingertips—the blessing of the Ever-Hungry Maw responding to his will.
It felt… more responsive.
More alive.
He focused, summoning his nature magic, expecting the usual flow of emerald energy.
Instead, the vines that emerged were darker, their thorns sharper, pulsing with an eerie, abyssal glow.
A fusion.
Not only of souls, but of abilities.
Alistair smirked.
"Interesting."
This would take time to fully understand.
Time to refine.
But one thing was clear—he was no longer bound by mortal limits.
He had stepped beyond the natural progression of power.
And the constellations had also noticed.
***
Alistair turned toward the window once more, gazing at the city stretched before him.
His path had always been toward power.
But now, it was something more.
The gods had lost their claim on him.
The abyss had embraced him.
And with his new strength, with his new knowledge—
The world itself would have to adjust.
He was no longer just Alistair Vaelthorne.
No longer just the fallen heir.
TO BE CONTINUE....