Shawn's breath was heavy as he stood frozen, his eyes locked onto the massive beast before him. The sheer weight of the creature's aura bore down on him like a mountain, threatening to crush his very existence. His limbs refused to move, his body trembling under the overwhelming pressure. Just when he thought his bones would crack, the air around him shifted. The suffocating force vanished, leaving him gasping for breath.
His heart pounded as he watched the impossible unfold. The beast, a monstrous entity covered in thick obsidian scales with glowing golden eyes, began to change. Its form twisted and contorted, shrinking and morphing until it stood on two legs. Before Shawn now stood a man, aged yet powerful, with silver hair streaked with black, his golden eyes retaining the beast's piercing gaze. He wore a simple dark robe, yet his presence alone exuded an authority that made Shawn feel like an insect in his presence.
Shawn clenched his fists, forcing himself to stand straight, though his instincts screamed at him to bow or flee. But he knew—if this being wanted him dead, he would already be nothing more than a smear on the cavern floor.
The man's gaze bore into him as if peering directly into his soul. Silence stretched between them, thick with an unspoken tension. Then, finally, the man spoke, his voice deep and controlled.
"You are an interesting one."
Shawn swallowed hard. His throat felt dry, his mind racing to form a coherent response. "I… I didn't come here by choice. The mountain swallowed me, and then… this." He lifted his arm, the mark on his skin glowing faintly. "It's been pulling me forward, guiding me."
The beast-turned-man narrowed his eyes, but his face betrayed nothing. A flicker of something—recognition?—flashed across his features, but it was gone just as quickly. He stepped closer, and Shawn had to fight the urge to step back.
"Fascinating," the man murmured, though more to himself than to Shawn. He studied the mark for a few moments before stepping back. "I have no interest in human inheritances," he stated. "You may proceed."
Shawn barely had time to process the words before, in the blink of an eye, the man vanished. No sound, no movement—just gone. One moment he was there, the next, only empty space remained.
A shudder ran down Shawn's spine. "That was… terrifying," he muttered, exhaling deeply.
"You are lucky he let you live," Elaris said, her voice filled with uncharacteristic seriousness. "That was no ordinary beast. That was an Ascendant, an existence beyond what you can comprehend right now."
Shawn exhaled, shaking his head. "I figured as much. The power radiating from him was unreal. I doubt even the Captain could stand against him." He clenched his fist, determination burning in his eyes. "One day, I'll reach that level. No… I'll surpass it."
Elaris chuckled. "Ambitious. But I like that about you."
As their conversation continued, Shawn suddenly stumbled, a sharp pulse of energy flaring from his arm. He gritted his teeth, gripping the glowing mark as pain radiated through his entire body.
"The pull… it's stopping," he said through clenched teeth.
Before him, the path came to an abrupt end—a towering stone wall, ancient and weathered, standing ominously in the dim cavern light. Shawn frowned, running his fingers along its rough surface. The mark on his arm pulsed again, stronger this time, sending vibrations through the air.
"What now?" Shawn muttered, narrowing his eyes at the seemingly ordinary wall.
He stepped back, heart pounding with anticipation. Something was hidden here. And he was about to uncover it.
"Now where is the pathway? All we have is a dead end and nothing else. And if a beast decides to attack, we have nowhere to run," Shawn grumbled, crossing his arms as he scanned the solid rock face before them.
"Always with your grumbling. For once, you need to be happy. When did you last laugh? All you think about is power. Do you even have a life?" Elaris scoffed, leaning against the wall with a smirk. "As I recall, Fate told you to be interesting. And if I were her, I'd be bored with you."
"That is why you are not her." Shawn shot her a glare before exhaling sharply. "And I do have a life. If I had none, it would mean I'm dead. So quit bothering me and focus on getting us out of this place." Annoyed, he slapped the wall, trying to cool his nerves.
At that moment, the ground rumbled violently. Dust and loose stones rained down from above as a powerful quake shook the mountain. Shawn instinctively braced himself, pressing against the very wall he had just struck. But to his surprise, rather than providing stability, the wall betrayed him—it cracked and tore apart, as if some immense force on the other side was fighting to break free.
"Now look at what you've done!" Elaris shouted over the chaos, gripping a nearby rock to steady herself. "Your impatience is going to bury us alive! I do not want to die yet!"
As the wall split open, a pathway emerged from within the stone. An eerie light seeped through the newly formed passage, casting long shadows across the cavern floor.
"Look," Shawn said, his lips curling into a half-smile. "I guess a little bit of anger can actually get you what you want."
Before either of them could step forward, an unexpected disturbance rippled through the air. A jagged tear formed in the very fabric of space, crackling with an unnatural force. Shawn's rune throbbed violently, its glow intensifying. Then, without warning, he was yanked forward by an invisible force. The tear consumed him whole, closing instantly behind him as if it had never existed.
Elaris reached out, but it was too late. The spatial disturbance vanished, and the cavern returned to stillness.
***
Elsewhere, a pair of glowing eyes observed the event from the void. A deep, ancient voice echoed within the darkness.
"Interesting… so humans have evolved. But still, they are nothing compared to the past. Weak. Fragile." The presence rumbled before fading into silence once more.
***
Meanwhile, Shawn found himself tumbling through the void. His vision swirled, nausea creeping into his stomach. He was getting tired of this—being thrown around by forces beyond his control, sent to unknown places like a leaf caught in a storm. But who was he to complain? The weak had no voice in this world. Weakness was akin to sin.
So he shut his eyes and let himself fall.
The moment he did, his body landed abruptly on solid ground.
Shawn stumbled forward, regaining his balance. The air here was thick with age, carrying the scent of dust and decay. The room before him was vast, an ancient hall adorned with intricate carvings on its towering stone pillars. Time had long since claimed this place, but there was something eerily untouched about it—like a forgotten relic waiting for its next visitor.
His rune pulsed again, sending a sharp pain coursing through his arm.
"AAAGH!" Shawn clenched his teeth, gripping his wrist. "Damn it, why does this thing keep burning me?! I swear, if I could get rid of it, I would. Elaris, do you have any clue how to remove this cursed mark?"
Silence.
For the first time, Elaris had no remark, no sarcastic quip, no answer. Shawn exhaled in frustration. He would just have to endure it.
Following the rune's pull, he advanced deeper into the hall. Each step echoed in the hollow silence. Then, before him, stood a massive wooden door adorned with intricate inscriptions. Symbols unfamiliar yet strangely compelling etched themselves into its surface. Without hesitation, Shawn reached out.
The moment his fingers brushed against the carvings, the door groaned to life. Ancient mechanisms shifted, gears unseen clanking into motion. The heavy doors creaked open, revealing a dimly lit chamber beyond.
A voice drifted from the shadows—calm, steady, yet devoid of warmth.
"Congratulations, esteemed guest, for reaching this place. I am but a remnant of my former self. If you stand before me, it means you have been deemed worthy to enter."
From the darkness, a wisp of ethereal energy coalesced, forming the outline of a humanoid figure draped in white. Its face remained obscured, a faceless entity suspended in an unnatural stillness.
"I know you have questions," the entity continued, its voice neither loud nor soft, yet somehow absolute. "Where you are. Why you are here. Who I am. But first, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jarvine, at your service."
Shawn felt an inexplicable weight settle on his chest. Though Jarvine did not exude any pressure, its mere presence was overwhelming. He swallowed, keeping his posture firm.
"If this is just a remnant," Shawn muttered to himself, "then how powerful was the original?"
A shiver ran down his spine.