As the final tremor subsided, Void heaved a breath. The air was heavy, but it no longer resisted him. He stood amidst the remnants of what had once been a hive of death, now reduced to silence and ash.
Void flexed his hand and looked up, reading his status screen.
-
{Legendary Guardian System}
Name: Void Blade
Level: 40 (Max Lv.) (Restricted)
Light Level: 248
Subclass: Bladedancer (Lv 2/10) (Arc Blade)| Nightstalker Shadowfiend (Lv 10/10) (Shadowshot Deadfall/Spectral Blades)
[Weapons]:
Primary: Vestian Dynasty (Sidearm)
Secondary: Grimm Citizen III (Auto Rifle)
Heavy: Zamyr's Requiem (Sword)
[Gear]:
Helmet: Skull of Bones (220 LL)
Grips: Young Ahamkara Spine (214 LL)
Chest: Vest of the Great Hunt (220 LL)
Strides: Boots of Eao (224 LL)
Class Item: Cloak of the Great Hunt (230 LL)
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Combat Perks: (10 Unlocked)
~Spectral Mastery: During combat, move with a flurry of dashes, your figure flickers, confusing your enemies.
~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight.
~Sixth Sense: As a hunter, you're able to sense danger a fraction of a second before it occurs.
~ Dagger mastery: As a skilled blade master you're able to masterfully wield daggers whether it is in long or short range encounters.
~Void Imbalance: Grenades are likely to explode immediately when shot with void weapons or void energy.
~Acrobats Dodge: Masterfully dodge your opponents, successful attack dodges allow instant counters and parries.
~Advanced Agility: You move fast guardian!
~Triple Jump: Jump twice in the air using an intermediate mastery of light.
~Gilded Blade: Your melee attacks have a chance to trigger void singe on champion enemies
~Void Sense: Your glare pierces through the enemies, revealing their weaknesses, highlighting critical spots.
[Passive Perks]: (4 unlocked)
~Times Tempo
Remarks: Just when it matters most, time's tempo randomly matches your own.
~ Crafting Lv. 5/10
Remarks: Mediocre, but at least something.
~ True Sight Lv. Max
Remarks: Perceive the world for what it is, perception is immune to mental and psychological attacks. Your gaze pierces through the unknown.
~Light Mastery Lv 2/10
Remarks: Master yourself, master the enemy. For now, thy meagre mastery is not worth mentioning.
-
'Light mastery finally went up.' Void smiled, and a sudden jolt ran through his hand.
[Your Light Mastery has increased!]
[The lightning responds to your stronger mastery!]
[Blade dancer Lv2 --> Lv3]
Arcs of lightning sparked across his fingers, dancing with fluid grace. Void stared at his hand, slightly surprised.
[Melee Ability: Thundering Strike unlocked!]
He raised his palm and flicked his fingers outward—six bolts of pure electricity lanced out from his hand and struck a far-off wall, searing molten cracks across its surface.
"That's new." Void smiled.
A deep pulse from Zamyr resonated through him, something between satisfaction and hunger sated—for now. With each soul taken, the blade grew, not just in power but in awareness. Its presence was more palpable, and oddly calmer, as if the souls had momentarily appeased its endless appetite.
~We shouldn't linger too long. I've hidden the traces of battle. But Omnigul is still vigilant~
"Got it, where are we going next?" Void sheathed the sword. Lightning still flickered faintly along his forearm, reluctant to fade entirely.
Obsidian flittered beside him as he continued to analyze the internal structure of the Catacombs, "These catacombs really are fascinating. Half of this stuff is older than the golden age itself. To think the Hive where here for so long. But stayed dormant."
"Not that surprised, all they do is sleep underground till its time to show up." Void shrugged, looking around for a way forwards, "Any of these halls lead anywhere?"
"Hmm, looks like this place was constructure like an inverted spire. The deeper we go, the more places to explore. " Obsidian's eye pulsed as he analyzed the construction again, this time mapping out the possible exits.
"There is a place to go. But, looks like its sealed up." Obsidian floated towards a wall nestled between the pillars of stone, "Strange, there is an empty space behind this, but the walls been reconstructed."
Void walked over and brushed his hand against the wall, "Seems a bit sturdy. You sure there's something back here?"
"Positive, echo-location reveals that there's a maze of chambers further down. It seems to be a large area." Obsidian nodded.
"Alright then." Void balled his fist and prepared to swing as lightning wrapped around his hand, "Are we free to make some noise?"
~I'll take care of it~ Zamyr replied.
-
[Core, Hellmouth]
Situated at the core of the necropolis, beneath the inverted cathedral carved of onyx bone, was a chamber even light dared not reach, a chamber where the dark itself seemed to reel in fright.
Cracked rock glowed faintly with unholy green light. Black rot dripped from the ceiling in slow, viscous strands, collecting in pools that shimmered with whispers. Floating at the center, pulsing with a low, eternal heartbeat, was a massive crystal sarcophagus.
Inside it, was a small shimmering light. A soul. Or rather, a wisp of it, one that connected the ascendant plan to the mortal realm.
Eerie shadows seemed to gather around the crystal, as if nurturing it from the dark. Naturally, the soul inside the crystal was Crota.
The Prince of Ruin had entered a slumber and gone back to his throne world in order to recover. The war had taken a toll on him. Though he hadn't planned on acting himself, his extended use of his powers, coupled with the loss of tithes to the deathsong was a devastating blow.
The Hive gathered strength through sword logic, and tithes. Without souls to claim, the prince of ruin had exhausted his mortal might.
Within the crystal, his towering form lay dormant, arms crossed over his chest. A faint rhythm beat from within him—slow, but unmistakable. The heartbeat of a prince not yet dead. Not yet awake.
And beside him…
She stood.
Omnigul.
The Ascendant Witch. Consort to Crota, disciple of the Worldbreaker, harbinger of screams.
Her ethereal shroud drifted unnaturally around her, carrying whispers of her king from the ascendant plane that twisted even the stillness of the air. Crota's voice echoed in her ears, and she obeyed.
She circled the crystal like a vulture watching over its sacred carrion. Her clawed hands hovered over the surface, drawing sigils in the air with gestures older than memory.
Green flames followed her fingers, drawn to the crystal as she carefully renewed warding spells and protective incantations.
Her voice, when it came, was like a blade dragging across stone.
"Nothing will touch you, my prince. The veil will hold. The light shall not reach you."
Her words were not worship, nor were they commands. They were oaths. Binding and unshakable. There was no room for doubt in her ritual. For her, Crota was everything. For her, he would one day be king.
She could afford no mistakes in caring for the prince.
And yet—something stirred.
There was a flutter in her perception.
Something unseen… brushing against her awareness. Her body froze mid-motion.
Her head snapped toward the high archway at the far end of the chamber. Her eyes gleamed with wicked magic as her gaze pierced through space and searched the dark. Nothing could block her perception. Without a doubt, the entire lunar surface answered to her magic.
Yet she saw nothing. She could see no intruders, she could hear no footsteps. But why did her instincts deny it? Why was her magic telling her otherwise? Omnigul continued weaving spells as she caressed the crystal.
Still, her fingers tensed. The ritual paused.
Something was wrong.
Not near—no, not here. Somewhere else. There was a disruption. It was unmistakable, she was sure of it.
As for what it was? She didn't know. It was almost as if an invisible hand had twisted the flow of fate, clouding what should have been seen. Her mind reached through the Ascendant tether, attempting to discern the source.
But it was like staring at a hole cut into reality.
'It hides…The world hides it.' The thought echoed endlessly in her mind.
She didn't understand. No, she couldn't understand. It, was beyond her.
Not because it was strong. Not because it was distant. But because it was something else. Something beyond perception, beyond understanding, beyond reality. As if the entire world sought nothing but to scheme against her.
A spark of fury ignited in her chest. But she quelled it just as fast. But then an eerie voice boomed in her mind, she stumbled.
'My prince.'
Not now.
No.
It was not her concern.
She turned back to the crystal, resuming her motion, letting the sensation fade.
Her focus was absolute. Whatever strange existence wandered the lunar surface above was not worth diverting her wrath.
Not when Crota slept so close to awakening. Not when his return would rend the Light from the world in waves of ruin and fire. She would not fail him.
She could not.
And so Omnigul watched.
And the heartbeat continued.
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