December 10th, Year 154 of the Nightmare Calendar
Silas lay on his bed, staring at the dim ceiling as the strands of violet light from his window twisted like cold smoke. His mind was stuck on what had happened three days ago — the moment when the seed inside him had awakened, a seed no one could identify.
> "An unknown seed... connected to feelings of despair?"
He muttered to himself, exhaling slowly.
"That's going to be troublesome... especially with unwanted attention from guilds or spiritual overseers."
He closed his eyes, trying to recall what he had felt the moment the seed awoke. Pain, cold, and emptiness had merged inside him as if they were a single body.
Then suddenly, the seed breathed — literally — releasing a cold black aura around him, thick as fog, twisting and writhing like a living creature searching for something unseen.
---
He remembered that moment clearly.
Everyone around him had felt suffocated, while the aura absorbed the strong emotions nearby — fear, anger, sorrow… all that human energy turned to gray ash, gathered on his skin, seeped into his veins, and filled him with a strange new power.
Then a spiritual description appeared in his mind:
> [Ability: Breath of the Void]
Absorbs surrounding negative emotions and transforms them into gray energy that temporarily strengthens the body.
Side effect: Gradual loss of sensitivity to pain and fear.
---
Silas sat up, running his fingers nervously through his black hair.
> "So that's my first ability... just a physical enhancement based on negative emotions?"
He stared at his hand.
"But is this enhancement permanent... or temporary?"
He stood before the mirror, gazing into his eyes — now faintly gray around the pupils. Tiny dark circles flickered occasionally when he thought of pain.
> "To trigger this ability... I need an environment soaked in negative emotions. That means…"
He took a deep breath and listed in his mind:
> "The slums... prisons... hospitals... or a small Nightmare Nest."
He smirked bitterly.
> "So only places of misery can make me stronger... how ironic."
---
He began pacing across the room, reviewing his current situation.
Since the Invasion, the world had only a hundred human cities left, each ranked by its power and influence.
His city, Obsidia, ranked twenty-seventh — a metallic city shrouded in fog and shadow.
Its lord, Kaelan Voss, was one of the top ten Archons in the Inner Core stage — even nightmares were said to fear him.
---
> "If I want to survive here, I'll have to move carefully."
He closed the floating data screen in front of him and reviewed the three options he had prepared:
1. Join the Inner Guard — a stable job with decent pay, but offering neither freedom nor real power.
2. Work with the Shadow Unit — a semi-official organization specializing in intelligence, assassinations, and hunting Nightmare worshippers. Dangerous, but the fastest route to power.
3. Establish an independent guild — a true gamble, collecting and selling Nightmare Cores to soul merchants. High risk, but highly profitable.
He thought for a moment, then murmured softly:
> "The third option... suits me best. Especially since Nightmare Cores are concentrated negative emotion... I can feed on them directly."
---
His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar sound: the ringing of a phone.
He sighed, picked it up from the table, and answered without enthusiasm.
> "Silas! Where have you been since your seed awakened?! We're throwing a small party to celebrate! I'm coming to your place in five minutes — Lyna, Arthur, and Nyra are coming too!"
Adam's voice, as energetic as always, filled his ear.
Silas raised an eyebrow, unamused.
> "A party? Really? And who said you could host one in my house?
Also, you know I don't let girls in here."
Adam laughed on the other end.
> "Details, details! Everyone'll be there in ten minutes!"
Then he hung up before Silas could respond.
---
About ten minutes later, Silas and Adam were sitting in the living room. The air was calm, carrying a faint scent of alcohol.
The doorbell rang. Silas muttered under his breath as he got up,
> "I wish they hadn't come…"
He opened the door to see three familiar faces.
At the front stood Arthur Knox — a young man with dark green hair and bright emerald eyes that sparkled with life.
Behind him was Lyna Vale, a short blonde girl with gentle blue eyes overflowing with warmth.
The third was Nyra Solen — a tall, fair-skinned girl with blood-red hair and a captivating, commanding presence.
Arthur grinned.
> "Hey, Silas! Congratulations on your awakening. Finally joined the living!"
Lyna smiled warmly.
> "We always knew you'd succeed one day, even if it took longer than expected."
Nyra lowered her gaze slightly, speaking shyly.
> "Hello, Silas… congratulations. I knew you'd awaken eventually."
Silas smiled faintly, hiding his annoyance behind calm features.
> "Come in. Sit wherever you like."
Adam waved cheerfully.
> "Welcome, everyone! Make yourselves at home!"
Silas muttered under his breath:
> "I'm going to kill you one day, Adam. I swear it."
---
They all sat in the softly lit living room, cups and sweets on the table — courtesy of Adam.
The atmosphere slowly relaxed until Silas felt he could breathe again.
Adam smirked.
> "Seriously, Silas, I don't get how you live alone like this. Even after everything we've been through, you still act like some old monk."
Silas took a sip of his coffee.
> "At least I don't waste time on meaningless parties."
Lyna quickly cut in, trying to defuse the tension.
> "Enough. We're here to celebrate, not argue. Tell us, Silas — what's your ability?"
He paused for a moment before replying calmly:
> "It's called Breath of the Void. It absorbs negative emotions around me and turns them into gray energy that strengthens my body.
The side effect — I gradually lose my sense of pain and fear."
A brief silence fell. Then Arthur smiled lightly.
> "A physical enhancement, huh? Fits you perfectly. You're already the best among us at close combat and endurance."
Adam laughed.
> "Hey, at least it's not as lame as my first ability — Hope Spark!
I release a spiritual flash that calms the people around me, dispelling fear and confusion.
It slightly improves allies' focus…
But the side effect? It drains all my positive emotions for a while, leaving me emotionally empty!"
Lyna frowned slightly.
> "That's a strong but dangerous ability. Losing your fear could make you reckless, Silas."
> "I know," Silas said quietly. "But nothing grants power for free, right?"
---
Arthur took a sip from his drink.
> "Speaking of abilities, it's been three years since we first awakened. Let's recap how far we've come.
Lyna, you were the first to reach Soul Bloom, right?"
Lyna nodded modestly.
> "Yes. My ability is Soul Lullaby.
It emits a faint sound frequency that confuses enemies or lulls them into a brief dream.
It directly affects emotions, making others feel comfort... or remorse.
The danger is that if I lose control, I might drown in my target's emotions and live their illusions."
Adam grinned proudly.
> "As for me, I reached Soul Bloom last month! My third ability is Radiant Pulse.
It's a mid-range attack that releases a wave of light from my chest, pushing enemies back and purifying minor nightmare energy.
It can even trigger light self-healing.
But the hidden cost... each time I use it, I lose part of a happy memory."
Arthur chuckled.
> "Typical of you, Adam — a suicidal ability."
He then raised his hand.
> "Mine's Gaze of the Abyss.
I use shadows as extra 'eyes,' seeing within thirty meters.
I can even 'manifest' briefly from one shadow to another — moving through the dark void itself.
But sometimes... my shadow starts speaking to me, with my own voice — colder."
Nyra spoke softly:
> "My ability is Soulfire.
My flame is directly linked to my soul, allowing me to heal others by touch.
I can also burn dark energies or nightmares within them.
But when I'm furious, my eyes turn golden, and my fire grows stronger... yet I lose control bit by bit."
Silas looked at them silently, then said:
> "Each of you wields a powerful offensive or defensive ability... while mine just turns emotions into energy."
Nyra's voice was quiet but firm.
> "Power isn't measured by the type of ability, Silas... but by who can control it.
I've heard that those who lose their fear become unstoppable enemies."
Silas paused at her words, then nodded faintly.
> "Maybe... but the price is steep."
---
Minutes passed as they talked about old memories — their first encounters with nightmares, and the fragile world left after the Invasion.
But deep inside Silas, the seed pulsed slowly, like a second heart waiting to feed on despair.
When everyone finally left late at night, Silas stood by the window, gazing at the glowing lights of Obsidia City glittering in the dark.
The sky was always covered with gray mist, the air thick with the scent of metal.
> "The City of Shadows... rank twenty-seven... where humans and ghosts coexist."
He closed his eyes, feeling the black aura slowly rise from his body.
He smiled faintly to himself.
> "Well then... looks like I've found the perfect place to grow stronger."