"Then… what is that egg, brother?"
Aether blinked. "What egg?"
Lyra pointed to the corner of the room.
There, resting on a golden cloth, was a huge crystal-like egg. It shimmered with a faint light and had strange patterns glowing on its surface.
As soon as Aether looked at the egg a system window poped up.
Ding'
[Offspring of Julius von Legolant]
'This'
Upon reading the words displayed on the system window, Aether's heart began to shake violently.
'this can't be...how...'
Aether's eyes brimmed with tears.
In his previous life, there had been no such mysterious egg or orb.
So why… why is there one now? And why it holds my big brother's child....
[Inject Abyssal energy to break the seal]
Abyssal energy
That was the energy of the black hole. something Aether had absorbed in his past life as Naoki. In this life, that energy had awakened, and his mana was being consumed by the Abyssal energy.
Now, in his abdomen, a black swirl of energy was spinning like a void.
So, I need to inject it with Abyssal energy… Will my brother's child be unsealed then? But why would he seal his own child?
What was the reason for giving his child to me?
Aether's mind kept spinning with questions. What was his brother's reason? What was his true purpose?
Just then,
Pat
Aether's mother placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong Aether?"
To her question, Aether shook his head.
"It's nothing. I'm just tired. Can i be alone for a while?"
Hearing his words everyone left the room looking worried.
After everyone left, he got out of bed and went to the corner of his room where the egg was.
' Let's inject it first '
Ding'
[ Place your palm at the centre to break the seal]
Aether looked at the mysterious egg with a serious gaze. At first glance, it looked like an egg, but on closer look, it felt more like an orb.
Even the system said to break the seal, not hatch it.
'Yes, yes… it has to be an orb. Why would my brother have an egg as a child? It's not like he would marry an animal.'
Anyway, My brother trusted me with his child. So, I'll protect this with my life.
Following the instruction, he placed his palm on the egg. Suddenly, he felt a strong pull. The Abyssal energy in his body was being sucked out.
"Ekkk" Aether's vision started to blur, and blood came from his eyes and mouth.
After half an hour later ,
Black fog surrounded him and flowed into his right hand, the hand he had placed on the egg.
"Ekkkh… how long will this take?" He was at his limit, feeling every single drop of mana being sucked out.
Just then.....Swoooosh!
The mana stopped being absorbed
'Did the mana injection succeed?'
[ Due to the user's lack of mana. The injection stopped halfway ]
"Damnit…" Aether felt disappointed. He was drained completely, yet the process was only halfway done.
"Anyway I'm tired. Let's try again another time." He fell back onto the floor, completely exhausted.
* * *
Outside the Chasm: Graveyard of Madness, near the northern border of the Empire, a dark ritual was taking place.
A circle of hooded people knelt among broken ruins, their faces hidden by shadows. A low, creepy chant echoed through the cold wind.
In front of them was a magic circle, with human skulls placed at its corners. In the middle, a human sacrifice was burning in black flames.
Creept
One of the hooded figures smiled. He pushed his long hair back and whispered, his voice cutting through the chanting:
"Xel'nor akai Vru'um tahn…
Kael'dros nih varun'el…
Shaal'thek uven drakh'maar…
Zun'tar Asylum... vek'rath tul'nar!"
The fire pulsed violently.
Then, people in black hoodies carried an old coffin to the center of the ritual.
The coffin was wrapped in chains and covered with talismans. They placed it beneath the burning human sacrifice.
"Varun'lahaal'thek uven drakh…"
As the chanting deepened, the chains rattled.
"Shaal'thek"
With a loud crack, the skulls at the corners and the burning human sacrifice turned to ashes.
The ashes floated toward the coffin. As soon as they touched the chains, the metal began to melt.
Then with a heavy thud, the coffin's lid flew open.
A foul stench rushed out. It was so rotten that some of the hooded people started to vomit.
Then… something inside moved.
With a sound like bones grinding together, a figure slowly rose from the coffin.
It was massive, twisted, and grotesque.
Its skin looked like stone covered in ash, and its breath came out as a low, rumbling growl.
Two dead eyes opened, glowing faintly in the dark.
Then it laughed
"Grrrhehh… heh… HEHEHEHEHHH!"
The laugh made the air turn cold.
A man stepped forward from the circle, his eyes wild with madness. He raised his hands and shouted:
"The doom of the Noctvain family… has awakened!"
Around him, the other hooded people began to whisper together:
"Gorvul….Gorvul….Gorvul….Gorvul…"
This mysterious being was a Soulborne, a creature that lives in the Chasm: Graveyard of Madness.
During the Age of Cataclysm, many Soulborne brought destruction to the Empire. In the end, the gate to the Chasm was sealed.
The Soulborne known as Gorvul, the one the hooded people had just awakened, was once defeated during that dark age.
Now, after using thousands of sacrifices, the hooded people had finally brought it back to life and was aiming for Noctvain family
* * *
Aether was sweating in front of the Patriarch's office. Not long ago, the Patriarch had sent a messenger asking Aether to come see him.
But Aether felt nervous. Not because he was scared, but because he was emotional.
"May I come in, Father?" Aether asked.
"Yes, come in, my son," his father's voice came from inside.
As soon as Aether opened the door, a heavy pressure hit him. His body felt weighed down, and his breathing grew ragged.
As his breathing steadied, Aether saw a beautiful scene flowers, birds, and rabbits all around in nature. The field stretched as far as the eye could see.
The Patriarch's room had special magic that created this scene.
From a small gazebo on the cliff, his father spoke
"Come here, Aether."