The obsidian chamber was alive with noise now—footsteps, whispers, and the low hum of power that leaked from a hundred Awakeners testing each other's patience. Banners swayed high above—Dragon, God, Abyssal—the silent promise of blood and ambition to come.
Kairis stood at the center, shoulders loose, hood thrown back. He didn't need to announce himself. The Void's shadow curled faintly at his heels, speaking louder than words.
But across the room, other figures stood out—men and women who carried themselves like wolves among hounds. They weren't apostles, not chosen directly by gods, but their strength pressed against the air like stormfronts.
The first to catch his eye was a towering man with a scar across his nose, his aura boiling hot enough to warp the air. A dragon insignia burned faintly at his chest. His eyes met Kairis's, a grin pulling at his lips.
"Never seen you before," he rumbled, voice carrying without effort. "You smell like fresh blood. I'll enjoy putting you in the dirt."
Behind him stood a smaller figure—lean, fox-eyed, dressed in layered silks with daggers strapped to every inch of his body. His smile was too easy, too sharp. He didn't speak, but the way his gaze slid over Kairis was colder than any insult.
Further still, a woman leaned lazily against a pillar. She wore bone-white armor that looked stolen from a cathedral crypt, and a long spear rested in her hand. Her beauty was severe, cruel even, but the moment Kairis glanced her way, she turned her head as if he wasn't worth looking at.
Badass, every one of them. The kind of enemies that made victory meaningful.
Kairis rolled his shoulders, letting a smirk tug at his mouth. "At least they won't bore me," he murmured.
System Update (Unseen)
Synchronizing…
Title recognized: Apostle of Void.
New interface unlocked.
A veil of information unfolded in the void of his soul, hidden even from his awareness at first. Panels he had never seen before flickered into existence.
Status: HP / MP / STR / DEX / AGI / INT / DIVINITY / AUTHORITY
Titles: Apostle of Void, Survivor of Endless Hunger
Abilities: Gravity Dominion (Original Affinity), Dark Matter Assimilation (Apostolic Gift)
Passives: Void's Endurance (damage reduction), Hunger's Echo (chance to convert damage into growth)
Active: Graviton Collapse, Abyss Step
Store: [Locked until recognition]
Roulette / Gacha: 1 free draw per day.
Unbeknownst to him, the wheel of chaos turned for the first time. A slot machine of stars and darkness spun somewhere deep inside his interface.
Result: [Fragment of Forgotten Authority: ???]
The fragment fell into his inventory like a whisper waiting to be claimed.
---
The hall darkened. A gong thundered, shaking the bones of every man and woman present. The Gathering had officially begun.
A voice rang out—measured, commanding.
"Awakeners of Aetherys. Tonight, you are tested not by the people you once were, but by the gods, abysses, and powers you now serve. Rank is not given. It is taken. Dragon. God. Abyssal. Choose your fate."
The scarred man barked a laugh, stepping forward. "Good. I was starting to itch."
The fox-eyed killer cracked his knuckles. The woman in bone armor finally lifted her gaze, icy and sharp. All around, Awakeners shifted, hungry for the chance to climb.
Kairis, though, stayed utterly still. His smirk hadn't moved. Gravity curled faintly around him, unseen but heavy enough that those nearest to him shuffled back without realizing why.
"Let's get this over with," he muttered, voice low but filled with a confidence that carried across the chamber. "I didn't come here to play nice."
The Void stirred within him, pleased.