The journey was long.
Ashen and Ravel traveled through desolate lands, the remnants of once-thriving villages now reduced to broken bones of stone and splintered wood. The air grew heavier as they moved, thick with the scent of rot and decay. Even the sky above seemed to darken more as they ventured deeper into the cursed lands — the Decay Zone, as Ravel had called it.
Ashen was quiet, his thoughts tangled in confusion. He still didn't fully understand who he was or what he had become. The fire within him — the power of the Forgotten Flame — felt like a curse more than a gift, constantly gnawing at his chest, begging to be unleashed.
"You've been quiet," Ravel said, his voice soft but clear. "Not the usual response I get when someone's offered a second chance."
Ashen glanced at the man, his face shadowed by the hood. "Second chance?"
Ravel smiled faintly. "You survived your first test. Barely. Not many make it past that Hollow Beast. But it's only the beginning, Ashen. Only the beginning."
Ashen's fists tightened around the dagger at his side. "What do you want with me?"
Ravel didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked up at the horizon, where the sun had long since set, leaving the world bathed in an eerie twilight. "The world is dying," he said quietly. "It's been dying for centuries. The last Ascendant is a relic of a past age — an age that no one remembers, not even the gods. The Decay was born from the forgotten wars of the immortals. Now, it's slowly consuming everything. All that's left are scattered ruins and dying kingdoms."
Ashen's heart skipped a beat. "The gods? You're saying the world used to be… different?"
Ravel nodded. "Much different. But the gods waged war on one another, each seeking dominion over this world. And when the dust settled, the mortals were left to pick up the pieces. The Ascendants were created to fight for the gods, but they were abandoned when the gods fell silent."
Ashen stopped walking, his breath catching in his throat. "You… you mean there's more of me? More Ascendants?"
Ravel turned slowly, his silver eyes reflecting the fading light. "Yes. But you are the last one. The last chance for the world to heal. But the Decay will not let you live easily. It wants you dead, Ashen. And not just you. Anyone who holds the power of the Ascendant."
Ashen swallowed hard. His mind spun, trying to process what he was hearing. A relic of the past. The last of his kind. A target for forces beyond his understanding.
"I don't want to fight," he muttered, more to himself than Ravel. "I just want to find out who I am."
Ravel's eyes softened. "And that's why you're still alive. You don't fight for glory or power. You fight because you have nothing left to lose. That's what makes you dangerous."
Before Ashen could respond, the ground beneath their feet trembled. A low, rumbling growl echoed through the air.
> "Something's coming," the ring warned. "Something big."
Ashen's hand flew to the hilt of his dagger. His heart raced as the earth cracked, splitting open like a wound.
From the fissures in the ground, a massive creature emerged.
It was a serpent — but not any serpent Ashen had ever seen. Its body was a mass of rotting flesh and bone, its scales slick with dark, poisonous fluid. Its eyes glowed like dying embers, and its mouth was filled with rows of jagged teeth that dripped with venom.
> "A Decayborn," the ring whispered in disgust. "A creature born of death and corruption. It has no mind, no soul. It only exists to destroy."
The serpent hissed, its tongue flicking out like a snake's, tasting the air. It turned toward Ashen and Ravel, its mouth opening wide.
"Get ready," Ravel said quietly, drawing the strange sword from his side. "This will be your real test."
Ashen's hands trembled as the fire within him stirred once more. His heart raced as the creature's glowing eyes locked onto him. There was no escape. No hiding.
He had to fight.
He raised his hand, the fire flickering across his fingers. [Ember Grasp – Lv. 1] activated automatically.
The serpent lunged.
Ashen didn't hesitate.
He darted forward, his body moving almost instinctively. The fire surged within him, coursing through his veins like liquid heat. He lashed out with a punch, sending a wave of flame toward the serpent's face. It screeched, recoiling from the attack, but it didn't stop. It was relentless.
Ravel moved in a blur, his sword flashing like lightning as he struck the creature's thick hide. The serpent hissed in pain but quickly recovered, snapping its jaws at the man.
Ashen dove to the side, rolling across the ground and coming up in a crouch. He could feel the heat rising within him, growing stronger with each passing second. His body was burning, aching with the effort, but it was a good burn. A necessary burn.
The serpent lunged again.
This time, Ashen wasn't fast enough.
One of the serpent's massive coils slammed into his chest, sending him flying backward. Pain exploded through his ribs. He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth as the world spun around him.
> "You cannot die yet," the ring hissed. "Not like this."
The fire flared once more — hotter, fiercer than before.
Ashen screamed, the flame surging to life with a vengeance.
[Skill Activated: Ember Torrent – Lv. 1]
Unleashes a concentrated blast of fire, overwhelming enemies with intense heat. Deals massive damage at the cost of physical exhaustion.
Ashen thrust his hand forward.
A torrent of flames shot from his palm, engulfing the serpent's body in a violent explosion. The creature writhed and screamed, its flesh sizzling and cracking under the onslaught.
Finally, it collapsed, its body charred and lifeless.
Ashen stood, chest heaving, his body covered in sweat and soot. His legs buckled, but he caught himself before he fell.
Ravel wiped the blood from his sword and sheathed it. "Well done. Not bad for your first real battle."
Ashen didn't respond. He was still too focused on the fire within him — the power that was both a blessing and a curse.
> "The first of many tests," the ring murmured. "You will not survive them all unless you learn to master this flame."
Ashen turned his eyes to the horizon.
The Decay was not finished.
It was only beginning.
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