[A/N: Chapter contains descriptions of violence that may be triggering to some readers.]
…
He leaned closer, his cold eyes reflecting no emotion. “So now you can rest easy knowing you will have him to keep you company as I send you off together.”
Kai’s sinister smile never left his face as he raised his hands, summoning two massive rifts in the air above them. From these rifts, enormous black hands began to emerge, each covered with jagged claws and pulsating with dark energy.
“Time to end this,” Kai said, his voice calm and almost bored, the massive hands balled into fists, ready to leave them in a bloody mess he would use to paint the walls.
May’s vision blurred, and she knew her end was near. As the massive hands reached out, her life began to flash before her eyes.
May’s flashback begins with her happy childhood, running through sunlit meadows and feeling her parents’ love. She recalled her time at the academy, where her talent was deemed useless, leading to bullying and her eventual failure.
Her parents’ disappointment led to constant arguments and a painful divorce. Soon after, their suicides, leaving her alone and in financial ruin.
And now when she tried to reach out to her dear boyfriend hoping things would get better this time, now this, she couldn’t help but wonder.
‘What exactly did I do to deserve this?’
‘I don’t understand… did I offend any sort of absolute being… or a god?’
‘Ah… a god, if there is one out there, please, give me an explanation.’
She managed to lift up her hand, as if trying to reach out to something.
As just then she watched the massive fists crash down on her, the alleyway suddenly filled with blood splatters and the sounds of bones crushing under force.
“It’s perfect…”
Kai said with a grin, folding his arms as he gazed at the alley walls that now had a large message written on them. Behind him lay the mashed-up bodies of Nathan and May.
He had mutilated their bodies so badly they were now unrecognizable, all for the sake of completing the quest. Using those massive hands from the rifts, he had written the message in their blood.
Kai’s satisfaction was short-lived as his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, a holographic screen displayed, noting the caller ID: Liang.
His older brother was not someone he could afford to ignore, even if he hated him. Kai’s expression turned serious as he answered the call.
“Kai, where are you?” Liang’s voice was sharp, filled with impatience.
“You’re late for the strategy meeting.”
“Are you really going to act immature? All because you made grandfather have me allow you
to join the guild so you can participate in the event all for your petty revenge?”
Kai let out a sigh, taking a look at the bloody scene he had orchestrated, a moment of
irritation flashing across his face due to his brother’s tone.
“I’m wrapping up some business,” he replied, slowly stepping away from the bloodstained alley walls.
“You know how important this meeting is.”
“Grandfather is expecting us to present a flawless plan. We can’t afford any slip-ups.”
“This is all for your sake, so at least show some interest.”
Kai exhaled slowly, his mind shifting gears from his gruesome quest to the responsibilities that awaited him.
“I’ll be there soon. Just give me a few minutes.”
“Make it quick, or else I’ll-”
“Yeah, yeah I get it, bye now.” Kai hung up.
Kai pocketed his phone and took one last look at the bodies of Nathan and May.
Kai then called out, “Helxon, I’m still waiting for my rewards from completing the quest.”
The dark mist behind him coalesced into a tangible form, and Helxon’s eerie, glowing red eye focused on Kai.
~ ‘Patience, young one. Your rewards are ready. But first, let us review the completion notice.’~
A red talent window materialized in front of Kai, displaying the quest completion notice in black letters:
Quest: Prove Your Devotion]
Objective:
Offer up the lives of 5 humans. Gender and age are irrelevant.
The more gruesome the state of the bodies, the more Abyssal Points will be awarded.
Additional Abyssal Points will be granted if the phrase “Look into the abyss, look beyond this fractured world” is written in the victim’s blood as large as possible.
Status: Completed
Rewards:
– 50 Abyssal Points for the 5 lives offered.
– 20 additional Abyssal Points for the gruesome state of the bodies.
– 30 additional Abyssal Points for the message written in blood.
Total Abyssal Points Awarded: 100
Kai smirked, clearly satisfied as he read the notice. “Perfect. This should be enough.”
“Now, put fifty of them into my talent.”
Helxon’s red eye glowed brighter for a moment, and a surge of dark energy flowed into Kai, filling him with a strange invigorating power.
He could feel the Abyssal Points being absorbed into his very being, enhancing something
within him.
It was a sensation he was already used to, and once it was over he felt different, stronger.
Kai’s smirk widened as he felt the power flowing through him. “Now we’re talking,” he muttered, flexing his fingers.
His left eye flared again as he grinded, ‘With this strength I’ll be sure to make the wastelands
your grave.’
“Alister.”
He said, and in the next instant he teleported out of sight.
…
Alister walked through the dimly lit city streets, the mask of the Phantom Spade securely covering his face, hiding his identity, he was dressed in identical armor set similar to the one he wore for his daily quest. Obviously he had them on because only a fool would walk into the
black market unarmed.
The city’s sounds filled the air-distant car horns, murmurs from alleyways, and the occasional shout from a late-night reveler. His footsteps were quiet, almost silent, as he made his way toward an old subway entrance. The station appeared abandoned, with graffiti- covered walls and cracked tiles, a reminant of the old wood that had still yet to be changed. Descending the steps, Alister thought to himself, ‘I hope I haven’t wasted too much time. I need to sell some of the items I obtained to get more funds. There’s no way the tree sap won’t be sought after by big shots. I can’t afford to be outbid.’
As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he noticed the faint glow of flickering fluorescent lights casting long shadows across the ruined subway platform. The tracks looked like they hadn’t seen a train in years, rusted and covered in debris.