The air hung heavy with smoke and tension as Kaien Veylor stood on the rim of the shattered courtyard. Moonlight glinted off the jagged remnants of the wooden gate and washed over the fallen bodies of beasts turned to ash. His breath came in shallow bursts, each exhale a tremor of relief and exhaustion. The villagers clustered in the watchtower below, eyes wide and voices hushed in wonder at his display of power. Yet even as they murmured their gratitude, Kaien could feel the Dracovault Protocol pulsing beneath his skin—hungry for more.
A distant howl split the night, sharper and deeper than any before. Kaien's head snapped up. Beyond the gate, through the smoldering wreckage, two glowing eyes stared back at him—eyes that burned with divine malice. The alpha aberration had not fallen. Instead, it rose from the ashes, its broken ribs knitting themselves, black ichor seeping through the cracks. The creature's roar shook the ground.
Kaien swallowed hard. If this beast could regenerate, then his victory had been an illusion. He pressed a hand to the sigil glowing on his chest and heard the mechanical whisper:
"Warning current skill cooldown eighty percent elapsed. Recommended action engage basic melee."
He gripped Ashfall with both hands and stepped forward, boots crunching over scorched earth. Each footfall echoed like a drumbeat of war.
"Villagers," he called down, voice clear despite the pounding in his head. "Get back! Take cover behind the south wall and ready your makeshift spears."
They obeyed, scrambling as Kaien advanced. Mira appeared at his side, face pale but determined. She held a broken spear in trembling hands.
"We cannot fight that thing," she whispered. "It heals every blow."
Kaien's jaw set. "Then I must find its weak point." He raised Ashfall high and charged like a storm.
The beast lunged, claws raking the air. Kaien slid under its swipe and drove his sword into its flank. Black blood spurted, sizzling as it met the cold stone. The creature howled and lashed out, flinging him against a crumbling pillar. Pain flared along his ribs. He spat blood and staggered to his feet.
"System update in progress," the voice murmured.
Kaien closed his eyes and focused on the pain. If he could endure it, maybe he could force the Protocol to respond. The sigil on his chest pulsed brighter.
"Activate skill: Divine Fragment."
Heat blossomed in his core, then burst outward in a wave of golden light. The beast recoiled, scales cracking where the radiance touched. Its regeneration halted, wounds flaring wider. Kaien seized the moment. He lunged and buried Ashfall to the hilt. A shockwave of energy rippled through the courtyard, sending villagers tumbling to the ground.
The aberration collapsed with an earthshaking thud. Its black ichor evaporated, leaving only a charred husk. Silence followed, broken only by Kaien's ragged breathing.
He staggered to the center of the courtyard, Ashfall dragging at his side. The Protocol's voice sounded calmer now.
"Skill unlocked: Divine Fragment. Unique effect—disables target regeneration for ten seconds. Healing available."
A warmth spread through his veins, knitting torn flesh and sealing bleeding wounds. Kaien pressed a hand to his side and felt bone realign with a quiet pop. His breath steadied.
Mira rushed to his side, eyes brimming with relief. "You did it," she gasped.
He nodded, voice hoarse. "That was only the first test. Now we press on."
Dawn's first pale light crept over the horizon as Kaien led a small band of villagers south toward the rift. Their steps were slow, haunted by exhaustion, yet driven by hope. Mira walked beside him, her broken spear carried like a banner. Behind them, the old man from the watchtower marched with a makeshift shield strapped to his arm.
Kaien's mind drifted back to the Protocol update. Divine Fragment was powerful, but the cooldown was long. He needed stronger skills—and fast. His thoughts were interrupted by a tremor beneath his feet. The earth split open near the rift's edge, jagged fissures spreading like veins.
Before them, the rift pulsed with corrupt energy. Tendrils of shadow and light intertwined, writhing as though alive. From its depths rose a monstrous form—taller and more imposing than any aberration before. Four arms tipped with bone claws, wings that shimmered between solid and spectral, and eyes that burned with righteous fury.
A voice echoed in Kaien's mind—not the Protocol but something older, colder.
"You who defy the gods shall be purged."
A figure stepped from the rift—a Celestial Inquisitor robed in silver light, spear crackling with divine power. His gaze fixed on Kaien.
"Godfallen," he intoned. "Your crimes are written in the heavens. Prepare to be judged."
The villagers froze. Mira hid behind Kaien's leg, trembling. He knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Do not move," he whispered. "Stay with them."
He stood and faced the Inquisitor. His voice was calm, but his heart thundered. "I will not beg forgiveness from those who condemned me without trial."
A soft hum filled the air as the Inquisitor raised his spear. Light gathered at its tip. Kaien felt the Protocol stir.
"Alert: high tier divine opponent. Recommended skill sequence: Divine Fragment then Ember Lance."
Kaien nodded. He braced himself and sparked Ember Lance, throwing a spear of flame that streaked toward the Celestial's shield. The impact sent Kaien flying backward, chest reverberating with energy.
The Inquisitor advanced, each step leaving glowing footprints on the grass. His spear swung in a wide arc. Kaien rolled aside, nearly clipped by the blast of light. He slammed his palm to the ground and invoked Flame Volley—fire orbs erupted around him, but the Inquisitor sliced through them effortlessly.
"You rely too heavily on tricks," the Inquisitor said, voice icy. "Show me the power of your godhood."
Kaien's vision blurred with frustration and fear. If he could not defeat this foe, the villagers would perish. He clenched his fists and focused on the Protocol's blue sigil.
"Activate skill: Aegis of Embers."
A fiery shield blossomed around him, searing the air. The Inquisitor thrust his spear forward. The shield absorbed the impact, then flared with molten energy, repelling the blow. Kaien surged forward and struck the Celestial across the chest. The blow staggered the Inquisitor, cracking the armor plates.
But countering light with flame brought a terrible price. Kaien gasped as his arms trembled and muscles screamed. The Protocol warned of overuse.
"Warning: energy reserves below twenty percent. System shutdown imminent."
Kaien pressed a hand to his chest. He could feel his lifeblood draining. The villagers behind him stared with horror as he wavered.
The Inquisitor recovered with a graceful spin and pointed his spear. A beam of pure light lanced toward Kaien's heart. Time slowed.
"Fall here," the Celestial whispered. "Submit and beg for mercy."
Kaien's eyes narrowed. With what remained of his strength, he gripped Ashfall and unleashed one last skill—Ember Lash in overdrive. The blade ignited in a blistering corona. He charged, sword raised high, and collided with the light beam. Flames and radiance tangled in a blinding explosion.
When the light dimmed, Kaien lay on one knee, sword buried in the ground. The Inquisitor stood before him, his shield cracked and armor dented. His spear quivered at his side.
For a heartbeat, neither moved. Then the Celestial stepped back and bowed his head.
"You have proven your resolve, fallen one," he said. "But the Council will not yield. This trial is not over." With a gesture, he opened a portal and vanished into the rift.
Kaien collapsed to the ground, gasping. The Protocol whispered softly:
"System entering shutdown. Available skills: Divine Fragment healing. Next skill unlock after recovery."
He closed his eyes and let the healing warmth mend his wounds. When he opened them again, dawn had broken fully. The villagers crept forward, faces awash in awe and fear.
Mira knelt beside him. "You saved us again," she said, voice trembling.
He managed a weak smile. "This world is not done with me yet."
Above them, the rift pulsed ominously. From its depths, more tendrils of shadow reached outward.
Kaien rose to his feet, leaning on Ashfall. His eyes burned with renewed purpose.
"I will seal that rift," he vowed. "Even if I must challenge the Pantheon itself."
A wind howled through the fields. The rift's shadows deepened, and a myriad of unseen eyes watched from within.
Kaien tightened his grip on his sword. He took a step forward toward the Rift of Sorrow.
Then a thunderous voice boomed from the sky:
"Cease this heresy or face the full might of the Celestial Armada."
Kaien froze. Above him, divine warships gleamed with silver light, their guns trained on him.