Edén, his consciousness drifting into the abyss of consuming darkness, found himself amidst the haunting ruins of Nethralis, an otherworldly realm steeped in forgotten grandeur. The air hung heavy with the weight of ages, and spectral remnants loomed like echoes of a distant past, shrouded in mist rising from the murky waters that surrounded the ruins. From the shadows emerged Azalor, a god, forsaken by the heavens, draped in tattered robes that seemed to devour the feeble light. The god's menacing aura clashed with the ethereal, a reflection of Nethralis' own turmoil. Sinister eyes glowed with ancient malevolence, a silent testament to the deity's forgotten existence.
Azalor's voice, resonating with a chilling power, permeated the ruins, a stark welcome to the forsaken realm.
"Welcome, mortal, to the forsaken realm of Nethralis. I am Azalor, the Forgotten One, a deity abandoned by the heavens"
Edén, enveloped in the decay of a god's realm, felt a mixture of trepidation and curiosity.
"Why am I here? What purpose could you, a god, have with me? What happened to me?"
Azalor, smiling with twisted semblance, spoke with a voice etched with the weight of centuries.
"You carry within you the essence of decay, the knowledge of poisons, and the alchemy of ruin. In this desolation, I see an opportunity to restore what was once destroyed”
Whispers from the waters echoed ancient secrets as Edén stood straight, faced the god and asked,
"What is it you want from me?"
Azalor extended a hand, conjuring a spectral image of corrosive decay from the murky waters.
"Your alchemy, your mastery of ruin, you can breathe life into these forgotten lands. Together, we shall reclaim the power stolen by the heavens and restore balance to the Ethereal Realms"
Torn between fear and purpose, Edén hesitated before accepting Azalor's proposition. The pact sealed amidst the ruins marked the beginning of a destiny intertwined with the echoes of divine decay.
Amidst the ruins of Nethralis, as Azalor's pact with Edén solidified, an unusual phenomenon occurred. In a cracked mirror embedded within the ruined walls, Edén caught sight of his reflection. The image that gazed back at him bore the scars of the trials he had endured in the mortal realm – the physical and emotional wounds inflicted by the corrosive acid and relentless beatings. Edén, once a figure that bore the brutality of bullies and the loneliness of a forgotten existence, saw a transformation that defied the limits of the mortal world. The alchemy of ruin and renewal, interwoven by the pact with Azalor, had left a mark on his form.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Gone were the scars and bruises that had etched a painful narrative on his body. Instead, a new visage emerged, marked by an ethereal glow. His skin seemed to bear the touch of alchemical mastery, a seamless blend of resilience and grace. The eyes once clouded with despair, now reflected a mysterious resilience, as if they held the secrets of ancient realms. Edén's hair, once untidy and unkempt, cascaded in shimmering waves, seemingly touched by the magic of this realm. His posture exuded a newfound confidence, a testament to the strength forged in the crucible of divine decay.
As Edén gazed at this altered reflection, a sense of awe and acceptance filled him. The scars of the past had transformed into symbols of resilience, each mark telling a story of survival and metamorphosis. The melding of decay and renewal had birthed an entirely new incarnation of Edén.
Azalor, observing this transformation, spoke with a voice that resonated through the forsaken realm,
"Edén, bearer of decay and renewal, the alchemy within you has shaped not only the realms around us but also the very essence of your being. Embrace this transformation, for you are no longer bound by the limitations of mortal frailty. You carry the echoes of divine decay, and with it, the potential to reshape destinies"
Edén, accepting the changes wrought upon him, felt the newfound energy coursing through his veins. He was no longer just a victim of circumstance, but a conduit for the ancient forces that danced within and around him. As he stepped away from the mirror, his reflection seemed to linger, a testament to the metamorphosis he had undergone. In this moment of revelation, Edén's physical and emotional scars became insignias of strength, each telling a tale of resilience in the face of adversity. The fusion of decay and renewal had not only reshaped his appearance but had also instilled a profound sense of purpose.
With this newfound embodiment, Edén, guided by the echoes of Nethralis, prepared to traverse the uncharted territories of the Mortal Realm. The scars of the past now served as a testament to the alchemical dance between chaos and creation, an eternal metamorphosis that defined Edén's journey through the cosmic tapestry of existence.
Edén now, amidst the ruins of this realm. An ancient memory whispered throughout the structures. Ghostly echoes of a time when Azalor's dominion was revered resonated through ethereal corridors. The air itself mourned the loss of divine presence, yet with each step, Edén felt latent energy responding to the touch of decay he carried within.
In the heart of Nethralis, beneath a crumbling archway, Azalor unveiled a forgotten altar adorned with symbols of ancient alchemy and celestial decay. The forsaken god, determination and sorrow gleaming in his eyes, spoke,
"Edén, my chosen emissary, together we shall traverse the boundaries between realms. You, bearer of decay, will be my champion through which the forgotten power of Nethralis will be reborn"
The very fabric of the forsaken realm quivered as Azalor began a chant, channelling the essence of decay through Edén. The ruins responded with ethereal energy and a portal to the cosmic in-between materialized. Edén, senses heightened by ancient forces, felt the cosmic pull once again. As Azalor's realm dissolved into the void, Edén found himself in a vortex of shimmering lights. Hues held fragments of his connection with decay and renewal. Whispers of celestial energies intertwined, and the boundary between realms blurred into a chaotic whirlwind.
In this celestial maelstrom, Edén glimpsed visions of divine decay. Azalor's haunting silhouette lingered like a ghostly apparition against the backdrop of the Mortal Realm's vibrant magic. The vortex subsided, and Edén emerged, marked by a profound stillness. The air was laden with the fragrance of unfamiliar blooms, and the ground beneath him pulsed with latent enchantments.
In this new world, Edén stood at the nexus of realms, a convergence of cosmic energies. Azalor's once overwhelming presence now echoed in the subtle currents of this new world, as if the land acknowledged the bearer of decay. With each step, Edén embarked on a journey through a realm where destiny intertwined with ethereal threads, leaving behind the remnants of a forsaken god's realm in the cosmic tapestry. The echoes of Nethralis resonated within him, guiding his path through uncharted territories of the Mortal Realm.