The air was thick and still, holding the remnants of eldritch corruption like an unwelcome echo in the forest. Erik moved slowly through the ravaged village, each step grounding him in the quiet, heavy silence left behind. This was more than just a battlefield; it was a graveyard, a place where lives had been twisted, ruined, and abandoned.
As he walked, he spotted the bodies; villagers caught in the crossfire, victims of a force that had torn through their simple lives. He hadn’t noticed them before, his vision clouded by the haze of battle and the intensity of his own transformation. But now, with his mind clear and his heart newly exposed, he felt the weight of each fallen form.
Without a word, Erik bent down, carefully lifting the limp body of an old man whose weathered face was frozen in fear. The sight was familiar yet haunting, stirring memories of others who’d fallen in the wake of battles he hadn’t chosen. He carried the body to a small clearing at the edge of the village and, without hesitation, drove his sword into the earth, digging into the cold ground.
As Erik worked, a faint hum came from the sword, resonating in his mind with a familiar irritation.
“Digging graves now, are we?” the demon’s voice muttered, low and sardonic. “I didn’t take you for the sentimental type.”
Erik’s hands stilled for a moment, his fingers tightening around the hilt. “These people didn’t ask for any of this,” he replied quietly, feeling the strain in his voice. “They deserved better than to be left as bodies in the dirt, forgotten.”
The demon huffed, a wry tone coloring its voice. “A noble sentiment, I suppose, if not a practical one. You waste time burying strangers while others await you.”
Erik didn’t respond. He continued digging, his movements slow and steady. The demon’s voice faded, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the cold weight of his purpose. The villagers hadn’t known him, nor he them, but they had been here because of forces beyond their control; forces that had, however indirectly, included him.
As he lowered the old man’s body into the ground, Erik felt a sharp pang in his chest, a pain that wasn’t his but felt close enough. He looked at the face one last time, murmuring a silent apology.
***
Vesper stood a few paces away, hands folded in silent prayer over the makeshift grave of High Paladin Ulric. His armor, now arranged with solemn care atop his resting place, shone dully in the dim light, a ceremonial tribute to a life of duty and sacrifice. Her heart ached, her whispered words faltering as she realized how far she felt from the order that had shaped her dreams. She had dedicated years to training, to one day donning a paladin’s mantle; yet here, surrounded by the twisted remains of eldritch horrors and corrupted souls, that life felt more distant than ever.
As she gazed at Ulric’s grave, Vesper couldn’t ignore the quiet tug of doubt pulling at her. For the first time, she wondered if the path she had dedicated herself to was truly where she belonged. The divine power within her pulsed softly, as if it too sensed her uncertainty, whispering a truth she hadn’t wanted to see: she did not need to be a paladin to wield this power. The divine was already a part of her, its light more intrinsic than any title could bestow. Still, that thought felt like a betrayal, a deviation from the life she’d been molded to follow.
Vesper’s gaze drifted from Ulric’s grave to Erik, who was methodically digging grave after grave, dirt and sweat streaking his face. His movements were relentless, driven, even as exhaustion weighed down his limbs. His clothes were torn, his body battered, and yet he worked with an unyielding determination. Despite everything; his power, his transformations; she saw his humanity for the first time in a way that stirred something within her, something she had tried to keep hidden.
There was a pull she couldn’t explain, a feeling that tugged at her core as she watched him. It wasn’t just admiration or gratitude; it was something deeper, something that had grown between them in battle, in shared suffering, in the quiet moments after. The divine power within her, no longer recoiling from Erik’s demonic nature, seemed to recognize something in him, something raw and kindred, almost drawn to him rather than wary.
She glanced down at her hands, wondering if this power; the same power she had once thought would make her a paladin had other plans for her. Perhaps the divine didn’t demand a strict path but instead offered insight, strength… and freedom. It was a revelation she hadn’t expected, and one she wasn’t sure she was ready to face.
With a last, lingering look at Ulric’s grave, Vesper allowed herself a quiet goodbye to the life she thought she wanted. She looked over at Erik, who was now burying an entire family, his shoulders slumped but unbroken, his hands moving with quiet resolve. She caught sight of two lines cutting through the dirt and grime on his face, places where tears had fallen unchecked. In that moment, he was not just Erik the warrior, Erik the Aetherian; he was Erik, a man bearing the burden of lives lost.
Taking a steadying breath, Vesper rose and walked over to him, her steps sure, her heart both heavy and strangely light. She moved beside him, wordlessly taking the shovel from his hands. Erik straightened, meeting her gaze, and for the first time, she saw the depth of sorrow etched into his face; dirt streaked down his cheeks, except for two clean lines where tears had cut through. He looked at her, his exhaustion laid bare, and his voice, when it came, was rough, almost breaking.
“These people… what happened to them,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “They didn’t deserve this fate.”
A pause settled between them, heavy with unspoken emotions. Without a word, Vesper nodded, then did something she had never done before. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace that offered not only comfort but acceptance; a place where he could be vulnerable, a place to be okay with not being okay.
Erik froze for a heartbeat, unaccustomed to the closeness, but as her warmth surrounded him, he let himself lean into it. His shoulders, tense from carrying more than just the weight of the day, softened. Slowly, he allowed himself to feel the grief, the relief, the release he hadn’t realized he needed. Vesper held him, feeling the quiet tremor that rippled through him, sensing that this was the first time he had allowed himself to feel without the demon’s shadow over him.
For Vesper, it was a revelation. She hadn’t realized until now the depths of his struggle or the isolation he felt, the toll of carrying such power and pain alone. She felt the divine power within her stir, not in judgment but in quiet empathy, as if guiding her to be here, now, for him. In this embrace, she found a purpose beyond duty, beyond battle; a connection that grounded her as much as it soothed him.
After a long moment, she pulled back, her hand lingering on his arm, her presence a silent reassurance that he didn’t have to face this alone. Erik met her gaze, and in the depths of her eyes, he found an understanding he hadn’t expected, a quiet strength that steadied him.
“Thank you, Vesper,” he said softly, his voice raw but resolute.
She gave him a gentle nod, her expression warm. “We carry this together, Erik. You’re not alone.”
Erik paused, meeting her gaze, the vulnerability in her eyes reflecting something within him. “These people..what happened to them; They didn’t deserve this fate.”
Without another word, Vesper nodded, stepping back but remaining close, her presence a quiet reassurance.
The sound of footsteps drew Erik’s attention, and he turned to see Berndhardt approaching, his massive figure casting a long shadow over the broken village. In his hands, he held a rusted shovel, its handle splintered but functional. With a slight nod, Berndhardt offered it to Erik, then wordlessly began to dig another grave beside him.
***
The night was quiet, the crackling of the fire a gentle pulse of warmth against the chill that settled over the forest. Shadows danced along the ground, their shapes twisting and bending with each flicker of the flames. Erik, Vesper, and Berndhardt sat around the fire, the weight of the day’s journey pressing down on them, but none of them seemed eager to sleep just yet.
Erik broke the silence, his gaze fixed on the flames. “This… Dominion. Whatever it was, it wasn’t just some creature or spirit. It felt older. And the way it could turn people into… those things.” His voice trailed off, the horror of the eldritch transformations fresh in his mind.
Berndhardt poked at the fire, his expression thoughtful. “It was more than that. Dominion wasn’t just consuming them; it was corrupting them, down to their very essence. It’s like it was trying to leave a mark on this world, something that wouldn’t fade even after it was gone.”
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Vesper shuddered slightly. “It felt like an infection. Like it was spreading through everything it touched, turning it into… into something unnatural.”
Erik nodded. “The eldritch influence… it’s as if it came from a place beyond this world, reaching in through Dominion, corrupting anything it could find.” He hesitated, piecing together his thoughts. “And Dominion; it didn’t just appear. It was summoned, or perhaps called from another plane. It’s as if there are forces out there, watching, waiting for a chance to reach through. And maybe Dominion… maybe it was one of those forces.”
The three of them fell into a heavy silence, each absorbing the weight of his words. Erik’s mind wandered, drawn to a memory; a flash of the eldritch monstrosity that Dominion had become, its form bending and shifting like something barely contained within the fabric of their world.
“It wanted something,” he continued, his voice low. “It didn’t just want to destroy. It wanted to take over, to claim everything for itself, like a sickness that spreads until there’s nothing left but its own twisted existence.”
Berndhardt glanced at him, his eyes dark with understanding. “Aye, I’ve seen it before; well, not something quite like that, but close. Back in the north, there are stories of the Old Things. Beasts of ice and shadow, creatures said to come from realms beyond. They don’t just kill; they change what they touch. Men who fought them were never the same, like they were marked, possessed by something beyond themselves.”
Vesper leaned forward, her eyes alight with curiosity. “What were they like?”
Berndhardt’s expression softened, the harshness of his face gentled by memory. “Where I come from, the winters are long, and the nights even longer. We say that in the dead of winter, when the wind howls through the mountains and the snows fall heavy, there are things that come down from the peaks. Shadows that blend into the snow, creatures that seem to drift in and out of sight. My father said they were spirits, remnants of an ancient war, drawn to places of conflict and bloodshed.”
He paused, his gaze distant. “Once, when I was young, I saw one. It was nothing but a shape in the snow, a figure half-hidden in the shadows. My father pulled me away, but I could feel it… like a chill that sank right into my bones. He told me never to look for them again.”
Erik listened, his mind painting the picture Berndhardt described. “And you think… Dominion is something like that? A remnant, but on a much larger scale?”
Berndhardt nodded slowly. “Could be. But what you faced; it was like an Old Thing, but worse. Something more powerful, like it was bound by nothing.” He looked at Erik, his gaze steady. “Maybe that’s why it came here; to find something to anchor it, to make it stronger.”
Vesper hugged her knees to her chest, her gaze thoughtful. “So then… what’s to stop others like it? There could be more out there, waiting for a way in.”
A heavy silence fell over them, the reality settling over them like a weight. Erik’s hands clenched around the hilt of his sword, feeling the presence of the demon within. “If there are others, then we need to be prepared. This isn’t just about me or any one of us. Whatever Dominion was… it was part of something bigger. Something that could tear apart more than just this world.”
Vesper’s eyes held a spark, a longing that Erik recognized but hadn’t seen so clearly before. “I’ve always wanted to see more of the world,” she murmured, her voice almost wistful. “I wanted to explore, to find places where magic and history are woven together. This gift… I’m not even sure what it means yet, but I feel like there’s something out there for me. Something I need to discover on my own.”
Erik turned to her, his gaze steady. “You should. You have more power now than most will ever know. But this isn’t just a tool, Vesper; it’s part of you. And maybe you’re meant to find something that no one else can.”
Vesper smiled softly, her eyes shining with quiet determination. “Then I’ll find it. I’ll find out what this power is meant for, and what I’m meant to do with it.”
Berndhardt grunted, giving her a rare, approving nod. “Aye, you will. And you’ll make us proud when you do.”
He turned his gaze back to Erik, his expression shifting to something softer, almost brotherly. “And you, Erik… what’s driving you back to your homeland?”
Erik hesitated, feeling the familiar pull of duty and loss, memories that stirred like embers in his mind. “There are things unfinished. Questions unanswered. My family, my past… they’re all waiting for me back there. But it’s more than that. It’s like… something’s calling me back, something tied to what I am now. I have to find out who I was before I can truly understand what I’m supposed to be.”
Berndhardt nodded, his face shadowed by the firelight. “You’re right to go back. Whatever answers are there, they’ll mean more now that you know who you really are.”
Erik’s gaze drifted to the stars, his mind heavy with thoughts of his Aetherian heritage, his newfound power, and the path ahead. He felt the demon’s faint presence in the sword, the pulse of his Prismatic Core, and the weight of everything he still didn’t know.
They sat quietly around the fire, the warmth radiating into the cool night air. Erik glanced over at Vesper, his curiosity finally surfacing after days of focusing solely on survival.
“You know, with all that’s happened, I haven’t even had a chance to look into what my system actually looks like now,” Erik began, a slight smile breaking through. “The demon was gone, and everything felt… normal again, if you can call it that. But now, I feel like there’s something different, something just waiting for me to find.”
Vesper looked up, intrigued.
Erik continued. “I know I can use any type of magic now, but the rest is still a mystery.”
Vesper’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “You’ll have to tell me all about it, but first; let me show you how mine works. It’s… different than most systems.” She extended her hand, and a faint, golden glow pulsed around her fingers, threads of divine energy swirling up her arm like threads of light. “This is what the Divine System looks like. It’s more… directed, like everything has a purpose and form.”
Erik watched, fascinated, as the glow seemed to shape itself around her hand, forming intricate symbols that hovered in the air. “So… it’s more of a conduit?”
“Yes, exactly,” Vesper replied, nodding. “The Divine System doesn’t just give raw power; it channels energy with intent. Each ability I unlock is tied to the Divine magic, an extension of its very essence.” She paused, her gaze thoughtful. “When I tap into it, I feel like I’m connected to something… ancient, something that wants to guide me, even if I don’t understand it fully.”
Erik observed the shimmering glow around her fingers, the way it seemed to pulse with a quiet strength, a will all its own. “And this connection, does it… speak to you? Or does it just… exist, like a presence?”
“It’s more of a presence,” Vesper said, lowering her hand. “It doesn’t speak to me in words, but I feel its guidance, like a steady hand at my back. It’s as if the Divine itself is a part of my magic, reminding me of the responsibility I carry with it. It’s powerful but… precise.” She looked at Erik, her expression softening. “And it’s more than just magic. It’s almost like… a calling.”
Erik nodded slowly, absorbing her words. “That’s fascinating. The Divine System sounds… structured, grounded.” He glanced down at his own hands, feeling the subtle thrum of his Prismatic Core deep within. “Mine… I don’t think it has that kind of guidance. It feels… boundless, like a vast, open ocean.”
He closed his eyes, focusing inward, and felt his core respond, a pulse of energy blooming within him. It was strange; unlike any system he’d felt before. It wasn’t tied to a single source; it was like he was pulling from everything around him, each element responding in turn.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the faintest shimmer of green around him, almost like an aura. “This is what it looks like,” he murmured, holding out his hand as strands of energy coiled around his fingers. “It’s… adaptable. Like it changes based on what I need or want in the moment.”
Vesper’s eyes widened as she watched, the glowing green tendrils flickering with prismatic hues. “It’s beautiful. And… untamed. It’s like it wants to become anything, to be everything all at once.”
Erik let the energy dissipate, feeling it flow back into his core. “That’s exactly how it feels. It’s not confined, not limited to any one thing. If I focus on fire, I feel heat. If I think of air, I feel a breeze. It’s as if I’m not using the magic—I’m becoming it.”
The two of them exchanged a glance, both understanding the weight of what that meant. Erik’s system was unlike anything Vesper had ever seen. It wasn’t bound to one source or one type of power. It was… boundless, unrestricted.
“That’s incredible, Erik,” she said, a touch of awe in her voice. “It’s like you’re a part of everything around you.”
Erik nodded. “It feels like that. But it’s… overwhelming too. There’s no guidance, no structure. I feel like I could lose myself in it if I’m not careful.”
“Maybe that’s where the danger lies,” Vesper replied thoughtfully. “With the Divine System, I have the Divines influence to keep me grounded. You… you’re navigating this all on your own.”
Erik gave her a wry smile. “Story of my life, I suppose.”
Just then, Berndhardt, who had been sitting quietly beside them, spoke up, his voice gruff but curious. “So, that’s what your systems look like. A bit… fancy if you ask me.” He crossed his arms, a slight grin on his face. “Mine’s nothing like that.”
Vesper raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Berndhardt shrugged, his gaze distant as he tried to explain. “For me, there’s no screen, no aura, no flashing lights. I don’t see anything. But when I need something; strength, speed, whatever; I just… will it, and it happens. It’s like my system doesn’t tell me what to do; I tell it.”
Erik looked at him, intrigued. “So, it responds to your will? Almost like… pure instinct?”
“Aye,” Berndhardt replied, nodding. “It’s like it listens to me. I don’t need to look at any fancy symbols or glowing screens. I just know what it can do. It’s always been that way, and I reckon it always will be.” He smirked, a bit of pride in his expression. “It’s a Viking thing. We don’t need anyone telling us how to fight.”
Vesper laughed softly, shaking her head. “Of course. Leave it to a Viking to wield a system that responds purely to brute force.”
Berndhardt chuckled, unbothered by her teasing. “Brute force gets the job done, doesn’t it?”
Erik watched his friends, feeling a strange warmth growing within him. Each of them had their own path, their own way of navigating the power they carried. Vesper’s system was a conduit, a divine guidance that connected her to something greater. Berndhardt’s was a blunt force, a system that yielded to his iron will. And his own… it was vast, boundless, something he was only beginning to understand.
Each of them was unique, yet they were here, together, each bringing something to the journey that the others couldn’t.
As the fire crackled and the night deepened, Erik felt a sense of belonging that he hadn’t felt in a long time. For the first time, he didn’t feel like he was alone. They were all navigating their own mysteries. And maybe, just maybe, they’d find their answers together.