Caleb raced through the tunnels, cutting down people left and right as his feet burned and muscles ached. Ahead of him bodies fell as flashes of blue illuminated the darkness as they raked across stone, Eriana’s screaming preceding every blast.

Blood and bodies littered the ground, and more fell as he kicked and punched and slashed, Eriana only slightly beyond him as Anya steadily gained distance from the two.

The sight of the former brigadier, rushing forward as she clutched her bloodied hand to her chest, the bag of rubies swirling with mana in the other, drew Caleb forward. With each second, his panic grew, his thoughts descending into disarray.

He needed to make being here worthwhile. He needed to stop Anya, no matter the cost.

So he forged ahead, forgetting himself with every step, every swing, pushing forward desperately, trying to make his decision worth it.

Trying not to make this whole thing pointless by failing now. What he was doing was good. Cutting through these people, these mindless and unwilling slaves, it was the right thing to do. Even if it didn’t feel like it.

His sword cut through more cultists, blood spattering across his face as broken bodies fell to the floor. There were less now, but the gap between the two chosen and Anya had grown. The tunnel around them had shifted growing larger, as the jagged rock of the tunnels smoothed into sleek obsidian walls.

Ahead, beyond the walls of obsidian, stood a large square opening, covered in strange symbols and markings, the sight of which merely invoked a sense of dread in Caleb.

The mana here was different. Wrong. And not in a beautiful way.

Anya passed through the small gap between the doors, the cultists behind her closing them as soon as she’d gone through.

[Emergency Objective Alert: A grade 2 renegade magic user has entered an area of partial Moshaic with intent to harm the universe using grade 6 summoning crystals]

Caleb’s eyes widened in confusion at the content of the message, but he didn’t have time to register it before his feet touched the smooth obsidian floor.

[WARNING – YOU HAVE ENTERED AN ARTIFACT UNDER PARTIAL MOSHAIC JURISDICTION WITHOUT THE NECESSARY LEVEL. TURN BACK FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY]

His body felt heavier here, as though. The star in his chest pulsing slightly, as it pushed back at the strange darkness that seemed to surround him.

But he didn’t have tine to focus on it. He and Eriana were side by side now, fighting desperately to keep the doors open and force their way through. More and more cultists screamed and fell as they attacked, fighting desperately. But as Eriana’s mana continued to rage, bursts of the blue light cutting through enemies, she began to falter.

“Slow down!” Caleb shouted, glancing to her as blood leaked from her nose. She ignored him, pressing forward, then suddenly went limp, falling to the ground.

Caleb cursed, and with a final burst of power, cut through the last of the cultists manning the doors. He turned to Eriana, but she’d already pulled herself up, and without hesitation raced past him, into the deeper darkness beyond the doors. Caleb took a breath, then slammed his side with a fist, and chased after her.

The darkness grew and grew, until only the lights of their swords remained. There were no cultists here, all of them dead, left behind.

The sound of Eriana and Caleb’s footsteps echoed through the tunnel as they rushed down it at blistering speeds. But the darkness remained, the path seemingly to stretch on forever, and ever, curving downwards as it did. And as they ran down it, the air grew warmer, the darkness pressing up against his mana, it’s hold of the space around him firmer. There was a sinister presence here.

[You bitch!] Eriana screamed. [Where the fuck are you?!]

Caleb frowned confused. He couldn’t sense Anya, her magic gone.

“She’s not here”

[What?] Eriana called back.

“She’s not here” he said, slowing to a stop.

[How?! We watched her come here. We should’ve caught up to her by now.]

Caleb frowned and focused. It was barely noticeable, hidden behind the sinister pressure that surrounded his sense. There was something beyond the wall. Something magical.

He frowned harder, focusing. Torches. There were torches lining a corridor.

“There’s passageways in the wall”

[Where?]

“There” Caleb said, pointing at the obsidian in front of them. Eriana didn’t wait for more info, a slash of blue disintegrating the wall as the cave around them shook.

A hole into another passageway, lit by mana fire opened up and the two leapt inside. Eriana instantly rushed downwards, but Caleb stopped. He could sense a greater sinister presence below them, but he could sense Anya, and a few other powerful presences above.

“Wait!” he called out. “She’s above us!”

Eriana didn’t need to be told twice. She roared, a feral sound, and leapt past him. With flying strides she practically floated up the stairs, leaving him behind as he charged up the steps.

As they neared the source of the mana, a newer, brighter light began to illuminate them. They emerged into a large cavern, glowing crystals filling the walls, with a strange intricate mural of the dark markings and symbols covering the entirety of the far wall, a perfectly flat face in the rockiness of the cavern

Across from them, a group of cultists stood at the base of the mural, fumbling with the bag of rubies desperately. Three among them had ridiculous mana power, and Anya was at the centre, clutching her bloodied hand.

The former brigadier turned to them, eyes wide. Caleb watched as her mana warped, spreading out across the cavern.

[Alert - A non-selected has attempted to use dangerous and direct altering magic on you. The effect has been temporarily nullified.]

[STOP THEM!]

A great slash of blue cut through the crowd, obliterating half the cultists. The rest continued charging towards them except a man whose skin turned to stone, an older man who created a barrier, and Anya, who hid behind the older man, still fumbling with the rubies. Eriana leapt through the crowd, roaring desperately as she reached for Anya.

Caleb followed behind her, desperately cutting men and women down as he felt the power of the cavern shift as one was added to the mural on the wall.

“Don’t do this!” he shouted. “Stop! Please! Stop!”

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But the former brigadier ignored him, continuing on. Eriana sensed Caleb’s despair, and with a shriek of desperation, her magic warped and a powerful sweeping attack of projected blue energy cut down the rest of the crowd, knocking down the old man and sending the stone man and Anya flying.

Caleb’s eyes widened with a sudden hope and he charged towards the rubies as only Anya and the stone man stood.

The stone man met him, Caleb’s sword striking the man’s skin. But it didn’t break, sparks flying off the blade as the two looked at each other with wide eyes. But even if his sword hadn’t cut through, Caleb was still stronger. With a burst of strength, he pushed him away the man stumbling back.

He looked to Eriana who stood over Anya, sword raised.

We did it.

Then Eriana screamed. Her sword fell from her grasp and she collapsed to the floor, grabbing the sides of her head as Anya’s mana warped. The former brigadier didn’t hesitate, pouncing.

“No!” Caleb shouted, diving at her.

[Alert - A non-selected has attempted to use dangerous and direct altering magic on you.]

The message flashed across his vision, and memories of his childhood flashed through his mind. But he ignored it, bringing his sword down as the stone man leapt at him.

He cut through Anya, sword, neck and all as the Stone man, slammed a fist into his side. Caleb felt pain roll through him, then darkness. When he opened his eyes, he was under a pile of rubble, held firm by the pain in his ribs, and the fatigue. His sword lay a few feet away, covered in Anya’s blood.

He looked past them, to the remnants of the battle.

Eriana stood, cutting away at the stone man, as he desperately trued to hold on. But Eriana was faster than Caleb, and while her normal attacks were weaker, her skill was based in her sword. And it didn’t seem to be running out any time soon.

The powerful blows of blue, were knocking the man back, tearing away pieces of his stone armour and revealing soft flesh underneath. His desperate cries for mercy fell on deaf ears as Eriana continued attacking, over and over and over and over. Then, she blasted him back, and with a final slash of bright and brilliant blue, cleaved him in two.

[Emergency objective complete]

[First Phase of the trial complete]

[Congratulations]

[For your performance you have been gifted a level and two stat points to use as you wish]

Caleb let out a sigh of relief, then winced shifting as the rock dug into my back.

“Ow” he muttered, before letting his body fall limp. He’d done it. He’d come here, he’d fought and he’d won. Even if it’d cost him everything, more than everything, he’d done it.

If he returned now, at least a part of him would be at peace with the fact he’d made the right decision. Even if it didn’t totally feel like it.

He looked up at Eriana as breathed heavily, knelt on the floor resting against her sword. Blood dripping from her ears and nose.

“You ok?”

[…yeah] she muttered.

“Could… could you free me? Please?” he wheezed. “Take your time if you need to”

Eriana remained kneeling, one hand clutching her sword as her entire body began to tremble. “Eriana?”

She looked to him, her crystal blue eyes clear, despite the blood that covered her face.

[It feels incredible] she whispered, the words echoing through the emptiness of the chamber.

“W-what?”

[This power… my sword’s voice. It’s clearer] she muttered. [Levelling… it feels incredible]

“Y-yeah” he said, slightly unnerved. “I… uh… I know levelling’s cool and all, but can you help free me? I know your injured but could you maybe-”

She stood suddenly, turning away from him as she stalked across the room. He watched her, her steps graceful and even as she made her way towards the corpses of the final fallen cultists. In one quick motion she moved Anya’s body aside, then picked up the bag of rubies. She held them for a second, the mana buzzing strangely.

[Warning - ]

[Warning - %£££!%&**]

[…]

[Alert – Apologies, your supervisor has temporarily ceased supervision and is currently directing their much needed attention elsewhere. They’ve being notified of your emergency level. Please wait for proper instruction]

What the hell? He thought, his eyes falling back to the crystals. What is even happening?

He looked past the messages to Eriana, who continued to walk through the room, the buzzing in the crystals growing greater, crackling almost.

“Eriana?” he called out. She continued forward, then stopped in front of the stand, and emptied the bag. He stared in disbelief as she placed the first ruby into the wall, her smile widening.

“Eriana?!”

[What?] she said, her eyes darting to him.

“W-what’re you doing?!”

[Are you stupid? Don’t you see what this whole game has been leading up to. This calamity, we weren’t supposed to stop it from happening. We were supposed to kill it]

“What?!”

[I’m going to summon it, then I’m going to kill it and level up]

Caleb’s eyes bulged as he stared at the blood-soaked girl, dumfounded. She turned away from him and placed another of the rubies into the wall, their magical power swelling together in tandem.

“Wait!” he shouted. She turned to him, her expression slightly angrier this time. “Just… wait, ok? I- You’re not thinking straight or-”

[I’m thinking perfectly fine] she spat.

“No?! No you’re fucking not!” he shouted. “We just fought our way through hell to get here, to stop this! We killed people! We nearly died! Our friends might be dead! But we stopped this. That was the whole- How can you just- you can’t do this!”

[Are you serious?] she said, annoyed.

“W-what?” he mumbled confused.

A small laugh escaped her lips and she covered her mouth, trying to stifle the chuckle.

[You’re being kind of a hypocrite, no?] she said [It’s really funny actually]

His eyes widened as he stared at the girl, still in her blood-soaked hoodie as she put another ruby into the centre of the mural.

She’s insane. Absolutely insane. How didn’t I realise it before?

“Eriana! You ca-”

Suddenly she spun and with a blast of mana, fired a projected attack at the rock above him. Caleb cried out as the rubble shook violently and crushed him further.

[Just stop talking, it’s getting annoying] she said with a condescending sneer. She turned back to the wall’s carvings and placed another ruby into the wall, the magical power swelling even further.

“Eriana! I’m begging you! Don’t do this! Don’t!” Caleb shouted. Her smile returned as laughter echoed through the chamber.

[Why? Scared?] she cackled.

“Don’t joke about this! If you release whatever the hell that thing is, people die and everyone we just killed to get here died for nothing!”

Eriana’s face fell, the smile disappearing.

[They’re not people. You even said it yourself, they’re NPCs]

“No! I said I was wrong! They’re real! They’re all real!”

[That’s your insecurity talking. We both know you were right]

He cursed. Talking to her like this wouldn’t work. She’d already convinced herself of what she wanted to believe. He needed a different plan of attack.

“If you do this, people like us, the blessed, the players, we’ll die too!”

[If I have to kill a few players to get stronger, I really don’t give a shit] the girl said, staring at him coldly again. She stepped forward, toward the engravings and pulled the last ruby from her pocket.

“Shit” he cried, pushing against the rock. “Dammit! Eriana don’t! Don’t! Stop!”

She ignored him dusting off the ruby to reveal it’s glow as she observed, her face expressionless.

“Stop!” he cried, the runes on his skin growing as he pushed up against the rock even harder. The mass above him creaked, shifting with his strength, but he still couldn’t free himself. “ERIANA!”

But Eriana couldn’t hear him. She stared at the last ruby in her hand, entrance. Then with a quick gesture, she clenched the ruby tightly her eyes flashing blue.

After this, after I beat this, no one will be able to touch me. Nobody will ever be able to beat me again, she thought. Not even dad.

The maniacal grin reappeared on her face as she placed the final ruby in the stone. Blue flames began to emanate from her sword her eyes glowing brighter as Caleb roared.

The mana in the room began to spike and the rubies glowed brightly. The chamber began to shake as a deep rumble began to reverberate through the mountain.

“No!” Caleb cried, but his voice was drowned out by the rumbling. The mana spread even further through the rubies, the chamber of stone cracking. The power of the mana grew and grew, powerful enough to impress upon his mind, threatening to push Caleb and Eriana into unconsciousness.

They fought against it, forcing themselves to remain awake as the waves of mana washed over them, growing stronger by the second. The power accelerated bit by bit as it charged the crystals within the mountain, the stone throughout beginning to glow.

Eriana laughed, her sword glowing white hot as the blue energy crackled around the sword. The chamber begin to collapse, large pieces of glowing stone falling from high above.

And somewhere far below, energy from another universe began to fill a space that’d been dormant of centuries. After only a moment, the beast trapped between space and time, manifested in the physical reality of the Akashic, and opened its eyes for the first time in a thousand years

It’s mind threatened burst at the seams, struggling to contain the sheer abundance of energy that flooded into it as it was born into new existence. But like it had many moons ago, it regained control a connection like no other forming between it and the presence of matter within the physical part of the Akashic universe.

It moved, currents of mana raging as one thought rang true within its mind. It’s singular mission.

Kill.

The calamity had awoken.