image [https://i.imgur.com/eY2gF5l.png]

"I sense a magic I haven't felt in a long time... Have the gates of that accursed cavern finally opened?"

"Yes... That must be what I sense... But how? How could those gates be opened? Only an elf of pure blood can unlock them, and no one except Grismala possesses that ability..."

With a sense of urgency, I retrieved a mystical black orb that had been securely stored within the confines of my magic spatial vault. The orb radiated a powerful aura, resonating with the forces of the void.

"So the gates of the void have truly opened... This confirms it! The power I have sought for so long is within my grasp! The time for my ascension has finally come!"

image [https://i.imgur.com/7fgH3qs.png]

Mila continued down her path, fully immersed in the illusions presented by the wisps. With each step, the ground behind her crumbled into nothingness.

"Mila, why don't you come downstairs?" her mother's voice called out from the living room, tinged with concern.

Suddenly, a shift occurred within the wisps, causing a distortion in the void. Their ethereal forms darkened, their once serene presence turning tormented. They cried out in anger and agony.

"How pitiful..."

A sinister, demonic voice filled the room, laced with malicious intent.

"And so, Mila has arrived... As destiny has ordained. Yet, to offer you such tranquility when you are destined for so much more... I think it's time to end this charade."

A faint, chilling sensation enveloped Mila's body, causing her to shiver. The voice sounded eerily familiar, but she couldn't place it with certainty.

The wisps writhed in agony, their ethereal forms tormented by some otherworldly magic.

Transforming into dark, red forms, the wisps radiated with infernal energy. The illusions they conjured shifted, no longer projecting the idyllic scenes but drawing Mila deeper into a world forgotten. She felt trapped, unable to break free, as if she had become entwined with the new reality before her.

image [https://i.imgur.com/lhqCDcB.png]

Running through the forest with her mother, Mila's heart raced as rain poured down on them. Suddenly, she tripped over a protruding tree root, her leg getting trapped between the gnarled branches. Her mother's face contorted with urgency as she swiftly turned back, rushing to Mila's side to free her.

In the distance, lights flickered, revealing torches carried by men who shouted and called out to each other.

"They went this way!"

"Hunt them down!"

Harnessing her knowledge of ancient magic, a connection to the forces of nature, Mila's mother pleaded with the trees for help. The roots gracefully released Mila, allowing her to pass through just as the pursuers closed in.

Two villagers from a nearby town stood before them, their faces devoid of any compassion or understanding.

"Kill the witch and her child!"

With pitchforks raised menacingly, the villagers advanced toward Mila. But her mother stepped forward, placing herself between them.

"Oh, great Demon God, hear my plea, grant me the strength you once promised!"

A gateway shimmering with dark, demonic energies materialized before them, responding to her mother's summoning. From within the grand portal emerged the Demon God, clad in formidable armor, his wings of darkness unfurled, emanating an intimidating presence.

"She's a witch! Run! We cannot face that!" the villagers cried out, fear and panic overtaking them.

As the two villagers fled for their lives, I turned to face Aela, Mila's mother.

"You were found..."

"I was," she replied, her gaze fixed on her child, concern etched across her face.

"And this is your offspring? The one you have desperately tried to conceal?" the Demon God inquired.

"She is," Aela replied, her voice filled with a mix of resignation and concern.

"You know I cannot traverse the mortal planes yet... It takes all of my magic to sustain my form,"

"And I am grateful for your presence," Aela acknowledged.

Her gaze locked with the Demon God, Aela pleaded with him.

"Please, just take her with you. If they find her, who knows what fate awaits her."

"She would not survive a single day in the depths of Hell, and I have no intention of aiding her. She is an elf, after all. We made a deal— you help me, I help you. Yet, you have become more troublesome than I anticipated," the Demon God responded, his voice laced with annoyance.

"I have what you desire... Please, take her with you," Aela implored.

"You... have it?" The Demon God's curiosity was piqued.

Aela reached into her cloak, producing a mystical orb and presenting it to the Demon God.

"This is the Orb of the Void. It grants you access to the darkness you seek."

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"It is real... I can sense the energies that birthed me within it..." The Demon God's voice resonated with a mixture of awe and recognition.

"The orb... How did you come to possess it?" the Demon God questioned.

"We have little time left. Please, just take her!" Aela urged, her tone growing urgent.

Taking the orb from Aela's trembling hands, I peered into its depths, sensing the immense power contained within.

"This magic... By giving me this, you are betraying all of humanity. Are you absolutely certain?" The Demon God questioned, my voice filled with a mix of caution and curiosity.

"Yes, just take her to safety! I cannot bear to lose another." Aela's voice trembled with anger and frustration.

"And your husband... He is dead, isn't he?" he asked, cutting through the tension with a piercing inquiry.

Aela's eyes widened, tears welling up beneath them. The weight of grief and loss etched onto her face, as Mila stood silently, patiently awaiting an explanation.

"THEY! THEY KILLED HIM! IT WAS LUCIUS'S MEN! I KNOW IT FOR A FACT! THEY BORE HIS SIGILS! THEY SLAUGHTERED HIM!" Aela's voice erupted with anguish, the pain of her loss resurfacing with raw intensity.

With the orb now in my possession, I looked back at Aela, who pleaded for me to take her child.

"I will fulfill the terms of our contract. Mila will live... However, I cannot guarantee her happiness,"

And with that, I disappeared from Aela's sight, vanishing into the darkness that once again enshrouded the forest.

Aela, her eyes fixed on Mila, slowly lowered herself to her knees, bringing herself to eye level with her daughter.

"Listen, Mila... The humans... They have brought doom upon us all. But, with every ounce of hatred I feel towards them, you must not follow the path of violence and vengeance," Aela spoke with a mix of sorrow and determination. "Hatred and violence only breed more death and destruction."

Chuckling under her breath, she muttered to herself, "He now possesses the Orb of the Void... It's only a matter of time before he unlocks its powers. But as long as the gates remain closed, he cannot fully tap into that darkness..."

Her gaze fixed on the horizon, Aela's heart sank as she saw more torches being lit, signaling the approaching enemy forces.

A horn blared in the distance, indicating that the main force was closing in, ready to hunt them down.

Grabbing Mila's arm, Aela pulled her deeper into the forest, their footsteps quickening as exhaustion settled in. Tears streamed down Aela's face, mingling with the wind. Mila followed silently, traumatized by the memory of her father's death at the hands of the holy knights they now fled from.

image [https://i.imgur.com/7fgH3qs.png]

The holy knights thundered forward on horseback, their steeds adorned with gleaming silver armor. Each knight brandished a sword, ready for battle. Among them, their lieutenant, the commander of the entire operation, wielded a greatsword stained with blood—a testament to the violence that had already unfolded.

Hours passed as they relentlessly pursued the two elves who had managed to escape from their cottage. Wolves were released, their acute senses honed in on the scent of the fleeing pair. It was only a matter of time before the hunters closed in on their prey, their determination unwavering.

image [https://i.imgur.com/lhqCDcB.png]

Aela's endurance was pushed to its limits as she ran, her body drained of energy. Gasping for air, she did everything in her power to throw off the pursuers' scent, even discarding her shoes to gain a few precious moments. Her bare feet became bloodied by the rough terrain, yet she pressed on.

But at a certain point, Mila simply gave up.

She stood frozen in her tracks, terror consuming her eyes. The life she had known in the peaceful woods had crumbled in an instant.

Her mother turned to her, anger mingled with concern etched across her face. "Why are you stopping? We have to keep going!"

"I... I want daddy! I want papa!" Mila's tear-streaked face revealed her overwhelming despair.

Aela's grip tightened around her daughter, pulling her close in a tight embrace, offering comfort amidst the chaos. "Your father is in a better place now... but we need to go."

The sound of approaching horses grew louder, and as Aela looked up, a lone knight stood before her atop his horse.

"Caleb... It's you... I should have known," Aela uttered with a mix of resignation and bitterness.

The knight dismounted his horse, a mighty greatsword at his side. Removing his helmet, he revealed a face marked by the scars of battle.

"This hunt is now over. Hand over what you stole," Caleb demanded with an air of authority.

"I cannot," Aela responded firmly.

"HAND IT OVER IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!" Caleb's voice boomed, echoing with an underlying threat.

"Never... That orb belongs to the Demon God!" Aela's voice rang out defiantly, her determination unyielding.

Caleb, fueled by rage and betrayal, removed his gauntlet and advanced toward Aela. With a powerful strike, he landed a brutal blow across her face, sending her reeling.

"You gave it to him? You bitch! Do you have any idea what you've done! Have you lost your mind?" Caleb seethed with anger.

"I did it to save her! You... You work for those filthy humans now! She is the last hope of the elves, and you betrayed us, for what? A false God that sits in heaven doing nothing!" Aela retorted, standing her ground despite the pain.

"We went to hell... We marched to their very gates to protect this world. Our God, suffers now a fatal injury because of our efforts, and now, you hand over an artifact such as this to him? Screw everything else, what about all the sacrifices we made? You threw it all away to save one child!"

"My child! She is... You know what she is! She is the last hope of the elves!"

"No matter... The orb is useless, it has been inactive for centuries. But I will not tolerate this act of betrayal! You and your bastard daughter will die today!" Caleb declared, unsheathing his sword and pointing its gleaming edge at Mila, who stared back at it, her eyes filled with both fear and determination.

Stepping forward, Aela placed herself between Caleb and her daughter, defiance burning in her eyes. "Kill me if you have to, but let her live!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Caleb thrust his sword forward, impaling Aela through the gut. She coughed up blood, her gaze shifting back to Mila.

"Arbious... you... promised..." Aela gasped, her voice fading as the light in her eyes dimmed.

With a merciless pull, Caleb removed his sword from Aela's body, his eyes now fixed on Mila. He approached her, his intentions clear.

Tears welled up in Mila's eyes, mingling with her confusion and shock. She stood frozen, her body paralyzed by the sight before her. The glint of the sword reflected the blood of her mother, now lifeless on the ground. The weight of the moment pressed down upon her, leaving her unable to comprehend the tragedy that had unfolded before her very eyes. Time seemed to stand still as she grappled with the overwhelming mix of emotions—grief, disbelief, and a sense of profound loss.

In a flash, demonic hands emerged from the air, their claws gripping Mila tightly. They pulled her forcefully into the depths of hell, away from Caleb's reach, as the gateway closed behind her.

image [https://i.imgur.com/lhqCDcB.png]

Ascended Tier Item - Orb of the Void

Known Lore: The orbs were forged at the dawn of creation, a result of the God of Darkness and the God of Light splitting their immense powers. These divine artifacts serve as conduits of unimaginable energy, granting their wielders the ability to harness and shape that power to their will. However, for centuries, the orbs have remained dormant, their true potential locked away.

Legends and tales speak of a prophecy, foretelling that the orbs would only awaken upon the opening of the Gates of the Void. The gates were said to be a mystical portal to the realm of darkness, a place of untold secrets and unimaginable power. It was believed that when the gates were opened, the orbs would resonate with the surge of dark energy, unlocking their true potential.

The whereabouts of the counterpart to this orb is still unknown.

image [https://i.imgur.com/Qj0qq7o.png]