All eyes fell on the war hammer as it slowly emerged from the blackened pool. Many wondered who or what would follow. Contrary to their expectations, there was no hand gripping the handle of the ominous weapon. The pool rippled again, and this time, a blackened, animated mask with flashing yellow and red lights rose from the darkness. Like the hammer, it was unattached to any face. Moments later, an intricately crafted orb surfaced briefly before vanishing.
Confusion marred the faces of the champions watching from above, especially those trapped in the tar-like shadow. Not all could see the strange items emerging. To them, the shadow was just another mechanism of the depraved labyrinth creator.
Orion wore a rare frown as he stared at the inert items. "What's going on? What happened to him?" There was no trace of Scott, but the items were undeniably his. A chilling thought struck him. Could he have been devoured by nihility too? Orion recoiled, recalling a memory he'd rather forget—the disintegration of a clone who had been trapped in the unforgiving zone too, devoured into nothingness.
A whisper suddenly interrupted his thoughts, "I’m not going to die here. I’m not going to die here. I’m not going to die here..."
Orion, Slim, and Zara shuddered at the familiar, but chilling voice. The other champions trembled, cold sweat covering their bodies. The whisper weakened their souls, leaving them feeling empty. Blackened straps wrapped around their ankles, and the ground beneath them gradually lost its solidity.
The citrine and crimson glow on the eldritch mask alternated more frequently, and a screeching echo escaped from the trembling war hammer of the mad god. Scott's ominous whispers intensified, and the darkness across the maze bubbled like boiling water.
The titans screamed in fury, their muscles swelling as they tried to break free. But their efforts were futile; the straps tightened mockingly around their ankles. Their powerful screams were nothing more than echoes, drowned out by Scott's whispers.
"I will not die here… even if my body is devoured, even if my hopes and dreams fade, you will not claim me," Scott's voice echoed through the maze. The bubbling intensified.
"I may have forgotten who I am, but my will to live will never die! I’m not going to disappear like this… I don’t care how long it takes. I will survive..."
The phrases echoed simultaneously, growing louder, vying for the bound audience's attention. The bubbling peaked, the earth visibly contorting.
Tiny tendrils, blackened and crimson, surged from the eldritch mask, racing into the darkness. The ground shook as if an ancient beast had been freed from hell. The tendrils pulled, extracting a deformed mass from the nihilistic zone.
The mask and the war hammer launched toward the mass, which slowly transformed into a human physique. A human body then materialized, but it was far from normal. Blackened tendrils formed a mesh beneath pale skin, like ancient ritualistic tattoos. On the right side of the torso, a swirling mass clashed with the tendrils.
A pair of mismatched eyes appeared behind the mask—one citrine, the other a fractured abyss. A faint inhalation could be heard, like a new organism taking its first breath.
At that moment, the whispers ceased, and the darkness vanished. The titans seized their chance, launching themselves at the instigator of the changes.
Scott stared at his transformed body; emotions and sensations both overwhelming and alien to him. He raised his head, gazing at the chaotic maze. His memory stirred slowly. He had long forgotten what vision and sound felt like, but his body was slowly remembering.
“You had me worried,” a voice giggled in Scott’s mind. He instinctively turned toward Orion.
Scott didn’t know why, but the smiling man felt oddly familiar and distant at the same time. Zara and Slim’s voices echoed in his mind, and he felt an attachment to them, though he couldn’t recall why.
Orion’s voice echoed again, “The titans are coming. We just need to survive for another thirty seconds, and we’ll pass the trial.”
Scott heard the mage’s words but couldn’t grasp their meaning. He turned toward the approaching titans, his gaze impassive. The behemoths massacred everything in sight as they approached with incomprehensible speed.
Scott nonchalantly raised his war hammer, his dry, raspy voice echoing, “I do not tolerate your existence. Return to nothingness.”
A shadow bloomed beneath Scott, expanding over the maze in seconds. The champions and creatures felt a restrictive force binding them. The titans, however, powered through, their muscles bulging with rage.
Gigantic straps extended from the darkness, wrapping around the giants’ limbs and necks. The titans snapped them with sheer might, but more binds emerged. The sound of breaking glass echoed as the earth beneath the titans loosened. The powerful creatures slowly sank into the darkness, wading off the countless straps.
Their eyes, filled with rage, focused solely on Scott. They roared menacingly, but their bellows lacked authority. The creatures struggled mightily, but their struggles only propelled them further into the abyss.
Scott approached the sinking titans, gliding across the shadows. The creatures howled; their screams feeble. Thousands of wraps restricted their movements. Wordlessly, Scott raised his hammer, smashing it onto the first titan. The creature plummeted into the abyss like a stone thrown into a lake. Scott repeated the process until all five titans sank into the nihilistic zone.
The shadows disappeared, and silence enveloped the maze. Scott impassively stared into the distance, trying to recall his existence. A hand extended from the mask, dragging the war hammer of the mad god away. Another hand from Scott’s chest attempted to fight for the hammer but gave up.
Congratulations! You have fulfilled the necessary requirements to advance from the Path of Chains!
The beasts in the maze froze as if compelled by an invisible force. The system notification sent a ripple of emotions through the champions. Many collapsed, some bawling, others laughing in excitement.
Orion approached Scott, placing a large cloak over him. “Have you recovered?” he asked.
Scott turned toward the mage, a hint of familiarity in his eyes. “How long was it?”
Orion prepared to speak, but Scott interjected, “Don’t bother. It’s time we’ll never get back. What about your main?” he asked mentally.
“It’s all settled,” Orion replied with a smile. “There’s so much to discuss. I’ll summarize the important stuff later. For now, greet your companions.”
“Scott, are you okay?” Zara’s voice echoed in his mind. Before he could respond, he felt an unfamiliar warmth cling to him.
The brawler hugged him, trying to stifle her tears. “You should have come out sooner… don’t do that to us again,” she whispered, sobbing as her arms tightened.
Slim approached, stopping in front of Scott. “You’ve changed a lot, buddy,” Slim muttered softly.
He had always sensed an otherworldly aura from Scott. Now, however, he felt nothing, and it terrified him. The living and the dead had an aura. A being without one transcended his imagination.
“So have you,” Scott said, his gaze lingering on Slim’s blackened bones. Although his memories were hazy, he knew the necromancer and Zara had changed since their last encounter.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Slim chuckled softly, placing a hand on Scott’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay, buddy. I really am.”
Champions will now be rewarded based on contributions! Calculating rewards!
Several champions in the makeshift town attempted to descend the stairs, but a barrier blocked their paths. They knew they had probably missed a golden opportunity to move to the next layer.
Rewards calculated! Commencing distribution!
Mystical lights descended on the champions in the maze, and one by one they disappeared, except for Scott. However, a series of system windows appeared before him.
Congratulations! You have leveled up! Your Race has been updated! Congratulations! Class advancement is possible! Congratulations! You have received a new title! Title: Voidwaker! Description: A Voidwaker is a being who has survived the harrowing trial of the nihilistic zone, emerging not just unscathed, but fundamentally transformed. Your energy sources have been updated! You have gained a new skill, and several of your skills have leveled up! Note! Abilities will undergo significant changes based on your next class advancement! Unsuitable abilities will be sealed, purged, or terminated!
With a thought, Scott summoned his status screen, and the updated window appeared in front of him.
Champion Interface Basic Stats
Name: Scott Dorsey. Level: 50 -New! Experience Points: 0/5100 – New! Void Limits: Infinite – New!
Race:
* Eldritch Being.
* Nihilithian.
Class:.
Undefined.
Second Class advancement is possible.
Would you like to choose a class? [Yes] [No]
Party Members:
* Slim the Grim.
* Orion Audeus.
* Adona.
* Fi-Fi.
* Zara [Party Leader].
Title:
* Chaos Caller.
* Voidwaker.
* Minion 01.
Rank:
* Being calculated…
Energy Sources:
* Nihilistic Zone.
* Abyssal Void.
Abnormal State: None.
Achievements:
* You completed the 31,456th performance in the theatre!
* Survivor of the Nihilistic Zone.
Sponsor: None!
Physical Stats Strength: 50 [+20] New! Agility: 51 [+20] New! Endurance: 50 [+26] New! Dexterity: 50 [+20] New! Toughness: 50 [+16] New!
Skills Carpentry (Level 1). Running (Level 2). Survival (Level 6) – New! Madness (Level ???) – New! Hastur’s Gaze (Level 4) – New! Hastur's Whisper (Level 2) Mental Manipulation (Level 5) – New! Void Manipulation (Level 3) – New! Party Communication (Level 1) – Party Dependent Skill. Basic Eldritch casting (Level 2) Hammer Mastery (Level 3) Combat (Level 4) – New! Fishing (Level 1).
Hastur's Vessel
There’s a 45% chance your body will be possessed by Hastur the Unspeakable.
Temporary possession inactive!
Void Bank
* Calming Woods.
* Nihilistic Zone.
* Slime Party.
* ??? Void.
Quests Main Quest: Make it to the end of the labyrinth – Ongoing!
Scott stared at his system window, his mind plagued by a whirl of thoughts. He knew he had undergone significant changes, but only now did he grasp their full extent.
The entrance to the third layer will open soon! Thisos, the lesser god of doom, is watching you! Thisos, the lesser god of doom, has stopped watching you! Visbos, the mad titan, is watching you! Visbos, the mad titan, is angered! Visbos, the mad titan, has stopped watching you!
Scott glanced at the series of system messages without much thought. Suddenly, a crack echoed, and a portal manifested a few feet away from the eldritch being.
The entrance to the third layer is now open!
Scott took a step toward the portal but paused. He turned, noticing another crack manifesting nearby. Something familiar emanated from the emerging portal.
Space distorted, revealing another portal. Unlike the clear, colorless portal leading to the third layer, this new portal had a turbid, lilac hue. It grew wider and wider until it was large enough for three titans stacked atop each other to pass through.
Scott stood his ground, eyes glued to the distorting space. Moments later, the distortion calmed, revealing several silhouettes.
Amidst the silence, a voice emerged from the portal. "So, you survived that. I'm glad. I didn’t want it to be that easy."
Some memories were distant, but some could never be forgotten. The war hammer emerged from his mask, and Scott gently grabbed the intricate weapon, pointing it toward the figures in the portal.
“Ethan, right?” Scott said suddenly. “I suspected you bastards were involved in this, and it seems I was right. Before you start preaching about other timelines or how mad you are at me, know that I don’t care. If you still want to come, then come. I will no longer tolerate your existence!”
Lesser god candidates are attempting to invade the Path of Chains! The Administrator has revoked access!
A tear appeared in the fiery sky, and a gigantic hand raced toward the expansive portal, forcefully closing it in one swift motion. The hand disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Scott lowered his hand, and a snaking limb ejected itself from his chest, dragging the war hammer into the nihilistic abyss before the eldritch mask could react.
Wordlessly, Scott turned and approached the portal leading to the next layer. The eldritch being disappeared behind the portal, and a new system notification appeared before the champions in the makeshift town. Unfortunately, those who had revived a second too late also had to repeat the trial.
The Path of Chains will be modified! Commencing modifications…