Abyssborn

The dense plain was overgrown with tall, brown grass that swayed in the wind, as if hiding something alive within. Twisted trees with charred trunks looked like frozen ghosts, and the cracked earth echoed dully underfoot. A strange silence hung in the air, occasionally broken by gusts of wind.

Three participants stood not far from each other, exchanging short, tense phrases. In front of them growled a massive two-headed beast. Its eyes glowed with a bloody red light, and each head snarled, tracking every movement of the humans.

One of them, a swordsman, gripped his blade tightly. His voice was hoarse:

— "We have to work together! No panicking!"

He stepped forward, bringing his glowing sword down on the beast. The blade struck one of the heads with a deafening crash, but the other head darted forward instantly, sinking its teeth into the swordsman's side. He screamed, dropping to one knee.

— "Now! Hit it!" — he shouted to his teammates, but the only response was the snapping sound of a broken spear.

The beast's fangs found their next victim, and the remaining girl froze in place, unable to move. Growling, the two-headed beast lunged forward, shattering her crystal with a single blow. It disintegrated into the air with a faint chime.

The beast turned toward the last participant. He staggered to his feet, clutching his sword, its dim light reflecting his panic.

— "No... I... I won't give up," — the swordsman mumbled before the beast leapt at him with a powerful jump.

The crack of his crystal echoed across the plain, plunging it into silence once more.

The plain, dimly lit, fell silent again. Only the wind rustled the tall grass, making it whisper as if spreading the news of what had happened. On the cracked ground lay the bodies of the three participants, their broken crystals no longer glowing.

The sky on the horizon darkened as heavy clouds gathered, and that's when she emerged from the thick grass. At first glance, it was impossible to mistake her for a victim. Her stride was straight and confident, as if she wasn't walking across a battlefield but a familiar training ground.

Her short, pale hair barely brushed her chin, and the steel plates of her armor gleamed faintly in the rare light. A long, imposing sword hung across her back, too heavy-looking for most, but it moved with her like an extension of her body.

She stopped, surveying the field. A light breeze tugged at her hair, but her face remained expressionless, as if she was already accustomed to sights like this.

Her gaze lingered on the body of the swordsman, still clutching his weapon even in death.

— "Clumsy movements, poor decisions. You lost the moment you let fear control you," — she said, staring at the corpses.

The sound of heavy breathing interrupted her thoughts. The two-headed beast, still present, lifted both heads upon hearing her voice. Its crimson eyes locked onto her as its claws tore at the earth, preparing for another attack.

She smoothly unslung the sword from her shoulder. The long, polished blade caught the faint light.

— "Alright, then. Show me what you've got."

The beast charged forward, both heads baring their fangs and letting out a menacing roar. But she didn't flinch. Instead, she stepped forward to intercept. Her sword sliced through the air but didn't touch the beast. At first glance, it seemed like a miss, but a moment later, an invisible "echo" of the strike flared around the beast.

The beast abruptly halted; one of its heads snapped back as if struck. It howled, shaking its neck, but before it could recover, she stepped forward and delivered another strike.

Once again, her blade didn't make contact with its flesh, but the "echo" flashed near one of its legs, throwing the beast off balance.

— "You don't understand how this works? Then I'll show you."

She moved with a cold, almost terrifying precision. Her sword sliced the air again, leaving an invisible trail that activated moments later. The blade of the "echo" struck the beast's side, leaving a deep gash.

The beast howled, both heads lunging forward in unison to try and reach her. But she gave it no chance.

Her sword flashed twice more, and now the "echo" surrounded the beast on all sides. Every movement of the beast collided with invisible strikes it couldn't avoid. One of its heads crashed to the ground, flattening the grass, never to rise again.

The remaining head howled in fury, but its movements were weak and erratic. The woman raised her sword high, and the final "echo" flared in the air, descending upon the beast's neck.

The body collapsed, the ground shook, and the plain returned to silence.

She stood motionless, staring at the fallen creature. Her face remained calm, but her gaze lingered on the bodies of the defeated participants.

— "You knew what you were getting into. And yet, you failed," she said, wiping the blood off her sword before sheathing it on her back.

Her steps faded into the rustling grass as she walked away.

The dark forest surrounded him like it was trying to swallow him whole. There was nothing to hear but the faint rustling of leaves under the soft gusts of wind. The sun, if it still existed in this sky, barely penetrated the dense canopy of branches, while the shadows twisted and writhed as if alive.

Nait stood still, slowly scanning the space around him. His hand instinctively moved to the crystal on his belt, checking if it was still there. Around him, the trees stretched their gnarled branches, and beneath his feet, the roots formed intricate patterns.

The sound of footsteps rang out suddenly, breaking the stillness. Nait turned his head in the direction of the noise and caught movement between the trees. It was no more than a shadow, but enough to make his muscles tense.

From behind one of the trunks, a figure leaped out. It was a massive beast—a dog with jet-black fur that shimmered like steel and eyes burning with a yellow glow. The strangest thing about it was the sword it held in its jaws. The blade was long and narrow, with serrated edges that glowed faintly with a sinister light.

The dog stopped, baring its teeth slightly, making the sword in its jaws sway. A sound like grinding metal echoed through the forest.

Nait didn't move. His gaze remained focused.

The dog leapt.

Its movement was fast, almost imperceptible. But Nait was faster. He stepped back into the shadow of a tree. His body disappeared into the darkness, and the beast lunged into empty air, missing its target.

A moment later, Nait reappeared on the other side of the clearing, briefly merging with the shadows of the roots. In his hand, a shadowy blade had formed, gleaming as if forged from liquid night.

The dog spun around, its paws hitting the ground with a loud thud. The sword in its jaws scraped again, and it charged forward.

This time, Nait didn't retreat into the shadows. He raised his hand, and long, writhing tendrils rose from the ground, wrapping around the beast's legs. But the beast simply tensed its muscles and, with a growl, tore the tendrils apart in a single motion.

The blade in its jaws gleamed as it struck. The dog moved as though it wielded the sword itself, its swing precise. Nait barely managed to conjure a shield of shadows in front of him. The metal blade collided with the barrier, which shattered into dark fragments.

The shadows around Nait stirred again. He sank into the ground, reappearing behind the beast. His blade sliced forward, but the dog, as if sensing the attack, pivoted sharply. The blade in its jaws swung out, deflecting Nait's shadow sword.

Nait leaped back, swinging his hand. Shadows surged toward the beast, transforming into long, sharp blades. One of the shadowy weapons struck the beast's side, leaving a deep gash.

The dog howled. Its paws slammed into the ground, and it charged again, moving faster than before. Its motions became chaotic, yet deadly.

Nait froze, then slowly stepped back, merging into the shadow of a nearby tree. In the next moment, he emerged above the beast as if surfacing from the tree's canopy. His blade descended sharply, leaving a dark trail in its wake.

The dog leapt to the side, but it was too late. Nait's shadow blade severed one of its front legs. The beast landed awkwardly, its body faltering. But it wasn't ready to give up.

The sword in the dog's jaws glinted once more. It lunged one final time, but Nait took a short step to the side, raised his hand, and unleashed a torrent of blades from his shadow. They rained down on the beast like a deadly storm.

One blade pierced its chest. Another its side. Two more struck its neck. The dog fell silent. Its body slumped to the ground, and the sword slipped from its jaws, embedding itself in the dirt beside it.

Nait straightened up, gazing at his defeated opponent. His crystal glowed, tallying points.

The shadows around him trembled faintly, then dissolved into their usual forms.

— "Next," he muttered under his breath, sheathing his blade and vanishing into the nearest shadow.

Zein walked across the plain without bothering with caution. Stones and dust crunched under his boots, and the cracked land stretched endlessly, dotted with scattered boulders. Behind him lay the corpses of monsters—some with crushed skulls, others with torn bodies—silent witnesses to his path.

He stopped, narrowing his eyes. Standing motionless in the middle of the plain was a massive stone golem. Its body was built from rough chunks of rock, and its glowing white eyes slowly turned to focus on Zein. The golem raised an arm the size of a small tree and slammed it into the ground.

Zein grimaced.

— "Great, another one. How many of you are there today?" he muttered.

He calmly stepped forward, lifting his foot. Stomping it into the ground, he launched a massive chunk of rock toward the golem. The earth shook, and the projectile, propelled at incredible speed, smashed into the giant's chest.

The golem staggered, its stone legs giving way under the impact. It collapsed, shattering into pieces and leaving behind a cloud of dust.

Zein stopped, smirking as he brushed the dust off his hands.

— "Same as always," he said, glancing around.

He was about to move on when he heard a faint whistle. His reflexes kicked in before his mind caught up: Zein instantly teleported to the nearest shadow, disappearing from the spot.

Moments later, he reappeared behind the source of the shot. His gaze was cold, his voice sharp:

— "Was that you shooting at me?"

In front of him stood a man with long dark hair and a bow in hand. His lightweight but sturdy outfit blended with the landscape, and his wolf-like eyes studied Zein. He smiled faintly, keeping an arrow ready.

— "You dodge well," the man said calmly. "Though I'd say shooting at you was a reasonable choice."

— "Reasonable?" Zein frowned, stepping closer. "Looks to me like you're asking for trouble."

The man tilted his head slightly, not lowering his bow.

— "Judging by the trail of monsters you've left behind, you've racked up a ton of points. Why shouldn't I take them for myself?"

Zein chuckled, leaning casually against a nearby boulder.

— "Points? Oh, that. You really think you can take me down?"

— "You'd be surprised how much can change if you're not careful," the man replied. "Allow me to introduce myself: Reynard. I'm the one who's about to do just that."

Zein nodded, his expression growing serious.

— "Zein," he said simply. "But honestly, I don't care. Let's see what you've got."

Reynard didn't hesitate. He nocked an arrow and fired it in a flash, the glowing energy projectile whistling toward Zein.

Reynard stood still, his bow already ready for another shot. The first arrow tore through the air, but Zein didn't bother dodging in the usual sense. His body disappeared for a split second, reappearing a few paces away, his relaxed gaze sizing up his opponent.

— "Shoot all you want, but you'd better not miss," he said with a smirk.

Reynard wordlessly loosed another arrow. It zipped past Zein and struck a massive boulder behind him. The energy from the arrow detonated on impact, destabilizing the rock.

Zein heard the rumble. A chunk of stone began to slide from the top, tumbling down directly toward him. He snorted and didn't even turn his head.

— "Do you really think that'll work?"

Zein raised his hand, and with a loud clap, the boulder froze mid-air. All motion stopped, as though someone had turned off gravity itself. Zein took two steps forward and turned around to see the massive rock hovering right above him.

— "Alright, that was clever. But I can do better."

He snapped his fingers, and the boulder's motion resumed—not downward, but backward. The rock whistled through the air, hurtling straight toward Reynard. Reynard rolled to the side just in time to avoid being crushed, but his eyes burned with fury.

— "You're playing games, aren't you?" he barked, nocking another arrow.

— "Of course," Zein replied casually. "You started it, after all."

Reynard wasted no time. He loosed an arrow that exploded mid-flight, releasing dozens of small energy shards. The chaotic swarm of projectiles surged toward Zein in a deadly cascade.

Zein tilted his head back with a mocking grin. In an instant, he disappeared, reappearing behind Reynard.

— "All of this... pointless, Reynard. Do you really think you can beat me?"

Reynard spun around, but Zein had already stomped his foot against the ground. A shockwave rippled through the earth, sending a torrent of jagged stones flying at the archer. Reynard dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly barrage, but his reprieve was brief.

Zein appeared right in front of him. With a fist charged by kinetic energy, he struck the ground next to Reynard, creating a concussive blast that knocked the archer off his feet. Reynard hit the ground hard but refused to let go of his bow.

— "Get up. You want to finish this with style, don't you?" Zein taunted.

Reynard struggled to his feet, but he never got the chance to fire another shot. Zein moved like lightning, snatching the crystal from Reynard's belt. With a sharp crack, he crushed it in his hand, scattering the fragments across the plain.

Zein glanced at the shattered remains, and the crystal on his own belt emitted a faint glow.

— "Five points?" He raised an eyebrow, shaking his head in disappointment. "Pathetic. Such a waste."

He looked at Reynard, who was standing, breathing heavily but defenseless. Zein stepped forward and, with a light tap to the chest, sent him into unconsciousness.

— "You're not weak, but you're far from strong," Zein muttered quietly.

Without another glance, he turned and walked away, leaving Reynard behind.

Nait moved through the forest, lost in thought. The dark silhouettes of trees surrounded him, their branches shifting in the faint wind, as if trying to warn him of something. Roots crunched softly underfoot, but no sound disturbed the eerie stillness except his own steps.

His gaze flicked to the side, catching a faint glimmer of light in the distance, followed by a muffled impact. Nait stopped, listening intently.

— "What the...?" he murmured, heading toward the source.

When he reached a small clearing, the sight before him surprised him. A red-haired man in light armor stood over a massive dead monster whose body looked as though it were made of stone. The man wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and laughed.

— "Well, that's that! Another one down. Who's next?"

He turned, as if suddenly noticing Nait, and smiled, raising a hand in greeting.

— "Hey, you!" he called out. "No need to worry, I've got it covered. Not hurt, are you?"

Nait didn't rush to respond. He stepped out of the shadows, quietly observing the red-haired man.

— "I'm fine," he said curtly.

The man looked him up and down before glancing at the dead monster.

— "Judging by your face, you're no pushover. Then again, looks can be deceiving, right?"

— "Who are you?" Nait asked, ignoring the joke.

— "Finn, at your service!" the man replied with a grin. "You're not here to kill me, are you?"

Nait snorted.

— "If I were, you wouldn't be asking."

Finn laughed, stepping closer.

— "Alright, good one. You've got a sense of humor, so I guess we're fine. So, what's your name? Or are you just here to silently judge me?"

— "Nait," he said simply.

Finn nodded, his eyes flicking briefly to the crystal on Nait's belt.

— "Fun place, huh? Monsters, psychos… Just keep your guard up. They like sneaking up from the shadows."

Nait was about to reply when a strange sound filled the air. The snap of branches, a heavy footstep, then silence.

— "What's that?" Finn's tone turned serious, his hands clenching into fists.

Nait slowly turned his head, spotting movement among the trees. A slender, agile figure emerged from the forest shadows, almost as if it were a part of them. It was a girl with a long black braid. Her movements were smooth, predatory, and two short blades hung from her belt, which she adjusted but didn't draw.

— "Two of you," she said coldly, her gaze shifting between them. "This will make things a bit easier."

Finn smirked, his shoulders tensing.

— "You sure that's a good idea, sweetheart? We were just taking a stroll. But if you're looking for trouble, feel free to say so."

She didn't respond. In the next moment, their feet seemed to root to the ground. The air grew heavier, the pressure forcing them downward and slowing their movements. Finn bent slightly, his breathing growing labored.

— "What the hell...?" he gasped, trying to take a step forward.

Nait gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing.

— "Gravity," he said quietly.

The girl tilted her head slightly, her fingers brushing the hilts of her blades.

— "The perfect opportunity to see what you're made of," she said evenly, taking a step forward.

Finn straightened, his fists beginning to glow with a soft golden light.

— "Well, now this just got interesting. Time to give you a little show!"