The training grounds were alive with energy.
Christian stood in the center of a large, empty arena. Garran watched him from the side, arms crossed, while Kien stood a few feet away, her eyes focused on him.
"Are you ready?" Garran's voice was gruff.
Christian nodded. His veins still pulsed with that familiar darkness, but now he felt the power flow through him like a river. Control had come—but only just.
"Good. Because today, you fight with spirit."
Garran snapped his fingers, and the air around Christian shimmered. A tall, spirit combat dummy formed before him—this one with a flickering outline of a human warrior, radiating a golden aura.
"First lesson in spirit combat: absorb the energy around you. You can't just fight with your own power. You need the world to fight with you."
Christian breathed in, focusing. He felt the energy of the ground beneath his feet, the faint pull of the earth's core, the life force of the air around him. As he drew in the energy, it mixed with the black mist of his evolving core.
The warrior-dummy advanced, its fists glowing with bright, fiery energy. Christian raised his arms in defense—but the moment the fist collided, his body cracked under the pressure.
His knees buckled.
Garran's voice cut through the haze. "Absorb, Christian! You can't fight alone. You need to connect."
Christian clenched his jaw, summoning the energy again, forcing it to flow. The mist from his core enveloped his arms, creating a dark shield that absorbed the impact.
The fire-fisted warrior's punch faded as Christian's shield consumed the energy.
Christian's heart raced. He'd never experienced anything like this before—this kind of control.
Outside the Arena—A Sudden Encounter
"Quite the show."
The voice echoed from above.
Christian turned to find a tall figure standing on the edge of the arena—his figure framed by the bright afternoon sky. The figure's black hair whipped in the wind. He wore the uniform of Steelfang Elite Academy, the mark of Spirit Crown Society emblazoned on his sleeve.
It was Riven Drael.
Christian's stomach twisted. He recognized him immediately—the prodigy from Steelfang, known for being both a prodigy and a deadly opponent.
Riven's eyes locked on Christian, a cold smile on his face. "You've been busy, haven't you? Strange… I didn't think anyone from a place like this could awaken something like that."
Kien stiffened beside Christian, her eyes narrowing at Riven's presence.
Christian clenched his fists. "What do you want, Drael?"
Riven took a slow step forward, his confidence oozing. "I don't want much. I just want to see what the Void can really do. It's rare… but not impossible. I've seen the signs."
Christian's heart pounded. This guy knew about the Void. And that was dangerous.
"I'm not looking for a fight," Christian said, keeping his voice steady.
"Too bad," Riven smirked. "Because I'm looking for one."
The First Glimpse of the Artifact
As Riven stepped closer, Christian felt a sudden, intense pulse of energy surge through him. It wasn't from the mist, nor from the spirit combat training.
It came from his chest.
He stumbled back, his hands instinctively going to his shirt. Something—cold—was pressing against his skin.
His fingers brushed over a small, circular object tucked inside his tunic. It was an ancient jade pendant. It had appeared there a few days ago, in the aftermath of his last fight with Kael, but Christian hadn't thought much of it.
Now, though, it hummed with a power he couldn't understand.
The pendant began to glow faintly—black, mixed with a deep red. The power it held felt ancient. Tied to the Void.
Riven saw the glow. His eyes flickered with interest. "Interesting. I didn't know you had one of those. I'd heard rumors about ancient Void artifacts… but I didn't think any had resurfaced so soon."
Christian's pulse quickened. The pendant seemed to resonate with his core—its dark energy merging with his own.
"What is this?" Christian asked, voice low.
Riven's eyes glinted with a dangerous light. "That… is a relic from the old world. A key to unlocking the full potential of the Void."
The temperature around them seemed to drop, the air growing dense with a menacing pressure.
Christian turned the pendant over in his hands, feeling its weight. "What does this mean for me?"
Riven took another step forward, smirking. "It means, whether you like it or not, the Abyss is calling. And once you've answered... there's no turning back."
In the Shadows—Far Away
The black creature in the Spirit Realm turned its eyes toward Christian's pendant.
Its voice echoed like a distant storm.
"The key… has been found."
"Let the games begin."
In this moment, Christian realized one thing—his journey was no longer just about gaining strength. He was about to step into something much darker… and much more dangerous.