Requiem for an Aberrant Chapter 4: Chapter 4- The Trial of the Abyss

Read chapter 4 of Requiem for an Aberrant by TheJestersGambit on NovelPedia.

Cole continuously fell deeper into the Abyss, the endless darkness closing in around him. His thoughts spun in dizzying circles until his mind began to vomit, begging for rest. He forced himself to breathe. ‘Forget the Gods,’ he told himself. ‘ Forget everything beyond that. That organisation doesn’t matter right now. Focus on the trial. ’ However, no matter how tightly he gripped onto his resolve, Outcast’s words haunted him. ‘Your reward is the chance to survive.’ His teeth grinded together in frustration, only stopping when that distorted voice announced itself once again. “Speak ‘Soulgrid’ to access the state of your being.” Cole spoke, carrying the burden of everything he was holding back. “Soulgrid.” He could think about The Nameless Concord later. The word remained in the Abyss just before the air around him shifted. Translucent runes materialised in front of him, glowing faintly. Name: Cole Moon Rank: Ashen "A flame that refuses to die, even when drowned in shadows.” Trait: Guilt "Every single misstep, it stains your soul. The weight of regret fuels your fight, shaping your every move with its burden." Soul Metrics: Lifestream (Vitality): 1200 ( Emberborn ) Resonance (Focus): 1050 ( Emberborn ) Veilstep (Agility): 1250 ( Emberborn ) Gravitas (Strength): 1200 ( Emberborn ) Insight (Perception): 850 ( Ashen ) Essentia: 750 (Ashen- Architect’s Breath): The ability known to create and destroy, allowing for constructs to be brought to reality. True self: (_____ __ _____) Forced Reality: ( Status: Inaccessible ) Essentia Attributes: Stability: 21 Control: 34 Projection Speed: 48 Output: 39 Voidcraft: 900 (Ashen- Partial Phasing): Your affinity with the void. You step where others cannot, slipping between the seams of reality. Progression through personal pocket dimension: 0% Abilities: Dancing Rhapsody (Passive): {Effect: Your footwork transcends mere movement. When multiple opponents attempt to end you, evade their attacks with artistry that mocks the rigidity of fate} Titles: {Aberrant} - A loose thread beyond the Stitch. {Dual Stitched Fools} - Two threads, knotted where they were never meant to meet. You mistook the binding for choice, and called it salvation. Cole’s eyes paused on the rank displayed at the top: Ashen. The lowest rank. A faint chuckle slipped from his lips. He’d expected as much. Most began their journey at this rank, although that didn’t make the sting any less. There were higher ranks: Emberborn, Duskforged, Veilend, Echelon, Zenith, and finally Vahnken. But each rank felt like a mountain he had yet to climb. Apart from Emberborn, at least he was close to that. To ascend, one had to elevate every facet of their Soul Metrics through hard training, real combat, and sharpening both body and mind. The Soulgrid marked progression through increments of one thousand, according to The Absolute. But raw effort wasn’t enough. Progression along a Pathway : Essentia, Voidcraft, Valour, Bloodcraft, Eidolon, and Transference demanded something deeper. It required profound personal evolution and self-discovery. The Pathway didn’t merely test strength; it forced one to confront the truths buried within. Such as the fears, the contradictions and the very core of themselves. Only by unravelling these layers could one forge a true connection to their Path. Cole closed his eyes briefly. The Abyss he descended into remained unchanged, the constant stillness familiar, yet the truth was still clear. His journey ahead was long and uncertain. He opened his eyes and finally faced the thing he’d been avoiding. His titles. It was almost unheard of to bear a title before the trial. Few ever managed it. And now he was one of them. Though the titles unsettled him, an almost eerie smile formed on his lips. If it could even be called a smile. ‘I suppose that’s what earned me a place in The Nameless Concord.’ [Title Synergy Detected] [{Aberrant} resonates with {Dual Stitched Fools}] A quiet sigh escaped him as he snapped the Soulgrid s