Rise of the Devourer

Chapter 2: Into the Murder Den

A cold and grainy sensation brushed against Noah’s body. His eyes fluttered open. Solid grey rock met his sight, and Noah tried to understand where he was.

“Where the hell…?” Noah mumbled, pushing himself up. He appeared to be in some sort of underground chamber. He was wearing his old shirt, a giant hole cut through it by the monstrous tendril still present on both sides. Dark cloaked figures stood in a circle all around him. He was on some kind of altar, a dark red circle with little runes carved into it.

He had a bad feeling about all of this.

“What is a human doing here?”one of the robed figures whispered.

“Look carefully, its Void affinity is something only a creature from the Abyss could possess. And it can talk. A creature of the Abyss that can talk! Perhaps this is some ancientelemental testing us,”the other robe-wearing man said.

After a while of whispering and mumbling, one of them stepped forward and bowed deeply to Noah.

“O’ great being of the Abyss, we are humbled by your presence.”The man spoke in a language Noah didn’t know but could somehow understand.

Soon after, the man was joined by the other members, all chiming in and chanting the words in unison. Red light started to emanate from the circle beneath him.

“O’ ye creature of the Abyss, ye wise immortal, accept this offering of blood, and hear our plea,” the figure said. From below the altar, they dragged an unconscious woman up the stairs. She was gagged, hands and feet tied with weird metal contraptions that glowed dimly in the dark.

A man at the end of the chamber began to walk closer, a long sword held upright in his hand. Noah swallowed.

“I need information. Anything. Give me anything I can use,”Noah whispered under his breath. As if responding to his words, text appeared in front of his eyes.

Name: Noah Brown

Race: Human

Rank: Unawakened

Paths:

Locked.

Locked.

Locked.

Attributes:

Power: 0

Agility: 0

Constitution: 0

Mystic: 0

[Abilities]

[Skills]

[Perks]

[Quests]

[Items]

“What?” Noah muttered, caught off guard by the words.

The cloaked figure stirred, and Noah’s distraction caused the words to fade. He wanted to curse. Why of all places did he have to land in a cult’s summoning circle?

Before he could process the information, another new screen floated in front of him with a chime.

New Quest generated!

Quest: Run! Run! Run!

You’re in an unfamiliar place, with unfriendly faces. It’s probably a good time to start running. Be quick, before it’s too late.

Difficulty: Medium

Reward: [Map] system unlock.

“Is this some kind of prank?” Noah mumbled. The cultists stirred, as if unsettled by his words. Noah glanced around, before fixing his gaze on one particular cultist.

“You. Answer me. Where am I? Last I remember, I was in the endless Void.”

The cultist jumped at his words, surprised at having been singled out. “O’ great eternal being. This realm is called Erandir. We have summoned you here, to ask of you a boon in exchange for the life of an Awakened.”

Noah processed the information as rapidly as he could. Seems like I got summoned by these cultists. Fucking void-tentacle-monster, knew I couldn’t trust it.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, Noah stood. The cavern was dark and big. The altar had red stains that did not look recent. Meaning this was far from the first time they’d been sacrificing people to summon eldritch monsters. While he felt sorry for the victims, he couldn’t risk dying right after he got his second shot at life.

They think I’m an elemental or something don’t they? Perhaps I can use that. Cultists are almost never people who have a good grasp on reality.

“So, what you mean to tell me, is that some mere humans disrupted my sleep and called me here from the Void, just for a favour?” Noah said, trying to mimic the indifferent distaste of the void beast.

The cultists appeared surprised. He noticed concern on the faces of some. “Is the communication spell still working?”a voice mumbled.

The cultist Noah had pointed at stepped forward. “O’ great creature of the Void, you misunderstand. This realm is material, beyond the Void, and with this pact, you will be free to enter this realm.”

Not sure how to reply, Noah decided to settle on frowning, as if he were contemplating something. In the meantime, he tried to bring back the first page he’d gotten.

At will, Noah found himself capable of summoning an overlay in front of his vision. A little circle at the top left with his body displayed, two bars to the immediate right. He moved his head around ever so slightly, and found the displays moving with his gaze, but never preventing him from seeing things.

Focusing on the image of his own body, Noah was able to select various items. The page from before opened up, and Noah began to look through the options.

[Abilities]

[Skills]

[Perks]

[Quests]

[Items]

Alright. Some kind of a game system. The fact that I’m level 0 and have 0 in every Attribute doesn’t seem very good, but I don’t have time to worry about that yet.

Scanning the menu, Noah selected [Perks].

Perks:

[Quest System]

[Inventory]

[Universal Language Comprehension]

[Identify]

[Voidborne]

[Fate Touched]

[???]

Noah’s eyes jumped to the three question marks and he selected the option.

[???]

[Progress until unlock 0/10]

A source of infinite potential.

Unsure of what that even meant, he moved on to [Fate Touched].

[Fate Touched (Divine)]

You’ve been in the presence of someone beyond fate itself and have been marked by them. Fate will struggle to take a hold of you, and unlikely circumstances, both good and bad, will find their way to you.

Noah glanced around his surroundings. Is this the reason I got summoned into a cultist base of all places?

Trying to ignore the potential reasoning, Noah moved onto another Perk.

[Voidborne]

The creatures of the void will listen to your command and smell the unending hunger within your soul. But those that oppose it, will feel hostile in your presence.

That sounds about right. Moving on, Noah opened the [Quest System] option.

[Quest System]

A spell cast on your soul lets you comprehend and access the Astral Script of this realm in a format you are intimately familiar with, providing goals and rewards.

And… that’s a Quest System? I suppose that’s fair. He moved on to the next option.

[Identify]

The universal skill provided to almost all species of Awakened. Though somehow, you’ve managed to access it before Awakening yourself. The Perk letsyou identify things.

Talk about a generic description. It’s almost like whoever was writing this just got bored and typed in the most basic description they could.

Trying not to linger, Noah moved on to [Inventory].

[Inventory]

After a prolonged exposure to the interdimensional rifts, the Astral Affinity has generated a personal space of storage within your soul. Transformed by the [Quest System], it has taken the shape of the [Inventory] Perk. Allows you to store items inside.

Noah was pleased by the Perk. An Inventory would be extremely useful. He opened the [Items] menu to see if there was anything in there he could use. The display changed to show four rows of four item slots. With the one on the top left containing something that looked like a letter.

Wondering how to take the item out, he moved his hand toward the display and found he could simply grab it out of the Inventory.

“Teleportation with not even a hint of space magic. A master of the Abyss itself!”one of the cultists cheered. Noah continued to ignore them.

A seal marked with swirling tentacles covered the envelope, which Noah promptly broke, and read the letter inside.

Welcome to Erandir!

This letter is to inform you that you currently possess the Diamond Premium Package provided by the Incarnation of the Void. Your stay on Erandir will be terminated under the following conditions:

You break the Pact. Your soul is corrupted or destroyed. [???] is lost.

If you have any complaints, please direct them to your provider. If you’d like to upgrade your package, please reach out to the Astral Space to learn more.

Hope you have a wonderful stay!

Noah stared at the letter, then his gaze drifted to the tied up woman and the cultists looking at him with reverence.

Yup. I’ve definitely gone mad.

Putting the letter back into his Inventory, once again with a wave of reverence and awe from the cultists, Noah moved on to the other Perk he thought was useful. Identify says I can get more information about things. Let’s see what I get.

Mentally triggering the Perk, Noah looked at one of the cultists and words popped up in front of his eyes.

[Abyssal Cultist - ?]

“I can see they’re cultists on my own, goddammit!”Noah cursed underneath his breath. His gaze went to the man with the sword, now climbing the stairs to the altar. Another display popped up.

[Abyssal Executioner - ?]

The hair on Noah’s arms began to rise. He looked at the woman and words popped up again.

[Flame Warden - ?]

Okay… that’s something. I’m gonna guess she isn’t very thrilled about this situation either. Maybe if I can get her free, she can get us out of here.

Smoothing out his features, Noah spoke in as commanding a voice as he could. “I have decided. I am willing to grant your plea, but I want this woman alive. She shall serve as my servant,” Noah said, impressed by how absolutely ridiculous he sounded.

The cultists turned to one another, whispering.

“What is the matter? Do you refuse?” Noah asked, his voice going deep and cold.

“N-No, O’ great one. We just… this is unprecedented. All pacts in history have been made by the ritual of blood and soul. To change that now—”

Noah scoffed. “Your customs are nothing to one such as I. Mere blips in the eternal cosmos of the universe. Make your choice now, humans. Do you refuse?”

Noah’s eyes went to the Abyssal Executioner, now almost at the top of the stairs. “Speak!” he shouted.

“N-No… we do not, O’ great one,”the cultist stammered.

Noah nodded, his eyes briefly glancing at the woman. Idly, he noticed her finger pressing against her restraints. Stepping forward, Noah walked outside of the circle. The cultists stumbled back in a hurry as he made his way to the woman, before kneeling beside her.

Noah grabbed the woman’s chin, lifting her up. Her light brown hair swayed behind her back, but she remained limp. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear, “This is probably strange to hear, but I’m not from here, I have no idea where I am right now, and I need your help to get out of here. And for that, I need you to cooperate. Pretend that I’ve taken over your mind and that you only listen to me now. When I drop you, slowly open your eyes and rise from the ground.”

There was a twitch at the corner of the woman’s lips, her eyes fluttering for the slightest of shudders. Noah didn’t linger on her reaction, promptly letting go of her.

“She is my vessel now. I have claimed her soul, and it is mine to command,” Noah said, his heart starting to race. This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

To his surprise, the woman stirred, opening her eyes. The cultists stumbled back, as if in disbelief. “S-she is awake!” one of them exclaimed and bowed his head toward Noah.

“Raise your heads, and free her from her chains,” Noah commanded.

The cultists looked hesitantly at each other. Slowly, one of them began to move closer, holding a strange circular object. Noah assumed it was the key.

“What in the depths name are you doing!”a scream erupted in the distance, echoing through the chamber.

Noah looked ahead and saw a tall man with pale skin wearing flowing robes walking closer. Two massive men trailed behind him, wearing dark plated armour and giant curved blades at their waists. Noah used Identify on all three of them.

[Abyssal Executioner - ?]

[Abyssal Executioner - ?]

[Abyssal Cult Chief - ?]

Uh oh, here comes the chief.

“Chief! The… great elemental has enslaved this woman and made her his servant. We-we were merely following his instructions,” one of the cultists shouted.

The man at the centre turned his eyes on Noah with a cold piercing expression, sending a shiver down his back.

“That. Is. A. Human,” the chief said, each word intoned with vibrating fury. “Capture him immediately, you buffoons!”

“Well, there goes my plan,” Noah said, dashing forward.

The ground shuddered beneath Noah as he tackled the cultist. Tearing the key out of the man’s hand, he threw it toward the woman. “Free yourself!”

Words flashed in front of his eyes as a new prompt appeared.

New Quest generated!

Quest: Kill! Kill! Kill!

The time to sneak around has passed. Now it’s time to fight or die.

Difficulty: Medium

Reward: Experience Points.

Before Noah could react, the cultist beneath him shoved him aside, and a dark tendril rising near his leg dragged him toward the summoning circle.

With a roar, the Abyssal Executioner dashed to Noah, cutting him across the chest with his sword.

“Motherfucker!”Noah cursed, turning ever so slightly to avoid the blade piercing his heart. The blade flayed a large piece of skin off, then nearly cut his arm off from the shoulder. He pushed back against the Abyssal Executioner but the taller man did not budge an inch. He screamed as the executioner pulled the blade back spraying blood all over his clothes.

On instinct, Noah ducked, the sword slicing through his hair instead, and he rolled to the side, trying his best to not be chopped to pieces.

The woman’s roar tore through the cacophony of noise, and a wave of something hot and bright poured over Noah. Clutching the cut on his chest, he watched a river of flame flowing right above him.

The fire swept through the cultists, burning the Abyssal Executioners to a flaming crisp and sweeping through the circle of cultists. One by one, the cultists fell, flames spreading and consuming any that came even close to where the woman stood.

“Step aside, you fools! She’s an E ranker! Let me take care of her,”the Abyssal Chief shouted, rushing the woman.

“Oh, you’re going to regret bringing me here!” the woman screamed. Flames coated her body, swirling in little infernos around her fist. Despite his heart racing at the magical battle, Noah did not have the time to sit around and watch.

A cultist nearby leapt toward him. Rolling to the side, clutching at his bleeding chest, Noah grabbed the blade lying near the burnt executioner’s corpse and spun it around toward the cultist.

With a thud, the blade pushed itself through the cultists gut with little resistance, and the man slumped over. Briefly, Noah’s eyes met the cultist’s wide gaze, surprise and pain mixed in with the horror as the cultist sensed his approaching death.

In a jerking motion, he pulled the blade back out. Thick red blood sprayed all over him, some getting into his open mouth. Pushing the cultist’s body aside, Noah lay on the ground, blood pounding in his ears, as a loud ringing sensation echoed. Through the corner of his eyes, he saw red spreading through his entire body, as the top bar slowly but surely continued to drop.

In the distance, he could hear the screams and shouts of the battle, with a distinct smell of burnt flesh filling his nose. After what felt like hours lying on the ground, slowly bleeding to death, Noah heard a chime as new words appeared in front of his eyes.

You’ve defeated [Abyssal Cultist (Common) - level 27].

[???] has consumed [Abyssal Cultist]

[Progress to unlock 1/10]

Quest: Kill! Kill! Kill! Complete.

Secret Objective: Free Aurelia Fauster, Complete.

Experience obtained.

You have no Paths. Experience Points cannot be awarded.

Would you like to awaken a Path?

Yes/No?

“Huh…?”