2025-01-12 10:47:20“But why was one here?” Miko asked, his voice filled with frustration. “Why was there no guard? Why didn’t anyone help me?”
The principal let out a long sigh, then sat down. “That’s a question we don’t have an easy answer to. The Abyss—well, the wraiths—first appeared seventy years ago. Back then, the world was normal, peaceful. But one day, portals started opening. Mirrors, windows, random reflective surfaces. And with them, came the Eidolon wraiths.” Miko frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. “The wraiths?” “Yes,” the principal continued, nodding. “They’re not just monsters—they’re the result of a strange occurrence. The moment the Abyss started to leak mana into our world, it birthed elemental powers. Fire, water, air, earth, all of it became possible, but at a cost. The wraiths, these creatures you saw, are the products of that very leak. They are elemental beings, born from the Abyss’s influence.” “So... the wraiths are made from elemental magic?” Miko asked, piecing it together. “But why was there no one to stop me?” “We’ve never encountered a portal like the one you passed through,” Miss Rose answered, her voice laced with worry. “This is a new development. Mirrors—sometimes they act as conduits, opening the way between worlds but they only occur in places with high density of mana, not until now, we haven’t seen anything like it in decades because the density of mana in this school is far from high. We didn’t expect any of the students to accidentally walk into it.” Miko took a deep breath, still in disbelief that he was back in the real world. His head throbbed with questions, but he chose to keep his thoughts to himself for the moment. “There’s no need to tell them any info about the pendant,” he thought too himself. Instead, he glanced around the principal’s office, his eyes settling on Miss Rose and the other teacher standing quietly by the wall. “Well?” Miss Rose said, breaking the silence. “How did you survive in there?” Miko hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much. He could feel the weight of their gazes on him, but he didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of knowing everything. He had his own secrets. “There’s no need to explain everything,” Miko said, shrugging. “I just… I figured it out. Kept my head down, kept moving forward.” He could feel his hands itching Miko looked at the floor, his thoughts moving quickly. The pendant had something to do with it, but he wasn’t ready to mention that just yet. “Actually, there’s something else I need to show you,” Miko said, standing up. He wiped his hands on his pants, feeling the ash starting to coat his fingers once again. “Miss Rose, can you shoot a small magic blast at me,” He didn’t need to explain it fully. Miss Rose looked at him curiously, “I heard you’re having a hard time in classes and I wouldn’t really want to put you in any da—“ Before she could finish, Miko had already reached for a pencil sitting on the desk. Without another word, Miko closed his fingers around the pencil, and within moments, the ash wrapped around it, coating the entire object in a dark, smoky layer. “Teacher, I’m waiting for you,” Miko said as he looked at her. The air seemed to thicken with tension as Miko held the pencil up. “Miko, what exactly—?” Miss Rose started, but Miko didn’t give her the chance to finish. Miss Rose took a deep breath as she conjured, “Wind spike!” She blasted at him. He flung the pencil with a sharp motion toward the spoke. The moment the pencil collided with the wind ball, the pencil bounced off and flew away. “ Leaving Miko to dodge the spike. The room fell into stunned silence. The male teacher and the principal both stared, their mouths agape in disbelief. Miss Rose dusted her palm. “As expected, a mere pencil can’t cut a wind spike, I don’t know what you were trying to demonstrate,” Miss Rose said. “What in the world just happened?” The other teacher asked. “What in the world just happened?” the other teacher asked, his voice shaky. He adjusted his glasses, his eyes wide with disbelief. “What did you both see?” Miss Rose asked. The principal, however, didn’t speak immediately. He was staring at Miko, Finally, he broke the silence. “That wasn’t… normal. Miss Rose, didn’t you see it?” “See what?” she asked, folding her arms. “He threw a pencil, and it didn’t do anything. What else was there to see?” The principal stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he addressed her. “The moment his pencil made contact with your Wind Spike. Didn’t you notice the split in your magic?” Miss Rose frowned, replaying the moment in her mind. Slowly, her confidence began to waver. “What do you mean?” The male teacher interjected, his voice rising in pitch. “I saw it too! Right before the pencil bounced off, the tip of the Wind Spike… it split. It was like something sliced through it, but not completely.” “That’s not all, what type of pencil would survive a clash with a wind spike?” The principal said as he walked towards the pencil. He picked it up, revealing the good state of the pencil. “It should have been..” “Torn to shreds,” Miss Rose uttered as the realization struck her. Miss Rose’s eyes widened as she turned to Miko, who stood silently, his expression unreadable. “What did you do?” she demanded, her tone sharp. Miko hesitated, debating how much he should reveal. Finally, he sighed and held out his hand. The ash began to swirl around his fingers, faint at first but quickly thickening into a visible haze. “This,” he said simply. The principal took a step back, his eyes fixed on the ash that seemed to pulse with its own life. “What… what is that?” “It’s my element, ash,” Miko said, his voice calm. “In the face of life and death, I discovered that my ash had the ability to swallow mana like a void. So anything I coat with it becomes and anti-magic weapon” Miss Rose’s spine stiffened as a shiver ran through her. “That… that’s not normal magic. I’ve never seen anything like it.” The principal nodded slowly, his expression grave. “Such magic… This isn’t something we’ve encountered before when it comes to The Ash element. Miko.” Miko hesitated again, his thoughts racing. He couldn’t tell them about the pendant or the Abyss—not yet. Instead, he decided to keep his explanation vague. The male teacher stepped forward, his eyes filled with fascination. “And you can control it? Just like that? I mean you can turn on the anti-ash and turn it off? Choose. When you want to slice magic and when not to?” ”Well, it comes at a cost,” As Miko ended that sentence. Everyone in the room finally noticed the blood pouring out of his nose, eyes and mouth. “The cost is my life. If you look properly, you would notice my dark hair got lighter. The skill burns away my lifespan as it’s battery. So this is a skill that I don’t think I will ever use,” Miko said. Miss Rose shook her head, her expression filled with concern. “This doesn’t make sense. Magic has rules. Elements have rules. But this… this is something else entirely.” The principal cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “Miko, we’re going to need to investigate this further. Your abilities… but like you said, it’s a good choice to stop using the anti-magic part of your ash.” “Ash Void,” Miko uttered. “You’re giving a name to a skill you’re not planning on using?” Miss Rose asked. The room fell silent again, the weight of the situation settling over them like a heavy blanket. Finally, Miss Rose spoke, her voice softer this time. “Miko… do you have any idea what you’ve been ‘birthed’ into?” Miko looked at her, his expression unreadable. The principal nodded, his expression serious. “For now, we’ll keep this between us. But Miko, be careful. Whatever this power is… it’s not something to take lightly. If it gets out of the school that you have such a power, you’ll be scouted into battle units or even the military. They will do their best to risk your life for a cause.” Miko nodded, his mind racing. The heavy silence in the room was cut by Miko’s voice. “I have another question,” he said, his tone was cautious yet firm. Miss Rose raised an eyebrow, her hands still crossed tightly over her chest. “What now, Miko?” Miko hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking between the three adults. “What are wraiths that can talk called?” As if rehearsed, the principal, Miss Rose, and the other teacher turned to face him at the same time, their expressions shifting from curiosity to alarm. The principal’s voice was low, almost a very low whisper. “What did you just say?” Miko scratched the back of his head, feeling the weight of their stares. “I said… What are wraiths that can talk called?” Miss Rose stepped closer, her face pale. “Why are you asking that, Miko? Did you—” She stopped herself, as if afraid of what she might hear. “I saw one,” Miko said bluntly, not waiting for her to finish. The male teacher adjusted his glasses and took a step forward. “You what?!” Miko sighed, already regretting his decision to bring it up. “I saw one in the Abyss,” he said, his voice steady despite the chaos swirling in his head. “It… it wasn’t like the others. It talked to me.” The male teacher’s jaw dropped. “It spoke to you?” Miko nodded. “Yeah. It called me out.“ The principal leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. “You’re sure about this? You’re not mistaken?” “I’m sure,” Miko said firmly. “It wasn’t just some random wraith. It was… different. Stronger.” Miss Rose exchanged a glance with the principal, her voice barely above a whisper. “An awakened wraith?” The principal nodded slowly, his face grim. “It sounds like it.” Miko frowned. “Awakened wraith? What does that mean?” The principal sighed deeply, “Wraiths that can talk are called awakened wraiths. They’re not like the regular ones you see swarming around the Abyss. They’re… smarter. Stronger. And far more dangerous.” Miss Rose shivered visibly. “They’re extremely rare, Miko. Most people never encounter one and live to tell the tale.” “Wait,” Miko said, his brows knitting together. “So you’re telling me that thing I saw… was one of the strongest types of wraiths?” The principal nodded solemnly. “Yes. And the fact that you survived…” He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief. “It’s nothing short of a miracle.” The principal stood, signaling the end of the conversation. “For now, let’s keep this between us. No one else can know about your encounter with the awakened wraith. If word gets out…” He didn’t finish, but the gravity of his tone made it clear what he meant. Miko nodded, his mind already racing with questions. He didn’t trust them completely—not yet—but for now, he had no choice but to follow their lead.
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The cafeteria buzzed with the usual energy, filled with the clatter of trays and the chatter of students. Miko stepped inside, his return after weeks of being missing met with curious glances and murmurs. He ignored the whispers, keeping his head high as he scanned the room. His gaze landed on a table near the corner, where three students sat—Akiya Ren, Liam Draven, and Anna Elsin. He took a deep breath and walked toward them.As he approached, Akiya leaned back in her chair, her fiery red hair as vibrant as her sharp glare. "Look who finally decided to show up," she said, her tone cutting but not entirely hostile. “Thought you were gone for good, Miko.”Miko paused, unsure of how to respond. "I had... things to take care of," he said carefully, setting his tray down and taking a seat at the edge of the table.Liam, slouched in his chair with his arms crossed, smirked. "Yeah, 'things to take care of.’ Sounds like code for hiding from the clan games," he teased, his lazy demeanor faili
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“Whit whee whoe whoe whoe whit whee,” Miko whistled as he washed in the shower.“Hahh,” he exhaled softly as he washed his face, finally turning off the shower.He sat down on a bench, looking around at lockers before fixing his gaze on the large mirror before him.“After the encounter with the abyss,” he shivered. “Think I might have mirror-phobia,” he said as he giggled.**Soon after, he stepped out of the school bathroom.“Well, now that I’ve officially got no place to return to, I guess the school is now home,” he said as he looked around.“Hiyahh!““Hiyuh!”“Wind spike!!!”“Fire ball!”“Looks like the school is busy today, not everyone went back home,” Miko wandered through the quiet halls of the training arena late at night. As he approached the large doors of the practice room, faint sounds of combat echoed from within—fire crackling, wind slicing, and bright light beaming. He hesitated before pushing the door open slightly, peering inside. Akiya stood in the center of the
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The stadium was in complete silence, the only sound the distant echo of the commentator’s voice still ringing in the air. The crowd murmured in disbelief, their voices rising in volume, some in awe, others in confusion. The spectacle of a mage with two elements. They had always known Miko as the weakling with the Ash element, barely able to conjure a puff of smoke. Now, he had just summoned fire. Pure, blazing fire. “Wait… did he just… use fire?” someone whispered, their voice trembling in disbelief. “He’s an Ash mage… Ash, not fire!” another voice, filled with confusion, responded. The murmurs grew louder, echoing through the stands, bouncing off the stone walls of the arena. Even the respected Professor Ryn was taken aback, his eyes wide in astonishment. He exchanged a glance with another professor sitting nearby, both of them still processing what had just happened. “Impossible…” a voice from the back of the stands stuttered. “You need two separate affinities to use two e
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 11
Luna stepped forward, her Wind magic spiraling around her as if she were a tempest in human form. Her eyes were filled with disdain, but there was an edge of curiosity too. “So, the so-called weakling has more up his sleeve than we thought,” she said, her voice smooth, almost mocking.Miko’s gaze remained steady. “You think this is surprising? You haven’t seen anything yet.”Jace, standing beside Luna, clenched his fists. He stared at Miko with disbelief. “How did you… how could you…” His words faltered. He was so sure Miko was just some Ash mage, barely able to do anything. But now?“You can’t just have fire,” Jace continued, his voice rising. “It doesn’t make sense. You’re supposed to be an Ash mage! This isn’t possible.”Miko smirked. “That’s your problem, Jace. You think things should make sense. But I never cared about what you thought. I just do what I want.”Luna stepped forward, raising an eyebrow. “So you think you can just show up and take us down with your tricks?”Miko’s f
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 12
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Chapter 59
Liam had claimed a corner table—the one with the slightly wobbly leg that he insisted gave the space "character." A half-eaten slice of cheesecake sat before him, more decoration than actual dessert. A spoon balanced precariously on the bridge of his nose, defying gravity with the same casual ease that he seemed to approach most of life."I'm telling you," he announced to his teammates, the spoon wobbling with each word, "this is a legitimate stress-management technique."Akiya rolled her eyes, flames dancing between her fingers—a nervous habit she'd never quite managed to control. "Balancing cutlery is your idea of stress management?""Some people meditate," Liam replied, not breaking his concentration. "I balance spoons."Across the table, Anna hunched over a stack of research papers, her dark hair falling forward to create a curtain between her and the world. Mumbled calculations escaped her lips—something about artifact resonance and magical frequency patterns."Did you say someth
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A group of four approached quickly, their expressions filled with irritation. Their leader, a tall, broad-shouldered man with sharp features, was the first to speak.“What the hell happened to you lot?” His tone was demanding, accusatory. “We were supposed to stick together, but your team disappeared. You abandoned the plan.”Anna, still nursing a bruise on her temple, raised a hand as if to calm him. “We didn’t—”“Don’t.” The man cut her off, his voice low but firm. “We found a clue. A direct lead to the relic. And instead of following procedure, your team vanished into thin air. We spent hours trying to figure out where you went.”“We had a lead of our own,” Anna tried again, her voice even. “We had no choice but to follow—”A sharp whistle cut through the tension.Hayes,The senior officer stood near the entrance of the makeshift command post, arms crossed, his face unreadable. But there was an unmistakable weight behind his stare as he looked directly at Miko and Keisha.“Is that
Chapter 57
Time seemed to slow as Miko faced his impossible choice. The wraith loomed over him, obsidian face mere inches away, reflecting his own distorted image back at him."Your decision time has expired," the wraith said, its voice laced with cruel amusement. "The relic. Now."Miko didn't move."Very well," the wraith's form seemed to expand, darkening the tunnel further. "Then you leave me no choice but to demonstrate the consequences of defiance." It gestured toward Akiya who was still struggling to her feet. "Perhaps I'll start with the fire girl. Her flames were... delicious.""No!" Anna tried to throw up another barrier, but her magic fizzled weakly, her reserves nearly depleted."How touching," the wraith mocked. "Such loyalty. Such devotion. Completely wasted, of course." It turned back to Miko. "Final opportunity, boy. Surrender the relic, or watch your friends suffer before they die."The tension in the tunnel was suffocating. Keisha clutched the relic container to her chest, her k
Chapter 56
"Wise advice from the Stormweaver," the wraith conceded. "But unnecessary. I don't need to create division when the truth will do it for me." It drifted closer. "Why do you think you were assigned to this mission, ash-wielder? Why you specifically?""Enough talking," Miko's fire burned brighter. "We're leaving.""Are you?" Another artifact in the wraith's shoulder began glowing, and suddenly the tunnel behind them collapsed, cutting off their retreat. "I think not.""Anna!" Miko called.She understood immediately, throwing up her strongest barrier between them and the wraith. But instead of attacking, the creature simply placed one elongated hand against the magical shield. The barrier didn't break—it dissolved, the magic seemingly absorbed into one of the artifacts embedded in the wraith's palm."Magic nullification," Anna gasped, stumbling backward. "That's not possible.""All things are possible with the right tools," the wraith replied. "Your human magic is just crude manipulation
Chapter 55
Miko didn't answer, but he had a feeling Keisha Stormweaver wasn't someone who gave up easily once her curiosity was aroused.The relic pulsed in its container, its blue light seemingly synchronized with Miko's heartbeat for just a moment before returning to its own rhythm. Whatever connection existed between them, Miko knew instinctively that it was only beginning.Someone had brought this team together specifically to find this relic. And he was increasingly certain that someone was playing a much longer game than any of them realized.Then suddenly,"That's the third time we've passed that support beam," Liam said, coming to a stop. His usual lazy demeanor had given way to sharp alertness, eyes darting between familiar markings on the tunnel wall. "The one with the red mining symbol, this is the third time we’ve passed it.""That's the third time we've passed that support beam," Liam said, coming to a stop. His usual lazy demeanor had given way to sharp alertness, eyes darting bet
Chapter 54
The guardian was now moving agitatedly around the clearing's perimeter, its wooden body creaking with tension. The forest itself seemed to respond to its distress—the not-sunlight dimming, the plants curling inward, the glowing insects scattering.Keisha made a quick decision, pulling a specially lined container from her pack. "This should contain it temporarily." She lifted the relic carefully, and as it left the pedestal, several things happened simultaneously.The forest darkened completely, plunging them into momentary blackness before Akiya's fire provided light. The guardian let out a sound like splintering wood and collapsed to the ground, its body suddenly lifeless. And from the direction they had entered, came a chittering noise that raised the hair on the back of their necks."Move!" Miko ordered as fire erupted around his hands. "Back to the entrance, now!"They ran, Keisha clutching the containment box, Akiya lighting their way with controlled flames. The forest that had s
Chapter 53
The branches parted slowly, deliberately. Squad Seven formed a defensive line instinctively—Miko and Keisha at the center, Akiya and Liam flanking, Anna providing barrier support from behind, with Trent and Devra protected in the rear, their detection equipment humming with activity.First came the sound—a clicking unlike any natural creature. Then movement—smooth, yet somehow mechanical. Finally, the figure emerged fully into the dappled not-quite-sunlight.It stood roughly the height of a tall human, but the resemblance ended there. Its body appeared to be made of interlocking wooden segments, like armor crafted from living trees. Where a face should have been, there was only a smooth wooden mask with intricate carvings instead of features. Tiny plants grew from crevices in its form, and glowing insects similar to those in the forest drifted lazily around it."Holy shit," Akiya whispered, flames dancing nervously between her fingers.The creature tilted its empty and featureless hea
Chapter 52
“They said we should all gather suddenly,” “Yeah let’s go,”Voices could be heard along the hall.The hall hummed but Coordinator Hayes stood at the center platform, his weathered face impassive as he surveyed the assembled teams. The morning's confrontation in the cafeteria seemed distant now as the reality of tomorrow's mission settled over everyone."Attention," Hayes called, his voice cutting through the chatter without needing to shout. "Final briefing for tomorrow's dungeon operation."The lights dimmed as a three-dimensional projection materialized, showing a complex network of tunnels and chambers carved into a mountainside."The Redstone Mining Complex," Hayes explained, "abandoned fifty-three years ago following an Abyssal breach. While the breach itself was contained, residual corruption remains throughout the facility."The projection highlighted different sections in color-coded threat levels – red for severe, yellow for moderate, green for minimal."As previously announ
Chapter 51
Suddenly, someone stepped up. With a plate on his shirt written, coordinator Hayes. Coordinator Hayes stood at the center, his weathered face betraying nothing of his thoughts as teams filed in."Punctuality," he noted as the last recruits took their places. "A promising start."The lights dimmed, and a three-dimensional projection of the mining complex materialized before them, rotating slowly to reveal its multiple levels."This facility," Hayes began, "was once the Redstone Mining Operation, abandoned fifty-three years ago following an Abyssal breach. The breach itself was contained and sealed by AAU response teams, but not before corruption spread throughout the complex."The projection highlighted sections in different colors – red for high corruption, yellow for moderate, green for minimal."As previously stated, Class A will investigate the deepest level." The lowest section glowed bright red. "Class B the middle chambers." The central area pulsed yellow with patches of red. "
