The tunnel stretched on, the hollow voice repeating its call: "Come closer…"
The air felt different here—heavier, as though the weight of ages hung in the stone walls. His grip on the sword tightened, his every muscle coiled, ready for whatever lay ahead. The voice wasn't human, but something about it tugged at him, drawing him deeper into the labyrinth. He had no choice but to follow. The sound, eerie and hollow, grew louder as he advanced, until it filled the entire space around him, reverberating off the walls like the whispers of the damned.
Soon, Konrad stood in front of an ancient door. Forgotten runes curved on the door. He pushed it. It was heavy, rusty and old. The runes light up a little than dimmed. He managed to open the old doors by a little
Konrad stepped through the door, larger than any he had encountered so far. It wasn't natural, man-made.
The air was thick with decay, the stench of rot hanging heavy. At the center of the room, illuminated by a faint, ghostly glow, stood hundreds of ancient, twisted crosses. Most were already empty. Piles of grey dust under them.
Only one of them were occupied. On those crosses hang figure, skeletal and devoid of flesh, their body confined in broken armor twisted, rusted and broken, yet somehow still alive.
That entity stirred as Konrad approached, its head lifting with great effort, the armor joints creaking as if they hadn't moved in centuries. A broken skull helm looked forward. Its eyes, hollow and lost in darkness, locked onto him. The voice that had been calling him came from this figure, the misbegotten soul trapped on the cross.
"Oh, traveler!"
"Oh, traveler lost in darkness! Why not listen to this one's plea!"
Konrad stood there, sword in hand, staring at the pitiful sight before him. It's figure was barely recognizable as living anymore, their skeletons and shattered armor fragments clinging to the steel of the corss, stretched and warped by years—perhaps eons—of torment.
Yet! He could feel the dreadful power that lies beneath that crucified corpse. Konrad has no doubt that if that thing gets freed he will be dead.
The talking soul groaned, its voice cracking with misery and despair of millennia.
"I have a shape. It is a shape like that of a man, but I am hollow. I am just the outline. I have hands, but cannot touch. I have no mouth, but I have been screaming since I began my fall. I want to breathe, but I cannot. I cannot remember what it is to breathe; only what it is to drown in an abyss, to sink without hitting the bottom...
I am drowning....
I once had a name, it is an echo. I once had flesh, that is gone. I do not know what I am. I had a name, it is gone. I am nothing!.... I am locked in darkness, trumbling through broken memories....."
The ghost stopped then spoke again.
"End it here! Oblivion awaits."
Konrad looked at the sword in his hand, then back at the tortured souls hanging before him. The cold logic of his mind battled against the faint stirrings of compassion that flickered inside him. What difference did it make to him whether this soul lived or died? And yet, something about their suffering resonated with him. A faint smile appeared on Konrad's lips.
The torment in their eyes mirrored his situation. He could see himself in this corpse. If the worst happens it will also be his destiny, maybe worse.
At this moment Konrad's [Clairvoyance] activated.
[He saw a boy. The boy grew up to be warrior. He fought in a competition. He became the champion. He appeared in a great cathedral. Other like him was also present. A priest told them some divine decree. He was chosen. He was rewarded a set of divine armor. He will become a divine champion. Then He fought in a war. He was killed. Yet, he didn't die. He stood up from the dead and continued fighting. Fought and died! Again! Again! And again! Finally he was captured. Hundreds of his brothers at once. They were brought to this dungeon and... Forgotten.... For eons.... Slowly seeds of corruption festered within their misbegotten souls. All fell... But turned into dust by the ravages of time. Only he remained.]
Konrad broke out of vision, sweat rolling down his forehead. He stepped back and took a few deep breaths.
"People are supposed to die when they are killed." Konrad muttered.
"I suppose not." The corpse said.
He approached the crucified figure, the one that had spoken, its body trembling as it hung limply from the cross. The eyes, dark and hollow, seemed to plead with him silently as he raised his sword. With a swift, clean stroke, he brought the blade down, severing the fragile connection that held the soul to this world.
"End is nigh! All is dust!"
The figure let out a final, rasping sigh before crumbling into dust.
[You slain a Fallen Titan, Damned of the Night.]
[Your soul grows stronger.]
[You have received a Memory, Mantle of the Night.]
The air seemed to shift, the cavern growing quieter, heavier. As the corpse turned into dust, a faint smile appeared on Konrad's lips.
"Looks like I won't get any memories or echoes in a long while."
He summoned his runes.
---
Name: Konrad.
True Name: Night Haunter.
Rank: Dreamer.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Soul Fragments: [546/1000].
Memories: [Red Mane], [Bleakmail], [Blue Mercury], [Grinning Trophy], [Hellpicker], [Marble Chalice], [Black Box], [Burning Amber], [Mantle of the Night].
Echoes: ---
Attributes: [Nightwalker], [Outerspawn], [Flame of Divinity], [Clairguard], [Thunderheart], [Stygian Talons].
Aspect: [Night Haunter].
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Aspect Abilities: [Clairvoyance].
Innate Ability: [Paradox].
Flaw: [Mandate].
***
Memory: [Mantle of the Night].
Memory Rank: Ascended.
Memory Tier: VI < VII.
Memory Type: Armor
Memory Description: [A malevolent demon declared war against the divinity of the Dark Skies. They said we must destroy this demon. They said we shall defend the honour of the Storm. They said we will be exalted. They promised glory. But they lied. Battle after battle, death after death, not even granted Shadow's marcy. Now only remains an echo.]
Memory Enchantment: [Nightshroud], [Starmetal], [Stormcast], [Eternal], [Night's Armament], [Prince of the Night].
[Nightshroud]
Enchantment Description: [Gives extremely high degree of physical, mental and divination defense.]
[Starmetal]
Enchantment Description: [It stores starlight and can use it to reinforce, regenerate and illuminate itself.]
[Stormcast]
Enchantment Description: [Cast in the great storm, this armor has affinity to thunder.]
[Eternal]
Enchantment Description: [As long as this armor remains unbroken, the wearer of this armor will never die, in exchange for soul fragments.]
[Night's Armament]
Enchantment Description: [This armor can accommodate a Charm Memory to inherit and enhance its enchantments.]
[Prince of the Night]
Enchantment Description: [This armor grows stronger according to the amount of opponents its wielder defeats.
Vanquished Foes:
(0000/6000) ]
Konrad's mind started to race.
"Divinity of the dark skies, honour of strom... The Strom god. Marcy of shadow, death... Shadow god and the malevolent demon... Prince of the Underworld?
Anyway this memory is even stronger than [Mantle of the Underworld]. Does every god has a similar variants of [Mantle of the Underworld], like [Mantle of the Dread], [Mantle of Sun/Moon], [Mantle of the Souls], etc?
Maybe not...?"
Konrad inferred what he could.
"All of these feels scripted."
Konrad muttered as he dismissed his [Bleakmail] and summoned his new memory.
The memory weaved itself over his body. It is a heavy plate armor made of midnight blue with gold outlines and details here and there. It covered him from head to toe. Heavy gauntlets, heavy pauldron gave his hands high protection. A helmet in the shape of a skull and a pair crimson wings on the top. He also summoned his [Red Mane]. A red cape dropped over his armor, he looked both majestic and frightening.
Konrad truned around and started looking for a place to rest. After finding a dry corner to rest, he sat down and closed his eyes. He needed some rest....