Ignia

Alden sighed. 

He promised himself he would destroy the Asterons if they ever harmed his first love. 

Inwardly, though, he knew they were empty words with no substance or power to back them up. 

Right now, he was as weak as a person could get. 

'But not for long…' 

Staring at the cerulean screen floating in the corner of his vision, a wild grin graced Alden's face. 

Name: [Alden]

Race: [Human]

Title(s): [Preserver of Flame]

Magic Class: [Abyssal Entropy]

Stage: [1/5]

Rank: [Apprentice]

Skill(s): [N/A] 

It seemed his rash decision of swallowing the beast core had not killed him. 

Whether that was because of the phoenix purifying the orb for him before he gulped it down, or because it healed his body when he couldn't handle the influx of mana, he was not sure.

Either way, Alden was grateful to the little bird. 

Beckoning it closer, he placed the creature between his folded legs. 

The young man smiled, watching the pitch-black phoenix tilt its head curiously, peering at him with sparks of intelligence in its eyes. 

"Would you like to become my familiar?" 

He saw the bird across from him blink uncomprehendingly. 

Laughing lightly, he joined his two index fingers together and said with a smile, "Becoming my familiar means you get to stay by my side forever. Only death will do us part." 

The little phoenix released a short cry. 

"Is that a yes?" 

Instead of answering, the fiery bird nuzzled his legs. 

Taking that as confirmation, Alden showed a relieved smile before he lifted one of its legs, and used its talons to pierce his skin - he needed a drop of his blood for this to work. 

Alistair and his teachers had been very particular about that. 

A bright red dot appeared at the tip of his finger. 

"Here. I need you to swallow this."

Extending his finger forward, Alden observed the little phoenix hesitate for the briefest of moments. 

Then, in a flash, it gulped down the drop of his blood. 

Instantly, a foreign sensation appeared in Alden's mind. 

It was both strange and alien, mystifying and bewildering. However, it also made him feel like he was now inexplicably whole. 

Joy. 

Curiosity. 

Warmth. 

A rush of feelings other than his own invaded his mind.

Staring at the phoenix with wide eyes, Alden blinked. In the next moment, a radiant smile split his face. 

"Do you want me to give you a name?" 

Excitement flooded his mind. 

Alden chuckled, sensing the bird's emotions through their bond. 

He pondered for a few moments before his eyes lit up. 

"I'll call you… Ignia!" 

Ignia cried, happily flapping her wings. 

A flood of joy travelled through their link. 

Alden smiled. 

When he first connected with his bond, he was surprised to find she was female. Looking at her more closely, Alden found that Ignia only had one or two tail feathers, instead of the usual five that he heard male phoenixes possessed. 

To him… Ignia was now an irreplaceable part of his family. It didn't matter whether she was a male or female. 

Rather, he now had one extra person who cared for him. 

That… was a priceless thing. 

Alden doted on Ignia some more before he turned his attention towards his status screen. 

A thoughtful expression appeared on his face. 

Alden's mind wandered towards the Great Collision and the descent of the system. 

As if the universe was trying to be fair, humanity had received a tool to help them keep stock of their skills and track their progress. 

However, it was just that. 

Progress.

He vividly remembered hearing a few Paladins lamenting that it did not do more to help. 

Shaking his head, Alden focused. 

His gaze unconsciously roved to the title of [Preserver of Flame]. 

Curious, he tapped on the screen and scanned its description. 

It read: 

[Once upon a time, there existed a regal phoenix. He ruled the land with wisdom and grace, prioritising the needs of his kin over his own. As he sensed his demise draw near, the phoenix became aware of a dire threat to his people. With his last breath, he swore to the heavens that whoever saved a member of his race would gain the protection of Fire. This blessing increases your affinity with fire-elemental creatures and resistance against the scorching heat of flame.] 

'...Interesting.' 

Alden's scratched the side of his head absently. 

That blessing would probably come in handy in the future. If nothing else, it could help him when he went to track down Ignia's parents. 

Shifting his gaze, Alden stared at his Magic Class. 

A subtle crease formed on his brows. 

[Abyssal Entropy]. 

That sounded like a terrifying power. 

Feeling a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, he tapped on the screen. 

The description read: 

[This special form of decay allows the host to wield a portion of Authority from the Abyss.]

'Authority… Abyss?' 

Alarmed, Alden's face twitched. 

He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his mouth turning dry. 

The Abyss… 

Wasn't that where the meteoroid had come from? 

His fellow humans had proposed countless theories about the source of the Defilement. The most prominent and widely accepted notion was that the meteorite had some connection to the Abyss. 

Alden's features turned grave. 

'This…' 

He had mixed feelings about his Magic Class. 

On the one hand, it would be incredibly useful if he ever found himself in dire trouble and needed to escape. However, on the more worrying hand… anything related to the void was bound to worry those in the Sanctuary. 

And how could he blame them? If Alden came across someone with a similar power to the Defilement, he would also be wary. 

In the end, Alden just shrugged. 

'It is what it is.' 

In the first place, he didn't really care about what other people thought. 

As long as Celeste didn't get the wrong idea, Alden wasn't inclined to worry too much about what sort of image he had in the eyes of others. 

Still, it would probably help if people didn't view him as an object of fear. 

Rubbing his face, the crease on Alden's brows deepened. 

He wondered how he had managed to awaken such a terrifying power. 

He thought that by swallowing the core of a Defiled Beast, he would be receiving a mediocre one, instead. 

So why was his case so different? 

'Could I have an innate affinity for this sort of thing? Or could it be because of that weird, skeletal abomination?' 

Alden didn't know. 

Eventually, he released a turbid breath. 

Alden was about to continue inspecting his status when he suddenly froze. 

All the hair on his body rose as he suddenly felt an indescribable gaze lock onto his figure. It seemed to come from an infinite distance, unfathomable, unknowable and incomparably intense. 

His breath hitched. 

Raising his head, Alden's eyes turned bloodshot as he stared at the ceiling, resisting the pressure with all his being. 

Veins throbbed beneath his skin, seemingly on the brink of rupture.

His temple throbbed. 

Yet, even under that ineffable pressure, he refused to buckle. 

Alden bit down on his tongue. 

Chaotic whispers flooded his mind. 

The ravings urged him to let loose… cause havoc… become destruction incarnate. 

Alden clutched at his head, his fingers tugging at his hair in an attempt to ignore the frenzied muttering. 

[Monarch of the Depths sends a curious gaze towards you.] 

In the corner of his vision, Alden noticed a notification suddenly appear. 

'Monarch of the Depths…' 

His gaze constricted. 

In the next second, the pressure vanished. 

Alden slumped weakly to the ground.