Emberlight

[A soul forsaken by the Gods and a body on the verge of death - The Darklord of the Endless Abyss has noticed your existence and is offering you a contract. Will you accept?]

As he lay on unfamiliar land, his body covered in wounds and blood, Levi heard the voice of providence that he had craved for years.

In a magnificent and mutated future, the advancement of technology and space exploration has opened new paths unknown to humanity. Being the curious creatures they are, and with hopes of saving the dying Earth suffering from resource depletion, humans began to explore these unknown lands.

It was there that they discovered the treasures of the otherworld - artifacts and magical items that defied all scientific knowledge. But along with these treasures, humans also encountered dangerous and vicious monsters capable of tearing them apart with a flick of their fingers.

However, humans were persistent. The treasures of the otherworld were too enticing to ignore. They struggled against the odds and found a way to fight these monsters by making contracts with the gods.

The gods of the unknown lands bestowed extraordinary powers upon humans in exchange for the promise of extinguishing all the monsters. But not everyone was so fortunate, like Levi, who failed to pique the interest of any gods, and became one of the Forsaken.

The Gods had forsaken him, so Levi decided to forsake the world - he made a contract with the Demon King himself!

***

Forsaken By The Gods, I Made A Contract With the Demon King

I woke before dawn, though it was hard to tell in the eternal twilight of the forest. My muscles ached from sleeping on stone, but that was a small price to pay for safety. Noir was already alert at the cave entrance, its form like a piece of night-given life. The bird's ethereal feathers rustled silently as it kept watch, our clever wards having remained undisturbed through the night.

"Ready for another exciting day in the sanctum?" I muttered, working out the stiffness in my joints. Noir turned its head to look at me, letting out a soft caw that somehow managed to convey both sarcasm and resignation. We'd developed quite an understanding over our time together.

After a quick check of my essence levels – still steady after yesterday's absorption – I began methodically breaking down the wards I'd set. Each one dissolved under my touch, leaving no trace of our presence. Even in this hell of a forest, basic precautions could mean the difference between life and death.

Evergreen Hell (2)