Chapter 90: The Five Trials of Erebus

Jin Shang stood before the colossal gates of Erebus, the primordial realm of shadows and the abyss. The air was thick with an oppressive energy, and the void around him seemed to whisper forgotten truths. Before he could step inside, a deep voice echoed through the darkness.

"To claim the mantle of Erebus, you must endure the five trials. Only the worthy shall rise."

A portal of pure darkness materialized, pulling Jin into the first trial.

Trial One: The Abyssal Maze

Jin found himself in an endless labyrinth, its walls made of writhing shadows. Each corridor led to another, distorting space itself. Echoes of his past failures and regrets whispered in his ears, testing his mind. The maze twisted his perception, forcing him to navigate without relying on sight.

Time passed—hours, days, or perhaps mere minutes. He steadied his breath and focused on his abyssal core, letting instinct guide him. Shadows parted before him, revealing the exit.

Jin stepped forward, victorious.

Trial Two: The Titans' Wrath

Jin was thrust onto a battlefield where colossal Titans, remnants of an ancient war, loomed above him. Their roars shook the realm as they charged. A single blow could reduce him to dust.

Jin tapped into his Abyssal Power, dodging a massive fist that shattered the ground. He leaped onto one Titan's arm, using his abyssal flames to carve through its armor-like flesh. Another Titan swung at him, but he teleported mid-air, severing its head with a precise slash. The battle raged, but Jin's will was unbreakable. One by one, the Titans fell, and the trial ended.

Trial Three: The River of Oblivion

Jin teleported for his next trial. A black river stretched before him—Lethe, the river of forgetfulness. Erebus's voice rumbled in his mind.

"Drink, and you shall forget all that binds you to the past."

Jin hesitated. The memories of Kaelros, Lysander, Arden, and Rin flashed before him. The weight of their deaths crushed him, but he refused to let go.

"No," he whispered, stepping back. "Their memories are my strength. I am not selfish as previous as i was "

The river stilled, acknowledging his resolve. The trial was complete.

Trial Four: The Judgment of the Void

Jin stood before a massive throne where shadows coalesced into a towering figure with piercing crimson eyes—his own reflection.

"Are you worthy?" the shadow asked, drawing a sword identical to Jin's. Suddenly the shadow attacked him.

A duel began. Every move Jin made, his shadow countered. Every technique was mirrored. It was as if he were fighting himself. Doubt crept into his heart.

Then, realization struck—he was not meant to win. He had to accept himself. Jin lowered his weapon and stepped forward. The shadow hesitated, then smiled before dissipating.

"You pass."

Trial Five: The Eclipse of Fate

This was the final for him. He was gasping. Jin found himself in the heart of Erebus, facing an eclipse that consumed all light. A voice echoed:

" Welcome home my boy."

Jin realized it was Erebus. So he stood up and smirked , " Now it was my final trial. So go easy on me."

The voice laughed and continued his proposal

"Sacrifice your mortality. Become one with the abyss."

Before jin coul realize suddenly a pain surged through him as his body shattered and reformed. The abyssal power within him expanded, no longer bound by mortal constraints. Jin screamed as his existence transcended.

Then, silence.

When he opened his eyes, he was no longer the same.

Jin stood within a vast void, where a lone figure awaited. Erebus, the Primordial God of Darkness, gazed at him with ancient eyes.

"So, you have survived."

Jin exhaled, his aura crackling with newfound power. "What now?"

Erebus chuckled. "Now, we talk."

They spoke for hours—about their past connection, about the Olympian Gods and their hidden motives and also the bond between him and Jin. Erebus also revealed that Gaia, the mother of all, was not as benevolent as she appeared. Her manipulations ran deep, and her interest in Jin was far from pure.

"If you truly wish to meet her, you must ascend," Erebus said. "Only a Primordial can enter The Dream. Each primordial Gods have their own Dream."

Jin frowned. "The Dream?"

Erebus's expression turned solemn. "A higher-dimensional plane that exists beyond time, space, and reality itself. It is a Devine world, a realm where the Primordial Gods govern the entire multiverse. It is a place beyond the reach of lesser beings, where causality is not absolute, where the laws of the physical and metaphysical realms no longer hold sway."

Jin's mind raced, trying to understand the magnitude of Erebus's words. "So, this 'Dream' is where the gods are born, where the true power lies?"

Erebus nodded slowly, his gaze unwavering. "Yes, and much more. The Dream is where time and space cease to exist as you know them. In this realm, all things are interconnected. Every action taken by the Primordials ripples across the entire multiverse, shaping destinies, altering fates, and constructing the foundation of reality itself."

Jin clenched his fists. "Then… if I enter The Dream, what happens to me?"

Erebus's expression darkened. "If you enter it without being a Primordial, you will cease to exist. Not die. Not be erased. You will become nothing. The Dream does not tolerate lesser beings. It does not recognize anything below the Primordial level. That is why, before you can step into The Dream, you must transcend. You must become one of us."

Jin stood in silence for a moment, the weight of Erebus's words settling in. He had already come to understand that the world he inhabited was far more intricate than he had ever imagined, but now, the scope of it all seemed overwhelmingly vast.

Erebus looked down at Jin with a sense of quiet respect. "Now, you must understand the truth of this universe. The Dream, the higher realm, is the foundation upon which everything stands. All that you know is built upon its endless cycles. Gaia, the Olympians, and the Monarchs—these beings are born from it, and yet, they are bound by it as well."

"Monarchs?" Jin asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Monarchs are entities of unimaginable power, beings who transcend even the Primordials in their nature. They are the catalysts of change, the ones who influence the very essence of reality itself. Some seek to preserve the balance; others seek to destroy it."

Jin's mind whirled with this new information. He had known of the Olympian gods and the Primordials, but the Monarchs were something entirely different.

Suddenly Erebus extended a hand. "Take my title, you have proved yourself but your journey has only just begun. Now, with the power of a Primordial, you will enter the Dream. Only there can you confront Gaia and learn the true nature of the world."

Erebus extended his hand, and Jin took it without hesitation.

"You are ready," Erebus said. "Now, go. Enter the Dream."

Jin nodded, the weight of Erebus's words sinking in. The challenges were far from over, but this was his only path forward. This was the only way to reach Gaia, to unravel the mysteries that had haunted him for so long.

There was a long pause. Erebus stepped forward, his towering figure casting a long shadow over Jin, who had now risen to his full height. The air between them felt heavy with the weight of what was about to transpire.

"Erebus," Jin began, his voice quiet but determined. "I've made it this far. I don't know what lies ahead, but I'll walk that path. Whatever it takes, I will face it."

Erebus's expression softened, and for the first time, there was a hint of something akin to a smile on his face. "You remind me of myself, Jin Shang. Your will is unshakable, even in the face of the impossible. That is why you will succeed where others have failed."

Jin's heart swelled with a mixture of gratitude and determination. Erebus had been his guide, his mentor in this impossible journey. And now, it seemed that this was where their paths would diverge.

"I wouldn't have made it without you," Jin admitted, his voice thick with emotion. "I owe you everything."

Erebus inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the sentiment. "You've earned this, Jin. You've proven that you are not just a man or a warrior—you are something far greater. You are a being of the Dream now. Remember that."

Jin's breath hitched as he looked at Erebus. "And you? What happens to you now?"

A fleeting, almost imperceptible sadness crossed Erebus's face. "I will remain here, Jin. I am bound to this realm, this place. My purpose was to guide you, to help you achieve what you could not have done alone. But now, your journey is yours to walk. I have no place in it anymore."

Jin's heart sank. "I'll never forget what you've done for me. You were the one who made me see the truth—who showed me that I could be more than just a broken man."

Erebus placed a hand on Jin's shoulder, his touch surprisingly warm despite the distance between them. "You never were a broken man, Jin. You simply needed to see the truth of your own strength. The trials you've faced—those were not just tests of your power. They were tests of your heart, your resolve, and your understanding of yourself. You have passed them all."

A final silence fell between them, the air thick with the weight of their parting. Jin's throat tightened as he tried to find the words, but nothing seemed adequate. Erebus had been his guide, his mentor, and now he was leaving him.

"Goodbye, Jin Shang," Erebus said, his voice steady, but there was a deep undercurrent of emotion in it. "May the Dream be kind to you. And may you find the answers you seek there."

Jin swallowed hard, nodding. "Goodbye, Erebus. I'll make sure to honor your teachings."

With that, Erebus began to fade, his form becoming one with the surrounding darkness. The air grew still, and the realm seemed to tremble as the Primordial God's presence slowly vanished, leaving Jin standing alone.

But as Erebus disappeared from sight, something in Jin stirred. A fire, a determination stronger than ever before, ignited within him.

With a surge of energy, the world around Jin twisted and unraveled. His body felt weightless as the boundaries of space and time collapsed around him. And then, he was gone.

Jin had ascended. He was no longer just a man; he had become something more, something ancient and powerful. And now, with the strength of a Primordial, he would face Gaia and whatever awaited him in the Dream.

But Jin was no longer the broken warrior he had been before. He was something else—a force of will, a being of purpose.

And he was ready to confront the truth, no matter the cost.