Lantern of Avarice

Regaining his composure, Mathew raised a curious brow and scratched his chin. The alabaster egg was shrouded in an evil aura, but at the end of the day, it was just an egg. There was no need to panic. Not yet.

He stepped closer, even more cautiously this time,. The viscous liquid on the walls glistened in the dim light, and he could feel the warmth radiating from the egg. Suddenly, a low rumble echoed through the chamber, and the egg trembled. 

Mathew jerked his hand back and grimaced as a wave of malice washed over him. He stared at the egg for a long while with a grim expression that only continued to darken. Then like a warning from the divine, a single thought dominated his mind

'That thing can't be allowed to live.'

If a Voidspawn could be of the Awakened rank while being a simple embryo, the heights of power such a beast could achieve would be nothing but astounding. If he did nothing about the beast now, Mathew felt it in his very soul. He would come to regret that choice. His gaze shifted, darting across the ground. Instinctively searching for something. His eyes landed on a jagged, weathered rock.

He strode forward, picked up the rock, and turned back. Stood before the egg, his instincts screamed at him. Urging him on. Commanding him to destroy the seed of an abomination that was before him. With no hint of hesitation, he raised the rock, its rough edges biting into his palm. His grip tightened as the glistening egg released an ominous aura almost daring him to act.

But that wasn't going to be enough to deter him, not from this.

With a surge of resolve, he brought it crashing down. The stone struck the egg and ricocheted off its surface, sending sparks flying. The egg trembled violently as a web of fractures spidered across the pristine white surface. A sound echoed through the chamber. A mixture of crunch and splatter that churned his stomach. He repeated the motion, striking the egg several dozen times till he could no longer raise his hand.

Soon, Mathew staggered back, his chest heaving, as the oppressive air seemed to lighten ever so slightly. He looked up at his handwork and grinned. The oppressive aura quickly dissipated and only a few moments later he heard the now familiar voice of the codex.

[You have slain a Greater Terror's Embryo, Gila Scavenger.]

He did it The young cynic had killed an Awakened Terror! It was a defenseless egg but still, it was one all the same. If he survived this hellish nightmare and made it back to the real world to tell this story he would either be labeled as a genius for killing such a beast or a pathological liar for claiming an impossible feat. 

The remnants of the shattered egg's alabaster shell lay scattered across the ground. From the puncture, a black, disturbing substance oozed. After every few breaths, it seemed to writhe and pulse. Almost as if it were alive. Soon all motion stopped and Mathew breathed a sigh of relief.

But what could that foreboding feeling from earlier have meant? The nagging sensation had vanished, but the memory was etched in his mind. like a dark shadow looming over his victory.

Was it a Warning? What if there were more of them somewhere in this cave? He had a lot of questions. So many questions.

Interrupting his train of thought, the codex spoke once more.

[You have received a relic....]

Mathew froze.

'What? A relic!'

What indeed. His excitement, while seeming excessive. was well warranted. Receiving a relic for someone like him was tantamount to winning a lottery. A relic is a magical item that holds significance and is connected to the core of the location where it was found. They could be absolutely anything, from enchanted weapons to indestructible armor, and could even be something as simple and as useless as a feather.

Unlike any old object found in the forgotten lands, they could be brought back to the real world. And one received from a void born of the greater rank was going to be nothing to scoff at. 

[...received relic. Lantern of avarice]

Quickly summoning the runes Mathew concentrated on the word relics and the set of runes describing them appeared, along with an image depicting it and a detailed description.

[Lantern of avarice: a lantern infused with unknown's power which once powered the unknown and illuminated the unknown to chase away the unknown from the unknown The light it produces can be seen for miles.]

[Enchantments: Eternal light, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown.]

Mathew raised a brow and thought to himself. 'What the hell is this piece of crap?'

It was the first relic the young cynic had received, but if he was being honest, apart from the aesthetic sense of its appearance, which was quite eye-catching, it provided no practical use and would be nothing more than a useless antique. A true relic of a forgotten world.

He sighed, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in his chest

. 

'Great. Just what I need—a useless trinket. Why couldn't it have been a weapon?'

Given how things were unfolding, Mathew couldn't shake the feeling that the codex for some reason was intent on making his trial a living hell. Dismissing the runes he looked round but found nothing else of note and sighed.

'At least I got something' 

Suddenly, the sound of something thumping against the floor sent a sharp jolt through Mathew. His body trembled as a low growl echoed through the chamber. The noise filled the air. The growl was deep and menacing, a primal sound that hinted at something far more dangerous than the egg he had just destroyed. Yet that wasn't what motivated him to act, it was a sense of self-preservation honed to near perfection during his time living in the higher districts. Without that instinct, he would have given up on making it through this nightmare.

The thumping sound grew ever closer and louder.

With every muscle fiber in his body screaming in protest, a silent, trembling groan escaped Mathew's lips as he pushed himself upright, moving sluggishly and desperately, trying to distance himself from the encroaching sound, one labored, and wobbly step after another.

But it was too late.

At the back of his neck, Mathew felt a presence cut through his hesitation like a blade, dropping a veil of dread over him. His already shallow breath hitched and his heart beat so hard it threatened to leap from his chest. 

Mathew knew without looking, something, was there.