Chapter 23: The Abyss Stirs

Aldric stood amidst the fading tendrils of abyssal energy, his mind sharper than it had ever been. He could feel the abyss now—not as an invading force, but as a presence woven into his very essence.

But beneath the surge of new power, a question lingered:

What had he truly accepted?

The others watched him warily. Even Leonidas, who usually welcomed any advancement in power, kept his distance.

Orin finally broke the silence. "You said we should see what you've become. So? What the hell did you just do?"

Aldric studied his own hands, flexing his fingers as thin traces of dark energy curled around them before vanishing. "I took control," he said simply. "And I learned something."

Tiberius narrowed his eyes. "Learned what?"

Aldric turned toward him, and his gaze was different now—deeper, heavier, as if he were seeing beyond the surface of reality itself.

"...The abyss isn't just destruction."

They waited for him to continue.

"It's knowledge," Aldric finally said. "A vast, endless ocean of understanding—of secrets that magi have only scratched the surface of."

He turned his gaze upward, toward the night sky where the stars flickered just slightly dimmer than before.

"And it whispers to those who listen."

The First Trial

Valerius stepped forward then, his expression unreadable. "Knowledge is power," he said. "But power without control is a disaster waiting to happen."

Aldric met his gaze, understanding the unspoken challenge.

His brother wanted proof.

Proof that this wasn't just a reckless gamble.

Proof that Aldric hadn't doomed himself.

Aldric nodded. "Then test me."

Leonidas chuckled. "You really want to be tested right now?"

"Isn't that how we do things?" Aldric countered.

A smirk played at Leonidas' lips. "Fair enough."

Orin, however, remained wary. "And if something goes wrong?"

Valerius didn't even blink. "Then we contain him."

Aldric rolled his shoulders. "You won't need to."

Tiberius sighed and raised a hand. "Enough talking. Let's begin."

The Clash

Tiberius was the one to strike first.

A blast of compressed mana shot forward, the air around it distorting from sheer force. Any normal magus would have thrown up a barrier—any knight would have dodged.

Aldric did neither.

He stepped forward—and the attack vanished.

No explosion. No impact.

It was simply… gone.

Silence fell over the clearing.

Tiberius blinked. "What did you—"

Before he could finish, shadows flickered beneath Aldric's feet.

Then—he moved.

Faster than before. Faster than any of them had seen him move.

One moment he was standing still.

The next—

He was behind Tiberius.

A hand hovered just inches from his brother's back, abyssal energy crackling at his fingertips.

Leonidas whistled lowly.

Tiberius exhaled, both impressed and unsettled.

"Not bad," he admitted.

Aldric took a step back, letting the shadows recede. His breath was steady, his control firm.

But beneath the surface, he felt it.

The abyss was testing him.

It was waiting.

Waiting for him to take the next step.

The Unseen Danger

Valerius studied Aldric for a long moment before finally nodding. "You've gained control. For now."

Aldric frowned slightly. "You don't sound convinced."

"I'm not," Valerius admitted. "The abyss doesn't give power freely. There's always a price."

Aldric was silent.

Because he knew his brother was right.

The abyss had accepted him. It had merged with him.

But what had it taken in return?

And more importantly… when would it come to collect?