ShadowofUmbral

In the world of Aetherion, where magic, spirits, and powerful noble houses dictate fate, a young man from Earth finds himself reborn as Averis Ravenshade, the firstborn of the feared Duke of the North. But there’s a problem—Averis isn’t a hero. He’s a villain, a stepping stone in the tale of a regressed imperial princess destined for greatness.

In his past life, Averis was an ordinary teenager who lost all hope, only to awaken in a world of grandeur and danger. Marked by his silver-white hair and piercing red pupils, he is the heir to one of the empire’s mightiest houses. But with his tragic fate already written, he refuses to be a mere obstacle in someone else’s story.

Armed with knowledge of the future, a mysterious system.

With war looming, demons lurking in the shadows, and power-hungry nobles plotting against him, Azriel must carve his own path in a world where only the strong survive. But as he struggles between revenge and redemption, he must ask himself:

Can a villain truly live again? Or is he doomed to fall once more?

This is the tale of Averis Ravenshade, the villain who refused to die.

Requiem of the Forsaken reborn Villain

The stench of blood and decay thickened in the air. My breath came in ragged gasps as I stumbled backward, my vision blurring from exhaustion. The cavernous chamber was eerily silent, save for the crackling of mana in the air, the whisper of death itself coiling around me.

The massive, twisted form perched atop the dragon's skull stretched its limbs, its glowing violet eyes locking onto me. My entire body tensed as an overwhelming pressure crashed down on me like a tidal wave. A suffocating, abyssal force, darker than the deepest night. My mana flared instinctively, but it was like lighting a candle in the middle of a raging storm.

The voice was neither loud nor soft. It simply… existed. An echo of something ancient, something far beyond my understanding.

My knees buckled. Cold sweat ran down my back. This isn't something I can fight.

The creature tilted its head, its gaze sweeping over me as though I were nothing more than an insect. There was no malice, no anger—only vague curiosity, like a scholar inspecting an oddity.

I clenched my teeth, forcing my trembling limbs to obey. If I fell now, I would die. I need to move.

A flicker of darkness, a shadow bending reality itself—before an impact slammed into my gut.

I felt my ribs crack as I was sent flying. My vision whirled, the chamber spinning in a blur of jagged rocks and eerie blue light. My body crashed against the cold stone wall, pain exploding through my nerves. Can't breathe. Can't move.

A ragged gasp tore from my throat. I could taste blood. My mana pulsed wildly, trying to mend the damage, but it was sluggish, unstable.

I felt something grab me by the throat before I could even react.

The void-like being lifted me effortlessly, as though I weighed nothing. My legs dangled, my hands clawing weakly at its shadowy grip. Its fingers weren't solid—more like shifting tendrils of darkness, cold and suffocating.

It brought me closer, its violet eyes narrowing. There was something odd in its gaze. Confusion? Disappointment?

"A mistake? No… You are incomplete."

My limbs twitched. My mana core roared in defiance, but it was a candle against an abyss. This thing—this thing is beyond reason.

A sickening pressure tightened around my throat. My vision darkened. My thoughts slowed.

"Hah… This brat really is troublesome."

The Frost Raven sighed, watching as the small body in the creature's grasp went limp. The moment Averis lost consciousness, the strange void entity stopped moving, its abyssal gaze flickering slightly.

The raven's body rippled, a wave of mana distorting the space around him. Feathers melted into mist, shadows stretching and reforming—until he stood, no longer a bird, but a man.

Pale hair like frost-kissed long silver hair cascaded down his back. Glacial blue eyes shimmered like frozen lakes beneath the moonlight. His robes, woven from frost itself, billowed as an unnatural chill swept through the cavern.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

The void creature finally shifted its gaze away from the unconscious child, now landing on the figure before it. Its expressionless face remained unreadable, but something in the air changed.

The Frost Raven's lips curled into something between amusement and annoyance. He stepped forward, the very air crystallizing beneath his feet.

"I do. Unlike you, forgotten thing."

The void stirred. The cavern trembled.

A low, rumbling sound reverberated through the air.

"Then, let us see if you still hold meaning."

The Abyss Stirs