ChrisLingayo

Lumberling, a 42-year-old civil engineer, grew numb to the monotonous rhythm of modern life. Hoping to rekindle his sense of wonder, he set out on a solitary nature trip, only to stumble upon an ancient, forgotten pyramid. A strange red light burst forth, killing him instantly… and binding itself to his soul.

Cast adrift in the void, his soul found no rest, until he awoke in the body of a young foot soldier, bleeding and broken on a war-torn battlefield in a world not his own.

Determined not to die again, Lumberling fights to survive in this brutal new realm where knights clash with monsters, kingdoms rise and fall, and mysterious powers shape the fate of nations.

Armed with a strange ability to devour the essence of those he slays, he begins to carve out a new path, one forged by blood, strength, and sheer will.

But power alone may not be enough. In a world where danger lurks in every shadow, and ancient forces stir in the dark, can a lost soul rise above fate… or will he be consumed by the very essence he seeks to control?

The Devouring Knight

The days continued, and Lumberling chose to take on another contract while continuing to gather information. This time, the Duskspire Legion accepted another monster elimination missions, targeting roaming packs of wolves and bands of gnolls.

The wind howled across an open plain as the squad came to a sudden halt. In the distance, where there should've been farmland and a thriving city, stood blackened stone and smoke-curled ruin.

"Is that… a city?" Rogar asked, his voice low with disbelief.

"No," Aren murmured. "It was a city."

The walls were partially collapsed, scorched beyond recognition. Gates torn open. Houses, if they could still be called that, stood like skeletons, timber warped and brittle with ash. Not a single roof remained. Just chimneys jutting like gravestones.

Chapter 90: Knowledge in the Ash