Yup, Definitely Not a Normal Morning

Kael looked up at the blue screen hovering above him. Its soft glow cast eerie shadows on the ceiling of the barracks.

His heart raced, but not from fear. It came from something new—something charged and alive.

This wasn't a dream.

He reached out slowly, fingers trembling. They passed through the glowing panel like it was mist. No resistance. No heat. Just light and air.

"What the hell…" he whispered, pulling his hand back and staring at it like it might vanish.

He tried again, waving his whole arm through. Still nothing. It was there, but not there.

Out of the corner of his eye, Riven sat on the edge of her cot, tying her hair back in a practiced twist. She hadn't noticed the screen yet.

Kael kept his voice low. "Alright, System. What are you? How do I use this thing?" He gestured vaguely towards the panel.

A new line appeared, clear and simple:

[Host interaction is primarily mental. Focus on your intent. Commands can be issued verbally or through concentrated thought.]

So it could hear him—or think with him? He squinted at the screen. Okay… show me my stats.

The panel shimmered, then responded with familiar lines:

[Host: Kael]

[Status: Transmigrator – Error Corrected]

[Class: Unassigned]

[Abilities: None]

[Skills: None]

It still felt surreal, but now it was real enough.

Then, his eyes caught a pulsing line at the bottom:

[Please select your Primordial Path.]

The statues flashed in his mind—Creation, Destruction, Knowledge, Time, and… the Abyss. The mist-man had said the Abyss was the fifth.

It sounded insane, but something about that word fit. It whispered back to all the fear and strangeness boiling in his chest.

I choose the Abyss, Kael thought.

The panel responded instantly:

Primordial Path: Abyss

Class: Abyssal Initiate (Partial Awakening)

Abilities:

Limited Shadow Manipulation (Basic)

Abyssal Sense (Passive)

Skills:

Minor Obfuscation (Basic)

Kael's breath caught. Shadow manipulation? What even was Abyssal Sense?

He closed his eyes and focused. Darkness… shadows…

For a split second, something moved near the wall. Not light. Not shadow. Just… a deeper nothingness.

Like a patch of reality blinked. But it was gone before he could hold it.

He tried again. This time, a cool tug in his chest responded—but no physical effect.

[Host's control over Abyssal energies is currently limited due to partial awakening. Further awakening requires…]

The message glitched. Symbols, runes, something unreadable scrolled in its place.

"Figures," Kael muttered. "Half a system, half-awake powers, and a whole lot of confusion."

Across the room, Finn stirred, groaning. "Ugh… morning, Kael. You look like death kissed you and didn't like the taste."

Silas sat up next, stretching. "He probably dreamed of fighting a Gatebeast with a soup spoon again."

Kael didn't respond. His eyes were on Riven now, who was shrugging into her leather jerkin.

"Riven," he said, voice low and steady. "We need to go."

She paused, one hand on her buckle. "Go where? Patrol's not for another two hours."

"Not patrol," he said.

"We're heading into Sector 9. We need to find the Third Gate."

Finn's half-awake expression froze. "The what now?"

"The Third Gate," Kael repeated.

"It's real. I've seen it—or pieces of it."

Riven narrowed her eyes at him.

"Kael, are you messing with us? This sounds like one of those half-baked nightmares again."

He held her gaze.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Silas gave a quiet sigh.

"He's got the look again. 'I'm gonna lead you all into a cursed crypt, look."

Kael managed a crooked smile. "Then you know I'm serious."

Something in his voice must've convinced them because the teasing stopped. Riven gave a small nod.

"Alright. You lead. But if this ends in a hole full of slime hounds again, I'm blaming you."

Within the hour, they were geared up and slipping out into the fog-drenched streets.

Their boots tapped lightly over broken stone, the city still caught in the pre-dawn hush.

They went west, leaving behind smoke from the hearth and market smells. They moved towards cracked concrete and rust.

Sector 9 waited for them.

It had once been a proud industrial district, but now it was a corpse. Twisted metal scaffolding jutted from crumbling factories like exposed ribs.

Vines and weeds fought through every surface. The wind was stale, the silence thick.

Everything felt wrong.

They pushed through debris, climbed over bent fences, and crossed the shattered pavement. Shadows stretched a bit too long around them.

Hour after hour passed.

Kael felt his conviction begin to waver. Nothing. Just ruin.

"I'm calling it," Finn muttered, wiping grime from his forehead.

"There's nothing here but tetanus and ghost rats."

"Unless the gate looks like a pile of bricks, we've missed it," Riven added, glancing up at the sun. "We've covered most of the sector."

Kael looked down at Nightfall—his father's sword, blackened and scarred from years of use. He hesitated, then drew it.

He closed his eyes.

'System. Can this sword guide me? Track the Third Gate?'

[Tracing Protocol Initiated. Maintain contact with the artifact.]

The screen appeared again. Kael kept his grip tight. The sword vibrated faintly like it had caught a scent.

"Kael?" Finn frowned. "Why are you… holding your sword out like it's a dowsing rod?"

"Just—give me a second," Kael whispered.

The screen is filled with lines of shifting data. His arms ached. Sweat rolled down his back.

Then—

[Trace complete. Third Gate located.]

[Destination: Abandoned Subway Station – Sector 9, Sub-level Delta]

He exhaled, heart pounding.

"Found it."

"Found what?" Riven asked.

"The Gate. It's underground. Subway station. Sub-level Delta."

Finn's shoulders sagged. "Oh good. A haunted basement."

[Navigation Activated. Follow Indicator.]

A glowing arrow appeared in Kael's vision, subtle but clear. He took off, winding through a narrow alley, boots crunching gravel.

The others followed.

They finally reached it—a sinkhole half-hidden by debris and vines. A gaping maw in the earth.

A busted escalator descended into blackness. The air stank of mold, rust, and something old.

Kael stood at the edge, peering in. A cold wind brushed his face.

"This is it," he said. "Sub-level Delta."

Riven stepped beside him. "So what exactly are we doing down there?"

Kael turned, a grim smile curling on his lips. "Finding out why the system dragged me here. What's behind that Gate."

Finn groaned. "It better not be more giant bugs."

Kael tightened his grip on Nightfall. "Let's go see what kind of nightmare lives underground."

And together, they stepped into the dark.