After securing the vault and taking one last walk through the radiant heart of Elarian, Akin stood on a ridge, his eyes drinking in the beauty of the land now reborn. The sky blazed with streaks of gold and rose, painting the world below in gentle hues.
Akin returned from the ridge where he'd spent hours marveling at the transformed land. Elarian no longer looked cursed. It breathed—alive, wild, beautiful. The skies above stretched clear, and the land, once blanketed in shadow and silence, now shimmered with soft light and vibrant life. He'd walked through flowering valleys and glowing rivers, feeling a peace that made it hard to believe this land had once been sealed away by a curse.
But his heart hadn't settled. Something still felt unanswered.
He raised his hand and focused. The vault ring on his finger pulsed with light. In response, a white portal opened in the air before him, humming softly like a heartbeat. He stepped through, and in a blink, he was back inside the chamber buried within the mountain—the very place where he had awakened elemental and alchemical powers.
It was quiet, save for the faint whisper of wind echoing through the cave cracks. The stone still glowed faintly from residual energy, but it felt calm now, no longer overwhelming. Akin sat cross-legged at the center of the chamber and closed his eyes.
"Alright, I need answers," he muttered aloud. "About Nexis. About this world. —talk to me."
The voice of the deity stirred in his mind, deep and ageless.
"Very well. Since the moment you absorbed Nexis, your soul and mine have become linked. It is time you understand the weight of what you carry."
Akin steadied his breathing. "Start with Nexis. Who was he, really?"
"Nexis," the deity began, "was not just a source of power. He was one of the ancient gods—pure and balanced. He did not seek worship or followers, but balance between all forces. Long ago, Nexis chose to anchor his essence into Elarian, guiding its people with knowledge and discipline rather than blind devotion."
Akin frowned. "So Nexis was a protector?"
"Exactly. And he wasn't alone. Each great land had its patrons—gods and goddesses who supported chosen kingdoms. Empheria, the kingdom that summoned you, is backed by divine beings who favor order through dominance. They are not necessarily evil... but their goals are rigid."
"Then why was this land sealed? Why was he locked away?"
The deity's tone darkened.
"Because balance threatens power-hungry gods. The kingdoms beyond feared Elarian's peace and progress. They feared a society where humans, elves, beastkin, and demons coexisted without chains. And the corrupted gods…" The voice trailed, then returned with steel. "…they saw a land they couldn't control. So they conspired with rulers, twisted truth into fear, and branded Elarian as cursed. The result was war, betrayal, and the sealing of Nexis himself."
Akin's fists clenched. "And now I've… unsealed him?"
"Not exactly. When you accepted Nexis' power, you absorbed the curse that bound this land. His energy didn't just grant you strength—it erased what imprisoned Elarian. That is why the land is reborn. You carry what once made this land thrive."
Akin exhaled, stunned. "So that's why the sky changed. I thought we were in another land when I first woke up."
"No," the deity said with a trace of warmth. "You are still in Elarian. You're just seeing its true form. This… is how it used to be."
He let that sink in.
"What about my classmates?" he asked. "They must've formed contracts with these gods."
"Most likely. When your classmates were summoned, the gods of Empheria marked their potential. Contracts are forged when the will aligns—Jendol's desire for strength, Annabel's desire to protect. You, however… you weren't chosen by them. You were chosen by accident. And yet…"
"I absorbed a god," Akin finished, the realization cold and weighty.
"Yes. But not in the way others borrow divine power. Nexis no longer exists independently. His spirit fused with yours, not as a host—but as part of your essence. That's why the curse was lifted. It wasn't just the curse on you—it was the curse on Elarian. The seal broke when Nexis awakened within you."
Akin's voice grew heavy. "And the wars? Are they still happening?"
The deity's voice deepened, grim. " After three centuries of peace, chaos began when lesser gods—greedy and corrupt—desired complete control over the mortal races. Beastkin, demons, elves, humans—they all began to suffer. These twisted gods empowered warlords, bred monsters, corrupted even the purest of bloodlines. They began using mortals as pawns in a divine game. corrupted gods have fueled wars to gain control. They twist demons into berserkers, corrupt elves with hatred, and enslave beastkin with divine laws. Even humans have been seduced—some signing dark contracts for power. Nexis tried to stop them once. Now… it falls to you."
Akin clenched his fists. "And the world just watched?", "Some resisted. Elarian did." Said the Deity.
Silence followed. Akin bowed his head. "Since this is going to be my home until i can find a way to go back to my old world, I'll carry it. I'm not just fighting for revenge anymore… I'm fighting to fix what was broken."
"Good. But be warned: Nexis is no longer a borrowed force. His will now flows through your spirit. Train, meditate, and anchor it. If not, the power could consume even you."
Akin nodded, and with that, he began. For days, he remained in the chamber, meditating and refining the divine energy swirling within him. Each time he closed his eyes, he felt more: the flow of fire, the rhythm of water, the firmness of earth, the wild spark of lightning, the weight of metal, and the breath of wind.
He practiced alchemy alongside it, drawing runes in the air, combining elements to form new materials, reshaping stone with thought, turning steam into light.
He didn't sleep much, but he rested in deep meditation, letting his body and soul adjust to this strange new reality.
On the fifth day, he sat before a block of ore and elemental crystals—resources found in the vault. With quiet determination, he began crafting.
He didn't want just any weapon. He wanted a symbol.
A blade formed under his hands—not massive, but sleek and elegant. Its core pulsed with infused lightning and alchemized steel, with a design that shimmered in silver-blue hues. The hilt bore his mark—a glowing rune in ancient Elarian script that symbolized rebirth and retribution.
He smiled. "You'll be my fang."
The ring on his finger, now known as the Vault Ring, glowed in response. A swirling portal opened midair, and Akin gently slid the sword into it. The ring's magic was subtle but incredible: a spatial enchantment linked to Elarian's old treasury. Whatever Akin stored would vanish into the vault, protected and invisible. And whenever he needed something, he only had to will it, and the item would appear from the space-folded pocket.
"Good," the deity said softly. "The first of many."
Akin stood, brushing dust off his clothes. He glanced toward the chamber's wall, where ancient symbols glowed faintly.
"Now," he said quietly. "It's time I started moving."