The air was thick with ash and the lingering scent of burnt hope.
The Obelisk behind them stood silent now, a monument to a trial survived but not yet conquered.
Kael's chest throbbed where the Ascendant Node burned, the faint pulse syncing with his heartbeat.
Around him, the core group was regrouping, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and determination.
"Everyone accounted for?" Kael asked, voice rough but steady.
Tarin nodded, wiping blood from a split lip. "We're all still breathing."
Myrin's eyes glowed faintly with residual magic. "That trial… it broke us and built us."
Liora stepped closer, her gaze sharp. "We've crossed a threshold. The Code is binding us tighter—not just as allies, but as something more."
Kael studied each of them, feeling the invisible chains that the Memory Chain passive had forged—linking their strengths and weaknesses.
"This power isn't just for me anymore. It's for all of us."
The journey back to their base was slower. Every step was a reminder of the cost.
The trials had left scars—not just on their bodies, but etched into their very souls.
Kael reflected on how fast he was growing. Just weeks ago, he was struggling to wield even basic Astral Severance. Now, he commanded Overclock abilities, though at great risk to his body.
He couldn't afford to slow down.
The Ascension Code demanded progress—and he would give it.
Back at the Ashen Creed headquarters, the mood was tense.
News had spread of their success at the Dead Skies, but so had the warning of the Obelisk's awakening.
Factions watched. Enemies waited.
Kael knew this calm would shatter soon.
He gathered his core group in the war room, a circular chamber lined with glowing runes and ancient glyphs.
"The Obelisks are awakening across the realms," Kael began, pacing slowly. "The Ascendant Trials are increasing in frequency and danger."
Tarin's fists clenched. "We've barely scratched the surface. What if we aren't ready?"
Kael stopped, locking eyes with him. "We have to be. No one else will prepare us."
Myrin's voice was quiet but resolute. "Then we push forward. Together."
The coming weeks were relentless.
Kael pushed his body and mind to the limits, delving deeper into the Ascension Code's mysteries.
Every trial unlocked new fragments of power—each more dangerous than the last.
His allies grew stronger, bonded by the Memory Chain. Tarin mastered gravity manipulation, his strikes becoming devastating. Myrin's control over spirit magic deepened, healing wounds others couldn't touch. Liora's radiant curses now burned with the light of the Ascendants themselves.
Together, they became a force—one that even the ancient powers had to reckon with.
One night, as Kael studied a glowing map of the realms, a sudden chill swept the room.
The runes flickered.
A shadow darker than the void itself slid through the door.
Kael's instincts screamed.
"Show yourself."
From the darkness stepped a figure cloaked in midnight, eyes like dying stars.
"Kael Ashen," the voice echoed. "The Ascension Code's chosen. You are not alone in this fight."