Spiral of Asencion

In the dead of night, under a sky bruised with unnatural hues, they came Silent whisper, cloaked in shimmering void, descended upon the world, plucking humans from their beds, on the streets, their lives No warning, no mercy—just a cold, calculated harvest The abducted awoke in a Spiral of unknown design, a colossal concrete building carved into a glowing, obsidian abyss Its walls pulsed with an otherworldly structure, whispering promises of freedom to those who could survive it's trials This was no mere prison; Many called it purgatory, some called it Hell but it was the Spiral of Ascension, a crucible forged by an ancient unknown entities to sculpt humanity's future. The rules were simple, yet brutal: climb or die The building spiraled upward, a towering helix of deadly traps, shifting corridors, and predatory machines, unknown creatures, and mythical beasts that hunted with relentless precision At its apex, a shimmering portal promised liberation—not just from the structhre, but to a new world, a fresh start for the human race. The entities, enigmatic overseers with eyes like dying stars, watched from beyond, their motives shrouded in mystery Were they saviors, accelerating humanity's evolution through a gauntlet of survival? Or were they cruel gods, toying with their prey for some unfathomable purpose? Each round began with a pulse of light, and the chosen were thrust into the spiral depths Strangers from every corner of the universe forced to navigate a world where trust was a gamble and betrayal a constant shadow The spiral demanded more than brute strength; it tested cunning, resilience, and the ability to forge allies in the face of chaos Groups formed, fragile at first, bound by necessity But the spiral was cruel—only the fittest survived its relentless culling. As the people progressed, the survivors evolved Some Exalted But others are Dammed in body, in spirit and strategy They learned to anticipate the spiral's tricks: floors that vanished, walls that crushed, drones that struck without warning They trade knowledge for what's valuable, pooling their skills to outwit the unknown entities Others want to gain favors from them. The spiral spared no one who could not adapt. Every death was a lesson, every victory a step closer to the freedom above. The unknown's true purpose began to emerge in fleeting glimpses—holographic visions of a dying universe, choked by ash and flame Was the Spiral a headstart, a chance to rebuild humanity on a distant world? Or a test to weed out the unworthy? The survivors didn't care. They fought, bled, and clawed their way upward, driven by a primal will to live In the end, those who reached the top emerged not as individuals, but as a new person—scarred, hardened, and learned The spiral had forged them into something greater, a seed of the universe ready to bloom among the stars. But as the portal's light enveloped them, a chilling question lingered: what awaited on the other side? Freedom… or another spiral?