The sun barely broke through the red haze of the Origin Gate sky. Riven Kael's body ached in ways he hadn't known a living being could feel. Every muscle screamed. Every joint throbbed. Every time he moved, pain lanced through him like fire and ice combined.
And yet… he was alive.
He had survived the night, devoured countless fragments, and felt the first real taste of power. Not the flashy powers of the others, not the elements they wielded with ease — his power was different. Strange. Painful. Insatiable.
He knew one thing: it was only the beginning.
---
The wasteland was quiet now. The few survivors huddled together, nursing their injuries, murmuring to themselves. Riven kept to the shadows, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. His Devour mark pulsed faintly on his hand, reminding him that even now, the hunger lingered.
Something else caught his attention — a movement in the mist, subtle and fluid, like a shadow slipping between shadows.
He crouched, instincts screaming. Whoever or whatever it was, it was powerful. Not a normal monster.
And then she appeared.
---
She moved with a grace that made Riven pause. Tall, impossibly elegant, her silver hair catching the dim light and flowing like liquid silk. Eyes the color of amethyst scanned the area with a calm, piercing gaze. Her figure… was breathtaking. Curves perfectly balanced, a presence that seemed to command the very air around her. Even from a distance, she radiated authority and danger.
Riven's pulse quickened. Not fear. Curiosity. Respect. And maybe something else he didn't want to admit yet.
The girl — if she was human — didn't speak. She simply stepped into the open, her boots crunching against stone. Every motion was deliberate, as if she had rehearsed this walk a thousand times in her mind.
A monster, one of the larger types they had been fighting, emerged from the fog. Its body was twisted, limbs jagged and moving unnaturally, teeth glinting like broken glass. It lunged toward the group of survivors.
Everyone froze.
Not her.
With a flick of her hand, a thin ribbon of light shot from her palm, slicing through the monster's throat. It didn't scream. It didn't flinch. It dissolved into fragments, leaving the air around her humming with energy.
Riven's eyes widened. That… that's not human. Not fully.
---
After the monster fell, she finally spoke — voice calm, measured, and commanding.
"Stay back. Do not approach unless you are prepared to survive."
She glanced at Riven, her amethyst eyes lingering on him a moment longer than the others. A spark of recognition, perhaps? Or curiosity. Riven couldn't tell.
He gritted his teeth, brushing himself off. "I'm not looking for trouble." His voice was flat, cold. Always cold to strangers, especially those who seemed stronger than him.
Her lips curved into the faintest smile, one that barely touched her eyes. "Survival is a choice, not luck. Remember that."
And with that, she vanished into the fog again, moving like a shadow that belonged neither to day nor night.
Riven exhaled, the tension in his body finally easing. Something about her presence lingered in his mind. He wanted to meet her again. And yet… he feared it.
---
The survivors whispered among themselves. Some admired her. Others feared her. Rumors started forming instantly. She's a goddess. She's a legend. She's probably one of the Ascendants the old texts spoke about.
Riven didn't care for the whispers. He cared about one thing: what she had just done. The power she wielded was far beyond anyone he had seen, and she had spared no effort to kill that monster.
He made a mental note: when he grows stronger, when he truly masters Devour… he will meet her again on his own terms. Not as a weakling, not as a follower, but as someone she could respect.
---
Hours passed, and the Gate seemed to settle for a moment. Riven scavenged what he could from the remains of monsters and fragments. Each use of Devour left him drained, but stronger — more aware of his body, more attuned to his growing instincts.
Even in pain, he smiled faintly. He was learning. Step by step. Bite by bite. The others might laugh at him, call him trash, call him weak. But they hadn't seen what he was capable of. Not yet.
---
Night fell again, faster than before. A low mist rolled across the broken stone. And then, faint sounds reached his ears: whispers in the dark, soft, melodic, but dangerous. He froze. Not monsters. Something alive. Intelligent. Observing.
He crouched low, ready to strike, knife at the ready. A shadow approached from the mist.
And then, he heard it: a voice, soft and clear, carrying authority and warmth all at once.
"You've survived this far, Devourer."
Riven's head snapped up. His eyes scanned the fog. No one visible.
The voice continued, teasing, melodic, and yet commanding:
"Few have your… resilience. Few have your audacity."
He recognized it instantly. It was her.
The hair on his neck stood on end. Not fear. Not admiration. A mix of both, tangled with something he didn't understand yet.
"Who… who are you?" he asked, his voice low, wary.
A soft laugh carried across the fog. "A friend… or perhaps a test."
Riven clenched his fists. She's stronger than anyone here. Far stronger. And yet, for some reason, she had spared him. Why?
That question lingered as he watched her silhouette fade deeper into the mist.
---
By dawn, Riven was alone again. Survivors had either died or retreated deeper into the Gate. His body screamed, every fragment of his being crying for rest, but he pushed himself forward.
One thing was certain: she existed. And if he wanted to survive — truly survive, become strong enough to reach the top — he would see her again.
And next time… he would be ready.
For the first time, Riven Kael felt more than hunger for power. He felt purpose.
And in the distance, faint as a whisper, the Gate pulsed — as if responding to his resolve.
[Origin Gate Status: Phase Two – Awakening Path Initiated]
Riven smiled, cold and determined, ignoring the exhaustion in his limbs. This is only the beginning.
And somewhere in the shadows, she watched him, silent, a faint smile curving her lips.