Ascension of the Mortal God

Chapter 2: Awakening in the Abyss

Kael Ardyn's body felt like it was being consumed by fire and ice at the same time. Pain wracked his entire being as he plunged through an endless void. The echoes of divine laughter still rang in his ears, a cruel reminder of his betrayal. The so-called gods had cast him into the Abyss, believing they had erased him from existence. But Kael refused to be forgotten.

Darkness surrounded him, deeper than any night sky, heavier than any ocean. He was not merely falling; he was being swallowed. The Abyss was alive, and it sought to devour him.

Kael struggled to move, but an unseen force held him in place. His mind screamed at him to fight, but his body refused to obey. Then, a voice—a whisper carried by the void itself—called out to him.

"Mortal… do you seek vengeance?"

Kael's eyes snapped open. He could see nothing, but the voice reverberated in his soul. It was neither kind nor cruel, only ancient.

"Who… who are you?" he rasped.

"A prisoner, like you. A forgotten one, abandoned by the gods." The voice rumbled like distant thunder. "But I know the truth of this world, and I can give you the power to shatter the heavens."

Power. The word ignited something deep within Kael. His fury burned brighter than his pain. He clenched his fists, feeling strength return to his limbs.

"What do you want in return?" he asked warily.

The voice chuckled, low and resonant. "Only that you remember this: The gods are not eternal. They can bleed. They can die. And you, Kael Ardyn, will be the one to remind them."

As the words sank in, the darkness around him shifted. The pressure holding him vanished, and suddenly, he could move again. His body no longer felt like a shattered husk. Instead, it surged with new energy. His senses sharpened, and for the first time, he saw through the darkness.

Kael stood at the edge of a vast chasm, a landscape unlike anything he had ever known. The Abyss stretched endlessly in all directions, a realm of broken ruins, twisted shadows, and floating islands suspended in nothingness. The air itself crackled with raw, untamed power.

Before him, a massive figure lay bound in chains of celestial light. It was neither human nor beast, its form shifting like a mirage. Eyes as old as time stared at Kael, filled with both curiosity and amusement.

"So you are the one they feared," Kael muttered.

"They fear anyone who refuses to bow," the entity replied. "But now, the choice is yours. Will you remain a mortal cast aside, or will you rise?"

Kael clenched his fists. His betrayal had stolen everything from him—his honor, his comrades, his very right to exist. He would not let it end here. He would not be erased.

He stepped forward, reaching out toward the being. The chains that bound it pulsed, resisting his touch, but he pushed through. A surge of energy, raw and untamed, flooded his veins. Visions flashed through his mind—forgotten battles, hidden truths, and a path drenched in blood.

A wicked grin spread across Kael's face. He now knew what he had to do.

The gods had cast him into the Abyss, believing him broken. They had made a mistake.

They had forged a monster.

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End of Chapter 2

To be continued-