Resurgence: eternal evolution

Kael knelt on the blood-soaked ground, his body trembling uncontrollably. Around him lay the broken remains of his guildmates—ashes scattered by the faint breeze, severed limbs twisted in unnatural ways, and pools of blood that painted the dongeon floor. The once vibrant glow of the mana stones seemed dimmed, as if the very air mourned the devastation.

Kael's vision blurred with tears as his gaze fell on the shattered remnants of a sword. It was Riven's.

"I killed them," Kael whispered, his voice barely audible. He clenched his fists, trembling as the realization took hold. "I... I killed them!"

The memory of his vote surged through his mind, the weight of that single word crushing him. If I had voted against it... If I hadn't agreed...

His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the ground, his hands digging into the dirt. "Riven… Leah… everyone…" His voice cracked as he choked on his sobs. "Why… why did it have to end like this?"

His eyes wandered to the mangled remains of Riven, the man who had always supported him, even when others doubted him. His dismembered hand lay just a few feet away, still clutching the hilt of his sword. Kael reached for it with shaking fingers, but before he could touch it—

A deafening roar shook the cavern.

Kael's head snapped up just in time to see one of the Valstrax fold its razor-sharp wings inward, reshaping them like a blade. The motion was unnervingly smooth, yet brimming with malice.

"No…" Kael barely had time to react as the monster unleashed a sudden, explosive flap of its wings.

The force hit him like a sledgehammer, hurling him across the cavern. His back slammed into the jagged wall, the impact forcing blood to spew from his mouth. He crumpled to the ground, his body a broken mess.

Kael tried to move, but his arms wouldn't respond. He glanced down and saw his left hand crushed into a mangled pulp, the bones shattered beyond recognition. His breaths came in shallow, labored gasps as pain wracked his body.

Is this it? he thought bitterly.

The portal behind the Valstrax flickered to life again, its eerie light cutting through the gloom. Kael's dimming eyes caught sight of the remaining survivors—three figures trembling with fear.

"Run! It's coming back!" one of them screamed, their voice filled with raw terror.

The Valstrax screeched, its piercing cry echoing through the cavern. It lunged forward with blinding speed, its metallic claws slicing through two of the hunters before they could even react. Their screams were cut short, their bodies falling lifelessly to the ground.

"NO!" the last survivor shouted, tears streaming down his face as he bolted toward the portal.

The Valstrax didn't pursue. It simply stood there, towering over the devastation, its crimson eyes glowing with an almost mocking disdain.

Kael, barely clinging to consciousness, watched as the last survivor disappeared into the portal's light. The gateway flickered once before sealing shut, leaving Kael alone with the monsters.

Blood pooled beneath him as his vision began to fade. His entire body screamed in agony, every nerve aflame.

I don't want to die here… not in some godforsaken dungeon, Kael thought, his mind racing as his life flashed before his eyes.

He saw his mother, Yura, smiling gently as she set a bowl of warm stew in front of him. He saw his sister, Ah-In, laughing as she scolded him for working too hard..

Tears streamed down Kael's face as he gritted his teeth. "Dammit… I don't want to die," he whispered hoarsely, his voice filled with desperation.

The world around him grew darker, the edges of his vision consumed by shadows. Just as the last flicker of light began to fade, Kael found himself in a place unlike anything he had ever seen.

The dongeon was gone. Instead, Kael stood—or rather, floated—in an endless expanse of pale black. The air was thick, suffused with an oppressive, otherworldly energy.

Where am I? Kael thought, his mind barely able to process the surreal environment.

A faint purple glow caught his attention. He looked down and saw his status window, but it was no longer the familiar blue. It had turned black, emitting a pulsating aura of dark energy.

Words appeared on the screen, written in a jagged, almost alien script.

[Do you wish to live?]

Kael's eyes widened in disbelief. His first thought was that he was hallucinating, his dying mind conjuring up one last cruel trick.

"This… isn't real," he muttered weakly. "It can't be…"

But the words pulsed again, demanding his attention.

[Do you wish to live?]

Kael let out a bitter laugh, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. "What kind of question is that? I'm already dying… probably already dead…"

He closed his eyes, his body trembling. But then, the faces of his family flashed through his mind again—the people he wanted to protect, the ones he had promised himself he wouldn't fail.

"I…" Kael's voice cracked as he stared at the glowing words. "I don't want to die. I can't die… not like this!"

The moment the words left his lips, the world around him began to shift. The pale blackness twisted and coiled, forming a swirling void of darkness.

The dark mass surged forward, enveloping Kael in its cold embrace. It seeped into his broken body, filling every crack, every wound, every shattered bone. His mind screamed as the void coursed through him, a torrent of unimaginable power and pain.

Before he lost consciousness, Kael heard a voice—deep, and filled with a terrifying sense of purpose.

The darkness consumed him entirely, and Kael fell into the abyss.