(POV - 3RD)

Y/N slammed into a wall before he leapt to the side, avoiding a giant scythe slicing down where he just stood which effortlessly sliced apart the surface behind him, drawing up more dust and debris as the Einherjar fought the four-armed abyssal being.

With how the one-sided fight is turning out, it's obvious to say that Y/N is losing very quickly if he doesn't find an edge to give himself an advantage against his opponent... which isn't letting him breathe for just a second as the creature charged at him once more.

The time traveller ducked down to avoid the axe sweeping across the air towards his head before dodging the scythe and then intercepting the falchion with his spear while batting away the rapier and avoiding more swings from the scythe and axe.

Unfortunately, the area around him was progressively becoming more demolished with resulted in more dust and smoke billowing upwards which in turn, occasionally obscured Y/N's sight thus almost getting him killed more than once.

However, instincts honed by fighting for so long was the only thing keeping him alive, for now. The Einherjar could feel his muscles and bones slowly become more sluggish as the strain befell on them was simply to relentless and powerful in each strike.

To make matters worse, Y/N didn't even manage to get any hits back in, the four-armed bastard was just too fast and just as unforgiving as a lightning within a thunderstorm.

Y/N raised the spear again to block another attack which shook him off his feet, the Einherjar stumbled back several steps before intercepting the scythe and axe all together which caused him to forcibly kneel onto the ground.

He tried to push himself up but only for the abyssal figure to push down harder in return, seeing no chance to even retaliate, Y/N did the only thing which can be paramount to suicide as he dove forward, dropping down his spear as he rolled between his opponent's legs.

Said being's arms then dropped down from the lack of obstruction before smashing into the ground once again, tearing up debris all around the two fighters as Y/N was blown back by the sheer force of the impact.

"And I'm suppose to fight this thing?!" Y/N muttered to himself in disbelief as he brandished the rusty spear within his hands again.

Keyword; disbelief yet not despair nor hopelessness.

He won't be going down without a fight. His abyssal opponent slowly turned around before seeing the time traveller dash forward with his spear aimed at its head, whom he easily parried aside and returned another a slash forward with its weapons.

Y/N leapt back just as the weapons made impact with the ground and then charged back in as his opponent was just beginning to raise the weapons back up, giving Y/N a tiny window of an opportunity to fight back even if it's just for a second.

His spear rocketed forward and towards his opponent's neck which Y/N had no choice to assume that it was the weakest part of the armour, exploiting this moment to counterattack and hopefully give himself a new outlook on his enemy.

However, the axe flew forward just in time to block the tip of his spear.

Y/N looked to see the scythe racing forward to bisect him into two before retracting his spear and blocking the weapon which pushed him backwards with ease as the Einherjar tried desperately to hold himself against the being.

Only to neglect watching out for a fist digging straight into his side as Y/N felt the air in him shoot out as he slammed into a collapsed pillar. He couldn't even take his time to catch his breath as he jumped up before the scythe could cut him down and flipped behind the pillar as the creature simply sliced the stone apart effortlessly.

Y/N's instincts screamed at him as he threw his head to the side just as a rapier shot past his cheek, nicking it open as blood dripped out but the time traveller couldn't even waste his time to stem the bleeding as he ducked down the falchion sweeping across where his head was.

The Einherjar jumped back as the tip of the scythe grazed past his forehead, but Y/N failed to notice the amount of distance he leapt through the hall which caused him to slam himself into another wall which he quickly realised his predicament.

Y/N blocked four weapon-wielding arms as the force of the clash was simply too much to bear with his own pair of arms as it began searing with pain with the earlier injuries only making it worse as he tried to push through it.

Unfortunately, the pain was nothing compared to how Y/N utterly failed to summon his shield and catch the scythe slicing upwards... and completely through his left arm with ease.

Everything seemingly appeared in slow motion as Y/N stared at his arm... flying off with his blood spewing out from the stem... along with the stump that it once was attached to.

The pain then slowly yet quickly registered into his nerves and then his brain.

Y/N immediately and frantically kicked away from the abyssal creature, quickly gasping and wheezing repeatedly as he let out several short screams of pain.

Screaming out loud would just give his enemy the satisfaction, which he will not... whether if it's foolish to hold it in or if his opponent can feel anything from the fight.

Despite his current vulnerability, the four-armed creature did not attack as it watched Y/N back away from it, clutching onto his stump of an arm that continued bleeding profusely.

Using the spear as a leverage to keep him upright, Y/N painfully stepped away from the being as it simply stared him down, as if looking more at an insect than a fighter.

Innately, Y/N knew why he wasn't getting attacked again, it's just like looking at an ant; tiny, weak and insignificant. Not even worth the effort or time to kill, and it was a message.

At his current stage, he is simply far too weak to even fight an opponent like this.

It's faster, stronger and more perceptive than him, and that is enough for him to lose an arm against his opponent- no, it would make more sense to say... executioner.

Weak... he's too weak to fight back without any proper edge against the abyssal creature, he's too weak to intercept the weapons lunging at him at such a lightning pace, he's too weak to stop himself from getting lifted off his feet and becoming more vulnerable.

He is just too, WEAK.

He hates this feeling, he hates it so much, even when it's only logical for him to run from this fight as soon as possible before he loses his entire life and dying all for nothing.

Thus, he ran. Y/N ran from the place that would inevitably take his life should he linger any longer even when he hates this humiliation and the loss of his arm, he could only run.

================================

Water continued soaking the fertile soil of the pot where a tiny lush green sprout grew, Alexander did so as he was requested to take care of a flower seed that Y/N had found weeks prior to his departure around the world.

Although he didn't ask, the elderly bartender was quite curious on why the Einherjar suddenly took up an interest in gardening, even if it's just a tiny flower, but he isn't complaining.

With no customers and a rather melodic and warm bar to work in at, watering the plant can be quite therapeutic. It also helps alleviate some headaches caused by Hu Tao and Xiao's earlier ruckus in the hidden room of the Blue Butterfly which was costly to fully repair.

 Alexander set down the watering can before his gaze landed on the blue card depicting the four pronged symbol as a rather sombre expression morphed onto his face.

After evading those fools for so long, they finally found him... yet the choice is limited so what exactly should he do..? He rather not risk his relationship with Y/N, Xiao and even Hu Tao, albeit the latter was quite well-connected in the underworld.

Knowing those fools, they can make trouble anywhere and anytime... but knowing the Einherjar in return... Alexander could only wonder how he would hypothetically deal with them.

Speaking of which, where is he? He wasn't answering his phone and the signal soon disappeared above the Mariana Trench, which was unnerving to say the least.

================================

Y/N tightly strapped the fabric around his arm, using his own clothes as a makeshift bandage to stop the bleeding before he faints and so far... the blood had already stopped leaking out.

The next step is... he honestly doesn't know... he just feels lost at this point.

What once was his left arm, now just a useless stump of flesh lays painfully on his side, occasionally dripping out blood but otherwise completely staunched.

The need for food or water has completely disappeared, any form of fatigue, mental or physical was also gone yet it always felt as if it was thrumming through his body, especially the phantom pains that ached through his left side.

On his other side laid the stone spear, lying there pitifully as Y/N held it up with his eyes slowly glaring into it as his hand tightened around the shaft... in anger, with a growing resentment.

He spent all his time... wasting his resources... almost drowning and dying... all for this spear... the spear which proved to be nothing but a DAMN JOKE OF A WEAPON-

However, his anger disappeared as quickly as it came. After all, there was no point in getting mad over what has already happened, the loss of his arm was just a fault of his lacklustre training and may prove to become a huge setback in the future.

Besides, Summit Shaper and The Unforged were still within his grasp so his efforts weren't all for nothing... if he speaks optimistically, same goes for Methuselah that somehow disappeared.

Now... the real problem is his missing arm.

Fighting the four-armed creature was nigh suicidal and he knew it, losing an arm simply just cemented it and provided another fact; he's still weak even after all that training.

While he was upset at his lack of strength, Y/N was far more concerned at his arm and whatever should he do about it... although he had a thought in mind for a while.

Y/N willed the rock solid texture and coloration back to his remaining arm, looking at its form contemplatively before gazing at the stump dropping limply on his left.

His arms had become literal stone after absorbing the two Gnoses obtained from those visions, he hadn't tested out their full potential but... he noticed they perfectly resonated with the earth and the Geo elemental energy, acting as a conduit and vessel for it.

What if he literally mould a new arm from Geo elemental energy?

Assuming this place... this Abyss has any in the first place... but, one would never know if they never try in the first place, right?

Y/N got up from the wall before raising his hand, sensing and gathering...

...

...

...

It's... faint but the presence of Geo is most definitely here, even though the surrounding areas looks like grass and plains and rocks but there's just this... otherworldly presence around them.

Whatever the environment here is, it's most definitely not of this world nor is it something anyone has ever discovered, but even though it's tiny, it's enough.

Whenever Y/N felt the presence, the sensation and flow of Geo coursing around his body, the feeling is hard to describe, it's akin to holding a rough piece of rock and one has both the hammer and chisel but can only carve using your mind.

However, as easy as that sounds, a single mistake will cost him no matter what because if he screw up the flow of Geo, he'll just fail to materialise what he had envisioned.

No one needs to know just how many times he messed up because of one mistake before he started getting the hang of it... he didn't float around the ocean doing nothing for days.

Now, back to moulding his new arm... the fingers' proportions are made just right... he should just turn them into claws to inflict more damage... the palm and wrist length and width are also made to mirror his right arm's... the length of the forearms and arm... measurements correct...

Y/N felt a bead of sweat drip down his head but he paid no mind to it since his supposedly new arm is almost finished... hopefully, keyword; hopefully.

"Gather..."

He uttered out the command to summon all the Geo elemental energy in the area, no matter how small it is, no matter how faint it is, no matter how tainted it is.

"STABILISE."

He call out to the gathered Geo energy to finally begin its formation, to firmly take a shape that will best suit his body, even if the core is weak, even if it will hurt.

"SOLIDFY!"

He shouted as an orb of golden energy swirled within his palm, its aura somewhat brightening up the surrounding area but still dimmed by the abyssal darkness of this world.

Without a second thought, Y/N plunged the golden orb of pure Geo element right into the flesh of his left stump, immediately feeling the searing pain of foreign energy entering his body.

However, he endured it, the pain of growing a new arm felt like nothing compared to losing it.

But Y/N wasn't expecting to black out, even when he felt nothing-

...

His eyes opened up and the Einherjar felt pain trembling around his whole body, but mostly directly within the left shoulder trailing down to his... left... arm?

Y/N sat up before looking to his side where a new limb hanged instead of a stump whereas the time traveller couldn't help but quickly flex all around, testing his new hand and fingers.

Before he could enjoy the prospect of creating a new arm, Y/N's success slowly died down as he suddenly realise the coloration of the arm was completely different from his right arm's.

Instead of the rich dark brown texture of a stone, his left arm is completely formed out of what is undeniably stone but simply darker and more... abyssal than the right one.

Unlike the right, Y/N's left limb is completely blue in coloration, there was no lines of gold streaking down his arm but instead, there are countless glowing lines of blue that seemingly melted into the starlit-textured arm that extended towards Y/N's shoulder.

(Found this on Pinterest, slightly edited so if any of you know the source, please comment)

Seeing this change... he should be very concerned but right now? There's more pressing matters right now than the new arm... seeing that they found his hiding spot.

Y/N stood up and grabbed the stone spear from the wall as he ripped away the gauze wrapping around his left arm as he glared at the countless shadowy knights surrounding him.

"Bring it on." Was all the Einherjar said.

================================

Back in a certain where the civilians continued on with their lives, unaware about the coming disaster in a few weeks. Men and women went by each other while students alike all strolled through the streets, enjoying their breaks.

However, a lone petite figure stood up on top of a building, silently observing the people below but mostly focusing on a pair of individuals that stood out more than the others before she pressed the earpiece currently worn on her.

"Matushka, Bronya has found the target." The girl's emotionless tone spoke out quietly, just enough for the person on the other end to hear.

"Then proceed with the mission, get close to her and when the time is ripe, execute the objective." The feminine voice on the other side replied, tone cold and calculating.

"Understood... what about the variable?" Bronya asked.

"...If she doesn't get in the way of the task, ignore her." Answered "Matushka" as Bronya leapt from the building to another, following the pair.

"Bronya understands..." The girl stated before preparing to end the communication.

"And Bronya?" The voice suddenly said, prompting the said girl to pause.

"Yes, Matushka?" 

"Be careful." The voice requested, tone not strict but instead, somewhat motherly.

"...I will." Replied Bronya as she ended the conversation, rendering the area silent save for the people and vehicles below her.

The young girl then continued her way down the building before mingling into the crowd, her figure vanishing from sight as another person passed by with her nowhere to be found.

================================

Y/N ducked under another swing of a giant axe wielded by a rather large shadowy knight, the coloration on its armour brown and resembling that of the Geo element that he utilised. 

It didn't help that the said knight's physique was far larger than the teal knight as both of its thick arms held onto a giant axe whereas it swung with the ferocity of a falling meteor.

The Einherjar rolled around the attack before stepping onto the large axe and running up the arm and smashing his foot straight into the knight's head, reeling it slightly to the side as the latter quickly jumped down as the shadowy husk tried to grab Y/N.

As he turned around, the time traveller saw the giant knight fusing both of its axes together, forming one giant single battle-axe before smashing it straight down towards Y/N.

He quickly leapt back as a cloud of dust and dirt was upheaved, prompting Y/N to run around the area to spot a section within the giant knight's armour to pierce through. Before the Einherjar could retaliate, the knight itself immediately swung its axe around to intercept Y/N.

Y/N instantly leapt over the attack before using the split second in the air to quickly jump again using the sweeping axe as a leverage to boost himself up higher all the while his target was still swinging its axe, unable to stop Y/N from thrusting his spear forward.

In an instant, the tip of the polearm reached straight towards the giant knight's head, evidently it being the weaker spot of the armour as the knight lurched backwards and allowing Y/N to strike several more times onto his target.

However, the giant knight recovered faster than he anticipated which caused Y/N to briefly lose his guard as he felt the stinging pain of the axe slicing right into his chest, fortunately not too deep into his body but the force of the swing sent tumbling back several feet.

Y/N rolled a few more times before he immediately pushed himself away from the spot just as a multiple freezing projectiles slammed into the ground he laid on earlier despite the pain.

He looked up to see another set of arrows shot towards him before Y/N kicked back and dodged the barrage as he raised his spear just in time to block a greatsword slashing towards him.

The Einherjar continued holding back the blade as he glanced back just to see the giant knight ready to swing its axe straight into him once more, Y/N quickly pushed the teal knight backwards as he jumped away just in time to see the axe slam right into its own ally.

The impact was enough to send the teal knight tumbling away as the rest of the shadowy husks continued on their onslaught towards Y/N, uncaring if one of their own kind was hit.

Fortunately, the knights did not seem to retain any form of sanity as seen by their regal appearance and enough to tactically fight him but unfortunately, that state only rendered them into a berserker-like behaviour, attacking him without any care of their own allies.

Which meant they'll just continue attacking and attacking, not giving him any time to breathe properly or rest, forcing him to fight again and again until he falls. Although the need to sustain himself is gone, the fatigue still remains which meant he'll need to continue on willpower.

However, he lost count of how many minutes he's been fighting the horde of knights, their numbers ever so relentless and seemingly endless as they continued marching towards him.

Y/N dodged another attack, rolling as he gazed at his new targets.

What made it worse is not the amount of knights but also the new adversaries he found rifting through the fabric of space itself, wolf-like creatures that floated with their head, torso and claws and with the capability to tear through his own shield with ease.

He found that out the hard way and even now, his both his arms ached, one side laced and completely covered in dark blue unknown energy and the other sporting a scratch that spread across his arm like poison that won't stop bleeding.

Now the worst matter of all, is to deal with all these enemies.

Although he hates to admit it, he's slowly getting overwhelmed by the endless numbers of knights coming out of nowhere, it didn't help that the wolfish creatures can teleport from and back to him, forcing him to keep his senses on overdrive.

He's really starting to get tired and that's when the hellish pain began.

A cut opened up on his back as Y/N held in the pain and swung back his spear, knocking the knight away as he blocked another greatsword aimed straight at his head.

Y/N quickly kicked away just in time to avoid a lance charging right at him but that brief moment of injury and distraction allowed an arrow to lodge deeply into his back, causing a chill to begin freezing over his body as the Einherjar hurriedly ripped out the projectile.

Suddenly, a blast of flame collided right onto him, flinging him backwards as he tumble on the ground several times before he quickly got up just to feel a claw digging straight into him.

"Kuu-!" Y/N let out a strained grunt before he stabbed his spear right into the wolf's head, sending it back to the void where it came from.

The Einherjar gripped his injury as he backed off from the horde but seeing that he's completely surrounded by the insane knights, the only thing he could do is to make a stand but... that may or will result in his death.

Unfortunately, Y/N did not have time to think whether he'll live or not because right now, he needs to get out of here and fast but his chances are looking worse and worse.

Y/N pierced his polearm through yet another knight before dodging another fireball, he instantly resorted to sweeping the legs of any enemies that came too close to him which allowed him to attempt stab the spear into their downed bodies.

What appears to be seconds that felt like hours, Y/N repeatedly dodged the charging lancers, avoiding the hail of arrows, leaping away from the flames and winds and holding his spear against the giant axe descending onto him again and again.

After minutes that stretched to over an hour, Y/N's luck ran out.

Y/N raised his spear as he intercepted an axe swinging right at him but the size and force of the attack easily toppled him over and sent him flying in the air, forcing the Einherjar to right himself before falling into vulnerability and dropping his guard.

Before Y/N knew it, he felt more arrows digging straight into his back and the freezing sensation returning tenfold, causing him to let out a strained gasp of pain as he felt his limbs slowly becoming immobile from the ice gathering on him.

From the corners of his eyes as his neck was slowly freezing down, the Einherjar spotted the masses of knights slowly approaching him, weapons raised and their lifeless apathetic gazes zeroing on him and him only, nothing else or more and this was when Y/N knew.

He is going to be in a world of pain.

Y/N raised an arm just as he saw a flaming spear swinging towards him, but his immobile form and bleeding injuries rendered him completely helpless, causing him to get flung across the ground as he tumbled around the knights.

The next thing he felt was a harsh kick right in his ribcage that sent him rolling into another pair of legs that were quick to kick him back into another pair, the knight then raised its lance before stabbing it straight into Y/N's back, earning a pained gasp from him.

As the Einherjar tried to push down the pain and push himself up, he only saw the fist of another knight closing in on him quickly, rattling his head with a brutal punch that felt like a hammer which knocked him to the ground again.

Y/N soon felt his leg getting clamped between a jaw of razor-sharp teeth as he then saw the larger abyssal wolf began dragging him across the ground before literally throwing him across the horde of knights and wolves.

Pain had started yet hell still hasn't arrived.

The Einherjar looked up to see a teal greatsword lunging straight at him, Y/N instantly dodged the attack despite the strain on his body and raised his spear to block another flaming spear. 

Y/N quickly kicked away from the knight before avoiding several arrows shot at him but unfortunately, the giant earthen knight was unexpectedly nimble on its feet as it closed in the distance between the time traveller and itself with an axe raised.

Y/N then moved the spear in front of him, seeing he had no time to leap away, allowing the axe to clash straight onto the shaft of his polearm with the force of the impact sending him flying through the air before smashing into a wall.

A lancer knight then charged forward, Hydro elemental energy surrounding the weapon as it was ready to pierce the immobile Einherjar still pushing himself off the wall.

However, before the lancer could stab Y/N right in the chest, the latter retaliated by grabbing the lance by the thinner tip and raising a fist which he then proceeded to pummel straight at the knight's head, sending it reeling back slightly.

Y/N ducked underneath another teal greatsword before jumping around the larger knight and grabbing its head which he then pulled back hard, forcing the knight to lean back that allowed him to land a kick right into its head.

The teal knight stumbled slightly which Y/N slammed it down onto the ground and brutally pierced his spear through his target's head before looking around to see his predicament.

Two more banner knights were dashing towards him with Pyro energy encompassing their polearms which they both swung at the same time towards Y/N who immediately ducked down and then knocking the knights down with a sweep of his leg.

Y/N jumped up before smashing his foot into one of the knight's head and stabbing his spear through the other downed knight, flames dying down as their bodies dissipated into black dust.

The Einherjar snapped his head back as he dodged a set of claws swiping at where he stood, the abyssal wolves appearing out from a tear in the space as Y/N then saw the giant knight stomping towards him with its axes raised high.

Avoiding another bite and swipe from the jaws and claws of the wolves, Y/N then leapt above the swung axe, ignoring the burning pain all over his body as he grabbed the earthen knight by the head before raising his leg again and slamming his knee right into shadowy husk's head.

Y/N looked around as he stabbed his spear into one of the smaller abyssal wolves before avoiding another lancer charging at him just in time to dodge another barrage of Cryo arrows sent towards him by the archers.

Growling, the time traveller began sprinting towards the archers that proved to be a nuisance for him in this battle, Y/N glanced to the sides to see more of the banner-wielding knights forming several fireballs within their hands which they then hurled at him.

"...!" Y/N refrained from saying anything but a low growl as he raised the stone spear before slashing across the air whereas the fireballs made contact with it.

Flames and explosion erupted as Y/N charged through the heat, leaping around more arrows before he finally closed in the distance and grabbed the archers by their heads and then smashing them down onto the ground.

After stabbing the spear through their bodies once more, Y/N whipped around to slash another fireball shot at him before he begun repeating every actions he had made in this fight.

Unfortunately, regardless of Y/N's persistence or his tenacity or his skills, it wasn't enough for him to singlehandedly deal with all the knights surrounding him, there was simply too many of them and only one of him, an army against one single Einherjar.

Which is how Y/N felt himself getting flung into the air as an axe embedded itself into his side as he briefly lost his guard which allowed the giant knight to land a hit on him.

As Y/N tumbled on the ground before quickly pushing himself up, he tried to right himself and get a sense of his situation but another lancer was quick to charge at him, successfully stabbing its weapon straight into Y/N's back.

"Kuek-!!" The time traveller gasped in pain as the attack sent him falling on the ground again, he looked up to see another lance aiming straight at his face.

Y/N grabbed it but another spear came into his sight before smacking him on the cheek, causing him to lose his grip on the lance which the knight capitalised on and immediately stabbed the downed Einherjar, dying the ground red and gold.

He tried to fight back but the amount of enemies were simply impossible to simultaneously push back altogether especially in his state, Y/N raised another arm as an axe was swung towards him which forced him rolling across the ground and into more enemies.

Another lance and two pierced his legs and waist.

A flaming spear slammed right onto his head.

A torrent of freezing arrows stabbed right into his shoulders and sides.

The swirling teal greatsword slashed deeply into his arms.

An giant axe found itself cutting right into his back.

If there is a hell, then Y/N is definitely in one right now as everything he felt was pain, pain that permeated through his body, breaking him down one by one as it continued to spread within his body to the point all Y/N can do... is to lose his consciousness.

In a span of a second, Y/N felt everything will end for him here and now, he felt himself slip into the darkness and the cold embrace of unconsciousness, sinking down deeper and deeper...

Yet, a voice stung through the void, loud and clear even for Y/N to hear despite his state which he then opened his eyes again to see the knights gone, all except the looming darkness.

"Is this all you can do?"

Y/N looked up to see... himself? His doppelganger's appearance reminiscence of what he used to look like prior obtaining the Gnoses, shorter and rather unkempt hair, weaker physique and baggier clothing and a smaller height that just screamed "weakling".

"You loser... you came this far, all the way down here to this place..."

Y/N's doppelganger walked up to his immobilised form before harshly grabbing him by the face, a sneer adorning his visage as he gazed pitifully and contemptuously as his double lifted him up with strength impossible for a small physique such as his.

"And this is all you can do?!"

His double taunted again before dropping him, causing Y/N to feel a sense of emptiness as he felt himself falling again, deeper and faster into the darkness that surrounded everything.

Sight dimming, sounds fading, sensations disappearing, Y/N felt his breath getting taken away until he did not even know if he's still breathing or not, his fall never ending as he continued downwards into nowhere, yet his doppelganger's voice still clear and loud.

"Weaklings like you..."

Y/N felt his own consciousness fading as he fell deeper and deeper into the Abyss, despite his best to stay awake, everything just felt so tempting to simply fall asleep. Forever.

"Should."

The grip on his spear slowly loosen as his senses began to fade, his body slowly losing all sense of feeling as his eyes began to flutter down.

"Just."

Yet everything he had gone through, in the past and now seemingly played as clear as day, his lack of family, his initiation into Schicksal, his shunned status as the lone male and a pawn to Otto Apocalypse that soon resulted in his meaningless death.

"DIE."

Y/N forced his eyes open as a familiar sense of anger began flooding his body, the same emotion that welled up when he died on that bloodstained battlefield filled with corpses only to fall into a chasm where everything started over for him.

His memories are broken and the truth is unspoken, he almost forgotten his name through the stains of bloodshed and fighting, he doesn't know the reasons or even the seasons as he stood there ever so silently holding his spear, again and again always in a desolate place.

It's only the cold winds and grounds that greeted and spited him, there was no one there to comfort him nor was there any other reasons he stood at every battlefield except to fight or die.

All that bloodshed, all those deaths, sometimes Y/N wonders if he will go insane.

He gritted his teeth tightly as all those emotions, those sensations bubbled up within him, sending shocks all over his body as he felt something stirring, a fluctuation unknown to him.

The knights that surrounded Y/N's bloodied and grievously wounded body simply continued tearing into him, uncaring whether if he began twitching or gritting his mouth.

A spark of energy spiked out of nowhere, Y/N's eyes then shone in a golden amber light.

All of a sudden, a burst of bloodlust erupted within the air, causing the air to freeze up with tension as the knights surrounding Y/N paused in their steps, retaining their natural instincts from when they were still sane and tactical in their approach in battles.

Now, their instincts are telling them to retreat, to run before they all die.

"For my revenge... to change my fate... to restart my life..."

Y/N began, growling as he started pushing himself up despite all the wounds donning his body, blood continued dripping down him but he didn't care, if he's going to die one day, it will not be in this place nor will it be to these insane knights.

Suddenly, the knights were all pushed back by a shockwave as Y/N stood up straight, shouting as a golden hue of light surrounded his body, shining brightly as something began manifesting.

"I WILL NOT DIE HERE!!!"

A shout that encompassed all his will, his desire, the strength needed to push on forward, to change his own past and future, change his very own fate of being what once was a weakling.

Awakening to his declaration, his call, his will, golden symmetrical cracks formed all over the Einherjar's body, from his arms to his body to his legs and finally, his face. His eyes shining and taking on a bright golden glow as the abyssal air around him thrummed with absolute power.

(A/N: A very crude and edited imagery of what the MC's awakening look like, source of the original unedited image is from Villain to Kill manhwa)

Unbeknownst to Y/N, the long dormant Stigmata carved into his body, has finally awakened.

The small distinct fissures that cracked all around Y/N's body then burst open, revealing the many straight harmonious golden lines that formed what appears to be tribal patterns that seemingly pulsed with elemental energy as his physique became more muscular and refined.

Y/N's formerly dull yellow eyes then shone brighter as the iris turned into a rich amber colour with his pupil transforming from black to a white golden hue, also shining itself in the dark.

All the bleeding, cauterised, frostbitten wounds over Y/N's body began sealing themselves up at a rapid rate, healing faster than any living things on the planet as the Einherjar felt his fatigue disappear, his stamina recovering, his strength returning to the max and over.

His arms that once appeared in a dark earthly tone completely shifted into a brighter golden shade, his fingers morphing into sharp draconic claws and unknown to him, his teeth as well.

Despite the sudden shift in the atmosphere, the aura surrounding Y/N, the shadowy knights didn't care at all and rushed forward towards him with their weapons raised, the wolves all but completely retreated as their beastly instincts won over their abyssal origins.

As the knights closed in on the motionless Einherjar, their weapons were all ready to cleave him into pieces once more but before any of the knights swung down, Y/N was already fighting back.

In an instant, several knights were flung backwards with a massive indent in their armours, they crashed into the surrounding horde as Y/N gazed at them apathetically with raised fists.

A lancer quickly thrusted its weapon forward only for Y/N to smack it downwards before grabbing the tip of the polearm and then breaking it off which he responded by stabbing the piece straight into the knight's head.

Suddenly, several arrows were shot towards the Einherjar again but Y/N quickly grabbed them straight out of the air before snapping them into twos and closing in the distance between him the archers in the backline.

Y/N's fists flew and the knights all but were smashed into the air as the time traveller dodged another fireball that singed his hair which he immediately turned his attention to and dashed through the horde of knights, avoiding their attacks simultaneously.

The golden lines around his body simply shone brighter as he seemingly danced across the field, his eyes rapidly locking onto each weapons swinging at him before counteracting against them, batting them aside with his spear, now marked with glowing cracks.

Just as he ducked underneath another teal greatsword, Y/N managed to reach the banner knights before swinging his spear towards them, the force of the strike creating small gust of winds as it whistled towards the shadowy husks.

In return, the fiery knights raised their own spears to intercept Y/N's attack but ever since the golden lines appeared on his body, the Einherjar felt his own strength increase exponentially and continuously without end, that too, goes for his five senses.

Once Y/N took down the banner knights, the surrounding enemies all charged at him once more whereas the Einherjar only raised one hand as he chanted out a sentence and blitzed towards one of the closest knights with incredible speed unfounded before.

"Stigmata Release. Prototype Archaic."

On command, the richly earthen-coloured greatsword materialised within Y/N's hands through motes of golden dust before the Einherjar slashed off the head of one knight and then proceeded to use the still standing body to leap onto another knight, slashing off its arm.

(This GIF and the following belongs to Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV and Square Enix)

Y/N then raised the greatsword again before slicing across and into the knight's waist, completely bisecting his target as he then proceeded to swing around on the spot, just to cut throw several more knights closing in on him.

The density of the blade was hard enough for it to effortlessly tear through the knights' armours with little to no resistance, allowing Y/N to quickly continue massacring the horde.

He swung the greatsword again before Y/N sensed another attack aiming at his head, and judging by its overhead swing, it's the giant knight armed with the axes.

Y/N held his blade above his head just as the giant axes clashed onto it, creating sparks as the Einherjar easily pushed off the weapons whereas he had struggled before to do so.

Y/N then saw more lancers with their polearms raised and charging at him which the former swiftly leapt between the spears, avoiding the weapons by inches before grabbing two of the lancers' heads that he soon crushed with his bare hands.

The Prototype Archaic within his hands was dropped and then disappeared into golden dust as the Einherjar continued the fight with his stone spear before chanting out another line.

"Stigmata Release. Prototype Rancour."

The blade morphed into Y/N's hand before he began slashing at the knight, forcing it backwards step by step until it swung its fiery banner around to retaliate.

However, Y/N immediately ducked down and quickly side-stepped behind the knight before uttering out another sentence as the earthen sword disappeared.

"Stigmata Release. Prototype Starglitter."

With a singular move, Y/N thrusted the spear forward, effortlessly impaling and tearing apart the knight's body into piles of black dust and pieces that quickly disintegrated.

The knights behind Y/N immediately approached him which the latter responded by leaping into the air before effortlessly impaling one of the knights with his spear and then kicking another one away from in front and back of him.

Y/N thrusted again and again until the spear disappeared into a blur whose speed and integrity tore through the rushing knights in front of him with ease once again.

He then looked around, noticing more knights endlessly running at him which prompted the Einherjar to chant out the same line as from before.

"Stigmata Release. Prototype Archaic."

Y/N chanted again, summoning the greatsword before he began spinning around as the knights closed in the distance while he was still picking up speed, the enemies were all simultaneously ready to slash at him but the Einherjar spun again as he completely annihilated the group.

Y/N suddenly jumped back just as a claw swiped the air where he once stood, the abyssal wolves floated around him along with the more of the knights, which only served to irritate him.

Prototype Archaic then disappeared from Y/N's hand before the earthen sword reappeared in his hand again as the horde charged at him, wolves vanishing into the fabric of space as archers notched their arrows along with the banner knights conjuring flames into their hands.

The next scene was a total chaotic massacre.

Heads and limbs went flying, howls of dying rattles and implosions of elemental energies as the area exploded violently with Y/N being the only walking out unscathed though the same can't be said for his clothing, his sleeves ripped and burnt as well as his jacket.

However, Y/N paid no mind to it as he went on with the massacre, his mind subconsciously desiring the deaths of all the knights and creatures that dared harm him in this hellhole.

Using Prototype Rancour, Y/N continuously slashed at the lancer before glancing to the side to see an archer notching another freezing arrow and then shooting right at his head which the Einherjar immediately leant back.

After slashing the head off the knight in front of him, Y/N quickly dashed towards the archer who was already shooting more arrows at him. Fortunately, the time traveller was more than ready to intercept the projectiles, dodging and batting them out of the air.

Y/N closed in the distance between him and the archer immediately which he proceeded to unexpectedly rip the bow out of its owner's hands before piercing it straight through its side.

As the Einherjar slammed the archer into the ground before stomping on his head, Y/N turned his attention to the other archers and the one teal knight standing behind them as they began firing more hails of arrows at him.

Y/N ran with a shout as he levelled the Prototype Archaic at them, using the blade to block and deflect the arrows, he was able to successfully and easily close in the distance once more.

With another shout, Y/N slashed across the group of archers, effortlessly toppling and cutting them down as he avoided a teal greatsword swinging at him before he jump at the knight, slashing downwards and up to dismember an arm and then finally, the whole knight's torso.

Y/N then kicked the falling torso before it could disappear towards another knight, knocking it down as the former took the chance to swing his blade at his downed target.

The Einherjar then swung around the spot again, obliterating the shadowy husks that sprinted at him. Y/N raised the greatsword to clash against a giant fused axe from the huge knight.

The impact of the clash caused a brief shockwave before Y/N locked the blade with the axe and then slammed it down to the side as he then stepped up the giant axe and towards the knight.

Y/N saw a hand reaching for him but it wasn't quick nor nimble enough as the Einherjar jumped to the back of the giant knight and then grabbed hold of the helmet before twisting, hard.

Under his superior strength, the giant knight's head was completely twisted around to face Y/N who was still on his back and only to fall with a heavy crash onto the ground.

Y/N immediately got up and returned to impaling his targets one by one, their numbers meaning nothing but practices for him, especially when he awakened something within him.

"HAH-!" Y/N shouted as he thrusted his stone spear forward, the force and impact enough to smash the knight into pieces.

Y/N then hefted the spear on his shoulder before glancing around, looking at all the ruins and dissipating knights and wolves surrounding him, the numbers undoubtedly well over hundreds.

After fighting what appears to be for hours or more, it was an understatement to say that Y/N felt his confidence return ever since the golden lines manifested on his body.

Speaking of which, the Einherjar peered at the said marks on his body as well as his new arm which seems to be surprisingly holding up well despite being recently formed.

Furthermore, it wasn't his body that he didn't feel anymore pain with but he had also noticed the Geo projections he constructed lasted longer with more durability as well, unlike before which the weapons would easily shatter from a few knocks on a rock.

Now, it was withstanding every single blows and attacks against the knights unbelievably, what made the situation better or stranger was the fact that his strength increased exponentially after golden lines appeared which meant only one plausible answer.

"Is this... my Stigmata?" Y/N muttered to himself, gazing at the marks in wonder.

The Einherjar then turned his attention to his left arm, the blue abyssal coloration completely gone and replaced by the rich golden lines and earthly tone as if it never existed.

However, Y/N couldn't help feel just a bit worried on why his new left arm reacted so negatively to his body, though he can't say he would know the reason why since this was his first time but at least he got a Stigmata... so that's beneficial... right?

Out of curiosity, Y/N walked over to a large boulder nearby before he clenched his fist, knuckles audibly cracking as he slowly reeled back his arm, preparing to land a punch on the rock.

A fist shot forward and-

Y/N effortlessly smashed right into the boulder, no pain nor wound were felt or seen as the rock began cracking even more from the centre of the impact before spreading all across the stone and right in front of the time traveller's baffled face.

The Einherjar blinked as the giant boulder toppled down into a pile of debris as dust billowed everywhere with him still completely dumbstruck at his shocking feat.

HE WASN'T EVEN SERIOUSLY PUNCHING!!!

"...I need to rest..." Was all he said after staring at the mess he made, walking off to find a suitable shelter to recuperate for the time being.

================================

Far away, within the permeating darkness of the void and this accursed realm, a figure roamed amongst the abyssal creatures, its appearance donning a set of eerie dark blue robes that wavered in the air like water as its faceless head looked around before uttering something.

"S̷͚̖̼̽í̶̩͘͝l̸̹͖̐́ī̶̛͛̌̕͜q̶͈͕͖̄̋̈̔̕u̵̩̤̦̰̪͐͐͝a̷̘͋̂̀̀̕͜ẻ̸̤̘̘̔ ̴̳̖̬̼̍̉͘͠m̴̫̯͓̣̘̌̈́̍o̸͉̖̣͇̩̎͒͠r̶̨͍͇̬͂̿̏̕t̵̛͔̯̪̾̀u̶̧̬̜̒̿̀a̷̞͒ȇ̸̡̮͕̩̒͝ ̷̡̱̮̥̈́̃̋s̸̺̱̖͔̤̉͊̿̏u̶̜̝̽n̷͔̑t̷̡̬̭̣͒͐͗.̸̫͒̅̚͠.̸̧̬͈̦͗̕.̷̧͙̍"

The being then shook its featureless head, as if disregarding whatever it just said.

"N̴̞͐̓̿͘u̷̒́̆̀ͅl̵͍̬͗l̶̘͎̱̖̎̈́ͅa̶̗̔͘ ̶͈͔͎̳͝r̸̠͔̠̮̜̔̈͛ę̴̯̥͙̑̈̎̌͒s̴̪̥͑͒.̴̺̜̘̰͛.̶̟̬͒͆̓́͝.̵͇̏͆̕ ̵̢͎̥̦̽̌͜ṿ̵̛̰̗̀̒̒̈ơ̸̡̡̳̄͝l̵̲͚̽͌͐u̷̡̦̗̮͇͊̒̋̐̂n̵̖͉̳͔͛͑͆t̸̡͚͊̆̓͆͘a̵̱̖̻̙̍s̴̤̀̒ ̶͚̝͊̓̾͐ą̵͔͂̑͐̔b̴̯͍́̽̕y̸̻̳̺͔̼̔̀s̴̨̜̙̝̀̾s̷͙͚̟̺̣͊͋́̉i̸̗̒ͅ ̷̘̺̫̆́̌̀p̵̠̪̣̙͗͛̈́̓ŗ̸̭̮͊͝ò̸̡c̷̢̘͋͠e̷͔͊͝d̷̳̜͐̍̑̾ȩ̶̜̱͚̳̈́ṫ̷̹̖͚͋.̸̠͇̠͊̆͛̃͝"

It turned its head to a certain direction... where the Einherjar is before it began walking towards the location, naught but silence accompanying its abyssal presence as it spoke once more.

"C̵̯̼̥̪̒̈́á̵̢̜̖̽̏͑e̴̙̊̆̕l̴̝̘̼̏̔ȅ̴̟ș̵̝̘̫͒͂t̵̗͉̽̃i̷̙̣̔͗̄a̷͇̩̹̞̒̐ ̵̖͆͛̏̕c̴͙͎̟͂̊̓ȧ̶̰̏̓̀ͅd̴̛̫̦̀͝ē̴̞̱̜̰̏ṯ̶̩̰͠͝.̷̡̩̝͌̋.̵͍͐͗͋.̷̞̹͓͕͗̄͝"

Before a blade of Hydro formed on its wrist.

"S̴̢͚̜̼̐̄͗̋͆i̶̢͎̮̤͙̍͋̈̉̽͠ͅc̸̮̳̉̃̅͒̚q̷̣̌u̵̖̗̗͉̻̼͒̚ḗ̶̒̔͜͠ ̷͎͙͖̀͝͠A̶͉̻͕̎͒́͠ȑ̷̛̦͇͖͕̿͋̎͌c̷̹̜̬̠̜̊͊ḥ̷̨̻̙̈́̊̒̓͝o̶̳̟̫̫̕ǹ̸̥̈̑.̴̛̖͈̮̰̖̝͠"

The being stated as three more tears in the fabric of space appeared with three figures appearing out of it, their appearance resembling the former but with different tones.

Cryo gathered.

Electro conducted.

Pyro manifested.

"V̴̤͚̈́̀̈ó̸̪̣̰̽̀̔̋͠ͅl̷̛̜͎̺̔̀̒͌̍͜ṷ̸̧̝̞̀͆̈́ñ̷̛̘̗t̵͔͉̏̈̔͘͝a̴̠͈̞͛̒͗̅͘s̴̡̰͊̑̋ ̵̪̃͒͋̈́͘̕a̴̞̙̰̍̌̑̉̓͝b̶̢̰̹̥͔̗̌͑̈́̈́͂̆ẙ̶̥͔̯̅̈̚̕s̸͎͆̊̒͋͘͠s̶̡̯̋̊̀͐̅́ͅi̴̧̲͎͚̞̓́ ̴͍̤͑͒ï̸̤̥̅m̶̼̱̱̰̔̾̐ṕ̸͙̣̬̮͊̒̊͝l̵͙̟͚͚̓e̷̞͕̻͌̀ͅb̷̥̓͆̒̀̀̌í̶̢͎̩͈̮̞̊̕t̵̻͓͒ų̶̜͔͓͉̄̆͆r̸̲̄̃̓.̵̛̞̃̆.̶̻̕.̵̙̜̤͖͑̀"

The figure of Hydro uttered diabolically as the elements seemingly grew stronger, with all four abyssal figures making their way towards the same direction.

"Ḛ̵͎͝t̵͎̀͆̋͝ ̶̯͐̅͝ṉ̵̛̳̄̋̒͌o̸̜͕̲̓̉͂s̷̗̔́̓ ̶̡̙̒̌c̶͈̩͂e̴̼̓̋̔̆̕r̷̳͙̝̋͗t̵̯͔̘̘̀̀͆͘͝ͅï̴̮͈̞̈̑̀͘ö̶̱̲̻́̆͒r̸͍̀̋̍̾̚ḙ̸̛̬͔̕͜ṩ̴̌̀ ̵̗̍̓f̵̫̏â̷̞͔͓c̴͎̅t̷̞̪͙̤̑͐ͅǔ̶̝̦͍̱̯͂r̵̨̼̓͜í̷͎͎̬̬͔̈͘ ̷̮̱͙́̉̕͠s̴̟͠ū̸̡̠͈̦͌ͅṁ̸̺͇̾̀̿̕͜ứ̷̗̼͖͚͐̃s̵̜̥̣̯̄́.̴̦͂̈"

================================

Once more, Y/N found himself flying through the air as he simultaneously dodged several daggers thrown right at him, the Einherjar rolled onto the ground before backflipping away from an axe and a scythe both digging into the stone floor where just laid.

"Tch, so much for resting..." Y/N murmured in annoyance as he dodged a falchion and rapier from the guy who's becoming a pain in his ass.

The said "guy" being the four-armed being that sliced off his arm which suddenly came out of nowhere when Y/N was resting which is why he found himself fighting the bastard again.

Y/N summoned forth the Summit Shaper and Prototype Rancour as he began parrying the majority of the attacks sent his way as a minority managed to nick him at some spots but weren't too deep enough to inflict any permanent injuries.

Just as the Einherjar deflected the axe and scythe again, the creature reeled back before lunging forward with even greater ferocity and agility, forcing Y/N to remain on the defensive as continued guarding himself against the onslaught of blades.

Unfortunately, one particular attack was able to knock the Prototype Rancour out of Y/N's hand with it disappearing into motes of golden light as the Einherjar began parrying with one sword.

"This bastard wasn't even going all out when we first fought?!" Was all Y/N could think as he continued deflecting and parrying the lightning-fast attacks.

Sparks erupted relentlessly, briefly lighting up the dim area with moments of light as Y/N continued what he did best, observing for an opening or weakness in the enemy.

The duel relentlessly fought on for minutes that seemingly felt like hours, Y/N wasn't feeling at all fatigued and he was certain that neither was the creature in front of him, its arms working mechanically to finding a mistake in Y/N's guard.

However, he won't let it. Again and again, Y/N continued parrying the attacks before he finally began countering back with a few cuts of his own but like the ones on his body, it wasn't deep.

Y/N blocked the scythe but only for it to hook itself onto the Summit Shaper before getting wrenched out of his hands as it also disappeared into glowing dust.

"Alright, starting to see why scythe might be good for fighting..." Y/N silently remarked as he avoided the axe and rapier before leaping back.

He then pulled out his spear, he was considering summoning forth one of the Prototype weapons but the abyssal creature didn't seem to allow him to do so as it relentlessly slashed at him, disrupting Y/N every time he tried to chant.

Unfortunately, although Y/N could summon the weapons from thin air via chanting, the same action doesn't seem to work if he chants the lines in his head. Thus, it made him keep his guard up against the being in order to not lose any focus in the fight.

He isn't interested in replacing another arm or leg.

However, the creature seems to think otherwise as its arms seemingly began blitzing towards the Einherjar, forcing him to once more on the defensive as he continuously parried the scythe, axe, falchion and rapier all with his stone spear.

Y/N blocked and pushed aside an axe before he immediately went in for a stab, his enhanced strength managing to create more than sparks on the creature's armour as black mist leaked out from the wound.

He quickly ducked underneath a scythe before raising his spear to block a falchion before intercepting a rapier by knocking it down with the hind of his spear. Y/N then kicked away from the abyssal creature as it swung all its weapons at the same time.

Seeing no other choice, Y/N conjured forth his golden shield which the weapons simultaneously slammed onto, creating ripples in the ethereal shield that pushed him back.

Y/N continued holding up his shield as the creature relentlessly slammed its weapons against him again and again, which gave the former no chance to go for any openings.

After twenty seconds, his shield vanished and Y/N instantly slid underneath another swing before he thrusted his spear towards the creature's back. Unexpectedly, it dropped the falchion in its hand before grabbing the spear just as almost made contact with its armour, pulling Y/N towards it after dropping the rapier and then holding the Einherjar by the neck.

Y/N found himself getting pulled into the air, he grabbed the wrist holding his neck with his free hand, trying to pull it off as the abyssal creature raised its scythe once more.

Just as it prepared to decapitate Y/N, immediately threw a punch forward, this time no holds barred as a shockwave rung out from the impact of the blow, pushing Y/N back and the creature away and into a wall.

Dust and debris collapsed onto the area as Y/N charged forward as he raised his spear for an overhead stab despite the dangers of not seeing the target within the dust.

Y/N thrusted forward once again, the polearm immediately disappearing into the dust as it quickly made contact with something but the Einherjar didn't feel any movement other than the swirl of clouds in the corner of his eyes.

His senses kicked into overdrive as Y/N retracted his spear to quickly turn around and see the creature with the scythe raised as four of its arms held it tightly and swung it at him with an almost blinding speed within the darkness.

A spear was raised as Y/N attempted to block it... but he had forgotten the crucial fact that his spear was indeed a weapon, but it was a weapon made out of mere stone and against the otherworldly blade of the abyssal creature... it was nothing.

Sparks briefly erupted as the scythe cleaved through the shaft of the spear, leaving Y/N only to hold onto the remaining spearhead before the shock of his weapon allowed the creature to stab the scythe through the Einherjar in the abdomen.

"Grhk-!" Y/N's strained voice escaped his mouth, there was no indication that he was overcome by the pain felt in his body but his face suggests the opposite.

Although he had been injured by multiple Honkai beasts and zombies in the past, none of them managed to pierce through him so cleanly as this time, Y/N felt himself getting lifted up with enough force as to not slice him in two before getting chucked to the side.

Once more, Y/N found himself bleeding on the ground but the Stigmata on his body was already working on sealing up the thin gaping hole in his body. However, the time that it was taking for the time traveller to heal kept him immobile as the abyssal creature approached him.

Y/N growled as he pushed himself up, trying to summon a weapon but the pain was too distracting as the motes of dust he had manifested kept on disappearing as his focus broke.

By the time Y/N would had summoned a weapon, his life will be over.

As the four-armed knight continued approaching Y/N, the latter only gazed at the broken stone spear in his hand, not fearful nor was he panicking but only wondering why.

Unlike the previous three weapons he had obtained, why was the spear, undoubtedly one of Morax's strongest weapon left in such as state? What was the reason it remained so... weak?

"Geo elemental energy, abyssal essence, god's power... what else is missing?" Y/N muttered as the footsteps got closer.

He peered at the broken weapon in his hand.

"The spear that once belonged to Morax, the weapon that slew over hundreds of gods and monsters alike, now reduced to a mere stone stick... what... is... missing?" He thought.

One more step and the creature then raised its scythe, ready to decapitate Y/N.

"Born out of the divinity, forged with the earth, imbued with god's essence and blood... wait..." 

The axe descended and time seemingly slowed down as Y/N realised something which he began whispering, seemingly ignoring the axe above his head.

"The spear once was Morax's, now it's passed down to me which means it needs to recognise its new wielder... blood..! It needs my blood!" Y/N realised before pointing the spearhead at himself.

Just as the axe was inches away from Y/N's neck, the Einherjar impaled himself straight in the chest, the golden blood seeping right onto the stone spearhead.

"God's blood, god's essence, god's heart... it's now or never!" Y/N thought as the pain almost made him black out with his blood dripping out his mouth.

However, the axe reached Y/N's neck and its blade touched his nape-

*CLANG*

The abyssal creature tilted its head, confused on how its victim managed to stop its axe with his BARE hand that seemed to have taken on a metallic armour-like skin.

Y/N's eyes were erratically diluting and contracting as his body twitched continuously before he began subconsciously growling, his face becoming more draconian as the spearhead lodged in his chest slowly faded into golden dust which disappeared into his body.

Finally, it has begun, the Einherjar's body started rapidly glowing and changing as his clothes vanished beneath the layers of foreign earthen armours with golden accents, his hair grew longer and longer as its locks changed from brown to red to gold.

His ears elongated along with his hair as well as his height grew, his arms turned into darker tone as it retained its stone-like composition, more and more archaic and symmetrical armours began manifesting and donning themselves onto Y/N's body as suddenly, a tail too, grew behind his body with a horned draconic mask ending the transformation.

The rook chess piece has finally made a move across the board as Y/N roared.

A roar that tore the earth and heaven asunder and an awakening that will shake the very foundation of the events yet to come of this world. A power granted and gifted but not of this land or time or place, not of anything from this universe.

This is Rex Lapis' legacy, the heir and successor to the Geo Archon Morax, tempered and broken from the chains that once limited his growth, his potential, his innate powers.

This is his Empyrean Legacy.

(A/N: Another heavily edited image of what Empyrean Legacy would roughly look like, original source can be found at https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/92173113)

The shockwave of the awakening blew back the four-armed creature, sending it skidding on the ground as Y/N continued roaring before it died down to a guttural growl as his eyes glowed and zeroed in on the abyssal being.

Before the four-armed sage could even move, Y/N struck first and fast as he silently grabbed the creature by the head and then proceeded to literally drag its head across the walls of the ruins. Breaking up even more dust and debris as the area became more and more of a mess.

At this point of time and place, chaos was the only word that could describe the current scene as the Einherjar, the time traveller- no... the correct title should be Geo Archon continued his destruction within the place and against his target.

Y/N slammed the sage through another wall before he leapt into the air several times higher which would have been impossible for him normally, the Archon then allowed gravity to take hold of him and the abyssal creature.

The abyssal being wasn't idle at all as it attempted to swing its scythe at Y/N but only for the latter to grip it by the blade before a single squeeze crushed the metal with ease, reducing the scythe to an useless long pole as they continued falling.

Just for a brief moment, Y/N let go of the sage's head, causing it to fall from him a few inches in the air before the Archon grabbed it once more, this time using gravity as a tool to further increase the speed of their descent and with one move-

The Geo Archon smashed the abyssal sage's head right into the ground, cracking the earth and drawing up dust and rock as Y/N felt the creature's skull break beneath his hand, leaking out black mist as the being started dissipating into black smoke.

Y/N then got up as he watched the creature crumble below him into nothing before he felt himself falling on one knee into the ground as he gasped for breath, clutching his chest as his [Empyrean Legacy] form vanished from his body.

"What... just happened..?" He questioned but no one answered for him.

What he felt wasn't a sudden burst of miraculous powers granted to him in crisis but something more... sinister, it felt like it was waiting to emerge from his body, from his soul itself and the power though... he admits that it's intoxicating and addictive but, Y/N knows one thing for sure.

If he has free access to it, then he shouldn't use it frequently.

It's a power unlike any he's seen before and he still hasn't gotten a good grasp or control at it so using it would or could be detrimental to him instead of beneficial. However...

Y/N held up an arm before his eyes shone, just as his arm transformed once again.

For now, it looks like he could will the otherworldly form onto his body any moment, but deep down despite the advantages... Y/N's afraid... afraid of obtaining something he never had before.

Yet, perhaps it is the start to his change of fate.

"...Empyrean Legacy huh... sounds about right..." Y/N muttered the name that seemingly just appeared within his mind, it just felt right.

...

Wordlessly, Y/N's eyes flickered to the side before he dodged a projectile formed out of pure Hydro elemental energy, slashing through the ruins and walls with ease and then disappearing.

The Geo Archon turned around to see another figure emerging from the darkness.

"I didn't think it would be that easy." Y/N admitted with irritation, observing the new humanoid being donned in dark blue robes and armour as Hydro element swirled around it.

(Original artwork made by Pellat on https://www.reddit.com/r/Genshin_Impact/comments/u4w7mp/abyss_herald/)

"Ȃ̴͓̺̩r̶͖͚̫͆̓c̴̮͗͋͝h̵̖̒o̴̳̗͑̈́n̵̙͚̾͒ͅ ̵͖̭̝̈̿l̷̼̤̈́͠a̵̦̽͛p̸̖̲̅ī̴̟̲̓d̴̬̆e̸͖̟̽̎͒ͅu̷̩͖͋͐s̴̼̒..." The creature's distorted voice spoke out, giving Y/N a bit of a headache as his mind attempted to fully comprehend the being's words.

"It's faint but... Old Latin..?" Y/N murmured, briefly recognising some structure of the language.

"N̸̛̤̮̘̖o̵̠͚̓ͅṉ̷̗̤̯͐́ ̴̯͇̀̎͘ë̷͚́̉́͑ͅs̵͙͊ẗ̸͎͙̪́ ̸̭̞̱̂̽͗̈́ț̷̗͕̩̈́͑i̵̢̐b̶͈̩̂̽͐͝î̵̫̝ͅ ̸̠̖͔͓̈́̿͠i̵̠̭̣̼͠n̵̰͉̫͔̊̑ ̶͖̥̒͊h̷̳͑̊̍͛o̴̫̰͆͜c̸̯̗͚̗̏͑ ̷̪̑m̷̗̋̄̍͝ụ̴͌̇̈́ͅn̷̘̐̊͝d̵̖̳̗̯͑́̆̚ö̴͍͖ ̴̥̘̇v̸͙̪͍͚́̃̅e̴͓̮̽̉͝͝ͅl̵͚̜̎ ̶̛̞̘̪̐́a̷̘͊̑ĺ̸̻̔i̷̯̐ö̵̗̮̝́..."

The humanoid continued as a pair of Hydro blades manifested on its forearms, clearly stating its purpose as the creature stalked around Y/N, speaking more of the abyssal words.

"Ṉ̸̘̱́̕ǭ̷̡̧̛̙̉̒ǹ̷̮͇̊͗̚ ̴͓̙̲̇̚ͅp̷̧̉̎r̷̲̞̃̌o̸̤̘͉̪̚h̴͙̓̇̀̔i̶̖̣͗͂b̵̲̹̦̐̃̄͜e̴̛̱͉̩͊̀r̸̬͑̈́ẹ̶͍͉̑̕ ̵̝̾a̶̤̋b̸̟̳̘̮̿ŷ̵͖̒͠s̶̗̖̓s̷̝̗̰͌͂û̸͕͕m̸̡̳͗̀̎͜."

Just as the being finished, three more tears in space opened up as Y/N turned to see three more humanoids of the same resemblance in appearance with elements that he could feel from their presence as it swirled around them just like the first.

"Pyro, Cryo and Electro..." Y/N stated as the elements thrummed in the air around them.

"T̸̛͍͋͌͜͠u̸̳͇͊̍͒̂̀̉ ̵̜̈́h̷͈̣̝̪̋͋̂͜ḭ̵̞̗̜̋͗͋c̴̤̩̩͉̣̍ ̸̬͉̳̮͗̌̄̾m̶̡̩̣̱͕̲̏̀o̴͓̽͐̃̃r̴̥̭̈i̴̦̝̔͛̊ȅ̷͈̰̘̫͙͖̓̐̍̉͝ŗ̶̓͂ĩ̴̢̪͙̮̋͘͝ş̶͓͔̱͇͔͂,̶͚̦͗ ̴̨̀̎̀͋̾e̷͇̜̬̊̒͊̚t̸̠͈͚̾͊͠ ̸̺́͑̈́n̸̛͔̦̘̗͒̑͗o̴̬̪̬̮̩̼̐͂͠s̸̝̃ ̷̗̻̰͐͌̐f̵̹͙̗̟͊̂͛͜á̴̛̹͍̓̔̌̄c̵̨̨̨̹͚̗̚ ̵̠̰̟́̆̅͑i̷̝̻̳͕͍͕̋n̵͎̱̈̂̔̍̍͝ḑ̶̬̰͆͘è̶̡̝̻͓͔̮̀͘.̵͓͙̝̺̐͑̔̈́́"

 "Seeing that you all want to kill me, I'm afraid my life contract hasn't expired yet." Y/N remarked as he walked towards them, hands outstretched.

On cue, golden dust and light began gathering within Y/N's hand as it slowly condensed into an object, a weapon, the spear that slew over hundreds of gods and monsters. 

Whatever darkness brought upon Y/N's sight was soon washed away by the luminescent glow of the spear, rich and powerful and overwhelmingly titanic flows of Geo elemental energy flowed across the weapon as light filled the area solely from the spear.

(Source of this beautiful creation belongs to XU Kafka - Xuzhehao, found on Artstation at https://www.artstation.com/artwork/XnAmGw)

The Vortex Vanquisher. The Lance of Rainbow Piercer. The God-Slaying Spear.

Reborn and altered to better suit this new world, the Vortex Vanquisher was completely reforged into creation to become a blade for the new Geo Archon and to kill gods and demons and monsters alike. True to its powers, one swing could tear rifts in this world and singlehandedly vanquish any opponents foolish enough to stand in its way.

That is how Rex Lapis brought down the sun, how he subdued That Which Lies in the Deep.

Now, it is how Y/N L/N shall survive in the Ą̵̝̠͚̼͐̉̔̂̓͋̐̑̍b̴̢͔͔̥̩̼̥̔̐̓̐̇͠ý̸̲͕̝̜̖͗s̸̨̧̠͎͕͕̰̩͚̽̐͋͂̎͝s̸̨͕͖͔̤̮̺̯̓̓̏̆͆̌̉.

================================

I accidentally wrote another 10,000+ words chapter, how the hell did it happen?

Anyway, I got nothing more to say other than the fact that this MIGHT be the last training arc chapter for the MC so the Third Eruption in Nagazora is gonna probably be next. Hopefully you liked my concept of a "Foul Legacy" form for the MC who has- spoiler (not) alert, fallen into the Abyss, will he change? You'll know in the next chapter.

Also, for those curious to know about the MC's Stigmata, I basically made a cheat since you know, Geo Archon powers won't be enough to survive in HI3 so the Stigmata grants the MC a massive boost in physical attributes, that primarily being strength and agility and reflexes as well as increase his five senses to a stupidly high level, and that's not it!

Additionally, MC has a boost in his stats but the Stigmata also "amplifies" the boost, making it several times more powerful from its base abilities until it's practically cheating. Oh, the Stigmata also grants a stupidly fast healing factor for the MC.

I know, fcking ridiculous but MC ain't a Herrscher so he needs all sorts of power to survive.

If you're still reading this and now cringed out, now's a good time to quit this story.