Sion was confused; he did not know what to do, but he knew he had to survive, even if it meant using something he had no idea how to use or what it was exactly. Either way, he would not fall back, not to the laws and greed or stupidity of a selfish king.
He did not understand it or what was happening to him at the time.
But he did not have much of a choice and that he could see quite well. So, he stood his ground, not backing away or running. He was going to use his brain, he was not stupid like most he was packed together with.
Seeing that he was not running, one of the beasts lunged.
Sion exhaled deeply and moved, letting his body and instinct guide him this time.
His body felt like it was not entirely his anymore. Like something else had coiled through his blood. Everything around him slowed, even if it was just for a moment and he sidestepped the creature mid-leap.
It slammed into the dirt where he had stood.
Before it could recover, Sion's hand lashed out, fingers clawed with energy he did not recognize once again, something similar to what happened to him before and struck the creature's spine.
The beast convulsed in pain, a loud shriek echoing in the area, its entire body seized, and collapsed. Motionless to the ground where Sion stood.
The others backed away slightly from the scene before them, not knowing what to make of it or how he was able to even do that.
Sion's breathing was ragged. His hand trembled at his sides, coated in a faint shimmer of purple-black threads.
"What… the hell am I?" He muttered in shock.
But there was no time to think about what he was or what he could do; that was not the time nor the place.
He backed away from the creature he just took apart; the fog behind him parted slightly. almost flinching away and it did not escape his gaze.
Something bigger was coming.
The remaining beasts vanished into the mist like whipped dogs. Whatever was approaching the area all the students were in, it was clear to even them. that they did not want to face it, which only meant one thing: this part was no illusion; he could hear the heavy footsteps not too far away from them.
Sion turned slowly, and his eyes widened.
Towering above him was a creature unlike the rest, taller than the trees, its body formed of dark flesh and roiling mist. A crown of jagged teeth lined its skull, and where eyes should be, there was nothing but emptiness, much to the others' horror.
But, despite not having eyes, its gaze was fixed on Sion. One thing was clear: it saw him.
Not as prey.
As a threat.
"You, pathetic little human," it hissed, voice like breaking glass. "You wear the mark. The Forsaken Eye…"
Sion stumbled back, chest heaving slightly. He could feel the mark acting up once again on his body and he did not know what to do or how to stop it.
"How do you know... What do you even mean by that?"
But before he could finish, the world collapsed inward.
A shriek of wind, a flash of light and the Depth that they were in twisted once again.
A pillar of shadow erupted from beneath Sion's feet, swallowing him whole just like it did with them when they were in the great hall earlier.
The other students gasped in shock, some moving forward to help him, but it was too late; the darkness swallowed him alone this time, leaving them in the first half of the depts.
He woke gasping on cold stone, his mind completely confused, he had no idea what was going on anymore.
A sigil burned briefly above him before fading.
He was alone now… or so it seemed.
The Depth Trial was far from over and he knew that he could feel the others presence above him, except he was in a different part, one which seemed to scream madness.
Now came the real test.
One that wasn't about strength or spells.
But truth.
And what slumbered within him was just beginning to stir and he had a feeling, he was trapped in the worse part of the trail. He had to find a way up, back to the others, to get to the real tone, to make sure he passed, he could not fail, not now.
The air was different down here.
The stone beneath Sion's feet was veined with glowing red runes that pulsed in sync with the throbbing mark on his back. His breathing echoed unnaturally, as though the space around him was both vast and suffocating.
Then there was a loud tremor.
Followed by a distant sound… Not footsteps but impacts.
Something was descending and he had an idea what it was.
It had followed him.
Sion turned, just as the jagged beast from before, the crowned monster, smashed through the ceiling of the trial's second layer. It landed with impossible weight, its bony claws skidding against the stone, eyes burning brighter with recognition.
"You cannot run from your origin, marked one," it rasped, smoke trailing from its fanged jaws.
Sion backed away, fast.
But he wasn't fast enough.
The creature lunged towards him with unnatural speed. He knew then and there he could not outrun it, he could not fight it, not when he had no abiliites or had no idea how to redo what he did earlier, it felt as though control over everything was slipping through his fingers, once again like his previous life, death flashed before his eyes.
A blur of fangs, claws and fire.
As the creature's blow landed, one meant to end his life, the mark on Sion's back burned violently, a pulse so raw and ancient it felt like time itself stuttered. The pain was not just physical; it was like something deep within reality had been scratched open.
A shockwave erupted from his body, casting the beast back several paces. His body trembled, his vision blurred, there was nothing but pure darkness around him as he thought back to the life, he wanted a chance to live. Even in this political and power-driven world, dreams had begun to form in his mind.
But, before he lost consciousness, the mark on his back ignited once again. Not with heat, but with purpose and something deep within him spoke.
[Host attuned… Initial Phase unlocked…]
[Initializing... Alignment Detected.]
[Access Granted.]
[System Calibrating...]