Omniphage of Apathy

The rain hammered down relentlessly, blanketing the foot of the mountain.

Visibility was nearly zero and the guards stationed there were drenched to the bone, their armor and cloaks soaked and clinging to their bodies. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but it was the sheer silence between each crack of lightning that unnerved them.

"Where the hell are they?" One guard muttered, squinting into the downpour as he gripped his weapon tighter. His voice was barely audible over the storm.

"They have to be around here," another replied, his tone laced with frustration and unease. "No way anyone could have gotten past the perimeter without us knowing."

"Then why is everyone on edge?" A third voice chimed in, more nervous than the others. "It feels like something's… watching us."

A bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating the drenched forest and boulders surrounding the base of the mountain. For a second, the guards caught sight of shadows shifting in the rain but... there was nothing there when the light vanished.

"Keep your eyes sharp!" Barked their general, his gruff voice cutting through the rising panic of his men. He stood tall despite the rain, his imposing presence a beacon of discipline among the frightened soldiers.

"They're toying with us. Whatever or whoever it is, we'll find them and end this—"

But the words barely left his mouth before a strangled cry pierced the storm.

Everyone turned but it was too late. One of their own collapsed to the ground, his body hitting the mud with a sickening thud. Blood pooled around him, a dark stain quickly diluted by the rain.

"What—what was that?!" One guard shouted, his voice trembling as he pointed his spear wildly into the darkness.

"They're here!" Someone else yelled, panic setting in as the group huddled together, backs to each other, trying to make sense of the unseen threat.

Another lightning flash. This time, a brief glint of blue whizzed through the air and struck another soldier in the chest. The man gasped, his weapon falling from his hands as he crumpled to the ground lifelessly.

"They're picking us off!" A voice screamed, barely coherent through the growing hysteria. "We can't see anything!"

The general snarled, trying to maintain order. "Hold your positions! Don't let them break us apart!"

But it didn't matter. The unseen assassin was relentless. One by one, soldiers fell, their screams drowned by the rain and thunder. Chains lashed out from the shadows, wrapping around throats and pulling men into the darkness, their bodies vanishing as though the storm itself had swallowed them whole.

"Where are they?! Where—"

Another soldier's words were cut off as a shimmering, sapphire-tipped spike impaled him from behind. The few remaining guards were no longer soldiers but prey, scattered and terrified, their discipline completely broken.

"I don't want to die!"

One of them sobbed, stumbling through the mud, his weapon forgotten as he tried to flee. But he didn't make it far before a chain wrapped around his ankle and dragged him back into the storm, his screams echoing and then silenced.

The general, now the only one left, stood in the middle of the chaos, his sword drawn and his breath ragged. His heart pounded in his chest as he turned in every direction, trying to see through the rain.

And then, it came.

A deafening explosion of plasma erupted from above, bathing the mountain's base in a searing blue light. The shockwave obliterated the remaining structures and trees, sending debris flying in every direction. The general shielded his face, the force nearly knocking him off his feet. When the light faded, the silence that followed was absolute.

He lowered his arm, his vision blurry but his instincts sharper than ever. Through the curtain of rain, he saw them. Two figures emerging slowly from the shadows.

The first was tall and regal, his presence a msytery even in the downpour. Sapphire light pulsed faintly around him, his features obscured by the rain yet carrying an undeniable aura of power. His irises were glowing ima golden hue.

Beside him, the second figure was smaller but no less intimidating. The chains around her glinted in the dim light, moving as though they had a will of their own.

The general gritted his teeth, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. He wouldn't die cowering like the others. If this was the end, he'd face it head-on.

"You… who are you?"

The taller figure stepped forward, the rain parting slightly as he raised a hand. A sapphire shard materialized and floated on his hand.

The general barely had time to react. The shard shot forward, piercing his heart with shocking speed. He staggered, his sword falling from his grip as the light faded from his eyes. He collapsed to his knees, then to the ground, lifeless.

Vastarael let out a long sigh, lowering his hand as the sapphire shard dissolved into the air.

"Well," he said quietly, his voice barely audible over the rain, "that's the third test."

Chainless stood silently beside him, her chains retreating as the storm continued to rage around them. Vastarael glanced at her, his expression softening slightly before he turned his gaze back to the mountain.

"Do you have any friends or family in the arena? Anyone you want to save?"

Chainless tilted her head, the rain dripping off her hooded cloak as she considered his words. Slowly, she nodded.

"Alright," Vastarael said, his gaze piercing the storm. "If you do, we can go save them. But you'll have to guide me a little."

He crouched slightly to meet her eye level.

"How many people?"

Chainless lifted her hand, holding up six fingers.

"Six?" Vastarael confirmed, tilting his head. She nodded again, this time more firmly.

"Who?" he pressed further.

Her hands moved, mimicking a small creature's movements, claws padding on invisible ground. Vastarael's lips twitched with a faint smile.

"A pet?" he guessed.

She nodded quickly, then mimed a gesture that resembled holding something close—a cradle, perhaps. Her face, though hard to read, carried an unmistakable tenderness.

"A family that raised you?"

Chainless nodded once more.

Vastarael rose to his full height, crossing his arms as he contemplated her answers.

"Alright. Then let's go get them."

But before he could take a step, the air around them shimmered. A blue hologram flickered to life, its text glowing faintly through the storm.

[Fourth Test: Rescue the Hostages in the Arena. Success is mandatory. Failure results in losing the test.]

Vastarael stared at the glowing letters, his lips parting in disbelief. The rain slid down his face as he slowly exhaled, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"Interesting."

He turned to Chainless, the realization dawning on him like a thunderclap.

"Do you see it?" He asked her, though he didn't expect an answer. He looked back at the system message, his thoughts weaving together a pattern.

"The first test," he began, speaking aloud as much for himself as for her, "was me fighting you in the arena. A test of combat, of dominance, of forcing me to confront another potential ally."

He gestured to the mountain they had just descended.

"The second was to fight the lava monster. At first, it seemed like it was about stopping the eruption. But now I think it was about testing if I would face something catastrophic to protect others, even if I didn't know it yet."

He pointed to the bodies littered at the mountain's foot, now obscured by the mud and rain.

"The third test was to eliminate the guards. A clear moral dilemma. Killing people to survive, even if they were just doing their duty."

Finally, he pointed to the hologram. "And now, the fourth test is to save the hostages. It's all connected, Chainless."

Chainless tilted her head, her expression blank but her silence curious.

"The tests are escalating. They're not just trials of strength or skill. They're tests of my judgment, my decisions. Each one forces me to make a choice. Who to save, who to kill and what lines I'm willing to cross."

Even Phaenora was silent.

"This system isn't just trying to see if I'm strong enough to pass through the academy. It's trying to break me or... maybe mold me into something specific."

He turned back to the hologram, his voice lowering to a whisper, almost as if speaking to the unseen entity controlling it.

"So, there are seven tests in total, aren't there? That's why you revealed the fourth so soon. You're setting me up for something bigger. Testing the kind of leader I'll be."

The hologram flickered, unresponsive. Vastarael's lips curled into a sardonic smile.

"Well, fine. Let's play your game."

He turned back to Chainless, who remained motionless, rain dripping down her blood-splattered chains.

"Ready to save your family?"

She nodded, a faint spark of excitement flickering in her otherwise blank expression.

"Then let's go. But we'll need to prepare though. It would be great to kill everyone but they might use them as hostages or kill them so we can't risk that."

The two of them walked into the darkness of the rain, clearly unaffected by it as a barrier covered them, keeping them dry.

Soon, the bodies of the guards they killed would soon be the delicacy of wild beasts.

Not that he cared at all.