The Omnipotent System

"I have never seen anyone from the Downworld ever make it here."

The trio turned in unison, their bodies instinctively tensing. Kael's hand flew to her sword, her fiery eyes narrowing with suspicion. Selene shifted her weight subtly, her daggers gleaming faintly as she angled herself slightly to the side, ready to move in an instant. Eren tightened his grip on the shard, his dark eyes locking onto the source of the voice.

Standing a few feet away was a boy—no older than they appeared—but there was something unmistakably otherworldly about him. His skin seemed to glow faintly, as though lit from within, and his eyes burned with an intense, molten gold that was both captivating and unnerving. His hair, the color of burning embers, fell in messy waves that seemed to flicker like a living flame.

The boy's lips curved into a small, knowing smile as he took a step closer, his movements smooth and deliberate. "You must be extraordinary to have made it here. Or reckless." He tilted his head slightly, his gaze lingering on the shard in Eren's hand. "Perhaps both."

"Who are you?" Kael demanded, her fiery eyes blazing as she shifted her stance, placing herself slightly in front of Eren. Her voice was sharp, edged with both defiance and caution.

The boy chuckled softly, the sound low and resonant. "I suppose introductions are in order." He raised a hand, and as he did, intricate tattoos began to appear on his skin, winding up his arms and across his chest. The lines glowed a deep crimson, forming patterns that resembled tongues of fire licking at his flesh. "I am Aeryn, a Flame Ancient. One of the last, I might add."

Eren's brows furrowed, his grip on the shard loosening slightly as curiosity overtook his initial wariness. "A Flame Ancient?" he echoed, his voice cautious but intrigued.

Aeryn nodded, his golden eyes gleaming with a mix of pride and sadness. "We are the closest to the gods of the elements. Born of their essence, shaped by their will. Fire, in its purest, most untamed form, is my lineage. And this…" He gestured to the glowing tattoos that now pulsed faintly with heat. "…is both my birthright and my burden."

Selene's silver eyes narrowed slightly as she stepped forward, her movements as fluid as water. "If you're so close to the gods," she said, her voice calm but edged with skepticism, "why are you here?"

Aeryn's expression darkened, the glow of his tattoos dimming slightly. "The Ancients are no longer what we once were. Time and betrayal have a way of breaking even the mightiest of us." He sighed, the sound heavy with a weariness that seemed far too old for his youthful appearance. "But that is a tale for another time."

Kael's fiery gaze didn't waver as she tightened her grip on her sword. "You still haven't answered the most important question," she said sharply. "Why are you here? And what do you want with us?"

Aeryn's molten gold eyes met hers, unflinching and intense. "I am here because this is my domain. The bridge you crossed, the void you escaped—it all leads here, to the realm of the Flame Ancients. And as for what I want…" He paused, his gaze flicking to the shard in Eren's hand. "…that depends on what you intend to do with that."

Eren frowned, his dark eyes narrowing as he looked down at the shard. Its hum was faint now, but the warmth it emitted was unmistakable. "This shard brought us here," he said slowly. "But we don't fully understand what it is."

Aeryn's expression softened slightly, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Of course you don't. It's not meant for those of the Downworld to understand." He stepped closer, his movements deliberate but unthreatening. "That shard is a fragment of something far greater. Something ancient. And it's calling to you for a reason."

Selene's silver eyes flicked between Eren and Aeryn, her expression thoughtful. "If it's so important, why haven't you taken it from him already?" she asked, her voice calm but probing.

Aeryn's gaze met hers, and for a moment, the glow of his tattoos intensified. "Because it's not mine to take," he said simply. "The shard chooses its bearer. It tests, it judges, it binds. And it has chosen him." He inclined his head toward Eren, his molten eyes gleaming with something that looked like respect—or perhaps pity.

Kael's fiery eyes narrowed as she stepped closer to Eren, her stance protective. "If this is another trap," she said, her voice low and dangerous, "you'll regret it."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Aeryn chuckled softly, the sound warm but laced with a hint of melancholy. "You have fire in you," he said, his gaze lingering on Kael. "I admire that. But no, this is no trap. If anything, it's a chance—for all of you."

Aeryn's glowing eyes lingered on the trio as the flicker of his tattoos steadied into a calm, rhythmic pulse. His voice softened, carrying a gravity that made the air seem heavier. "This shard is your bridge, your key. It's not just a fragment of something greater; it's an invitation. To the gods."

Eren's grip on the shard tightened, his knuckles whitening as a flicker of unease passed over his face. His lips pressed into a thin line, his dark eyes narrowing with a mix of doubt and suspicion. "An invitation?" he echoed, his voice sharp but low, as though speaking the words might summon something unwanted.

Kael's fiery eyes flared with anger, her shoulders stiffening. The subtle tremor in her clenched jaw betrayed the restraint she was barely holding onto. "You mean this shard is dragging us into the hands of those who've turned their backs on us?" she spat, her words sharp enough to cut. Her sword tip lowered slightly, but her grip remained firm—ready. Always ready.

Selene let out a slow, measured breath, her silver eyes flashing as her gaze darted between Eren, Kael, and Aeryn. She crossed her arms, her fingers tapping against her leather bracer in an unconscious rhythm. "And what happens when we meet these gods?" she asked, her tone cold but steady. Her head tilted slightly, her lips curling into a faint, sardonic smirk. "They're not exactly known for being... welcoming."

Aeryn's expression darkened, the molten gold of his eyes dimming as if shrouded by clouds. He stepped closer, the heat emanating from him washing over them in a wave. "Welcoming?" he murmured, his voice tinged with a bitter edge. "No. The gods do not welcome. They test. They demand. They destroy. And if you reach them with that shard, it won't be as pilgrims. It will be as challengers."

Eren's shoulders tensed, and a muscle in his jaw twitched as his gaze dropped to the shard in his hand. It seemed smaller now, insignificant compared to the storm of implications swirling around them. "So, the day we complete this shard..." His voice was low, his tone deliberate. "That's the day we fight the gods."

Kael's breath hitched, her fiery gaze snapping to Eren. She took a step closer to him, her movements sharp and protective, as though shielding him from an invisible threat. Her lips parted, but the words caught in her throat. For the first time, uncertainty flickered in her eyes, buried beneath her defiance.

Selene's smirk faded, her fingers stilling as she studied Eren's face. Her silver eyes softened, just for a moment, before hardening again. "If we're going to fight gods," she said quietly, her voice lacking its usual edge, "then we'll need more than just a shard and good intentions."

Aeryn's molten gaze swept over them, his expression unreadable. "You'll need strength," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "Not just of body, but of will. The kind that can defy creation itself. The shard has chosen you because it believes you might have it. But the gods... they won't believe until you make them."

Kael stepped forward, her chin tilted defiantly, her sword now at her side. "We've faced impossible odds before," she said, her voice firm. "The Downworld isn't exactly kind to survivors. We've earned our place here."

"And what did it cost you?" Aeryn asked softly, his golden eyes piercing into her. His question hung in the air, heavy and unspoken.

Kael's fiery eyes flickered, and for a brief moment, her grip on her sword slackened. Her lips pressed together in a thin line, and she said nothing.

Eren's dark eyes rose to meet Aeryn's. There was something different in his gaze now—resolve, tempered by a quiet, simmering fury. "If the gods are waiting for us," he said, his voice steady, "then they'd better be ready."