Herald of death

Skysong (Spear)

The spark steel of this spear's blade amplifies the effects of lightning Ether.

This weapon has been enchanted with [Sharpness (D)], and [Durability (E)].

Ethan looks around, searching for anything of value in the scattered remains of the Skullgors' meals. Among the bones, he spots human skulls, but also the skeletons of giant insects and Skullgors.

"Don't you want to get the bag we left?" Sylas asks, bandaging his wounds with the sterile gauze Ethan gave him. "It must cost a lot of money; look at that seamless pattern."

"We'll get it on the way out. And if we can't, I'm sure the wyrdium will satisfy your boss," Ethan answers. He grabs an empty bag from the ground, checking it before tossing it over his shoulder.

They enter the tunnel where the submissive Skullgor came from. They soon come across new threads of Ether, different from the ones emitted by the monster's corpse. They float softly in the tunnel, unable to slow their pace.

Soon, they reach a narrowing part of the tunnel where Ethan's struggles to pass. His coat scrapes on the rocks as he forces his way through. They enter a cavern, finding a large, misty lake filled with luminescent water.

Sylas's heartbeats hasten, and Ethan asks, "What's wrong?"

"Don't you know where we are?" Sylas says. "This isn't water; this is a source of Ether. Those places are guarded by terrifying monsters."

Ethan scans the room with predator's sight. "Beside the tree in the center, there is nothing alive here," he says.

"The tree?" Sylas asks. "I don't see any trees."

"There is one in the lake's core, behind the mist," Ethan says.

"That's not possible," Sylas mocks. His gaze falls on a stalagmite made of Wyrdium, his eyes widening at the sight. "You'll die if you touch liquid Ether."

"Russ, down," Ethan orders. Curious, he takes out a Kobold tooth and throws it in the lake. It doesn't sink but skids on the surface, disintegrating where it touches the lake until nothing is left.

"Told you," Sylas says, gauging where to strike the ore deposit.

Ethan closes his eyes, sensing the Ether emitted by the lake. The air is thick with the palpable threads, a hum spreading across them. He feels the Ether intertwining with his own, sending tingling shivers down his spine.

He feels a pull towards the tree, a subtle tug coming from the threads of Ether. A small object, nestled in the core of the trunk, whispers to him in an unknown language. He opens his eyes, his concentration shattered by the clash of Sylas's pickaxe with the stone.

Ethan pushes away the threads of Ether with his own, confirming that he can control them. 'I should at least try,' he thinks. He spreads his arms, absorbing the surrounding Ether into his heart before guiding it to his feet. He forms a tight net of Ether on the sole of his boots and around them, up to his ankles.

He stands immobile for a few minutes, perfecting the protection. He takes a step, ensuring that he can go back to solid ground if needed. The liquid Ether below his foot sparks in a breaking-glass pattern. His foot holds firmly on the tranquil waters, as if he were walking on concrete. He breathes in deeply and takes a second step, now entirely on the lake.

Sylas turns around just in time to see Ethan taking a third step onto the lake. His eyes widen in shock and horror as his mouth drops open. The luminescent surface of the lake shines under Ethan's presence.

"What the abyss are you doing? Get back here!" Sylas shouts, his voice echoing off the cavern's walls.

Ethan looks back at Sylas with a calmness that contrasts sharply with Sylas's panic. "Trust me," he says, his voice steady.

Sylas shakes his head vehemently, fear and frustration warring in his eyes. "That's insane! Why are you even doing it? What's the chance you'll find something good and not your own death?! You aren't some god's son; stop acting like it!"

"You have no idea how funny the last thing you said is," Ethan says, smiling. "Until recently, I thought that I was at the pinnacle of what a human can be, ready to face anything sent my way. It turns out I was just a big fish in a small pond."

"What does this have to do with risking your life?" Sylas asks, edging the water.

"I need to take every opportunity I have to grow stronger," Ethan answers. He carefully resumes his steps, ensuring that each of them lands on something solid enough to bear his weight. "Sooner or later, I'll face the man I hunt. And that day, I'll have only one chance to make things right."

Sylas watches silently as Ethan disappears into the mist, Russ whining a few meters away.

As Ethan enters the mist, he sees the outlines of the tree, further away than he originally perceived. Its trunk is metallic, smooth like polished steel, yet exuding an organic nature. In some area, the bark is mottled with intricate patterns that shimmer with a faint light. Golden leaves garnish its branches, their fallen brethren floating peacefully on the lake.

The roots of the tree twist and coil into the depths of the lake, pulsing with an inner light. The air around the tree is thick with Ether, visible as soft swirls of light.

At the center of the trunk, a small, glowing object is nestled, casting long shadows through the branches and leaves. Ethan feels its call, an insistent whisper that tugs at him. He approaches cautiously, closing the enlarged distance from the tree. From the exterior, it shouldn't have been more than a few minutes away, yet Ethan finds himself walking for nearly half an hour.

"Ether manipulation leveled up," the voice announces as Ethan reaches the trunk.

As he nears the tree, the object's whispers become clearer, speaking in an unknown tongue. It takes on the appearance of an apple, its surface carved by swirling gnarls. He reaches out, his fingers brushing against the textured, cold surface of the fruit.

The moment his fingers touch the apple, Ethan's mind is pulled into a vivid, overwhelming vision. He finds himself floating in the vast expanse of the universe, with stars and galaxies swirling around him in a breathtaking dance.

The vision narrows its focus, zooming in on Earth. Ethan sees the planet in its entirety, its continents, its cities, and the satellites humanity has put in orbit. As he watches, the Earth begins to change. The colors drain away, replaced by a pure, blinding white. The transformation spreads rapidly, consuming the moon, the sun, and then the universe.

Ethan's heart pounds in his chest as the vision expands once more, revealing a crystalline shard of the same white, held in the palm of a colossal hand. The hand belongs to a figure shrouded in darkness, its features obscured, but its presence powerful and malevolent.

The vision fades, and Ethan finds himself back at the tree, gasping for breath. Heat rises into his feet as his boots directly touch the lake. His heart races, and he reforms his protection. The apple-shaped object is now in his hand; its whispers are gone.

"Identification," Ethan mutters.