"Child, do you wish for power?"

  Confusion bathed Samael as he tried to make sense of what was happening. He didn't know where he was, what he was doing here, or who was talking to him.

  "I-I don't understand. Why do you talk as if you know who I am?"

  Panic crept its way to him as his heart raced like a stallion.

  Then the darkness swallowed his vision, replacing the blinding abyss with a scene, or rather, a memory he had.

  A boy sat inside a ice cold cell, shivering as he cowered in the corner of the room. Tears streaming down his cheeks as his quiet sobs resonated through the jagged stone walls.

  He knew that kid well. After all, it's him.

  Samael's fist tightened. What was the purpose of showing him this? Was it to mock him?

  He opened his mouth, yet no voice came out.

  With a flash, a small spark ignited, burning away the scenery. From its ashes, a new memory arose.

  It was the same boy, his body tattered with wounds as he laid down the cold floor. His hands bruising under the unrelenting grip of the steel shackles keeping him in place.

  Samael lowered his gaze, his jaws clenched tight. In the lab, they all served a purpose. Some were brought for human trials, while others were used for entertainment.

  However, his position was different. He was used not only for their inhumane experiments but served as an ingredient as well. His skin, hair, and flesh were torn repeatedly. He would beg for them to stop, but all he would receive are disdainful sneers.

  He was treated like a toy, and once they were done with him, they would throw him back in his cell.

  He knew what it felt like to be used. To be discarded. A never-ending nightmare of torture and shame.

  Samael clutched his chest. All the pain, loneliness, grief, and anger. He could feel all of it.

  But as if a miracle...

  It all vanished.

  Samael's brows furrowed as his eyes darted forward.

  The boy's silent plea's were snuffed out as a dark formless creature enveloped him in its protective embrace. As if consoling him that everything would be okay.

  What is this? He thought in confusion. Were his memories tampered with?

  "I never forgot."

  "What do you mean?! ANSWER ME!"

  The scenery shifted once more. That same boy hung high in the air, his body tattered with crimson wounds, staining the walls with his blood. His glassy eyes staring off into the unknown.

  This... He could barely recall this particular experience. Or rather, he didn't wish to. This day, he looked death in the face.

  He was beaten senseless for talking back to the mage. He was burned, cut, and hammered. Yet, in all that mayhem, that same black creature held him tight in its clutches, offering solace amidst the pain.

  "I never forgot for I was always there."

  A lone tear slithered down his cheeks.

  "Watching."

  Has it been that long that he forgot?

  "Waiting."

  He finally understood what the voice meant. Oh, what a fool he was. He was always there for him. In his hardest and most difficult time, he was there to help and guide him.

  "Like a parent to a child," He spoke. His voice finally free from the shackles restraining him.

  "Do you understand now...?" The voice echoed, shattering his distant memories like thin glass.

  A gentle smile tugged at his lips. "Yes, I do understand now." He glanced at the endless darkness. "Thank you... I always thought that I had nothing. But it turns out I had you,"

  The dark matter pulsed, swirling as they swarmed towards Samael, slowly engulfing him.

  "And my answer to your question is, yes, I accept the power."

  The depths of the void shrouded him. But before he lost consciousness, he heard the voice one last time.

  "Live freely, child."

  And a lone tear fell from his eyes.

  ***

  Back in the underground ruins

  Hordes upon hordes of goblins marched in unison as they toppled everything in their path.

  The ground shook, and the air stirred with every step they took. They all had one purpose. To capture the boy and return home with success in their belts. To them, the king's orders are absolute. Failure was not an option.

  They were a walking calamity, an avalanche of malice and greed. And they won't stop until they get what they want.

  Back at the altar, a massive disturbance in space occurred. Gashes appeared at random, opening a path for the black matter to enter. The mysterious energy weaved in the air, forming a pitch-dark cocoon.

  The dark matter was destructive; everything it touched faced the same fate: eradication. Yet, at this very moment, it nurtured life. Going against its very nature just to give way to the chosen heir.

  Meanwhile, the goblins advanced with utter ferocity. It didn't take long for them to reach the old bridge. Unfortunately, their sheer weight forbade them from crossing further.

  But together they are strong.

  The goblins held each other, forming a pathway using their bodies. Their bones creaked and their muscles roared. Some of their kin fell into the chasm below, but nobody batted an eye.

  Eventually, their march went on. They flooded the hallway, smearing the dusty walls with their filth.

  As they emerged at the other side of the corridor, they found themselves the entrance to the altar. They cheered as they strode forward.

  Victory was at their hand, how could a powerless child fight against their might?

  But then a sword fell from the heavens, smiting down hundreds of their kin in an instant. Leaving chaos and death on its path.

  The sword retracted, revealing the statues that gained sentience. Their every movement caused earthquakes of great magnitude.

  The goblins shook in fear. Some of them fell unconscious, yet their bodies moved akin to marionettes.

  To a goblin, the orders of the king are engraved in their existence. They would follow his commands even if death awaited them.

  But the guardians could not care less.

  The stone giant swung his sword horizontally, sweeping away dozens of the abominations.

  The goblins screeched in rage. They grabbed stones and hurled them. Others charged towards the guardians, bashing their collosal vessels with their meager fists.

  The stone knight swung his sword tirelessly, but the Goblins are like cockroaches. Dozens of them will perish, but more will take their place.

  They kept coming, relying solely on their numbers. It wasn't long before they breach the chambers.

  The stone guardian looked at its companion, nodding as he raised his sword. With one swift thrust, the weapon impaled itself on the giant's torso.

  His corpse fell limp as it landed with a booming explosion, blocking the path of the goblins.

  His body crystallized, solidifying the gate. To him, his life was but a small price to pay for the future of their kin. He would gladly offer his life for the heir of the Void.

  It would be his honor to lay down everything for the chosen one. If he was given another chance, he would do it again without hesitation.

  The other guardian gave his fallen comrade a nod.

  Seizing his attacks, the Goblins roared in Victory— A chaotic wind surge catapulted hundreds of their kind.

  The goblins felt a shiver run down their spine. They glanced at the darkness, and felt their blood run cold.

  A pair of scarlet dots— no, eyes, peered from the shadows.

  The stone statue emerged from the darkness, and a deafening demonic roar echoed off the walls.

  The last remaining guardian swung his sword with unwavering rage. His blade hummed as it weaved in the air, catapulting dozens of goblins into a mess of flesh and blood.

  He stomped, hacked, and sliced. Yet even that wasn't enough. The goblins kept pouring on like an endless waterfall.

  They slithered their way to the stone guardian, their nails staining its surface crimson red.

  The onslaught was too much for the guardian to withstand.

  The stone knight fell to his knees, his gaze landing on his weapon. He wasn't long for this realm. But no matter, his duty was fulfilled.

  It was time to go home. Back to the darkness of the Sovereign.

  The golem raised his sword high in the heavens as it descended with a thundering explosion. Imbedding itself on the ground.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  A shockwave rippled through the surroundings, halting the advance of the abominations.

  The guardian gazed at the throne room for the last time, his crimson eyes morphing into a shade of aqua blue.

  A silent farewell.

  It was time to rest.

  Slowly, it brought its fist on its chest. With a final salute, its duty came to an end.

  With a swift twirl of its wrist, the claymore rooted on the floor cranked sideways, and a mechanical sound reverberated in the room.

  TICK... TICK... TICK...

  An ear deafening explosion erupted, and a scorching stampede of fire whipped in rage, evaporating the unfortunate goblins to a pile of ash. The cavern shook, and the floor gave out, turning into a bottomless chasm of death.

  The goblins scurried away, screeching as they piled in the corner. Their hands forming a makeshift shield to block the fiery glow of the explosion.

  Their only path was destroyed. But it still wasn't enough to hinder them. They bundled again and formed another goblin bridge.

  Their avalanche continued forward.

  They crashed through the corpse of the fallen guardian, their nails shattered as they clawed their way through.

  With unwavering commitment, they plowed the door and pushed with all their might. The door creaked under their combined weight, shaking as it formed a small gap. But that gap was all that they needed.

  As they step foot inside the altar, a dark energy weaved past them. Then—

  Then there was nothing.

  Their bodies were disintegrated, or rather, deleted. There was no warning, no signal nor any traces of their kin. They were simply—

  Gone.

  The goblins felt their hair stood on ends as cold sweat trickled down their foreheads, their foot rooted in place.

  They despised the light and all those that dwell in it. But this... this darkness that stood before them... It scared them...

  Small pulses occured every once in a while, each time more prevalent than before.

  The pulses kept repeating, always faster and more ruthless.

  Its mere presence enough to pulverise hundreds of goblins as if they were nothing but flies.

  Inch by inch, the intervals shortened, eventually...

  Then.

  Then there was no next.

  The dark cocoon imploded, devouring everything in its path. The cave, ruins and the underground goblin empire. Gone. Erased from reality.

  ***

  Samael scrunched up his eyes as the incandescent rays of sun beamed his face.

  As he opened his eyes, his breath hitched. Everything felt... vibrant. Almost as if he's seeing things for the first time.

  Huh... He held his head, his brows furrowed. What just happen— His eyes darted forward and a black rectangular object hovered before him.

  Samael's jaw dropped, and he exclaimed. "What the fu—"

  ...

  Samael sat unmoving for a while, massaging his temples as an immense headache throbbed within him.

  Now it all makes sense... The boy thought, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He was given a chance—an opportunity to become better. Although this was quite different from what he was expecting, It was still "power" nonetheless.

  The boy glanced at the bright screen in front of him, curiousity brimming at his pupils. Can anyone else see this? He wondered.

  Samael flinched as he stumbled back. It can read my thoughts?!

  The boy was frozen in disbelief. What form of sorcery was this? To read someone else's mind...

  "That's awesome!" He cheered. Childlike joy lingering in his eyes.

  "Are you the "power" that voice told me? And where did that voice come from?" He inquired. Which were answered by the so-called "guide" after a brief pause.

  "I see..." he muttered. He felt a little crestfallen. He wanted to feel that warmth once more, that loving tone full of reassurance.

  "Guide... Is-Is there something wrong with the voice I heard?" He reluctantly asked.

  For a while, there was nothing but silence, until another panel warped in front of him.

  Samael fell silent, a single word lingering in his mind.

  Legacy.

  I see... He thought. Those words were its last will entrusted to him.

  "Is there nothing I can do? Anything at all?" He asked.

  He breathed a sigh of relief, a small smile plastered on his face.

  Based on the guide's answer, there was definitely a way to talk to the Voice he heard. However, for some reason, his "authorization" level is too low. But that didn't matter to Samael. As long as there's a way, he'll do his best to achieve it. He owed this much.

  "Then how do I increase my authorization level?" he inquired.

  So I just have to grow stronger, huh? That's fine with me. The boy thought, a fiery spark of determination burning in his eyes. But for now, I'll check these "notifications."

  Sensing his thoughts, multiple glowing panels materialized in front of him.

  He winced, scrunching his eyes at the swarm of screens.

  "Can you please explain what synchronization means?" He humbly pleaded. The terms used by the guide were... very foreign to him.

  I'll pretend I understood that. Samael silently thought But it seems that the system can be a bit nosy.

  "No!" He roared, cheeks tainted red. Samael composed himself and asked a few more questions. Mostly about the system and the notifications.

  Samael couldn't help but furrow his brows. It seemed that some of the information he wanted to know needed a high level of authority.

  It appears that gaining strength will be his next priority. The first being, to confirm Lilith's condition. She was his only friend in this world. Of course, she comes in front of the others.

  "Last question. Will race change harm me?" Samael asked warily. If he asked what it meant, the system would probably give him a difficult-to-understand definition. He just needs to know the ups and downs, and he'll decide from that.

  Samael nodded as he viewed the race change notification. He had an inkling of what it might do to him.

  He stood silent for a while, gathering his thoughts before commencing the process.

  Samael's brows rose as cracks marred the air. It was hard to explain how it looked, but it was akin to a mirror that had just shattered.

  From those rifts, huge amounts of void matter seeped out, swarming the boy in their embrace. Yet, Samael didn't feel fear. In fact, he felt familiarity with it.

  He felt comfortable as its warm touch lingered in his skin, even though his body was literally getting destroyed.

  Yes, destroyed.

  But his visage remained unperturbed. Samael didn't know why, but his suspicion was that this was the work of the "power" he received. After all, how can you fear your own element?

  It didn't take long for his body to fully disintegrate as his vision was shrouded with darkness. However, he wasn't unconscious. Samael could think, but all his senses were cut off. In some way, it felt quite relaxing.

  The dark matter breezed in the air, swirling as they formed a onyx black cocoon. However, unlike its counterpart back in the ruins, it remained tame and calm.

  Small luminescent cracks bloomed in its surface, marching as it covered the cocoons entirety.

  Piece by piece, the cracks fell. Swept by the wind as they vanish unto the unknown. Eventually, what was left was Samael's vessel in a fetal position.

  His body hovered inches above the earth. As he bore eyes on the world before him, he cannot help but wince, his forehead creased.

  His vision... was changed. He opened them once more and laid gaze on his surroundings.

  Everything felt magnified. He could see how the winds blew, the dust stir and the drops of water in the grass. Not only that but, Samael felt taller. Way taller than he used to be. His hair also grew longer, draping over his shoulders. He felt energized, he felt... alive!

  The boy couldn't help but crackle as he felt the vitality in his veins. If only I have a mirror... He thought as he looked around and spotted a small pond.

  Approaching it, Samael glanced down only to recoil in utter disbelief.

  Is this... me? He wondered as he touched his face in disbelief.

  All his wounds and scars were gone. There was not even a single trace. His malnourished body was now blooming with life. There were even some muscles starting to form. Samael held back the tears of gratitude for the Void. This was not just a chance, this was a new beginning. A chance to redo everything, to fix all his mistakes.

  Samael never thought he would look normal again. It was bewildering.

  There were some changes, though. His pitch-black iris had a tiny hint of red in it.

  After enjoying his new looks, Samael returned his focus to other important matters. He still didn't know what this "legacy of the void" was. But he wasn't worried. The guide sought to help him, not harm him. Without doubt, he chose to inherit it with all his heart.

  Samael felt something hot rise in his chest as it gradually spread, rippling through his arms and limbs, until his entire body felt submerged in scorching flames.

  His body shook, his hand clasping his chest tight, leaving scarlet marks on their smooth surface— A cold sensation resonated in him, bringing a halt to the unrelenting heat.

  He sighed in relief, his shoulders slumping down. He got scared there for a moment. However, his visage paled once more as dozens of notifications bombarded him.

  It was going to be a long morning for him.