The Encounter of the Entities
The world felt… different.
Kryos could still feel the dirt beneath his palms, the cold air filling his lungs, yet his senses were sharper than they had ever been. The sound of dripping water echoed like a drum, and the faint hum of broken machinery vibrated in his very bones.
He clenched his fists. Sparks of faint starlight shimmered around his skin before fading.
> This power… it's inside me now.
Before he could process it further, Astrion's voice returned—calm, resonant, impossible to ignore.
Astrion: "The stars awaken within you. But power invites notice… and not all who slumber here are as merciful as I."
The ruined hallway shuddered. Metal walls groaned as if something massive scraped against them. From the far end of the corridor, shadows peeled away from the walls, crawling together into twisted shapes.
Kryos staggered back, his heart racing. The shadows fused into three towering figures—humanoid in outline, but their bodies were stitched together from fragments of void, their faces warped masks of black flame.
Kryos: "W-what are those…?!"
Astrion's tone darkened.
Astrion: "Echoes. Remnants of the Foundation's failures. Entities born from experiments with the stars… hollow shells of what they once tried to create. They hunger for light."
The nearest void-like being screeched, its distorted voice echoing like broken glass. It lunged forward, claws cutting through the air. Instinctively, Kryos raised his arms to block—
—And starlight burst from his fists.
The blow connected, and the creature was hurled into the wall, metal crumpling under the impact. Kryos stared at his glowing hands in shock.
Kryos: "I… I did that?"
Astrion's presence pulsed with approval.
Astrion: "You are my vessel now. My power flows through you. But listen well, child: strength without control is nothing. These entities are but fragments—your first test."
The other two void like-creatures shrieked and lunged together. Kryos gritted his teeth, adrenaline burning through him. His fear was still there, but so was something else… a fire that hadn't existed before.
He ducked under one's swipe, striking upward with a fist of starlight. The creature's body cracked apart like glass, scattering into fading embers. The last one screeched, twisting its body into jagged blades and rushing him head-on.
For a moment, time slowed. Kryos felt Astrion's presence guiding him, whispering within his mind.
Astrion: "Focus. The stars bend to your will."
Kryos exhaled, thrusting both hands forward. Constellations flared around his arms, then exploded in a wave of energy. The creature disintegrated into dust, leaving only silence.
Kryos dropped to one knee, gasping for air. His whole body trembled—not from fear this time, but from the overwhelming rush of power.
Kryos: "…I won?"
Astrion: "You survived. That is enough for now."
The starlit being's voice echoed warmly, though its weight remained heavy.
Astrion: "But remember, Kryos… those were only fragments. Beyond these ruins dwell entities older and stronger. And they will not fall so easily."
Kryos clenched his glowing fists, a fire burning in his eyes.
Kryos: "Then I'll get stronger. No matter what it takes."
Astrion did not reply, but Kryos felt the faint stir of approval deep within his soul.
Somewhere, hidden in the silence of the ruined facility, more shadows shifted away....