Defiance of the Fall

The call of the Abyss overwhelmed all thoughts and impressions for a moment, and Zac's eyes were glued to the distant black spot in the ground. It took him a couple of seconds to recover, at which point he finally took in the rest of the scene.

The subterranean cave the portal at the bottom of the Deepmist Lake led them to was just under a mile across, yet the pond in the distance was no more than a few dozen meters wide. The rest was occupied by a massive array surrounding the abyssal waters. The pond resembled a small pupil in a gargantuan eye, and looking into it filled Zac with a sense of belonging.

The pitch-black water was absolutely still, making it look more like an opaque pane of glass than liquid. However, the fluctuations of Death it released rose and fell, resembling waves reaching land. The pond was hundreds of meters away and contained by barriers to not lose its efficacy, yet Zac's body was screaming at him to enter. If the energy leak filled him with such desire, what about the real thing?

The Abyssal Energy's attraction to his bloodline was almost unbearable, but it was not the only thing that drew Zac in. The truths themselves were incredibly fascinating. He'd always sensed the Abyssal Energy in his bloodline visions, but only seeing the Abyssal Pond in person let him understand its Dao better. Zac was certain the aura of the Abyss was an expression of Pure Death, yet it was quite different from his own.

It felt endless, like Death had become the heavens and absorbed all other Dao. With every fluctuation, Zac felt like he'd sensed a new Dao hidden beneath the surface, only to find it yet another expression of Death. His own Dao suddenly felt small and fragile, like something that could only grow in a sterile environment. Zac shook his head and stabilized his heart. There was no point in comparing himself and his Dao Branches to a mysterious region that not even Supremacies could unravel.

He turned to the surrounding array, but a brief inspection left him with vertigo rather than answers. The array's complexity was far beyond what he could possibly hope to decipher with his innate comprehension or [Primal Polyglot]. It must have been erected by the Draugr Monarchs and was possibly the first C-grade Array he'd ever seen in person.

The array formed a star-shaped pattern around the pond, and 108 densely engraved stone pillars were placed inside. Curiously, the pillars were hollow, and Zac saw they contained streams of Aquamarine water. Judging by the energy fluctuations, the lake above was continuously feeding the array vast amounts of water and energy.

No wonder the lake hadn't seemed very impressive for its location or status as a hidden resource. Zac almost felt a bit bad for the Kavriel Clan. Tavza had essentially turned one of their major cultivation grounds into a battery for the Abyssal Pond. Judging by the energy involved, it would likely be a long time before this place fully recovered. At least they'd get to enjoy some of the benefits.

Outside the array, there were already a few hundred people waiting. All of them were Draugr, with most of them being of the young generation by the looks of it. There were even two Peak E-grade cultivators who could only stay in this environment through the protection of their elders.

"So many?" Zac commented. "Going to get cramped in that little pond."

"Only five will actually enter," Tavza explained as she led him over. "The rest will only meditate in the array eyes. It's not a replacement for the real thing, but it's still a valuable opportunity for someone on the frontier. These are all talented seeds from across the continent. For some, this might be the first step in a series of encounters that will remold their fate."

Zac nodded. Getting the ball rolling was often the most difficult step when you wanted to rise beyond the norm. You needed a catalyst that gave you the strength to keep pushing, just like Zac's early windfall of Titles had let him eventually steamroll the incursions.

At the front of the group stood five Draugr Monarchs, three of which seemed to be members of the Kavriel Clan. The other two were, unsurprisingly, Enis and Laz.

"What do young master think of our youngsters?" one of the Kavriel Monarchs said with a smile, giving Zac the impression of a kindly grandpa.

Of course, he was anything but. The old man was Tassar Kavriel, a High Monarch and one of Zecia's true overlords.

"It's not without reason the Kavriel Clan has stood strong in Zecia for so long. You have so many talents," Zac said politely.

Zac was just playing nice, but his compliment was by no means an exaggeration. Every single cultivator around him had incredibly solid auras, and they'd easily become one of the central figures if placed in the Atwood Army.

Just as Zac looked at them, so did the elites of the Kavriel Province look back at him curiously. Some were curious, while others looked at him with gratitude. His presence was an important reason this place had been set up. Of course, a few looked at him with jealousy and challenge in their eyes. Clearly, they felt they deserved better treatment based on their talents and contributions but were forced to sit by the sidelines while some stranger hogged the whole thing for himself.

Still, no one spoke up—who'd dare cause a scene with Tavza and the Monarchs present?

"They're decent enough," Tassar smiled. "Of course, they can't compare to Lord Umbri'Zi. This old man was shocked upon learning of some of your deeds. You're a true paragon of your generation. I hope you can look after these children in the future."

"Uh, sure," Zac slowly nodded before turning to Laz Tem'Zul.

"What do you think?" Laz said. "You can feel it, no?"

"It's amazing," Zac nodded. "My cells are screaming for me to jump into the pond."

"I can imagine," Laz smiled. "Your bloodline is right at the threshold of awakening after consuming the [Essence of the Abyss]. Don't worry, everything is in order, and the connection will fully stabilize in two hours."

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Zac said, looking at Tavza with a raised brow. "The [Abyssal Revolutions] method you gave me only lets me control my Bloodline Nodes. It doesn't do anything for awakenings or bloodline refinement."

Zac had gotten the general Bloodline Method even before entering the Perennial Vastness, but its limited use meant he never bothered to practice it. [Bloodline Resonance] had already let him connect with his Draugr Nodes just fine, and his Heart Cultivation had improved his control even further. Besides, he was extra skeptical about practicing any technique provided by Tavza after his experience with [Essence of the Abyss].

"You don't need any method at this stage," Tavza said. "You are coming home, just connect with your origin and accept as much of the Abyss as possible. After you've awakened, we can provide the method to solidify your bloodline and push it toward the next awakening."

"As much as possible? Can an awakening be good or bad?"

"The first step is the awakening, but it's just the beginning. Those with great talent and fate can skip some steps.

"Generally, our bloodlines can be awakened up to five times," Laz clarified. "We call the stages Return, Strand, Shallows, Midnight, and Depths. Each stage has the conventional Early to Peak stages. Most will awaken to Early Return, but skipping one or two of the minor thresholds is possible. It's very rare, though."

"I see," Zac nodded. "What do you mean by 'generally five awakenings'? Are there more?"

"There is a sixth and final stage called True Abyss," Tavza said. "It's only been reached by our Abyssal Princes on a few occasions. Four times, to be exact, where each one was a member of the upper bloodlines. Those awakenings ushered in an age of prosperity for our kin."

"Is the current—"

"No," Tavza said with a shake of her head. "The last True Abyssal Prince emerged sixteen generations ago."

Zac nodded in understanding. Six stages, where one was considered a longshot even for Supremacies, might seem worse than the nine layers of the [Boundless Vajra Sublimation]. However, more levels didn't necessarily translate into higher potential. Zac had seen some extremely unimpressive methods with over fifty layers, where the nigh-impossible final layer barely provided the benefits of a minor breakthrough of a good method.

"Unfortunately, many of our bloodlines are incomplete or impure. Reaching the upper layers was already difficult in the olden days, and it's only gotten harder," Laz sighed. "Most elites sent to the Abyssal Shores find themselves stuck in the Return Stage. Undergoing a second awakening will give you a decent chance at permanent residence. Entering the Shallows in one's lifetime will make you a core member of our race."

Zac asked a few more practical questions, but it was quite straightforward. It seemed like he only needed to submerge himself and dive until the pressure and energy became too much. Spatial fluctuations meant the opportunity was over, and he needed to get out unless he wanted to get dragged into the lower plane. It turned out the pond itself was separated from the real lake, and he should under no circumstance enter the real thing. The depths of this pond didn't lead to the shore but rather some random uncharted spot of the Abyss.

"I think I got it," Zac said. "Jump inside, harmonize, and swallow as much energy as possible. Sounds easy enough."

"Be careful not to overdo it," Laz said, urging caution for the third time over the past few minutes. "If you take on too much, you will no longer harmonize with the Abyssal Lake. You will become the lake. Every day, the Abyssal Lake claims some of its sons and daughters this way. Never forget your sense of self. You are of the Abyss, but you are not the Abyss."

The next two hours felt like an eternity, and the call of the Abyssal Pond only grew more alluring over time. Even then, Zac could tell with certainty when the connection was complete. He shot to his feet, his eyes already on the array's center. The pond looked the same, but it suddenly felt bottomless, far eclipsing the Twilight Chasm or the feeling he got when peering into a Draugr's eyes.

"Go ahead," Laz smiled when Zac looked over for confirmation. "Remember, the Abyss is endless, but we are not. You need to be alive to enjoy the benefits it provides."

Zac nodded in thanks before setting out. He followed the pre-arranged path through the complex array, studiously avoiding the immense energies that raged on both sides of the path. Even he would find it difficult to survive inside the sea of Miasma that kept the pond stable.

It only took a few breaths to pass the barriers and reach the pond, at which point the beckoning call was almost unbearable. The ichor in his veins felt like fire as it coursed through his body while his cells greedily swallowed the mysterious energy wafting from the still waters. It effortlessly melded with his cells, like it had always been part of him.

It took all of Zac's self-control not to jump straight in then and there. Instead, he first dipped his finger, confirming nothing was wrong. In fact, it felt wonderful. His presence naturally spread through the waters, and the Abyss welcomed his arrival. He felt boundless power waiting below, like a corner of the Heavens hid from the universe that could only be unearthed by the children of Draug.

Zac took a shuddering breath as he removed his necklace, carefully submerging a corner into the waters.

'It's fine. Great, even,' a content hum echoed in his mind. 'And I can fly away if it becomes too much, so don't worry about me.'

Zac smiled and transformed the Spirit Tool into its armor form. Normal treasures would easily get corroded by the Abyssal Lake, so he'd already replaced his Spatial Ring with one made from proper materials. However, he couldn't do the same with [Love's Bond], and there was no way she'd survive the environment in the depths.

Luckily, it looked like the surface was fine, and Zac laughed when he saw Alea's six chains emerge from the breastplate and dip into the waters. The scene made him picture Alea dipping her feet in a hot spring, enjoying the warmth. Seeing everything was fine, Zac finally gave in to his craving.

He flew to the center of the pool and submerged himself, his descent only creating the smallest ripple. Soon, the Aquamarine light of the ambient Miasma was gone, replaced by utter darkness. Yet it wasn't the hostile gloom of Tavza's domain nor the restrictive darkness Eoz had broken through in his visions. It was warm, welcoming. It was home. Zac almost groaned in pleasure as he felt the Abyss spread through his body, but a discordant change ruined the experience.

The annoyance only lasted a moment before Zac resumed his descent. The wave of weakness that suddenly spread through his body wasn't a trap, but rather him losing his connection with his other body. He'd already suspected that might happen after learning how mysterious the Abyssal Lake really was. Zac even felt it might be for the best. This way, there would be no outside distractions. Besides, if his connection couldn't be maintained, then it was highly unlikely the Monarchs outside would be able to spy on his actions.

Deeper and deeper he went, into the heart of darkness. Boundless warmth poured into his body, gently burrowing into his cells to bestow the gift of the dark waters. And something from the depths of his being stirred, rising to meet the call of the Abyss. Tavza had told him to harmonize with the lake, but was there even any need? There was no sense of separation, only communion, as it became unclear where his body ended and the Abyss began.

Zac let his consciousness spread into the darkness like a root network moving through the soil in search of sustenance. The further he expanded, the greater the amount of Abyssal Energy poured into his body, and the faster he would move toward a higher state of existence. Of course, Zac remembered Laz's warning and never let that final wall of separation between the self and the Abyss get infringed upon.

However, his strong Dao Heart and experience with the [Void Vajra Sublimation] quickly proved to be a huge asset. He was like a small island in an endless sea. The crashing waves of the Abyss tried to drag him under, but he resisted the pull as his claim on the surroundings expanded. He'd only been inside the waters for a few moments, but Zac could already sense an intangible shackle within his body.

The moment it shattered, the true power of his Draugr heritage would be his.

It quickly became clear that some parts of the Abyss felt more intimate than others. Perhaps Eoz had been born from one aspect of the Abyss, while the other branches had their own regions. Or perhaps it was simply that some regions of the Abyssal Lake were a better match to his Branch of the Pale Seal and his Inexorable Path, just like the maze in the Gates of Reincarnation.

Either case, Zac followed the sense of belonging as he swam toward the energy-riches depths. The pressure was enough to crush an E-grade cultivator, but it was nothing to him. Even if his Eoz Bloodline had yet to fully awaken, it provided a natural resistance to the detriments of the Abyssal Lake. He could tell that his Human body would already have been forced to turn back, but he hadn't even begun to utilize his Hidden Nodes to endure.

The surroundings grew increasingly compatible, and vast amounts of seemingly tailormade Abyssal Energy entered his body. The feeling was intoxicating, but Zac eventually stopped his descent. It wasn't just that he was approaching the limits of what his body and Dao Heart could withstand. He could sense an intangible film not that far below his current location.

It was no doubt the gate to the true Abyssal Lake, the place Laz warned him off. If he crossed that line, there was no coming back. He'd suddenly find himself in some unknown corner of the Abyssal Lake without telling where the exit was. Draugr or not, that wasn't something an Early D-grade cultivator could survive, considering even Eoz had been forced to struggle a bit to escape the depths.

Still, this was good enough. He'd managed to get further than Laz had expected, reaching the very edge of the Abyssal Pond. The Abyssal Energies were more than five times denser than at the surface, and the truths they held felt more complete. It should only be a matter of time before he absorbed enough to awaken.

However, a troubled frown appeared on Zac's face as the hours passed. It was as though the vortices in his cells were completely insatiable. No matter how much of the Abyss he swallowed, he didn't seem able to gather enough momentum to break the chain sealing his bloodline. It almost felt like he was leaking, where a good chunk of what he accepted into his body was stolen before it could integrate with his bloodline of Eoz. Of course, his body hadn't sprung an actual leak, though Zac would have preferred such a simple problem.

A leak could be plugged, but what was Zac supposed to do when the culprit was his Void Emperor Bloodline?

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