The first floor of the Abyss was overrun by Abyss Scavengers. Hundreds of them were roaming around, searching for their prey.
A silhouette covered in translucent light appeared in front of them. The pack of hungry Abyss Scavengers, thinking a prey had appeared, charged toward him, not realizing they themselves were the prey.
I watched them come. They were hideous, wolf-like creatures with rows of sharp teeth and red glowing eyes. Usually, a single Scavenger could kill an unawakened human in seconds. But I wasn't that person anymore.
I, with my body under Aether enhancement, moved forward. I was so fast the air hissed. I slammed my fist into the skull of the first Scavenger. Its head exploded into red mist.
"One," I muttered.
The others didn't stop. They swarmed over me. I grabbed two by their necks and slammed their heads together.
"Two. Three."
I kicked out, breaking the ribs of three more with a single swing. I didn't feel tired. I moved through the pack like a reaper, punching through chests and snapping spines. Blood splattered my face, but I didn't blink.
Within minutes, the tunnel floor was covered in black carcasses. The few remaining Scavengers stopped charging. They whimpered and crawled away into the darkness.
"All done" I muttered.
Abeloth suddenly appeared beside me "in only one month you can now hold your aether enhancement for hours", he circled around me in air "now I shall teach you how to use elements."
I looked at my blood-stained hands and then at the dragon. "Is that the Chaos element you mentioned?" I asked.
Abeloth shook his head. "No. First, you must learn the basics of all seven elements. Then, you will merge with my blood essence once again. Only after that can you combine them into Chaos element."
"Won't that take too much time?" I felt a surge of anxiety. "I need to know how Sylvie is doing. If she's in trouble, I have to help her."
"Calm down, boy," Abeloth said. "It will only take two to three years."
"That's too long," I argued. "What if something happens to her while I'm stuck here?"
Abeloth looked at me. "I can send one of my subordinates to watch her if you like."
"I would be very grateful if you did that," I replied, feeling a bit of relief.
"Haha, but remember," the dragon warned, "we cannot interfere with the outside world. I will tell you if she is in trouble, but we cannot act. You understand?"
"I understand," I said. "Thank you for everything, I would be dead if not for you." I don't know why he helped me but it give me a chance to see Sylvie again, so I wanted to thank him from bottom of my heart.
"Don't thank me yet," he replied. "Just remember there is a price to pay for this power."
"I won't forget it"
"Good," Abeloth rumbled. "Now, start your training."
He flicked his claw. A ball of light entered my head and many images appeared in my mind. "Follow the guidance, boy. Let's start with fire," Abeloth said.
I followed the instructions in my head. A small fire appeared in my hand. I became slightly excited; even though it was small, I was able to produce fire. Then I produced water, wind, earth, thunder, light, and dark. I didn't feel any pain or tiredness, but I felt a slight drainage of Aether.
Abeloth said, "Now, increase the magnitude. Imagine fire in the form of a spear."
I asked, "Won't I require an incantation? I know mages among humans require saying a spell name or even a full incantation."
The dragon said, "Boy, what do you think Aether is? You just have to imagine the form you want. There is no need for an incantation, but it is a difficult process, so don't break your concentration."
I closed my eyes and focused on the fire in my palm. I stopped thinking of it as a small flame and began to shape it. I visualized a long, sharp shaft and a pointed tip. I pushed more Aether into my hand, forcing the fire to stretch and harden.
The heat grew, but I kept my mind steady. Slowly, the flickering flame lengthened into a solid, glowing spear of red energy. It hummed with power.
"Good," Abeloth said. "Now, throw it."
I gripped the spear of fire and hurled it at a distant rock. It streaked through the air and pierced the stone, melting it instantly before exploding. The shockwave knocked back some of the nearby debris.
"I did it," I said, looking at my hand. "No words, just thought."
"That was just one," Abeloth reminded me. "Now, do the same for the other six. Shape the water into a blade, the earth into a shield, and the thunder into an arrow. If you lose your focus for even a second, the form will collapse."
I took a deep breath. I raised my hand again and started to gather the blue light of the water element.
one month later : on the fifth floor of the Abyss. This was the hunting ground of Ogres—massive, thick-skinned monsters that could crush a man with a single blow. But now, they were the ones being hunted.
A silhouette covered in translucent light moved through the dark. I held a blade of Light in my right hand and a blade of Darkness in my left. I moved so fast the Ogres couldn't even track my position.
As I ran, twenty spears of fire formed in the air around me. I didn't say a word. I just visualized their targets. The spears flew forward, whistling through the air and piercing the Ogres' chests. The smell of burnt meat filled the floor.
One Ogre tried to swing a giant club at my head. I didn't dodge. I swung the Light blade, slicing through the wooden club and the monster's arm like they were made of paper. Simultaneously, I plunged the Darkness blade into its stomach. The black energy didn't just cut, it eroded the wound, stopping the Ogre from screaming.
"Thunder," I muttered.
I looked up. Dozens of bolts shaped like daggers formed in the ceiling of the fifth floor. On my command, they rained down. The thunder blades struck the remaining pack, pinning them to the ground.
In less than a minute, the entire group of ten Ogres was dead.
I stood in the center of the carnage, my Aether enhancement still glowing brightly. I wasn't even out of breath. The hunger was still there, but my body felt lighter and stronger than ever. I had mastered the basic shapes of all seven elements.
Abeloth appeared in the air above the corpses. "Your control has improved."
He looked at the carnage I had left behind. "Now it is time for you to merge with my remaining blood essence."
I stood among the dead ogres and felt a surge of anticipation. I was nearly there. After merging with the rest of the essence, I would be strong enough to get out of this hole.
I felt a deep longing for Sylvie. I wondered how she was doing. She probably thinks I am dead. Is she okay? Then my thoughts shifted to the Archbishop and that Cyrus. I hadn't forgotten those bastards. I would repay them for everything they did to me. I felt anger rising in me.
Then Abeloth said, "Boy, let me warn you. If you merge with my remaining essence, you will leave your humanity behind. Are you sure you want that?"