Hello! The author is here to showcase what might become Eridius's new [E.G.O.]!
I'll be presenting five different concepts, but only one will be chosen for the story. So, I'm leaving the final decision up to you!
I've also included some ideas from my friends, so be sure to check them all out before casting your vote.
Which E.G.O. do you think suits Eridius best?
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1-[Lord of chains]
E.G.O. Name: Lord of Chains
Wielder: Eridius
Theme: Control, Despair, and the Burden of Responsibility
[Lord of Chains]: A manifestation of Eridius's inner self, shaped by his desire to control the chaos around him, his fear of losing the people under his protection, and the terrible price of bearing responsibility. Its power should be formidable, but its weapons should also carry risks that reflect his own flaws.
[Eridius dons a black, sightless crown that covers his upper face, concealing his eyes behind a smooth, featureless surface. Countless chains coil around his body, forming a long, ragged cape that drags across the ground with a relentless metallic scrape.
The chains seem almost alive. They twist and writhe in response to his movements, occasionally reaching toward nearby objects as though searching for something—or someone—to restrain.
In his hand rests the Spear of Despair, a dark weapon whose jagged shaft digs into his flesh. Black chains wind around his arm and pierce his skin, binding the weapon to its wielder. Each movement draws blood, yet Eridius barely reacts to the pain.
The air grows heavy in his presence. The sound of dragging chains echoes from directions where no chains exist, and those who look upon him may feel as though invisible shackles have already been fastened around their limbs.
He does not look like a king who rules through authority.
He looks like a prisoner who has become the warden.]
[Sightless Crown: A black crown that covers Eridius's upper face, leaving him unable to see through ordinary sight while the E.G.O. is active.
In exchange, the crown allows him to perceive the chains of attachment, obligation, and hostility connecting people to one another. These connections appear as faint, dark threads, becoming thicker and heavier the more strongly someone is bound by fear, loyalty, hatred, guilt, or a sense of duty.
Through these chains, Eridius can identify who is manipulating whom, recognize hidden hostility, and locate those attempting to conceal their intentions.
However, the crown does not reveal objective truth. It shows the bonds that exist between people, not the full reasons behind them. A chain of loyalty may conceal resentment, while a chain of hatred may conceal affection.
E.G.O. Effect — [Blind Authority]: Eridius can perceive nearby living beings through their connections, allowing him to track targets even when they are hidden from normal sight.
Drawback — [A World Without Faces]: The longer the crown remains active, the harder it becomes for Eridius to distinguish individuals from the relationships that define them. He risks viewing people as nothing more than allies, enemies, assets, or liabilities.
[Cape of Chains: A cape composed of countless black chains, each one forged from an unseen metal. They drag across the ground with a weight that should make movement impossible, yet they respond to Eridius's will with unnatural speed.
The chains can extend across the battlefield, bind enemies, restrain weapons, anchor Eridius against powerful attacks, or form a defensive barrier around those he wishes to protect.
When an enemy struggles, the chains tighten. The more force they exert against their restraints, the heavier the chains become, turning resistance into a disadvantage.
Eridius can also use the chains to pull himself toward a target, drag enemies off balance, or intercept attacks aimed at his allies.
E.G.O. Effect — [Unbreakable Bonds]: The chains become more difficult to break when restraining a target who poses an immediate threat to someone Eridius has chosen to protect.
Drawback — [Every Chain Has Two Ends]: The chains are connected to their wielder as much as they are to their victims. Every restraint imposes a burden on Eridius, and attempting to bind too many powerful targets at once causes the chains to tighten around his own body.
[Spear of Despair: A long, black spear with a twisted shaft and a cruel, uneven blade. Its surface resembles metal that has been repeatedly melted and reforged, while thin chains coil around its length before disappearing beneath Eridius's skin.
The spear cannot be wielded without consequence. Every attack drives its barbs deeper into his flesh, drawing blood and inflicting pain that the E.G.O. does not allow him to ignore completely.
Yet the weapon grows more dangerous as its wielder suffers.
The greater the pain Eridius endures, the more destructive the spear becomes. Its thrusts can pierce defensive barriers, disrupt an enemy's movements, and sever the chains created by certain abilities or supernatural effects.
Against a target already restrained by the Cape of Chains, the spear can deliver a devastating finishing blow.
E.G.O. Effect — [The Price of Control]: Eridius can concentrate the burden accumulated by his chains into a single thrust, greatly increasing its piercing power. The more targets he has restrained, the more power he can release.
Drawback — [A Wound That Cannot Be Passed On]: The spear's power is purchased with Eridius's own suffering. Its strongest attacks worsen his injuries, and the damage cannot simply be transferred to the enemies he has bound.
[E.G.O. Corrosion — The Tyrant in Chains]: When Eridius loses control of his E.G.O., the crown begins to crack, revealing no eyes beneath it—only an endless darkness.
The cape erupts into a mass of writhing chains that lash at everything nearby. Friend and foe alike become targets, each living being reduced to a potential threat that must be restrained before it can cause harm.
The Spear of Despair grows longer and more distorted, its blade splitting into several hooked points. The chains embedded in Eridius's body tighten until he can barely move, yet he continues to advance.
He no longer asks who deserves to be bound.
He only asks who might escape.
Corrosion Instinct — [No One Leaves]: Eridius attempts to restrain every moving target within his reach. Those who resist are attacked with increasing brutality, while those who remain still may be bound regardless.
In this state, the Lord of Chains no longer protects others from chaos.
He tries to eliminate chaos by taking away everyone's freedom.
[E.G.O. Quote]:
"Stay where you are. Don't move. Don't make me do this."
"...Please. Just let me keep you safe."
[Some chains are placed upon us by others. Others are chains we willingly choose to carry. And the cruelest chains of all are those we convince ourselves we cannot live without.]
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2-[The Maestro of white&black]
E.G.O. Name: The Maestro of White & Black
Wielder: Eridius
Theme: Command, Duality, and the Price of Obedience
[The Maestro of White & Black]: Represents Eridius embracing his role as the one who gives orders—and accepting responsibility for what those orders bring.
[The Maestro of White & Black]: Eridius embraces the role of a commander, clad in an elegant suit of black-and-white armor. Its design is almost symmetrical, with one half resembling polished white porcelain and the other forged from dark, matte metal. Thin lines run across both halves like the markings of a chessboard, occasionally shifting as though the armor itself is rearranging its pieces.
A long, divided mantle hangs from his shoulders, one side white and the other black. Its edges flutter despite the absence of wind, resembling the curtains of a theater before a performance.
Upon his head rests a helmet shaped like two creatures sharing one skull: a wolf on one side and a hound on the other. The wolf's half bears sharp, predatory features, while the hound's half has a more disciplined and restrained appearance. Both possess empty eye sockets that glow with opposing lights.
In his left hand, Eridius holds a black scroll covered in white writing. Its words constantly rearrange themselves, recording orders that have yet to be given and outcomes that have yet to occur.
In his right hand rests a white sword with a perfectly straight blade. Its surface is unblemished, almost ceremonial, yet its edge is sharp enough to split armor with a single, deliberate strike.
At his command, soldiers clad in black and white emerge from the surrounding shadows. They march in perfect formation, their movements synchronized to an inaudible rhythm.
They do not speak.
They do not hesitate.
They await their Maestro's next command.
[Armor of Harmony]: A suit of armor divided into two contrasting halves: black and white, instinct and discipline, action and restraint.
The armor distributes incoming force across its entire structure, allowing Eridius to withstand attacks that would otherwise cripple him. Its two halves respond differently to danger.
The black armor absorbs and redirects the force of physical impacts, growing heavier and more resistant as Eridius holds his ground.
The white armor prioritizes movement and precision, allowing him to reposition himself, evade attacks, and deliver carefully timed counterstrikes.
When Eridius maintains a balance between the two, the armor produces a faint, harmonious ringing sound. If one half is overused, the sound becomes discordant, and the armor's performance begins to deteriorate.
E.G.O. Effect — [Perfect Balance]: Eridius can alternate between defensive and offensive stances without losing momentum. When his actions are properly coordinated with his summoned soldiers, his movements become more efficient and his defenses more difficult to penetrate.
Drawback — [Discord]: The armor demands balance. Excessive aggression causes the white half to crack, while excessive passivity causes the black half to become unbearably heavy. If Eridius loses his composure, both halves begin to work against each other.
[Black Scroll and White Sword]
[Black Scroll — The Score of the Maestro]: A black scroll filled with white characters that change according to the battlefield. It records the positions of allies and enemies, evaluates potential movements, and displays possible outcomes as though the world were a composition waiting to be performed.
When Eridius writes an order upon the scroll, the summoned soldiers receive it immediately, understanding its intent without the need for further explanation.
The scroll can issue commands such as advancing, defending, surrounding a target, protecting an ally, or concentrating attacks on a designated enemy.
More complex orders require greater concentration. The scroll can calculate possible strategies, but it cannot guarantee victory or predict every unpredictable action.
E.G.O. Effect — [The Unwritten Future]: Eridius can coordinate his summoned soldiers with exceptional precision, allowing them to execute complex maneuvers and adapt to changes on the battlefield.
Drawback — [An Order Must Be Given]: The scroll cannot make every decision for him. When confronted with a situation that demands an immediate choice, Eridius must still decide what matters most. Hesitation can leave his soldiers waiting for an order that never comes.
[White Sword — The Maestro's Final Note]: A white sword of extraordinary sharpness, forged to serve as the counterpart to the black scroll.
Where the scroll determines how the battle should proceed, the sword determines when a decision becomes final.
The blade can cut through physical obstacles and exploit weaknesses identified by the scroll. When Eridius and his soldiers act in perfect coordination, his strikes become more precise, allowing him to dismantle an enemy's defenses one opening at a time.
However, the sword is not a weapon of indiscriminate destruction. It becomes most effective when Eridius commits to a clear objective rather than changing his mind midway through an attack.
E.G.O. Effect — [The Final Note]: After issuing a coordinated command, Eridius can channel the resulting momentum into a single decisive strike. The more successfully his soldiers execute the command, the greater the strike's potential impact.
Drawback — [No Taking Back the Music]: Once Eridius commits to the final strike, the sword resists attempts to redirect it. If he acts on incomplete information or chooses the wrong target, he must bear the consequences of his decision.
[Wolf/Hound Helmet]: A helmet split between the visage of a wolf and that of a hound.
The wolf represents instinct, aggression, and the freedom to pursue one's own path. The hound represents discipline, loyalty, and the willingness to follow a chosen master.
Through the wolf's half, Eridius can sense openings in an enemy's behavior, detecting moments of hesitation, fear, and aggression.
Through the hound's half, he can maintain awareness of his soldiers, sensing their positions and recognizing when their formations are disrupted.
When both halves function in harmony, Eridius can respond to sudden changes without losing control of his overall strategy.
E.G.O. Effect — [Instinct and Discipline]: Eridius can instinctively recognize immediate threats while maintaining command over his soldiers. He does not need to choose between reacting to danger and directing the battlefield.
Drawback — [Who Holds the Leash?]: The helmet amplifies the tension between the two halves. Under extreme stress, the wolf urges Eridius to abandon the plan and pursue immediate threats, while the hound demands that he follow his orders to the letter.
[Summoned Soldiers — The Black and White Ensemble]: A number of soldiers emerge whenever the E.G.O. manifests. Their armor follows the same black-and-white division as Eridius's own, though their appearances vary according to their assigned roles.
The black soldiers specialize in defense, holding positions, protecting allies, and preventing enemies from breaking through the formation.
The white soldiers specialize in offense, flanking targets, exploiting openings, and delivering coordinated attacks.
They possess no independent personalities while summoned. They do not complain, question, or hesitate. Yet they are not invincible, and every soldier destroyed weakens the harmony of the formation.
Eridius can distribute his soldiers between offense and defense, but an imbalance makes the entire ensemble less effective.
E.G.O. Effect — [The Perfect Ensemble]: The soldiers respond to Eridius's commands as if they were extensions of his own body. They can execute elaborate formations, protect one another, and coordinate attacks with their Maestro.
Drawback — [The Maestro Bears the Silence]: The soldiers cannot make meaningful decisions beyond the orders and basic tactical instructions given to them. They can carry out a command flawlessly and still produce a disastrous outcome if the command itself is flawed.
Furthermore, Eridius bears the psychological burden of their destruction. The more soldiers he loses, the harder it becomes to maintain his composure and the harmony of his E.G.O.
[E.G.O. Corrosion — The Maestro Without an Audience]: When Eridius loses control, the armor's symmetry begins to collapse. Black spreads across the white plates, while the white markings twist into jagged, irregular patterns.
The wolf's half of the helmet tears open into a monstrous maw. The hound's half becomes rigid and expressionless, its empty eyes fixed upon the battlefield.
The scroll unrolls endlessly, its pages filling with orders that contradict one another. The white sword grows longer and thinner, its edge ringing like a conductor's baton striking the floor before a performance.
The soldiers multiply, emerging in endless rows of black and white. Their formations become increasingly elaborate, even as the battlefield descends into chaos.
Eridius continues to command.
Advance.
Retreat.
Protect.
Eliminate.
The soldiers obey every order, even when one command makes another impossible.
Corrosion Instinct — [The Show Must Go On]: Eridius attempts to force everything around him into a perfectly coordinated performance. Allies may be repositioned against their will, enemies are attacked according to a rigid tactical composition, and any action that disrupts the formation is treated as a threat to be eliminated.
He no longer fights to win.
He fights to make the battlefield obey him.
[E.G.O. Quote]:
"Positions. Formation. Eyes on me."
"I will give the orders. You will follow them."
"...And if I am wrong?"
"Then you may all die because I was wrong."
[A man who commands holds the lives of others in his hands. Every order he gives may lead someone to glory, suffering, or an unmarked grave. Therefore, he must choose his words carefully—for a commander who treats lives as mere numbers is no better than the monsters that rule this City.]
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3-[The Kaslana Heir]
E.G.O. Name: The Kaslana Heir
Wielder: Eridius
Theme: Heroism, Sacrifice, Hope, and the Burden of Legacy
[The Kaslana Heir]: represents his willingness to sacrifice himself for others—and the danger of believing that his suffering is the price everyone else must pay.
[The Kaslana Heir]: Eridius follows the voice of his bloodline and walks the path of a hero—the path of the Kaslanas, countless warriors who chose to stand against the darkness even when victory seemed impossible.
His body becomes clad in a white mantle over battle-worn armor, its surface marked by scratches, cracks, and the remnants of battles that do not belong to him. A dark bodysuit covers the gaps between the armor plates, while pale blue light flows through the seams like frozen lightning.
Behind him, a pair of luminous wings unfurls. They resemble neither feathers nor the wings of an angel, but enormous blades of light, their edges flickering between white and blue. Whenever Eridius moves, fragments of light scatter behind him like falling stars.
In his hands rests Judgment of Shamash, a weapon whose very existence seems to contradict the laws of the City. Its presence carries the weight of a final judgment, a power that should never be used carelessly.
The mantle flutters behind him, stained by dust and blood. It is not a royal cape, nor the garment of a conqueror. It is the mantle of someone who has decided to stand between others and their deaths.
The voice of his bloodline whispers in his mind.
Stand up.
Protect them.
Even if you must bear the pain alone.
And Eridius, who has spent much of his life trying to survive the City, finds himself walking a path that demands something far more dangerous.
He must become a hero.
Not because he is destined to be one, but because he chooses to be.
[Judgment of Shamash]: A divine weapon that manifests as a massive, white-and-black sword, its blade radiating an intense blue-white light. Dark markings run along its surface, resembling cracks in a world that has already been judged.
The weapon carries the legacy of the Kaslana bloodline and the destructive power associated with Shamash. It is not a tool designed for ordinary combat. Its true strength lies in unleashing overwhelming power at the cost of the wielder's own safety.
When Eridius raises the sword, the air around him begins to tremble. Nearby objects vibrate, the temperature rises, and a low, thunderous hum spreads across the battlefield.
The weapon can release concentrated waves of energy capable of cutting through formidable defenses. By gathering its power into a single strike, Eridius can unleash a devastating attack that leaves the surrounding ground scorched and fractured.
However, Judgment of Shamash is not an unlimited source of power. Its most destructive attacks place an enormous burden on Eridius's body, and repeated use can leave him exhausted, severely injured, or unable to continue fighting.
E.G.O. Effect — [Final Judgment]: Eridius concentrates the power of Shamash into a decisive strike. The longer he spends preparing the attack, the greater its destructive potential, though charging it leaves him vulnerable.
E.G.O. Effect — [Flames of Conviction]: When Eridius continues fighting despite severe injuries to protect someone else, the sword's energy becomes more stable and its attacks more powerful. This does not heal his wounds or remove the weapon's physical toll.
Drawback — [The Price of a Hero]: Shamash does not distinguish between a worthy sacrifice and a pointless one. If Eridius pushes beyond his limits, the weapon will continue to consume his strength until he can no longer wield it.
A hero may be willing to die for others.
That does not mean the weapon will allow him to survive doing so.
[Hero Mantle]: A white mantle draped over Eridius's shoulders, reinforced with dark material along its edges. Its surface bears faint patterns resembling overlapping feathers and flames, and its fabric remains strangely untouched by ordinary dirt.
The mantle is a manifestation of the ideal Eridius associates with the Kaslana name: the determination to protect others, even when doing so is unreasonable.
While the E.G.O. is active, the mantle responds to nearby danger. It moves instinctively to shield Eridius from attacks, hardening into a protective barrier for a brief moment before returning to its original form.
When an ally nearby is in immediate danger, the mantle may extend to cover them as well. However, doing so redirects part of the impact toward Eridius, forcing him to endure the consequences of his own protection.
E.G.O. Effect — [A Hero's Resolve]: The mantle can intercept attacks that would otherwise strike Eridius or a nearby ally. Its protective strength increases when he consciously chooses to defend someone rather than pursue an enemy.
E.G.O. Effect — [Stand Behind Me]: Eridius can briefly extend the mantle around an injured or vulnerable ally, creating a protective barrier that buys them time to escape or receive assistance.
Drawback — [No One Left Behind]: The mantle responds most strongly to Eridius's desire to protect others. If too many people are in danger at once, it may attempt to shield several targets simultaneously, spreading its protection too thin and leaving Eridius exposed.
[Wings of Hope]: A pair of enormous wings formed from pale blue and white energy. Their shapes resemble overlapping blades, each segment moving independently while remaining connected to the whole.
Unlike ordinary wings, they do not exist merely for flight. They are an expression of the Kaslana ideal that hope is something people must carry forward, even when they are exhausted, frightened, or certain that the future holds nothing but suffering.
The wings allow Eridius to move through the air, accelerate rapidly, and change direction with unnatural precision. Their energy can also be concentrated into sharp projectiles or spread into a brief defensive formation.
When Eridius fights alongside injured allies, the wings shine brighter. Their light becomes visible through smoke and darkness, giving those who have lost sight of their comrades a point toward which they can move.
E.G.O. Effect — [The Light That Remains]: Eridius can release fragments of energy from his wings to attack nearby enemies or disrupt incoming attacks. The fragments are most effective when used to create openings for allies rather than to overwhelm enemies through raw damage.
E.G.O. Effect — [Fly Forward]: The wings provide a burst of aerial mobility, allowing Eridius to intercept attacks, cross dangerous terrain, or reach allies in immediate danger.
Drawback — [Hope Is Not Infinite]: The wings consume energy with every movement and attack. The more Eridius uses them to protect others, the faster their light fades. If he exhausts their power, they collapse into drifting fragments, leaving him unable to fly until the E.G.O. recovers.
[E.G.O. Corrosion — Kevin, the Kaslana Heir]: The white mantle becomes stained with black, while the blue light running through Eridius's armor turns cold and lifeless.
His wings stretch outward, growing into enormous, jagged structures that resemble the remains of a shattered halo. Their light no longer offers comfort. It illuminates the battlefield with the sterile brightness of a frozen wasteland.
Judgment of Shamash changes as well. Its blade becomes darker, and the energy surrounding it begins to distort the air. Each movement leaves behind a trail of frost-like residue, while the ground beneath his feet cracks under the pressure of his power.
Eridius's face grows expressionless. He no longer shouts encouragement or warns his allies to retreat. His eyes remain fixed on the enemy, and his movements become increasingly economical.
The voice of the Kaslanas grows louder.
Humanity must survive.
Someone must bear the burden.
If no one else can do it, then you must.
Eridius stops thinking about whether he can save everyone.
He begins thinking about what must be sacrificed to ensure that someone survives.
Corrosion Instinct — [The Last Kaslana]: Eridius focuses entirely on eliminating the greatest threat to humanity—or what he has come to believe represents that threat. He ignores his own injuries, suppresses hesitation, and treats even his allies' objections as distractions from his objective.
He may abandon those who cannot be saved quickly enough, destroy everything around a designated enemy, or continue fighting long after retreat has become the only rational choice.
The most terrifying aspect of this corrosion is that Eridius does not necessarily become cruel.
He becomes convinced that cruelty is acceptable if it produces the necessary result.
[E.G.O. Quote]:
"I understand now."
"A hero cannot save everyone."
"So I'll make certain that the ones who remain will have a future."
"Even if they hate me for it."
[A hero's greatest enemy is not always the monster standing before him. Sometimes, it is the belief that the burden of the entire world must rest on his shoulders.]
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4-[The Shadow of Plague]
[Eridius embraces the shadows and the poisons that followed him in this life; he now walks unseen by all, with a plague that will end his enemies
E.G.O. Name: The Shadow of Plague
Wielder: Eridius
Theme: Stealth, Decay, Paranoia, and Survival
[The Shadow of Plague]: Represents Eridius embracing the methods that allow him to survive when strength, authority, and heroism are not enough.
[The Shadow of Plague]: Eridius embraces the shadows and the poisons that have followed him throughout his life. His body becomes wrapped in a tattered black cloak that seems to absorb the light around it, its edges dissolving into drifting wisps of darkness.
A collection of thin, black blades hangs from his waist, each one stained with a faint green substance that bubbles beneath the surface of the metal. The weapons produce no sound when they move, leaving behind only the occasional drop of an unidentified liquid.
His face is concealed by a grotesque skull mask, its elongated jaw and empty eye sockets resembling the remains of something that died centuries ago. Pale green light burns within its sockets, while fine cracks spread across the bone like the veins of a diseased organism.
Beneath the cloak, his armor is almost nonexistent. Strips of dark fabric cling to his body, concealing countless vials, needles, and small containers filled with substances that should never be brought into contact with living flesh.
A sickly haze follows him wherever he walks.
Flowers wither in his footsteps. Metal slowly corrodes where his fingers touch it. Those who remain near him for too long may begin to feel an inexplicable weakness, accompanied by the unsettling sensation that something is crawling beneath their skin.
Yet Eridius himself appears calm.
He does not need to roar like a monster or announce himself like a warrior.
By the time his enemies realize that he is present, the plague may already have begun.
[The Unseen Blade]: A slender, black dagger with an asymmetrical blade and a handle wrapped in dark leather. Its edge is so thin that it barely reflects light, and its surface seems to swallow the colors of anything reflected upon it.
The blade can dissolve into Eridius's shadow and reappear in his hand whenever he wills it. When he strikes an opponent, the weapon leaves behind a nearly invisible residue that interferes with the target's physical coordination.
The effect is subtle at first. A hand trembles. A foot misses its intended position. A defensive movement comes a fraction of a second too late.
Against an opponent who relies on precision, those small failures can be fatal.
The blade is not designed to overpower an enemy's defenses through brute force. Instead, it exploits openings and turns minor mistakes into decisive disadvantages.
E.G.O. Effect — [Silent Execution]: While concealed, Eridius can deliver a precise strike that is difficult to anticipate. The attack becomes more effective when directed at an enemy who has already been weakened or distracted.
E.G.O. Effect — [Lingering Venom]: Successful strikes leave a supernatural toxin that gradually weakens the target's coordination and stamina. Repeated strikes intensify the effect, although powerful opponents may resist or purge the toxin.
Drawback — [A Blade Without Glory]: The weapon excels at ambushes and precision attacks but performs poorly in prolonged direct combat against heavily armored opponents. Its toxin also requires time to take effect, making it unreliable as an instant solution.
[The Cape of Shadows and Plague]: A long, ragged cape composed of countless layers of darkness. Its edges constantly unravel into smoke-like tendrils, which drift across the ground and disappear into nearby corners.
The cape allows Eridius to blend into shadows, conceal his movements, and obscure his outline even under direct observation. Cameras and ordinary visual tracking equipment may struggle to distinguish him from the surrounding darkness, though advanced detection methods can still locate him.
When he remains concealed, the cape gathers traces of the plague surrounding him. These accumulate as a faint, greenish mist trapped within its folds.
Eridius can release this mist across a limited area, creating a field that interferes with his enemies' senses. Their vision blurs, sounds become difficult to locate, and the boundaries between real movement and imagined movement begin to break down.
The mist does not create perfect illusions. Instead, it encourages uncertainty, making enemies question what they have seen and heard.
E.G.O. Effect — [The Unseen Guest]: Eridius can merge with nearby shadows for short periods, suppressing his presence and making him exceptionally difficult to detect. Sudden, powerful attacks may force him out of concealment.
E.G.O. Effect — [Pestilent Veil]: The cape releases a cloud of supernatural plague that weakens enemies and disrupts their perception. Allies caught within the cloud may also suffer its disorienting effects unless Eridius deliberately limits its spread.
Drawback — [The Shadow Spreads]: The longer the cape releases its plague, the more difficult it becomes to control its boundaries. The mist may linger after combat, affecting allies, civilians, and the environment.
[Skull Mask of Marqli]: A pale skull mask bearing the name Marqli, its surface covered in irregular grooves and small, circular markings. The bone appears ancient, yet it never crumbles. Instead, it slowly repairs itself whenever damaged, as though something beneath its surface is constantly rebuilding it.
The mask has no visible mouth opening, but a faint whisper can sometimes be heard coming from inside it.
When Eridius wears the mask, his breathing becomes unnaturally quiet. His presence grows difficult to perceive, and the plague surrounding him begins to respond to his thoughts.
The mask grants him the ability to sense signs of physical deterioration in nearby living beings. It can identify weakened bodies, detect the presence of supernatural contamination, and recognize when an opponent is approaching exhaustion.
However, the mask does not reveal every illness or weakness with perfect accuracy. Its perceptions are distorted by the nature of the target, and certain powerful beings may appear healthy even when they are on the verge of collapse—or appear close to death when they are not.
E.G.O. Effect — [The Face of Pestilence]: Eridius can sense signs of weakness and deterioration in nearby targets, helping him identify those most vulnerable to his attacks.
E.G.O. Effect — [Breath of the Grave]: The mask allows Eridius to regulate the plague released by his E.G.O., concentrating it around selected enemies or suppressing it to reduce the risk of contaminating allies.
Drawback — [A Face That Is Not His]: The longer Eridius wears the mask, the more he begins to perceive living beings through the lens of sickness, weakness, and decay. Healthy people may look like potential carriers, while the injured appear as little more than walking corpses.
[E.G.O. Corrosion — The Plague Beneath the Skin]: When Eridius loses control, the skull mask splits open along its cracks. Something dark moves beneath the bone, pushing against its surface as though attempting to escape.
The cape expands until it resembles a vast, shapeless cloud. Its tendrils spread across walls and ceilings, covering the surroundings in a thick darkness punctuated by sickly green lights.
The Unseen Blade multiplies into dozens of floating daggers, each one dripping with black liquid. They move independently, striking anything that produces movement, sound, or the faintest trace of life.
Eridius's own body becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish beneath the cloak. His limbs stretch into unnatural silhouettes, and his movements become so quiet that even the sound of his footsteps disappears.
He no longer distinguishes between enemies, allies, and bystanders.
Everything is a potential source of contamination.
Everything must be contained.
Everything must be cleansed.
Corrosion Instinct — [Patient Zero]: Eridius attempts to spread his plague throughout the surrounding area, treating every living being as a potential carrier. He attacks those who resist, while the cape continues to release its mist without regard for collateral damage.
The longer the corrosion persists, the larger the affected area becomes. However, its growth also makes the plague increasingly indiscriminate, and Eridius loses the ability to recognize those he originally intended to protect.
He does not become a mindless beast.
He becomes something far more unsettling: a creature that still believes every action it takes is reasonable.
[E.G.O. Quote]:
"Don't come closer."
"I'm warning you. I'm trying to keep you safe."
"...Why are you still approaching?"
"WHY WON'T YOU STAY AWAY?"
[Sometimes, the most dangerous monster is not the one that wants to kill you. It is the one that believes keeping its distance from you is an act of mercy.]
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5-[The Abomination of Creation]
E.G.O. Name: The Abomination of Creation
Wielder: Eridius
Theme: Inhumanity, Survival, Evolution, and the Fear of Becoming Something Else
[The Abomination of Creation]: Represents Eridius's deepest fear: that the thing which allows him to survive the City will eventually destroy the person he is trying to preserve.
[The Abomination of Creation]: Eridius's inhumanity emerges to defend him.
When death draws near, something deep within his body awakens. His shadow stretches across the ground, twisting into a shape that does not match his movements. His skin splits along invisible seams, and pale, unfamiliar structures begin to emerge beneath it.
Then comes the cape.
A massive, ragged mantle of flesh, bone, and blackened tissue spreads across his shoulders. Its surface resembles a mixture of animal hide and something grown in a laboratory, covered in irregular plates that shift and rearrange themselves whenever Eridius moves.
The cape does not hang naturally. It crawls.
Thin appendages emerge from beneath its folds, opening and closing like the limbs of an insect. Bone-like protrusions extend from its edges, while clusters of eyes appear and disappear across its surface, each one observing a different direction.
Eridius's hands become encased in dark, clawed armor. His fingers lengthen, and his nails harden into curved blades. Beneath his clothes, his body begins to change in ways that even his System struggles to describe.
His face remains mostly recognizable.
That is perhaps the most horrifying part.
He still looks like Eridius, a young boy standing in the middle of the City.
But something behind his eyes has begun to look at the world differently.
The System attempts to identify the transformation.
[Warning: Abnormal biological activity detected.]
[Warning: Genetic classification unstable.]
[Warning: Human characteristics insufficient for reliable assessment.]
[Error: Host cannot be classified.]
[Emergency protocol initiated.]
[...Protocol unavailable.]
Eridius has no choice but to don the cape of the beast.
It is not an act of courage.
It is the desperate decision of someone who has discovered that the thing protecting him may be just as dangerous as the thing trying to kill him.
[The Cape of the Beast]: A living mantle formed from Eridius's unstable inhumanity. It behaves like an extension of his body, reacting to threats before he can consciously recognize them.
The cape can harden its surface into overlapping armor plates, spread into defensive barriers, or extend its appendages to intercept incoming attacks. When Eridius is cornered, its structure changes rapidly, adapting to the immediate danger.
Bullets may become lodged in layers of hardened tissue. Blades may sink into flexible flesh that closes around them. Heavy impacts may cause the cape to grow thicker in the affected area, distributing the force across its entire structure.
However, its adaptation is not limitless. It responds to the threats it encounters, and a defense against one type of attack may leave another weakness exposed.
E.G.O. Effect — [Adaptive Flesh]: The cape gradually develops resistance to repeated forms of damage. This resistance is temporary and imperfect, requiring time and exposure to develop.
E.G.O. Effect — [Predatory Reflex]: The cape can react to immediate danger independently of Eridius's conscious decisions, shielding him or counterattacking when his body cannot respond quickly enough.
Drawback — [The Body Remembers]: Every adaptation alters the cape's structure. As the transformation continues, these changes become increasingly difficult to reverse, and the cape may begin incorporating features that Eridius never intended to develop.
The beast does not ask Eridius what kind of protection he wants.
It only asks what he needs to survive.
[The Abomination's Claws]: Eridius's hands transform into elongated claws, their surfaces covered in black keratin and pale, bone-like ridges.
The claws are designed for close combat, capable of tearing through flesh, damaging armor, and gripping surfaces that would otherwise be impossible to climb.
Their true danger lies in their ability to change. The claws can become broader for crushing attacks, thinner for piercing strikes, or hooked for dragging opponents off balance.
When Eridius fights a stronger enemy, the claws may lengthen and reinforce themselves in response to the damage he receives.
E.G.O. Effect — [Violent Evolution]: Eridius can temporarily alter the shape of his claws to suit his immediate combat needs. The more extreme the alteration, the greater the strain on his transformed body.
Drawback — [Instinct Before Reason]: The claws respond strongly to aggression and the presence of nearby threats. When Eridius is frightened or enraged, he may find it difficult to control the force of his attacks.
[The Unnatural Heart]: At the center of the transformation lies a strange, pulsating structure beneath Eridius's chest.
It resembles a heart, but its rhythm is irregular. Sometimes it beats too quickly; sometimes it remains motionless for several seconds before resuming its activity.
The structure does not merely sustain the transformation. It appears to coordinate the cape's adaptations, redirecting resources toward damaged areas and forcing Eridius's body to continue functioning under conditions that should leave him incapacitated.
When Eridius suffers a severe injury, the heart may trigger an emergency response. His body becomes more resistant, his movements grow more violent, and the cape expands to protect the damaged region.
However, this process consumes enormous amounts of energy. The heart cannot restore unlimited blood, replace every destroyed organ, or guarantee survival against overwhelming damage.
E.G.O. Effect — [Refusal to Die]: When Eridius suffers a potentially fatal injury, the transformation can temporarily stabilize his body and allow him to continue fighting.
Drawback — [Survival Is Not Recovery]: Stabilization does not mean healing. Eridius may remain conscious and mobile while accumulating injuries that require extensive treatment afterward.
Worse, the heart doesn't distinguish between a life worth living and a body that has merely not stopped functioning.
[The Face Beneath the Beast]: As the transformation intensifies, Eridius's face begins to change.
His eyes develop unusual pupils, his teeth become sharper, and faint ridges appear beneath his skin. The cape rises behind his head, forming an incomplete silhouette resembling a crown of horns or the jaws of an unknown creature.
His voice acquires a second tone, as though another throat is speaking beneath his own.
The System struggles to interpret the changes.
[Skill detected: Inhuman.]
[Current Level: Unstable.]
[Biological adaptation exceeds expected parameters.]
[Humanity: Insufficient for Classification.]
The transformation is not simply a stronger body.
It is the collapse of the boundary that once separated Eridius from the thing he was becoming.
E.G.O. Effect — [Beyond the Human Frame]: Eridius can temporarily exceed the ordinary physical limitations of his body, improving his strength, endurance, and ability to withstand injury.
Drawback — [An Unfamiliar Reflection]: The longer the transformation continues, the more difficult it becomes for Eridius to recognize his own physical sensations and instincts. Hunger, fear, pain, and aggression begin to feel different, as though they belong to another creature sharing his body.
[E.G.O. Corrosion — The Thing That Should Not Have Been Born]: The cape tears open.
Beneath it is not a body that can be understood through ordinary anatomy, but a shifting mass of flesh, bone, and unfamiliar structures. Limbs emerge where none should exist, then retract into the body. Eyes open across its surface, each one reflecting a different angle of the world.
Eridius's original silhouette disappears beneath the transformation.
The boy is still somewhere inside.
His memories remain. His fear remains. His desire to survive remains.
But they are buried beneath an instinct older than his conscious thoughts.
The System produces one final message.
[Host identity confirmed.]
[Species classification: ERROR.]
[Biological integrity: ERROR.]
[Humanity: ERROR.]
[Emergency reversal protocol...]
[Failed.]
The beast does not roar.
It studies its surroundings.
It identifies the nearest threat.
And it begins to move.
Corrosion Instinct — [Survival Without End]: The Abomination prioritizes its own continued existence above all other considerations. It attacks immediate threats, adapts to incoming damage, and uses its surroundings as material for defense and movement.
It does not understand surrender. It does not recognize the concept of an acceptable loss. It may attack allies who approach too quickly, interpreting their movements as interference with its survival.
Unlike a mindless monster, it can learn from its enemies.
Unlike a human commander, it does not hesitate because it fears the consequences.
It only needs to remain alive long enough to overcome the next obstacle.
[E.G.O. Quote]:
"Get away from me."
"I said, GET AWAY!"
"...Please."
"I don't want to find out what happens if it takes over."
[The City creates monsters every day. The truly terrifying question is what happens when a monster is created for the sole purpose of keeping a boy alive.]
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Of course, not every idea made the final cut. Here are some of the other E.G.O. concepts we considered for Eridius, but ultimately left out.
[The Boy Who Cries Thorns]
[The Beast]
[The Chained Sultan]
[The Endless Burden]
[The Glass Serpent]
[The Father]
[The Hanged Butler]
[Knight of Harmony]
[The Manager of Order]
[The Cook of Brewing]
[The Maid of Chaos]
[The Coffin Bearer of Hope]
[The New Age]
[The Pianist]
[Gambler of Ten]
These concepts may not have made it into the final five, but that doesn't mean they're bad ideas. Some might even find their way into the story in another form—or become something entirely different.
After all, in the City, an idea doesn't have to be chosen to become something dangerous.
And who knows? Perhaps one of these discarded concepts will get a second chance someday.
[Chapter End]
[Talk between Friends {Author, Horror lover, Story Reader}]
[Author Burning from overwork and new ideas ]: You want to what?
[Horror lover]: Add an [E.G.O.] called [The Boy Who Cries Thorns]; that's about it. Eridius's eyes explode into thorns that whip his face and body as he uses them, and {A combination of disturbing and amazing ideas}.]
[Story Reader]: That is impressive.
[End]