Defiance of the Fall

The Abyssal pools filling up Zac's cells darkened to more closely resemble the real thing. Their width expanded far beyond what should be possible, eventually fusing with the ponds in neighboring cells. Soon, there was nothing else. He was no longer Draugr. He'd become the Abyss. It was boundless, bottomless. It was silence, finality. And it was waiting.

It would be so easy to let go, to relinquish the self and become part of Eternity. The Abyss had stood before the Era's birth, and it would remain after its demise. What was the point in holding onto a mortal husk? Why wield a pale mimicry of Death when you could become true Death?

Zac awoke and roared with rejection. This wasn't him. This wasn't his path. He would walk his own road to the bitter end.

Power given was hollow; true strength was seized. His Death might only be a shadow of the Abyss, but it was his. Zac resisted the pull, struggling to regain his freedom. Like Eoz swimming toward the open sky in search of something more, Zac swam toward the surface in search of himself. The Abyss's attempts to hold him back failed. He took what he needed and rejected all else.

The Abyssal Lake shrunk, splintering into innumerable gates. Zac was once more Draugr, though the depths of his Death shone darker. The storm ebbed, and Abyssal pools calmed down. Zac finally managed to get his body under control, yet the lingering touch of the Abyss remained.

The call of the Abyss was a lot like the Sangha's mind poison. It freely offered an almost perfected path. The more you took, the greater the risk of giving in to desire. It was a risk many were willing to take. Zac was no different. He hadn't planned on upgrading his bloodline today, but he'd lunged for the opportunity when it came within reach.

The gamble paid off. Zac felt the ancient bloodline patterns on his skin. They'd grown stronger since he saw them last, and it wasn't the only change. Hidden in the depths of Zac's being, there was a spot of power that filled Zac with warmth. It felt like the comforting gaze of a parent. It was a gift left by Eoz when he reached across time.

Different from the impartments of Azol and Mez, Zac never managed to access that piece. It had eventually faded, waiting for the right time. The gift felt closer than before, though Zac sensed it was still too early. Like the patterns across his skin, it faded, and Zac returned to normal. It was at that point he realized his surroundings felt different.

Zac opened his eyes and gawked at the sight. "What's going on?"