Chapter 2: The Herald has Arrived
The silence was shattered by a sudden explosion of light.
Golden flames spiraled at the center of the altar, forming a vortex that rose until it touched the ceiling.
From within the flames, a silhouette emerged, firm and imposing.
The fire faded into a spiral of light, giving way to Ethan Blake. Standing. As if he had always belonged to this world.
His feet touched the black marble of the altar, engraved with ancient symbols and silver lines that pulsed with mana. Around him, the hall was wide and circular, lit only by black candles and magical crests on the walls. The ceiling disappeared into darkness. This was not a place of public worship, it was a space reserved for the most secret rituals, for prayers that were never meant to reach mortal ears.
Ethan took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of incense, dried blood, and the dense mana saturating the air.
"Much better..." he muttered, staring at his own hands. For the first time, he truly felt... alive.
In the previous white dimension, his body felt light, almost unnaturally comfortable. But here... here he could feel gravity anchoring him, the cold wind brushing against his skin, and, most importantly, the sensation of breathing.
A voice answered him, soft but filled with reverence.
"Welcome, great Herald of the Goddess."
He raised his gaze.