Chapter 1: Breaking of the seal
Classified Report on the Sealing of the Eldritch Entity.
[Last Updated: 29th May, 237]
Operation: Eclipse Mantle
Compiled by: Dr. Kirchoff
Date: 12th March, 229.
Anomaly Class: Apocalyptic - Fracture - Fissure
Status: Entity Contained.
Incident Overview:
An advanced consciousness detection array in Moliken Town spotted a massive anomaly in partial manifestation.
Preliminary assessments confirmed basic abilities, including telekinetic disruption and cognitive intrusion, identifying the source as an Eldritch Entity.
Containment Measures:
Human Vessel Binding:
Using the Crucible of Dominion, the entity's massive form was compressed into a human body.
It limited its physical capabilities but the entity retained full mental control.
Memory Erasure and Identity Implantation:
The Mnemosyne Core erased the entity's memories and implanted a fabricated identity as "Eryndor," a human integrated into Earth society.
Power Sealing:
A Hypnotic Imprinting Trinket sealed the entity's powers under the condition it believed itself to be human. Breach risk arose only if this belief faltered.
Outcome:
Initial containment was successful. Monitoring confirmed the stability of the implanted identity over 8 years. Eryndor exhibited no awareness of its true nature and integrated seamlessly into society.
Containment Status:
Year 230 (Age 11): Placed under a couple with a lost child of similar age at Roulin Port. Identity stable.
Year 232 (Age 13): Relocated to New Hope City and enrolled in school. Identity stable.
Year 234 (Age 15): Developed strong emotional bonds. Identity stable.
Year 237 (Age 18): Displayed romantic interests. Identity stable.
Subject fully believes himself to be a human.
Monitoring ceased due to resource constraints. The entity is deemed self-containing under the seal of self-hypnosis.
Closing Notes:
Personnel involved underwent standard cleansing and psychological counseling to mitigate exposure risks.
End of Report
*****
As the report collected dust in the most secured location of the Human Federation, the subject in question was trapped beneath the rubble of a fallen building.
Eryndor sat hunched in the cramped pocket of space.
The hunger was overwhelming.
His lips were cracked and caked with dried blood, his tongue thick and dry as sand, while his hollow cheeks told of days without food or water.
He had long lost track of time, trapped beneath the ruins of the collapsed building. Each moment felt like it might be his last, yet somehow, he clung to life.
Time and again, he found himself proven wrong—waking up after every bout of unconsciousness, defying the death he was sure would arrive in his sleep.
He had never considered suicide, holding onto the fragile hope of rescue.
Somehow, against all odds, his body refused to give in.
At some point, a single thought began to push its way into his weary, despairing mind.
How have I held on for so long?
It was a small doubt, but it was enough to crack the foundation of his identity.
Days blurred together as that doubt deepened.
The length of time he lost consciousness remained the same, and yet he continued to wake, even when he thought it would be his last sleep.
By even the most conservative estimate, it had been well over two months. And then, for the first time, a thought surfaced—unbidden but undeniable.
Am I even human?
It wasn't a fleeting whim or a joke, the kind which teenagers entertained when their imaginations ran wild.
No, this was a genuine question, born from his own physical condition and the impossible endurance he was exhibiting.
When the fissure in the foundation of his identity enlarged, going as far as doubting his own existence, a crown-shaped trinket buried deep within his consciousness cracked, releasing a wisp of pitch-black smoke.
The moment it touched his consciousness, Eryndor felt himself stretch— everywhere , all at once. All his senses suddenly went haywire.
A flurry of voices exploded in his mind, growing louder with each passing second.
They seemed like memories. A lot of them. All at once.
"Arghhh!"
His scream tore from his throat, guttural and hoarse, a result of months without water or speech.
His body crumpled to the floor, his hands clutching his head.
Around him, small stones from the fallen structure began to levitate, forming a protective barrier that spun rapidly.
The wisp of black smoke withdrew from Eryndor's consciousness, as if it had suddenly realized the consequences it had unleashed.
It retreated toward the crown-shaped trinket hovering in the distance, now trembling violently as if it were fighting to contain the force it had sealed away for so long.
The moment the smoke touched the crown, it was as if the balance had shifted.
The trinket shattered, breaking into countless golden fragments that swirled around, merging with the powers it had been sealing.
A few moments later, a dazzling Golden Palace deep within Eryndor's mind stood in place of the crown.
When he opened his eyes, what greeted Eryndor wasn't the usual wreckage of the building, but a huge palace of gold.
With little effort, Eryndor pushed open the massive gates and stepped into the grand hall. The space stretched out before him, with eight rooms branching off from the central area.
At the heart of the hall stood three altars, each one bearing a black orb, silently rotating in the air above it. As he drew closer, a faint glimmer caught his eye.
The altar was etched with a small line of text, intricately carved into its surface.
[Passive Regeneration - Stable]
[Telekinesis - Active]
[Cognitive Scrying - Active]
Are these the abilities I have? No wonder I didn't die, Passive Regeneration might have played a hand in it.
Eryndor understood the meanings of the words, but the terms 'Stable' and 'Active' eluded him.
He pondered briefly: Are those levels? Ranks for abilities? Which one was better—Stable or Active?
He shook his head, trying to clear the confusion. There was no point in dwelling on things he couldn't understand right now.
Turning his attention back to the massive doors, he stepped forward and attempted to push them open. Despite his full strength, none of the doors budged—except for one.
It trembled slightly as he pressed against it.
This one... this is the one I can open. Probably.
He stepped back, gathering himself, and charged toward the door. He slammed his shoulder into it with all his might.
The door shook violently but refused to give way. Panting, he steadied himself, took a deep breath, and tried again.
The result was the same, no matter how much force he applied. The door remained unmoved.
It feels like I am missing something.
Eryndor narrowed his eyes, recalling the flood of information that had crashed into his mind just before he arrived in this place.
Most of it was irrelevant, but there were intriguing pieces that seemed to offer him some understanding.
Some of those pieces hinted at a way to open the door before him.
This world was entirely normal. The Universe only allowed lifeforms of level 0; that is, mortals.
But 200 years ago, The Cosmic Limit increased from 0 to 1 – Qi, Mana, Spiritual Energy, and Internal Energy surged in various parts of the Earth.
Ordinary people couldn't feel this subtle shift, but those who had the right techniques could harness these energies, gaining powers beyond the norm.
These people could elevate themselves from mortals to something greater.
Where did these techniques come from? The Eight Outer Domains that had invaded Earth.
The Cosmic Limit was the threshold that determined the level of lifeform allowed by the universe.
Two centuries ago, when the Cosmic Limit had risen from 0 to 1, Earth instantly faced the invasion of the Eight Outer Domains.
The Cosmic Limit had, in a way, protected humanity on Earth, as it prevented the truly dangerous beings of Outer Domains from entering and wiping out humanity or enslaving them.
Only lifeforms at level 1 or below were allowed, ones which could be dealt with by the current technology of Earth.
But the Eight Outer Domains weren't Earth's only concern. There were also the Anomalies—unpredictable, deadly entities that killed indiscriminately.
These creatures had no specific form or power, not even a guarantee of a conscious mind.
Their only purpose was destruction, and they were feared and hated by both the Human Federation and the Outer Domains alike.
Among the flood of information, one fragment stood out—an unsettling clue that made Eryndor question his very existence.
There were places in the universe that weren't affected by the suppression of the Cosmic Limit.
It was theorized that these places were home to beings so powerful they could disregard the Cosmic Limit.
These beings were called Eldritch Entities, and the realms they inhabited were known as Forbidden Voids.
All known Eldritch Entities had been observed to possess Cognitive Scrying and Telekinesis.
Could I be one of them? Would I need to master those techniques in order to open the door?
Eryndor knew the Human Federation would soon come to him as his feat of surviving three months without food and water reached them.
He had decided to join them, to acquire the practice techniques and know more about himself.