THE FORSAKEN CHOSEN

The Birth of the Forbidden Vessel

Chapter 2

The Birth of the Forbidden Vessel

Rowan screamed, his fists pounding against the wall until blood ran down his hands and feet. The monstrous roars drew closer—hundreds of them, rushing like a storm toward him.

Just as one leapt forward, claws stretching to tear him apart, the wall beside him shattered. Jai burst through the debris, his power radiating like lightning. With a single kick, he sent the monster crashing backward.

“Run, Rowan!” Jai shouted as Lulu appeared beside him, joining the fight. Together, they held the monsters at bay.

But before Rowan could move, a shadow flashed behind Jai—a red-haired man. With a cruel grin, he drove an ice blade straight through Jai’s back, then turned and plunged another into Lulu.

“Jai!!” Rowan screamed, rushing forward. The red-haired man only laughed, his comrades echoing the sound—a twisted harmony of triumph and mockery.

Red Hair stepped toward Rowan. “You know, I almost used you as bait during our treasure hunts,” he sneered. “But these two fools kept protecting you. Dying with them today is the only honor you’ll ever get.”

He struck Rowan hard across the face, sending him crashing to the ground. The monsters surged forward, separating Rowan from the bleeding bodies of Jai and Lulu.

Rowan stretched his trembling hand toward them, his voice breaking.

“Why… why does it have to be like this?”

Memories flashed—how the heroes mocked him, how they treated his powerless parents like dirt. He had believed the strong were meant to protect the weak. But now, surrounded by death, he saw only cruelty.

Tears burned down his face. “I swear… I’ll avenge them all! Even if it kills me!”

One of the monsters grabbed his arm, dragging him across the ground. Red Hair smirked and sealed the area with a wall of magic, laughing as Rowan struggled.

The boy’s screams echoed, his heart pounding with rage and despair. He cursed the gods, cursed the heroes, cursed the world that abandoned him. As his vision dimmed, he saw the so-called heroes walking away with their families—safe, smiling, unscarred.

His breath slowed. His eyes closed.

And then—darkness.

Not the blind kind… but one that breathed. One that watched.

Rowan awoke in a vast, endless void. No walls. No ceiling. Only a black expanse stretching forever. Yet above him, orbs of fire floated among wings of light—celestial beings, saints, and forgotten gods all staring down at him.

Then, a voice spoke—deep and divine, echoing through his bones.

> “Child of the Crushed… Soul of the Abandoned… arise.”

Rowan fell to his knees, trembling. A being stepped forth from the brilliance—its face shining like a thousand suns. He couldn’t bear to look.

> “They scorned you for being powerless,” the voice thundered. “But it is the powerless who shake the heavens when granted might.”

The god raised a hand. Runes of ancient power danced in the air—Fire. Ice. Time. Shadows. Blood. Mind. Each surged toward Rowan, flooding into his chest like rivers of light.

> “You are the vessel of the Forbidden Arts—powers no mortal has ever wielded. You will earn each gift by facing the monsters they once feared. Reveal them. Master them. Command them. Even steal the powers of others.”

> “No monster can harm you now. Your soul is unbreakable. Their fangs shall crumble before they reach you.”

Rowan bowed, face pressed to the void, tears of awe streaming down his cheeks.

Then, silence. The gods vanished. A single beam of light pierced the darkness, and in the blink of an eye, he stood outside a cave—alive.

A whisper echoed in his mind.

> “That is the power of the universe. You can teleport now.”

Rowan’s eyes glowed faintly. He turned, and from the mist, a new wave of monsters surrounded him. But this time, he smiled.

“Let’s see what I can do.”

The first monster lunged—and froze midair. In an instant, Rowan vanished and reappeared behind it. With nothing but a touch of his finger, he tapped each monster in a blur of light-speed movement. By the time he stopped, every creature exploded into ash.

More poured in. Rowan’s eyes flared crimson. He summoned a blade of ice formed by thought alone and cut through them effortlessly.

Then—a sudden sting. Something sharper than any blade sliced his face. Blood trickled… then vanished, his wound sealing instantly.

A chilling wind swept through the field. The remaining monsters began to retreat, growling in fear.

The ground trembled. From beneath, a colossal creature emerged, its presence suffocating, its aura thick and ancient. The other monsters bowed before it.

Rowan froze. His heart pounded. His breath caught.

The air itself seemed to whisper—“This one… is different.”

The monster’s eyes glowed like burning suns. Rowan trembled, stepping back as the earth shook beneath its roar.