The Abyss

Chapter 17: The Truth

"A... a God?"

The words left Dominic’s throat as a ragged whisper. Behind him, the professors and the Eldrion siblings stood frozen, the ambient mana in the room fluctuating wildly under the weight of their collective shock.

"Yes," Sebastian stated, his expression completely level. "He is the sole reason we breached the rift and returned to the human world alive."

Celestine stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Sebastian... just how powerful is an entity like that?"

"After Edward and I combined our magic to obliterate the capital city of Morvane," Sebastian said, his eyes darkening as he recalled the memory, "we witnessed him firsthand. He was completely toying with the 2nd Supreme Lord, effortlessly rewriting the space around him using high-tier time manipulation. Edward and I stepped forward to assist, but he waved us off. He told us he wanted to enjoy breaking his brother a little longer."

The room plunged into utter confusion.

"Brother?" Instructor Ronan blurted out, shaking his head. "What do you mean, *brother*? Are they siblings from an ancient era?"

"The 2nd Supreme Lord of the Abyss is a fallen god," Sebastian explained. "That is why Lucian called him brother. He was directly complicit in the forbidden arts engineered by the 1st Supreme Lord."

Professor Selene pressed a hand to her temple, her academic mind racing. "Do you actually know their true identities?"

"I do," Sebastian nodded. "The one who pulled us from the dark is Lucian Drax. The 1st Supreme Lord ruling the Abyss is Kristoff Valemont. And the 2nd Supreme Lord is Azrael Eclipse. Once, they stood as the highest deities of the upper heavens, but Kristoff and Azrael betrayed the divine laws, forging a forbidden magic that corrupted their essence. For that heresy, they were cast down into the darkest depths of the Abyss."

Lucas stepped toward the edge of the obsidian table, his gaze locked onto the two teenagers. "You mentioned destroying a capital city... how did the two of you possibly achieve enough destructive mass to erase Morvane?"

Edward stepped forward, a dangerous, confident smirk breaking across his features. "We forced a resonance. We pulled our distinct mana signatures into a singular focal point. I manifested a dense, localized black hole, and the exact moment the singularity stabilized, Sebastian overlaid his Time Erasure magic directly onto the event horizon. When the two attributes collided, we launched it into the heart of the capital. Within a fraction of a second, the iron spires, the bastions, the entire kingdom... it vanished without a trace. Nothing but a hollow bowl of glass."

Dominic staggered back, his face turning pale. "Impossible... No mortal can force a mana resonance with another caster. The ancient grimoires state it plainly colliding opposing attributes results in total core implosion. The books leave no room for debate."

Edward let out a low, humorless laugh, leaning over the table. "Your books are a lie, King Dominic. They were written by ancient scholars who feared what humanity could achieve if they breached the upper thresholds. They handed you those limitations so you would willingly accept a ceiling. But the absolute truth? You don't have a limit."

The revelation struck the room like a physical blow. Lucas and Luke felt their knees buckle, stumbling slightly as they gripped the edges of their chairs.

"So... the foundations of our magic... the academy texts... they lied to us?" Dominic murmured, his voice cracking.

"Most of the texts are inaccurate, though a few fragments hold truth," Sebastian answered smoothly. "The real reason Edward and I spent our nights locked away in the academy library wasn't to study for exams it was to cross-reference human theory against Abyssal reality. The texts claimed specific potion synthesis and mana compressions were lethal. We tested them anyway. We achieved advanced high-tier results every single time."

Dominic looked up, a fierce, desperate spark igniting in his eyes. "So... our current power level isn't our final ceiling?"

"Exactly," Edward confirmed, crossing his arms. "Your magic originates from within your own consciousness. If you can master absolute control over your intent, the advanced tiers will unlock naturally."

The Eldrion siblings turned their heads toward Sebastian, silently begging for confirmation.

"It's true," Sebastian said with a reassuring nod.

Lucas and Luke exchanged a sharp, competitive glance before stepping forward together. "Since the two of you have fought entities on the level of the 2nd Supreme Lord... will you grant us a combat trial? A real, unbridled sparring session?" Lucas asked, his fighting spirit flaring. "We want to experience the true weight of that threshold."

Sebastian smiled faintly. "If you want to feel the scale of the Abyss, we can simulate it. But keep in mind even we haven't reached the absolute peak of the gods."

Edward looked around the room, a challenge gleaming in his eyes. "Is anyone else planning to step into the ring?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Dominic, Celestine, Valencia, Ivan, Isolde, Seraphina, Ronan, and Selene all raised their hands.

"Excellent," Sebastian said. "Tomorrow morning, at the academy’s central battlegrounds."

"Don't hold anything back," Edward added, his tone turning dead serious. "True power only unlocks when your back is completely against the wall, at the deepest point of your personal struggle. Tomorrow, we are going to push every single one of you to that edge so you can finally awaken your hidden special attributes."

Dominic met his youngest son's gaze, a proud, fierce grin breaking through his exhaustion. "Do not pull your punches, Sebastian. Show your father what you are truly capable of."

Sebastian’s smile widened, his eyes flashing with a brief spark of crimson. "I expect the same from you, Father."

Instructor Ronan cleared his throat, a sudden realization hitting him. "Wait... tomorrow is a standard academy session. The entire student body will be present."

"Let them watch," Lucas countered, his voice ringing with absolute finality. "Once the training duel concludes, we will stand before the entire kingdom and officially announce that the youngest heir of the Eldrion family has returned."

The professors and the family nodded in fierce agreement. After another hour of detailing the coordinates for the trial, Professor Selene and Instructor Ronan stood up, bowing politely.

"We will take our leave for the night," Selene said softly. "Give you some time to speak privately with your son."

Edward stretched his arms over his head, walking toward the grand doors. "I'm going to head up to the rooftop balcony. I need some fresh air."

As the heavy doors clicked shut behind them, Dominic walked across the obsidian floor, stopping inches from Sebastian. He reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he placed it on his son's shoulder. "How did you survive, Sebastian? How did you become this strong?"

Sebastian looked down at his palms. "When Edward first kidn*pped me, his original intention wasn't to execute me. He needed the raw essence of high-tier human blood to fuel a resurrection array for his late father. But before he could initiate the ritual, our coordinates were compromised, and an Abyssal vanguard invaded his sanctuary."

Luke leaned forward. "What happened next?"

"We were forced to flee together," Sebastian said. "During our escape through the rifts, Edward looked at me and asked a single question: *'Do you want to become strong?'* I told him yes. He led me to his final hidden stronghold in the deep sectors. The moment we crossed the threshold, a massive, ancient surge of raw mana began swirling around my core. I couldn't even comprehend the density of it... until the 1st Supreme Lord, Kristoff Valemont himself, breached the sector. He struck me down instantly."

A collective gasp echoed through the room. The reality of his suffering settled heavily over his siblings' shoulders.

Dominic’s voice was tight. "He killed you instantly...? Just how terrifying is the power of the 1st Supreme Lord?"

"To this day, I don't know his true limits," Sebastian answered honestly.

"So your entire awakening... it truly originated from the resurrection protocol of the System?" Dominic asked.

"Yes. The System initialized at the moment of my physical death. It granted me Darkness as my foundational element, along with a secondary passive trait: the ability to assimilate and replicate the powers of defeated adversaries."

Ivan's eyes widened. "So you can steal *any* enemy's power—"

"No," Sebastian interrupted gently, cutting him off. "It’s strictly regulated by the System's compatibility constraints. My soul has to be capable of enduring the strain of the attribute. It gifted me Darkness first because during my final moments, I was trapped in absolute despair. I spent my entire youth believing I was nothing but a useless burden to this family... and the System manifested that psychological darkness into a physical weapon."

Isolde choked back a sob, quickly stepping forward to break the heavy tension. "Your childhood room is fully prepared, Sebastian. We... we never changed a single thing. Whenever the silence in this mansion became too loud, we would sleep there just to feel close to you."

Valencia looked toward the grand windows. "What about your friend, Edward? Where will he stay?"

Sebastian turned to his father, his expression deadpan but earnest. "Father... can we officially adopt Edward into the Eldrion lineage? Just like we did with Luke?" He paused, his voice softening. "We are brothers in every sense of the word. We forged our bonds in the trenches of the Abyss, surviving off each other's shadows while fighting legions of monsters."

Dominic looked at Celestine. The matriarch smiled through her lingering tears and gave a gentle, definitive nod.

"Consider it done," Dominic announced. "From this night forward, he carries the protection of our name."

An hour later, Sebastian, Luke, Ivan, Isolde, Valencia, Seraphina, and Lucas ascended the grand spiral staircase to the rooftop balcony, carrying a crate of traditional celebratory drinks. But as they neared the threshold of the open roof, the sound of a fractured, sobbing voice stopped them in their tracks.

Edward was leaning against the stone balustrade, his head buried in his hands, his shoulders shaking violently as he cried out into the cold night wind.

"Father... Mother... why did you leave me all alone?!" Edward’s voice cracked, raw with years of buried agony. "I miss you so much... it hurts so bad..."

The heartbreaking sight pulled tears from the Eldrion siblings. Lucas didn't hesitate. He stepped out onto the moonlit balcony, walking straight up to Edward and placing a firm, heavy hand on his trembling shoulder.

"You aren't alone anymore, Edward," Lucas said, his voice thick with emotion. "Look at us. You have a family now."

Ivan stepped up to his other side, offering a warm smile. "He's right. You're our brother now."

Edward wiped his eyes hurriedly, his breath hitching as he looked at them. "I just... I miss them. I had to stand there and watch the 1st Supreme Lord s*******r my mother and father right in front of my eyes. I didn't step in... I didn't help them because I was following their final command to run and survive... but the guilt is killing me."

Sebastian walked up, standing directly in front of his companion. "Edward, look around you. You have a sanctuary now. We became brothers in the dirt of the Abyss, and that bond doesn't break on the surface. I spoke with my father—the Eldrion house has officially adopted you. You are one of us now."

Isolde wiped a tear from her cheek, letting out a soft laugh. "Yeah, so you better get used to us. Our little brother practically begged Father to make it official."

Luke raised his glass, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Which means we grow stronger together, we survive together, and we train together."

Edward stared at them, the heavy isolation that had haunted his entire life finally fracturing. A genuine, watery smile broke through his grief as he wiped the last of his tears away. "Thank you... truly."

"Alright, enough crying!" Lucas shouted, popping open the bottles and handing them out. "Let's have a real drink!"

"To family!" Ivan cheered.

The glasses clinked under the starlight. Lucas took a deep swig, setting his bottle down with a grin. "Tomorrow, you better show us every single ounce of that Abyssal strength. We won't hold back either."

"We'll push you until your true potential unlocks," Edward chuckled, his signature confidence returning.

"Don't pull your punches," Luke challenged.

Sebastian clinked his glass against Luke's. "Let's find out tomorrow."

After hours of sharing stories, laughter, and drinks under the midnight sky, the siblings finally retreated to their respective chambers to rest. Only Sebastian and Edward remained on the balcony, watching the quiet horizon of the academy city.

Edward leaned against the railing, turning to Sebastian. "So, what’s the play for tomorrow's exhibition? Are we dropping our full cosmic output, or are we just giving them a little taste?"

Sebastian smiled faintly, taking one last look at the stars. "Just a fraction, Edward. A little taste is more than enough to shatter their limits."

"Roger that," Edward smirked. "Let’s get some sleep. We have an early start at the academy."

"Yeah," Sebastian replied.

Turning away from the balcony, the two legends walked back into the mansion, finally falling into a deep, peaceful sleep, ready for the storm they were about to unleash on the battlegrounds tomorrow.