Awakening

The corpse's eyes snapped open, and cloudy gray irises suddenly became sharp with awareness. Raven stumbled back, his heart pounding against his ribcage like a frenzied bull. The syringe slipped from the doctor's trembling fingers, clattering to the sterile floor of the lab.

"Master... Raven..." The words rasped from the once-dead man's throat, guttural and raw.

Raven's gaze darted to the doctors, their faces covered in shock and barely contained glee. He'd seen that look before—the same look they had given him the first time they had laid their eyes upon him.

The metal of the chains that bound him to the medical bed unconsciously became less cold as he stared into the corpse's eyes. 

The corpse sat up, bones cracking as it moved for the first time in God knows how long. Its gaze never left Raven. As the two locked eyes, Raven could feel the slightest connection start forming between them, and something deep inside him shuddered in delight.

For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, everything changed.

Blue text flickered into existence before Raven's eyes, hovering in the air like some otherworldly hologram:

[The first Awakened of Earth has Emerged] 

[Earth is being merged into the Infinite Realms…]

Raven blinked, wondering if he'd finally cracked under the endless experiments. But the text remained, and something deep in his core told him what he was feeling was real.

The connection he felt when he looked at the corpse made his soul shudder with euphoria.

[Earth's Inhabitants will now enter hibernation]

Raven awoke with a gasp, his body jerking upright. Soft grass cushioned his lower half, starkly contrasting the cold metal tables he'd grown accustomed to. The air was fresh, tinged with wildflowers—smells he'd almost forgotten in his years of captivity.

He blinked, adjusting to the warm sunlight. A vast meadow stretched before him, dotted with colorful blooms and surrounded by a dense forest. In the distance, snow-capped mountains pierced a sky so vibrantly blue it almost hurt to look at.

"Where..." Raven's voice cracked, unused to speaking. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Where am I?"

[Welcome to the Infinite Realms, Raven of Earth]

The blue text appeared again, floating in the air before him. Raven flinched, then steeled himself. If this was madness, it was far preferable to the reality he'd left behind.

[You are Earth's first Awakened. The Cosmic Combat Trials await. They are your path to the rest of the Infinite Realms]

"Cosmic... Combat?" Raven muttered, confused and fearful. He'd never fought, never been allowed to defend himself, and the thought of combat sent a chill of fear and anticipation down his spine.

[Your first trial begins now. Survive, and ascend the ranks.]

The text vanished, replaced by a shimmering portal that materialized a few feet away. Raven stood, his legs shaky. He approached the portal cautiously, studying its swirling energies.

A twig snapped behind him. Raven whirled, his heart racing.

At the edge of the meadow stood the corpse he'd reanimated. But it wasn't a corpse anymore. If he could be called that, the man looked alive, his skin a healthy tan, his eyes clear and alert.

"Master," the man said, bowing his head slightly. "I am honored to serve as your familiar."

Raven could feel the connection between him and this man even stronger than he felt back in the lab. He didn't feel afraid and even felt he couldn't be more safe than with this man. "Who... what are you?"

"I am whatever you wish me to be, Master. My name, my purpose—they are yours to decide."

[Undead Familiar - Level 1]

[Rank: Unique (Made before system initialization)]

[Owner: Raven]

Raven's mind reeled. A familiar? Like in the fantasy books, he'd read during his captivity? He shook his head, trying to clear it. "I... I don't understand. What's happening?"

The man—the familiar—gestured to the portal. "The trials await, Master. Your journey begins there."

Raven looked between the familiar and the portal, indecision paralyzing him. Part of him wanted to run, to hide in this peaceful meadow and pretend none of this was real. But a smaller, fiercer part whispered of opportunity, freedom, and power.

He clenched his fist. What was he waiting for? He wanted freedom and the power to change the fate that his 'gift' had plagued him with.

Before he charged headfirst into the portal, he looked into the gray irises and said, "Your name is now Havar, and as for your purpose… you shall lead others of your kind to help me claim power in whatever the hell these Infinite Realms are."

Havar grinned and fell to one knee, shouting, "Yes, Master Raven! Havar shall follow your commands and lead your legions of death to conquer the Infinite Realms and make all living beings into your servants for eternity!"

Raven's mouth twitched. "I love your enthusiasm, but I have no goal of conquering the Infinite Realms. Let's start with getting enough power to survive first. Then we can talk about greater goals."

Raven's eyes went cold. "Like taking revenge on those scum doctors and my despicable birthgivers."

With a final glance at his surroundings, Raven stepped through the shimmering portal.

The world twisted, reality-bending around him. When it settled, Raven stood on a raised platform overlooking a vast arena. Rocky terrain stretched out below, dotted with boulders and scraggly vegetation. Floating islands hovered in the air, defying gravity. The sky above was a deep purple, unmarred by sun or clouds.

[First Ranked Trial: Calibration]

[Objective: Survive against increasingly difficult waves of enemies for as long as possible. Death in this trial is not possible]

[Reward: Combat Rank F0-C9, Tutorial Points, Access to Basic Training Facilities, Mana Bath, Receive or Multiply Any Pre-System Rewards]

The blue text appeared again, accompanied by a holographic timer counting from ten.

[10]

Raven's heart pounded, his palms slick with sweat.

[9]

He had no weapons, no training, no idea what to expect.

[8]

He suddenly glanced to his left and, with shocked eyes, saw Havar and his wild smile.

[7]

The two locked eyes, and Havar laughed. "Master, your General will kill any who dare to stand in your way to greatness."

[6]

Raven suddenly smacked his forehead. 'I forgot to ask Havar about the trial before jumping into the portal. He's a familiar recognized by the system. He must have some basic knowledge about the system and the Infiinite Realms. Why didn't I-'

The timer hit zero.