3: A New Beginning

Niva listened to the man's words, considering his proposal. She knew she needed to gain more power if she wanted to survive in the abyss and seek revenge. Becoming this man's disciple could be her only chance at gaining the knowledge and skills she needed to a way out of this place.

"Fine, my name is Niva" Niva finally said, trying to keep the hope in her voice from showing too much. "I'll become your disciple. However, I'll have you know that my veins were severed, and I have no way to become a mage anymore."

"Severed veins? Are you sure? Take a look into your body," the man replied, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Niva did as she was told, carefully inspecting her body. To her surprise, her severed veins were fine, as if they were never destroyed, and she could feel more power than when she had awakened.

"What happened to me?" Niva asked, bewildered by the sudden change.

"That is a good question, my dear disciple, and one that I do not have the answer to," the man replied with a smirk.

Niva squinted her eyes at the man's sarcastic remark, feeling a mix of frustration and curiosity.

"Very well then, my name is Sylas," he said, his voice softening, "you don't have to call me Master or Teach or any of those boring titles. I am a master of the dark arts, so I'll teach you how to use those powers you've gained from absorbing those souls. My arts do not use souls, but it's ideal for you to learn, with your talents, it wouldn't be an exageration to say you can become an archmage in this lifetime."

Sylas stood up and walked to the other side of the cave, where he picked up a black orb. "This orb is a manifestation of your soul, Niva. It's what separates you from the other souls trapped in this abyss."

Niva looked at the orb, her eyes widening in surprise. She had never heard of such a thing before.

Sylas continued, "To become my disciple, you must learn to control your soul, and by extension, control the souls of those around you. You must become stronger, faster, and more resilient than any other soul in this abyss. Only then will you be able to leave this place."

Niva took the orb from Sylas, feeling its weight in her hand. She then looked up at him and said, "I will do whatever it takes to become your disciple and leave this place."

Sylas nodded, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "We have a lot of work to do then. First, you must learn to control your soul. It will not be easy, but I will teach you everything you need to know."

Niva had already survived the abyss for two months, and she was willing to do whatever it took to escape this place. Especially if she could become an archmage, a legendary feat that has not been accomplished in over a thousand years. Even Wanu, one of the top mages, was but a Sorcerer.

"Mages are categorized by levels, right?" Niva asked, recalling her education by the Mage Clan. "Apprentice, Mage, Wizard, Warlock, Sorcerer, High Mage, and Archmage."

"Yes, that is correct," Sylas replied, nodding his head. "Let's focus on the present. You have a long way to go before you can learn anything. Your body is still healing, and you're just a pile of bones right now. We'll start your training soon."

"I'm ready though," Niva insisted, her determination unwavering.

"No young lady, you are not," Sylas said firmly, shaking his head. "It seems you've forgotten where we are. Over here at the mouth of this cave is very laid back, there are some easy going souls that'll just let you absorb them, but prepare yourself. Once we're inside, they might absorb you if you're careless."

Inhaling a breath of air tainted with the stench of death and smoke, Niva acknowledged her naivety and resolved to trust Sylas's teachings. He had yet to inquire about her origins or how a 12-year-old had stumbled into the Abyss of Tormented Souls.

Niva appreciated this and had no intention of dwelling on the past. She could not afford to grieve, nor could she retrieve her parents' remains. Emotion had no place in her mission.

"Good," Sylas nodded, his eyes conveying approval. "Now, before we head in, you'll need to absorb every single soul in the valley. Not one less. Once you're done, we'll make our way inside."

After finishing her roasted meat, Niva rose to examine the valley, where the air seared her lungs and the stench of death was pervasive. The jagged rocks underfoot were treacherous, and the ethereal souls that coiled around each other, resembling smoke and hair, looked ominous. Despite absorbing more than 20 souls, the prospect of absorbing over a thousand more made Niva apprehensive.

Niva steadied herself, turned to face Sylas, and met his curious gaze. With determination in her voice, she pledged, "I won't let you down."

Sylas gave her a small smile, and then his expression turned serious. "Remember, Niva, absorbing souls is not an easy task. It will drain you both physically and mentally. However, it is necessary if you want to succeed."

Niva nodded, knowing that Sylas was right. She had already felt the drain on her energy after absorbing just a few souls, but she was determined to see this through to the end.