Existence

Atlas felt relief wash over him as the fight ended. Somehow, he had managed to defeat a Sentinel-ranked monster, a feat he'd barely dreamed of accomplishing. True, he'd fought against powerful foes before, but this was a rank above his own.

He marveled at the victory. Fighting a creature with such strength, one-on-one, seemed impossible—yet he'd survived. However, the aftereffects of the battle were catching up to him. Glancing down, he saw claw marks slashed across his torso, with blood slowly seeping through. Adrenaline had numbed the pain, but now it pulsed fiercely.

Gritting his teeth, he pressed a hand to his wounds, trying to stem the bleeding.

As he did so, a figure appeared from above. Ivan dropped silently from a tree branch, landing without a sound. He had been watching the whole time.

"Good job, my dear vessel. The gods are pleased with you—impressed, even," Ivan intoned, his voice carrying a hint of reverence. He raised his hands as if in prayer. "In fact, they have decreed that you receive a gift for your performance."

He moved his hands forward, and a soft shimmer appeared in the air between them. To Atlas's amazement, his wounds began to reverse, the torn skin mending itself swiftly. The healing was faster than anything Iris had ever managed.

Atlas was astonished. Could Ivan really be this powerful? Or perhaps… was this the work of the gods Ivan claimed to serve?

Ivan's chanting ceased, and with a final gesture, he produced something from thin air—a cloak, as dark as night, with gleaming runic symbols embroidered down the sides in gold. Ivan held it out reverently.

"This, my dear vessel, is the Gods' Will," he said. "A Veiled-ranked item, blessed by the divine. Wear it well."

Atlas was surprised by this magic trick of making it appear from thin air, he took the cloak, feeling its weight and power. As he slipped it on, he noticed the intricate runes and a subtle shimmer to the fabric. He drew the hood over his head experimentally, and Ivan grinned.

"Unseen," Ivan murmured. "With the hood raised, your face is hidden from the sight of others. This is the will of the gods—to let you walk unknown."

Atlas nodded, thankful as the cloak sat on him a connection was made in his Aether room, 

Diving down he saw a new set of lines this one not on the same wall as the others but this time on the wall to his left.

It read.

{Gods will}

Rank - Veiled

Level - 0/4

" The gods have blessed those who have deserved it with their power, a certain god took interest in a small insignificant creature who impressed him, doing so he gave the power of confidentiality."

…

Meanwhile, in the ocean above, a broken slab drifted. Cracks spider-webbed across its surface, and dried blood marked its jagged edges. A woman with blond hair sat atop it, biding her time. When the slab finally touched a nearby wall with a dull thud, she rose, her hand drifting to the hilt of a sword at her side.

She withdrew a small, glistening object, as if forged from water itself, and checked her surroundings carefully before stowing it back in her pack. Then, with measured movements, she tapped her fingers against the wall, her knuckles rapping in a precise rhythm. After hours of persistence, a soft click sounded, and a narrow staircase appeared in the wall, leading away.

The woman allowed herself a small smile as she disappeared into the passage.

…

Atlas sat beside a campfire, watching as the flames flickered and cast shadows across Ivan's face. The two roasted chunks of the monster's flesh, the air filled with a rich, smoky scent. Ivan was teaching him how to separate edible meat from the bones, guiding him through the basics. Yet every time Atlas asked a question about the trial or the gods, Ivan's responses were frustratingly cryptic.

"In due time, the gods will show you the way," Ivan said with an infuriating smile.

Finally, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, Atlas asked, "Ivan, what rank are you?"

Ivan's hand stilled, and he turned to look at Atlas, his eyes gleaming. He shifted closer, lifting a single finger to the sky, the firelight illuminating his face in an eerie glow.

"My dear vessel, questions are the true beauty of this world. Without them, there would be no answers to seek." He smirked. "Did you know that in this world, there are those who elevate their power to unprecedented heights? The gods know this well—they bless the strong-willed and, at times, even the fortunate."

Atlas tried to make sense of the response, but Ivan wasn't finished.

"You might wonder why I'm confined here, bound to this trial," he continued. "But the gods have their reasons. Their will is eternal, unchanging. If I told you everything now, the pieces would fall out of place."

Atlas was used to such cryptic replies by now. If the gods truly had plans for him, they would be revealed in time. He resolved to push the questions from his mind as they finished their meal.

After a moment's silence, he asked, "I'm already a Veiled, even though this is my first trial. If I complete it, what rank will I be?"

Ivan didn't look up but replied promptly, "Upon completing this trial, you will become a Sentinel. But you will not be an average Sentinel. This trial is… different, more dangerous, with far too many participants. The rewards for surviving will be substantial. In fact, they might rival those of the first Door trial."

This revelation intrigued Atlas. He hadn't fully grasped the scale of this trial or the ranking system yet. If people of Ivan's strength were here, there had to be a reason—something unique about this particular Door.

Lost in thought, he lay back against a sleeping bag Ivan had set out for him. Before he knew it, his exhaustion took over, and he drifted into a fitful sleep, the dark cloak wrapped around him, and the golden runes glinting faintly in the firelight.

In his dreams, Atlas pondered what all this meant, realizing something he had overlooked. Somehow, he had received an item with a rank and a description that hinted at a god's power. Could gods truly exist? Had Ivan been less of a madman and more of a genuine worshipper?

The item was ranked Veiled. Did this mean that items, too, could reach ranks as high as Paragon or even Celestial?

Gods... might exist.