A dull ache throbbed behind Lumis's eyes as consciousness returned—slow, reluctant. The soft rustle of leaves outside the window and the gentle crackle of fire were the first things he noticed. He was lying in a bed of thick woolen blankets, the scent of dried herbs and burning oak lingering in the air. It was warm—too warm to be the battlefield.
He blinked against the sunlight filtering through the wooden shutters.
"Where… am I?" he murmured, trying to sit up.
A voice answered from nearby. Calm, deep, and composed.
"You're in my home. I found you unconscious and bleeding out on the ground," said the man. "You're lucky I came by when I did."
Lumis turned his head and froze.
The man standing before him wasn't entirely human.
Lumis turned his head. A tall figure stood near the door—white hair flowing past his shoulders, golden slit eyes glowing faintly. Two dragon horns curved from each side of his head.
"Are you… a dragon?" Lumis asked, his voice trembling slightly.
The man gave a faint smile. "Half. I'm a hybrid—human and dragonblood."
"…Thank you," Lumis said quietly, bowing his head. "For saving me."
The man nodded. "Name's Draziel."
But before Lumis could say more, the mark on his neck suddenly flared to life.
"Gh—ah!" he gasped, clutching at the side of his throat.
The pain was unbearable.
Fire raced through his nerves. His vision blurred with red. In his mind, he heard the screams—beasts crying out in their final moments, dozens of deaths collapsing into his body at once. His back arched off the bed, blood spilling from his lips.
Draziel stepped forward, alarmed. "Hey! What's happening? I healed all your wounds—there shouldn't be any internal damage!"
The dragonborn hybrid placed a hand on Lumis's chest, checking for internal damage. "No ruptures, no broken bones… then what—?"
Lumis couldn't answer—he could barely breathe. His curse mark blazed with crimson light, pulsing with each phantom death.
This is the price… he thought. This is the curse. The agony of dying beasts… flooding into me.
"I'll bring a Saint," Draziel said quickly. He rushed out of the house.
Moments later, he returned with a woman cloaked in gold and white. Her hands glowed with healing magic. She placed her palms over Lumis's chest, murmured a chant, and slowly the convulsions ceased. The curse mark dimmed… but didn't vanish.
Lumis lay still, breathing heavily. "Thank you… again."
Draziel folded his arms. "You've got something strange wrapped around your soul. That wasn't natural pain."
"It's a curse," Lumis said through gritted teeth. "It was… placed on me. Every time a beast dies—I feel its death."
Draziel stared at him. "That's… twisted. Who did this to you?"
Lumis looked away.
"I don't know his name."
Draziel didn't push further. Instead, he leaned back and crossed his arms. His armor clinked softly with the motion.
Draziel raised a brow but didn't press. Instead, he sat across from Lumis.
"You asked if there are many races in the Trials of Lineage?" he said, changing the subject.
Lumis nodded weakly.
"Yes," Draziel answered. "Uncountable. This world—the Trials of Lineage—pulls beings from different universes. We were dragged here. None of us came willingly."
"Dragged?" Lumis echoed.
"Yes. We didn't choose this. We were taken. Pulled from our universes and thrown into the trials."
"…Then why are we here?"
Draziel shrugged. "To prove something. Or to die trying. Each Trial eliminates the weak—and only those who climb all the way to the top earn the right to ask 'why.'"
Lumis hesitated, then asked, "Are you trying to clear the Trials too? If so… maybe we could team up."
Draziel scoffed. "Team up? You're not even strong enough to kill a goblin."
Lumis lowered his gaze. His fists clenched at his sides.
But Draziel's tone softened after a beat. "Still… you've got guts. I'll think about it."
Lumis looked up, surprised. "You mean it?"
"Yeah," Draziel replied. "Don't get your hopes up, but maybe."
Before either could say more, a sudden chime echoed in the air.
A glowing message appeared before both of them—and across the entire Trial I zone.
> [System Message]
A New Record Has Been Registered
[Void Walker has cleared Trial I]
[Time: 1 hour 23 minutes]
[Void Walker is now Ranked #3 across all Trial I competitors]
The message burned into the sky for all to see. All across the fractured continents of Trial I, chatter broke out— pausing mid-combat to stare at the impossible announcement.
The room fell silent.
Lumis blinked. "Who's Void Walker? Why's everyone shocked? Third place isn't first."
Draziel didn't answer immediately. He stared at the message, eyes narrowing.
"You don't get it," he said at last, voice quiet but cold. "The ranking board isn't just for Trial I—it includes everyone across the known Trials. Including monsters from the Legendary Households. People who've trained across dimensions for centuries."
"This leaderboard has contenders from the Legendary Households. Every name there is someone powerful… from realms far beyond ours. Most are already in the higher Trials."
He paused.
"To reach third place… in the very first Trial… alone…" Draziel stood slowly. "That's not just impressive. That's terrifying."
Lumis frowned. "Then who is he?"
Draziel's golden eyes gleamed.
"The birth of something the higher realms haven't seen in ages," he said.
"The birth of the Trialreaper."