Chapter 2 - Into the Unknown
WyrmScholar
Your first time is always over so quickly, isn't it?
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Eliard stepped through the glowing portal, his body tingling with residual energy as the world shifted around him once again. He landed with a thud on soft ground, his boots sinking into damp moss. Blinking, he scanned his surroundings.
A dense forest stretched around him, the sky above swirling with stormy clouds that glowed faintly purple. Giant trees with black bark and silver leaves loomed overhead, their branches twisting into shapes that defied logic. Strange bioluminescent plants dotted the forest floor, pulsing softly like a heartbeat.
He had read about this place before in the ancient texts—a fragment of the Shattered Realms, one of the countless dimensions connected to the Tower of Ascension. Each realm had its own rules, its own dangers.
The Codex's voice echoed in his mind.
[Welcome to the Verdant Expanse.]
Objective: Explore and survive.]
Reminder: Death in the Shattered Realms results in permanent loss of progress. Proceed with caution.]
"Comforting," Eliard muttered, brushing dirt off his cloak. He checked his interface.
User: Eliard Grey
Class: Reality Shaper
Level: 2
Abilities: Reality Surge (Basic), Essence Conversion (Basic), Mana Threading (New)
His mana reserves were dangerously low after the Trial. He needed time to recover—and, more importantly, he needed information. What was the Codex's real purpose? Why had it chosen him?
The faint rustle of leaves interrupted his thoughts. His body tensed. Something—or someone—was nearby.
He crouched, slipping behind a twisted tree trunk. The forest was unnervingly silent except for the occasional crackle of energy in the air. His eyes darted across the shadows, searching for movement.
Then he saw her.
A woman emerged from the shadows, moving with the grace of a predator. She wore a dark leather cloak, her face partially obscured by a hood. Twin daggers glinted at her hips, and her eyes—sharp and calculating—glowed faintly purple in the dim light.
Eliard stayed perfectly still, watching her. She didn't appear hostile, but something about her presence set off every alarm in his head.
The woman stopped suddenly, her gaze locking onto him.
"I know you're there," she said, her voice calm but firm. "You're not very good at hiding, you know."
Eliard cursed under his breath and stepped out from behind the tree, hands raised in a show of peace. "Easy. I'm just passing through."
Her eyes narrowed. "Passing through? Nobody just 'passes through' the Verdant Expanse. What are you really doing here?"
"I got… pulled into a portal," Eliard said. It wasn't technically a lie. "Still figuring out where I am."
Her lips twitched into a smirk. "Let me guess—you're one of those rookies who stumbled into the Tower thinking you'd strike it rich, and now you're stuck here with no clue how to survive."
"Something like that," Eliard admitted, lowering his hands. "And you are?"
"Selene," she said, folding her arms. "And if you're smart, you'll turn around and head back through that portal before the real trouble starts."
Eliard glanced back, but the portal had already vanished, leaving nothing but a faint shimmer in the air.
"Yeah, about that," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "I don't think that's an option."
Selene sighed. "Figures. Look, this place isn't kind to newcomers. The Verdant Expanse has a way of… weeding out the weak. Stick with me, and you might live long enough to regret it."
"Generous offer," Eliard said, smiling wryly. "But why help me?"
Her eyes glinted with something unreadable. "Let's just say I have a soft spot for lost causes. And you're about as lost as they come."
Eliard chuckled, relaxing slightly. "Fair enough. I could use the help."
"Good," Selene said, turning on her heel. "Try to keep up."
They moved through the forest at a brisk pace, Selene leading the way with the confidence of someone who had survived this realm for far too long.
"So, what's your story?" she asked over her shoulder. "You don't look like a typical Ascendant."
"I'm not," Eliard said. "I'm a librarian from Miradon. This whole 'system interface' thing is… new to me."
"A librarian?" Selene raised an eyebrow. "That's a first. Most people who get caught up in the Tower's trials are mercenaries or desperate fools looking for power."
"I'm starting to think I might fall into the 'fool' category," Eliard muttered.
Selene laughed—a genuine, musical sound that caught him off guard. "You've got guts, I'll give you that."
The forest began to thin, revealing a wide clearing dominated by a massive stone structure—an ancient ruin covered in glowing vines. Symbols similar to those in the Tower were etched into the stone, pulsing with a faint blue light.
Selene stopped at the edge of the clearing, her expression turning serious. "We need to be careful. This place is crawling with mana constructs—guardian creatures left behind by the Tower's original creators. They don't take kindly to intruders."
Eliard studied the ruins, his curiosity piqued despite the warning. "What are they guarding?"
"Artifacts. Ancient knowledge. Power," Selene said, her voice lowering. "But none of it's worth dying for."
Eliard's heart quickened. Ancient knowledge? That was exactly what he needed.
"Let's take a look," he said.
Selene shot him a skeptical glance. "You're braver than you look, librarian. Or dumber."
"Let's hope it's the former," Eliard said with a grin.
They moved cautiously into the ruins, the air heavy with magic. The Codex hummed in Eliard's mind, reacting to the energy around him.
[Warning: Mana construct detected.]
A low growl echoed through the chamber, and a hulking creature stepped out of the shadows. It was made of stone and mana, its eyes glowing blue. Cracks in its body pulsed with raw energy, and its massive arms ended in jagged claws.
Selene drew her daggers, her body tensing. "Stay behind me."
Eliard's pulse quickened. He glanced at his interface, his mind racing. Reality Surge was still on cooldown, and his mana reserves were dangerously low.
But he wasn't defenseless.
He activated Mana Threading, weaving strands of raw energy into a barrier between them and the creature. It wouldn't hold for long, but it bought them a few precious seconds.
Selene darted forward, moving like a shadow. Her daggers flashed, carving glowing runes into the creature's body. It roared in pain, its movements slowing as the runes disrupted its core.
"Now!" she shouted.
Eliard focused, drawing on every ounce of mana he had left. The Codex's power surged through him, and reality bent once again. The ground beneath the construct warped, trapping its legs in a twisting mass of stone.
With a final, desperate strike, Selene plunged her daggers into its core. The creature let out a final, echoing roar before crumbling into a pile of shattered stone.
The ruins fell silent.
Eliard sank to the ground, gasping for breath. "That… was intense."
Selene wiped her blades clean, offering him a hand. "Welcome to the Verdant Expanse."
He took her hand, pulling himself to his feet. Despite the exhaustion, a grin spread across his face.
"I think I'm starting to like this place," he said.
Selene chuckled. "Careful. The Verdant Expanse has a way of growing on you… in more ways than one."
Eliard glanced at the glowing symbols on the walls, a spark of determination igniting in his chest. This place was dangerous, yes—but it was also filled with possibilities.
And with the Codex at his side, he intended to uncover every secret it had to offer.
The Infinite Ascent was only just beginning.
Support the story's creation and read 10 chapters ahead on Patreon. patreon.com/WyrmScholar
I'm always open for commission. 5$ per 1k words. Message me for commission.
Thank you Patrons: Canbone, Purple Feather, Jeremy Ramos, Daniel teague, Luci alarri, Tyson shoemaker, omar amurrio, roguewolf23, deadpooll113, avoidedwinter, Tom hildebraunt for supporting the story's creation on Patreon!
A dense forest stretched around him, the sky above swirling with stormy clouds that glowed faintly purple. Giant trees with black bark and silver leaves loomed overhead, their branches twisting into shapes that defied logic. Strange bioluminescent plants dotted the forest floor, pulsing softly like a heartbeat.
He had read about this place before in the ancient texts—a fragment of the Shattered Realms, one of the countless dimensions connected to the Tower of Ascension. Each realm had its own rules, its own dangers.
The Codex's voice echoed in his mind.
[Welcome to the Verdant Expanse.]
Objective: Explore and survive.]
Reminder: Death in the Shattered Realms results in permanent loss of progress. Proceed with caution.]
"Comforting," Eliard muttered, brushing dirt off his cloak. He checked his interface.
User: Eliard Grey
Class: Reality Shaper
Level: 2
Abilities: Reality Surge (Basic), Essence Conversion (Basic), Mana Threading (New)
His mana reserves were dangerously low after the Trial. He needed time to recover—and, more importantly, he needed information. What was the Codex's real purpose? Why had it chosen him?
The faint rustle of leaves interrupted his thoughts. His body tensed. Something—or someone—was nearby.
He crouched, slipping behind a twisted tree trunk. The forest was unnervingly silent except for the occasional crackle of energy in the air. His eyes darted across the shadows, searching for movement.
Then he saw her.
A woman emerged from the shadows, moving with the grace of a predator. She wore a dark leather cloak, her face partially obscured by a hood. Twin daggers glinted at her hips, and her eyes—sharp and calculating—glowed faintly purple in the dim light.
Eliard stayed perfectly still, watching her. She didn't appear hostile, but something about her presence set off every alarm in his head.
The woman stopped suddenly, her gaze locking onto him.
"I know you're there," she said, her voice calm but firm. "You're not very good at hiding, you know."
Eliard cursed under his breath and stepped out from behind the tree, hands raised in a show of peace. "Easy. I'm just passing through."
Her eyes narrowed. "Passing through? Nobody just 'passes through' the Verdant Expanse. What are you really doing here?"
"I got… pulled into a portal," Eliard said. It wasn't technically a lie. "Still figuring out where I am."
Her lips twitched into a smirk. "Let me guess—you're one of those rookies who stumbled into the Tower thinking you'd strike it rich, and now you're stuck here with no clue how to survive."
"Something like that," Eliard admitted, lowering his hands. "And you are?"
"Selene," she said, folding her arms. "And if you're smart, you'll turn around and head back through that portal before the real trouble starts."
Eliard glanced back, but the portal had already vanished, leaving nothing but a faint shimmer in the air.
"Yeah, about that," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "I don't think that's an option."
Selene sighed. "Figures. Look, this place isn't kind to newcomers. The Verdant Expanse has a way of… weeding out the weak. Stick with me, and you might live long enough to regret it."
"Generous offer," Eliard said, smiling wryly. "But why help me?"
Her eyes glinted with something unreadable. "Let's just say I have a soft spot for lost causes. And you're about as lost as they come."
Eliard chuckled, relaxing slightly. "Fair enough. I could use the help."
"Good," Selene said, turning on her heel. "Try to keep up."
They moved through the forest at a brisk pace, Selene leading the way with the confidence of someone who had survived this realm for far too long.
"So, what's your story?" she asked over her shoulder. "You don't look like a typical Ascendant."
"I'm not," Eliard said. "I'm a librarian from Miradon. This whole 'system interface' thing is… new to me."
"A librarian?" Selene raised an eyebrow. "That's a first. Most people who get caught up in the Tower's trials are mercenaries or desperate fools looking for power."
"I'm starting to think I might fall into the 'fool' category," Eliard muttered.
Selene laughed—a genuine, musical sound that caught him off guard. "You've got guts, I'll give you that."
The forest began to thin, revealing a wide clearing dominated by a massive stone structure—an ancient ruin covered in glowing vines. Symbols similar to those in the Tower were etched into the stone, pulsing with a faint blue light.
Selene stopped at the edge of the clearing, her expression turning serious. "We need to be careful. This place is crawling with mana constructs—guardian creatures left behind by the Tower's original creators. They don't take kindly to intruders."
Eliard studied the ruins, his curiosity piqued despite the warning. "What are they guarding?"
"Artifacts. Ancient knowledge. Power," Selene said, her voice lowering. "But none of it's worth dying for."
Eliard's heart quickened. Ancient knowledge? That was exactly what he needed.
"Let's take a look," he said.
Selene shot him a skeptical glance. "You're braver than you look, librarian. Or dumber."
"Let's hope it's the former," Eliard said with a grin.
They moved cautiously into the ruins, the air heavy with magic. The Codex hummed in Eliard's mind, reacting to the energy around him.
[Warning: Mana construct detected.]
A low growl echoed through the chamber, and a hulking creature stepped out of the shadows. It was made of stone and mana, its eyes glowing blue. Cracks in its body pulsed with raw energy, and its massive arms ended in jagged claws.
Selene drew her daggers, her body tensing. "Stay behind me."
Eliard's pulse quickened. He glanced at his interface, his mind racing. Reality Surge was still on cooldown, and his mana reserves were dangerously low.
But he wasn't defenseless.
He activated Mana Threading, weaving strands of raw energy into a barrier between them and the creature. It wouldn't hold for long, but it bought them a few precious seconds.
Selene darted forward, moving like a shadow. Her daggers flashed, carving glowing runes into the creature's body. It roared in pain, its movements slowing as the runes disrupted its core.
"Now!" she shouted.
Eliard focused, drawing on every ounce of mana he had left. The Codex's power surged through him, and reality bent once again. The ground beneath the construct warped, trapping its legs in a twisting mass of stone.
With a final, desperate strike, Selene plunged her daggers into its core. The creature let out a final, echoing roar before crumbling into a pile of shattered stone.
The ruins fell silent.
Eliard sank to the ground, gasping for breath. "That… was intense."
Selene wiped her blades clean, offering him a hand. "Welcome to the Verdant Expanse."
He took her hand, pulling himself to his feet. Despite the exhaustion, a grin spread across his face.
"I think I'm starting to like this place," he said.
Selene chuckled. "Careful. The Verdant Expanse has a way of growing on you… in more ways than one."
Eliard glanced at the glowing symbols on the walls, a spark of determination igniting in his chest. This place was dangerous, yes—but it was also filled with possibilities.
And with the Codex at his side, he intended to uncover every secret it had to offer.
The Infinite Ascent was only just beginning.
Support the story's creation and read 10 chapters ahead on Patreon. patreon.com/WyrmScholar
I'm always open for commission. 5$ per 1k words. Message me for commission.
Thank you Patrons: Canbone, Purple Feather, Jeremy Ramos, Daniel teague, Luci alarri, Tyson shoemaker, omar amurrio, roguewolf23, deadpooll113, avoidedwinter, Tom hildebraunt for supporting the story's creation on Patreon!