Souls Online: Mythic Ascension

Vivian's confidence took a major hit as she stared back at the massive golden eye. She could feel that its mere presence was pressing down on her.

The eye did not blink or shift. It simply observed, unyielding, as if it were measuring the weight of her defiance. Every fiber of her body screamed for her to lower herself, to kneel, to give in, yet she refused. She clenched her fists, trying to anchor herself against the invisible pull, forcing her gaze to meet the golden sphere with every ounce of strength she could summon.

Time seemed to stretch. Her legs shook and her vision blurred at the edges, but still she held her ground. The eye seemed to pierce deeper with every passing heartbeat, like it was looking into her very essence. She could feel it sifting throughlayers she had never dared show anyone.

A tremor ran through her body. Her lungs burned and her muscles screamed in protest. Sweat dripped from her forehead, and a quiver caught in her voice as she breathed shallowly, yet she did not look away. Her resolve was crumbling, each second a struggle against an unrelenting force that weighed on her mind and spirit.

Finally, when the last trace of her resistance teetered on the edge of collapse, a rough voice rumbled through the void. It was clearly feminine, yet layered with power that made the air itself seem to thicken.

"You're a stubborn one, aren't you? I like that."

Vivian's chest heaved as she swallowed hard, her eyes still locked on the golden gaze that had spoken. The voice seemed to carry both amusement and warning, echoing through the emptiness and pressing even further on her fragile courage.

Her knees threatened to buckle, but something in the tone, something in the recognition of her stubbornness, sparked a flicker of defiance in her chest.

She could not tell whether it was relief or fear that coursed through her, but she did not look away. She would not give this eye the satisfaction of seeing her break entirely.

The massive golden brown eye finally blinked, the motion slow and deliberate, before vanishing entirely. The oppressive weight that had been crushing Vivian's will evaporated in an instant, leaving her knees weak and her breaths ragged. The void around her seemed to shift, the darkness folding in on itself until the overwhelming presence was gone.

In its place stood what could only be described as an adorable child. Barefoot and small enough that Vivian could have lifted her with one arm, she had cheeks faintly dusted with freckles and short, tousled hair the color of rich soil. Her wide eyes, the same deep golden brown as the one that had been looming moments ago, sparkled with a strange mix of innocence and ageless wisdom.

She tilted her head with a smile far too warm for the intensity that had filled the space seconds before. "My name is Gravela," the child said in a light, almost singsong voice. "I was once a revered Goddess of the Earth. But now I am just one of the Forgotten."

Vivian's muscles remained taut, her stance never quite settling even after the eye had vanished. She didn't trust the sudden shift, the transformation from overwhelming force to innocent child. The air was still thick with something she couldn't quite name, and she could feel her heart beating faster, like it was anticipating a blow.

Gravela's voice rang through the silence, that sing-song quality masking an undercurrent of something darker, older. There was no mistaking the weight behind her words.

As the child spoke, Vivian's mind raced. A Goddess of the Earth? Once revered, now forgotten?

The very idea was a chilling paradox, and it sent a ripple of unease through her. Something wasn't right.

Before she could respond, Gravela's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "You know," she said, her tone now laced with a hint of surprise, "Discordia really surprised me."

Vivian flinched a little bit. She didn't know the meaning of the name but she could tell that it was somehow important. Still, she did not speak, instead choosing to remain silent. She knew Gravela was far from done.

You know," Gravela continued, her voice lilting, "I was bored out of my mind when I was sealed away, trapped and eventually forgotten. But now… now Discordia has freed me." Her smile grew, but it was the kind of smile that sent a chill down Vivian's spine, a mixture of triumph and something far darker. "And what's more… she has given me a child to care for."

Vivian's brow furrowed, confusion fighting against her instinct to stay on alert. "A child? What does that mean?" The words felt heavy on her tongue, but she needed answers. She needed to know what was happening.

Gravela's grin turned sly, eyes gleaming with something almost predatory. "You, Vivian." The way she said her name made it sound almost like a secret, a promise. It was as if Vivian were more to her than she could comprehend.

"You are the child. The one Discordia has entrusted to me. To guide, to nurture. You are a key to everything, though you probably don't realize it yet."

Vivian froze, her mind momentarily blank. A key to everything? She couldn't quite process it, but it felt like the pieces were falling into place. The idea of something greater, something important, sent an unexpected thrill through her chest.

I was right, she thought, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Life was no longer going to be boring.

She couldn't help the spark of excitement that flared inside her. Her heart started to beat faster, like the build-up to something incredible. This wasn't some quiet, mundane existence anymore. This was going to be… something else entirely.

Gravela's voice cut through the moment. "Well?" she asked, her tone playful. "You're not afraid, are you?"

Vivian snapped out of her daze, a grin forming on her face despite herself. This was it. This was what she had been craving—something beyond ordinary.

"So," she began, her voice light with curiosity, "what do I have to do?"

Gravela's smile turned sly. "You've already done it." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You've already become my priestess."

Vivian froze. The world seemed to stop for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat, and the excitement that had been building up evaporated, replaced by a sudden sinking feeling. Priestess? The word echoed in her mind like a shockwave, too strange, too out of place.

Her mouth went dry. A thousand thoughts collided in her head, none of them making sense. Her heart began to race again, but this time, it was a frantic, panicked rhythm.

No way.

Priestess?

"Priestess?!" Vivian almost shouted, the words ripping out of her with a mixture of disbelief and frustration. "You've got to be kidding me!" Her hands balled into fists, her shoulders tensing. "I hate churches. I hate rituals. I don't—"

Her voice caught, and she groaned in annoyance, sinking her head into her hands for a second. Was she destined to be unable to escape the confines of a church?

She never had any good experiences with churches. After all, the last one she had been at raised her and Ethan to be Child Soldiers