Vaemin feigned attention to the ramblings of Master Eldric. The truth was he had already studied all this content; he was sure he had read the entire library by now.

“In a scenario where you are in life threatening danger against a non-sorcerer, is it then ethical to use a spell on him?” the Master questioned the class.

Vaemin did not care to answer. He never did. Despite his strong opinions on the topic.

“The answer is no, sir.” Another student answered.

“Sorcery should never be used to harm others, with absolutely no exceptions.”

Of course, this was the correct answer according to the textbook. But Vaemin thought it completely nonsensical. What is the point in studying sorcery if not to have power over others?

Vaemin was a brilliant student. He was poised to become the youngest graduate of the Linearth Academy of Sorcery since its establishment 239 years ago. But he had grown to deeply resent the limitations placed upon students and Masters alike.

After class had ended, he headed straight to the library as per his routine. He grabbed a textbook relating to the process of alchemy. Alchemy was used in mass resource generation, and it was one of the main functions of the Sorcerers of Linearth guild. Which is where most graduates of the Academy went. Thus, it was a large part of their studies.

But it was a waste of time as far as Vaemin was concerned. He had greater ambition when it came to sorcery and harnessing the power of the supernatural. The source of the magic in Linearth belonged to the Great Spirit Tree that the Academy itself was built around. All catalysts were blessed by it, and only then could they cast sorceries. But Vaemin had heard whispers of another source of magic that existed.

He occasionally allowed himself time away from academic literature to read books for leisure. It helped keep his mind sharp and to try not resent his studies so much. But as he got closer and closer to graduation, he quickly became more impatient and unfulfilled. His immense raw talent was being wasted here.

After he finished with the library, he returned to his dorm room. He ducked under the doorframe while entering, his unnatural height meant this was a common occurrence for him throughout the whole Academy. Inside the room, there was only enough room for a bed and a thin walkway beside it. He did not even have a toilet, instead each floor shared a communal bathroom.

He kept his leisure books under his bed, there was nowhere else to keep them in his tiny room. But there was one book he kept hidden. He had put a hole inside of his mattress matching the shape of it, and he hid it inside. The reason for this secrecy was the dangerous nature of its contents. It was a book detailing the history of dark sorcery. Dark sorcery is heavily looked down upon in the Academy. Any student caught practicing it, or even thinking about practicing it, would be expelled immediately.

But Vaemin had no way of actually learning these sorceries. And reading about it was an effective escape from the boredom of study and the thoughts of untapped potential. So, it wasn’t such a crime to keep it he figured. He reached into the bottom of the mattress where he had hidden the book, but it wasn’t there.

Instead in its place he could feel a sheet of paper. Had he been discovered? Was it a letter from the school's management? He would surely be punished severely for having this book, even if it ultimately had no practical use. But the Academy would not leave such a note they would simply summon him to the Dean.

He hesitated to look at the sheet. If it wasn’t the school, it could be someone trying to blackmail him for owning such blasphemy. He searched his room for any signs of intrusion, but there were none. He then took a deep breath, before pulling the letter out and reading it.

If it is power that you seek, your answers do not lie here.

The Cathedral of the Abyss shall be your destination.

The Cathedral of the Abyss? Vaemin was not aware it even still stood. The stories of the Council of Ash were ones he had read about extensively in his book. But to his knowledge it had only been long-forgotten history, and not something that still lingered.

The Council of Ash, a rogue organisation that broke away from the Sorcerers of Linearth. They sought to attain true power through the means of the abyss, a secret power source found at the bottom of Linearth. The Cathedral was said to house the part of the abyss that seeped through into our world. The Council were of the belief that lordship was to be achieved through imbuing oneself with the abyss. And so, they built the grand Cathedral of the Abyss as a place of worship, for their lord to-be.

He stared at the note more intensely. What if this were a test from the Academy? To see if he would follow up? And there remained the risk of associating himself with the danger that is the abyss. The abyss itself was a taboo topic in all of Linearth, not just in the Academy. By all accounts, it made men turn into monsters. But it also supposedly was a vessel for godhood if one could use it to their advantage.

He looked around at his tiny room, and at his mundane and ineffective textbooks. He would never be a man fulfilled if he remained at the Academy. He couldn’t acquire true power.

He mentally prepared himself. The Academy would never accept him back after this. He would be giving up what he’d trained for, for many years. But what is a future without power?

The Cathedral would have its visitor.

The next day, Vaemin was nowhere to be seen in the Academy. He did not turn up to class and he was not in his room. Instead, he stood directly outside the looming Cathedral doors. Its location was detailed in his history book. But even without directions, he felt drawn toward it, like it was dragging him in itself.

The Cathedral was enormous. The doors alone dwarfed Vaemin, to the point he second guessed his worthiness. But the invitation was his, and he had made the decision to accept. He could not reach the door handle, despite his height. And even if he could, there was no chance he was strong enough to pull them open, due to their sheer size. He gently placed his hand on the left door, not expecting a response. But to his shock, the doors began to open for him immediately.

He walked inside. There was nobody else in his sight. But even if there were, he would surely not have noticed them. His attention was purely focused on the intense force he could feel coming opposite side of the Cathedral.

The ceiling was so high it was as if this was place was once home to giants. Vaemin’s senses were heightened, and the pungent smell inside the Cathedral filled his nostrils. The floor he walked was soft, like sand, though it was fully dark. And the air was rough to breathe, like he was trapped in a cloud of smoke.

He continued his steps until he had reached downward staircase. There would be no chance at backing out after this.

He thought about turning around and returning to his studies. But rejecting godhood? Nonsense. This was his calling. His destiny. He was plenty fit to be a lord, and to finally reach his full potential as a sorcerer.

He walked the downward steps toward the entrance and ducked under a doorframe once more.

He is here.

Vaemin entered the room, the door had been opened for him by two cloaked figures. He looked to see himself surrounded by these figures. Encircling him. As if they were about to perform a ritual.

“I accept your invitation.” He said, not directed at anyone.

Another cloaked figured exited from the shadows beyond him.

Embrace the darkness. And become our lord, for that is your power.

The figure then held out a goblet adorned with the image of a skull. Inside it was a pool of dark blood. Vaemin took the blood-filled goblet, its base cold to the touch.

Drink the blood, and consume my flesh.

The figure then proceeded to rip off his own arm. Detaching it from himself with no more than his own hand. The extra blood spatted all over Vaemins body, and the severed arm was then placed carefully in his other hand.

His hunger became insatiable. He lifted the arm to his mouth and took savage bite, after bite, after bite. He consumed it in its entirety. And then he quenched his desperate thirst with the goblet. He felt the metallic taste of the blood throughout his whole body.

Now touch it, the abyss

Vaemin’s vision blurred, and his body began to warp. His bones grew longer as he blew up in size. He then felt the intense pain of all his bones breaking in tandem as they succumbed to his new weight. He could hear the screams of a thousand children ringing in his ears. He tried to scream too, but he did not have a mouth. He wanted to run away, but he had no legs. And soon, he would lose his mind too.

Vaemin was now forever a part of the Cathedral. He was Lord Vaemin of the Council of Ash, and he was their all-powerful.