As if time stood still- an ocean of dark ink suffused immortal halls. Between columns of imperial might- barely discernible through the black- stood sanctuaries of warmth, a comforting presence amid darkness. Orange bastion broke through the absence of light in irregular intervals. Barely humanoid figures gave rise to animation as they were shuffling about. Voices of amiable tune, songs of kind remembrance, and some even with cheerful nostalgia breathed life into these Islands.

  An enigmatic aura enveloped the columns as two distinct points of space merged, blending both areas in a mesmerizing kaleidoscope. A sudden, distant scream shattered the stillness, halting all activity in its vicinity.

  As if winds howled and thunder struck, David landed in isolation in an orange glow. Time slowed to a crawl, and only faint echoes of his previous screams disrupted the tranquility of the ancient hall. David had been transported here from one moment to the next as faint whispers of his scream remained. But he was far from done.

  Under immense pressure, David's throat erupted, telling the tale of a twisted mind. Force boomed from polished marble-like structures as insanity twisted with insidious intent. The impact of a single howl quaked crystalline structures, causing them to ring in memory of recent emotion.

  Yet, the inky blackness persisted. Soon, life once again animated the halls as flickers of motion breathed vitality into the Islands of orange glow. Only one of those bastions remained eerily tranquil, a stark contrast to the struggle against the encroaching darkness.

  A silvery-white droplet had begun to infect its surroundings as if a needle had punched a hole through a bunched-up sheet of orange paper. This drop cast everything it touched in a glimmer of weight and dampness. The orange light fought back with valor, but soon, its life-giving warmth made way for the coldness.

  Like dying embers giving way to the deep grayness of death, the silvery-white sheen consumed the last vestiges of the orange glow's warmth. At first, the new eerie glow seemed at peace with the small dominion it had claimed, but soon, even the inky blackness began to fray at its edges, a testament to the profound transformation.

  A figure seemed to emerge from beyond the void above the ancient halls. With a stillness akin to a lake, it hovered in the place, drinking in the spectacle. A twinkle of mirth crossed its face.

  " The little Wra-th-unn embraces the song quite well, " said the figure. But we can't have him growing corrupt without Unity, now can we?" An echoing burst of might swept through the surroundings as the figure snapped its fingers. As if a mighty dragon was unleashing its wrath, everything trembled before the towering force as the echoes penetrated deeper and deeper into the inky darkness.

  The silvery glow snapped back into orange as the trembling wave of power rushed past. Silence once more turned to the sounds of life, and all seemed to have been a fever dream. Like a king of eagles, the figure approached David with powerful grace and landed lightly within the glow.

  " Have you calmed now, Childe?" The figure said, the voice reminiscent of the tone a caring grandfather possessed.

  David just stared, not with the emotional turmoil of what he had done, but with apprehension. Too many things at once had short-circuited his mind, and currently, he was a piece of wood adrift in the ebb and flow of an ocean. As his training kicked in again, wary curiosity shifted to the foray. The soft timber tone the figure produced gave David a positive impression.

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  " I have," David intoned as he genuinely saw the figure for the first time. Describing the figure in any other word than ancient would have done it an injustice. Light gray skin hung in folds and wrinkles of the man's face. With a hunched back and a rhythmical cane clacking, the figure drew closer. Garbed in a padded cotton vest, stylized with golden dragons made of thread and silky pants, the ancient man gave quite the impression. His head was bereft of any hair and reflected the orange glow of the fire close by.

  " Good, good. My name has long been forgotten to the Song so that you may call me by my title. Brahan. Come along now, childe, we are all eager to see more of your strengths and weaknesses." With a word breathed quietly, David was surrounded by a shield of force as they raced into the dark.

  The soft white glow protecting him dispelled the inky blackness around David. Immaculate carvings entered his eyes at every column and while he was glancing at the floor. With little interpretation, the runes told of mighty dragons and fearless men fighting against a fog of green-dark energy. Over and over again, the murals told a singular story. After further analysis, there were slight differences. Some dragons changed in color, others in shape, and men in different armors occasionally flew by. The end of the story was always the green-dark fog.

  It was as if the story didn't have an ending but always started with an egg. This egg hatched into the dragon of the story. Surrounded by more of its kind, it learned how to walk, fly, and even battle. David became invested in the story and tried to decipher the murals for the middle part as something changed. With the sound of cracking glass, the barrier shattered all around him. David turned his body as his back slid across the polished stone floor.

  Before him stood a grand, flat, and wide crystalline structure. David followed it upwards, but the peak was hidden behind inky pools of blackness. More of the tiny murals covered its surface, but strangest of all, the Steele was producing a sound.

  As if hypnotized, David's gaze was transfixed; he could not see Brahan watching all this with interest.

  " Dear Enclave, do you not enjoy the hunger for the Song this Wra-th-unn has?" Brahans voice echoed off distant walls. Brahan's voice was met with a calling so primal and ancient that any mere mortal hearing would succumb to the pressure.

  The sound produced by Steele intensified as it seemed to penetrate deep into David's mind. A deep but warm sound began to flow along the caverns as Brahan and even the hidden Enclave began to resonate with the Steele. The tones harmonized, and soon, there was but one melody playing along.

  All the while, David approached the structure. With absent-minded steps, David struggled against invisible currents as he fought for every step he took. This seemed like he was climbing mountains, an almost insurmountable obstacle in his desire to touch the Steele. Hotter and hotter flames burned within him as the primal coercion increased.

  Sweat dripped off his brow as every footstep sent out small force blasts. The pressure had added weight onto his back, but while his speed might have decreased, the footsteps never stopped. With only a single step remaining, David could not lift his arms, but his hunger had grown. Unable to stretch out his arms but unwilling to not touch the Steele, he leaned forward. With ever-agonizing slowness, his forehead touched the Steele.

  It was akin to sunshine falling on a field of flowers within David's body. All the petals unfurled from the cold night as every cell in his body drank in the mystical Song. His soul began to stir as the divine hymn resounded, hidden in a very dark part of himself. A little gray cloud of gas took on sheen's of silver and white as it grew.

  Outside of himself, David grew stronger—more powerful in strength of arm and sharpness of mind. His braided white hair took on an elegant sheen, and his skin started to glow with vigor.

  As the godly Song reached lower and lower, runes of white and silver popped into existence around him. With an erratic dance akin to fireflies, they assembled into a web of intricacy beyond sight. Geocentric shapes emerged as quaking noise filled the area.

  The Steele's glow intensified as parts of its emerald structure began to liquefy and seep into David's body's waiting pores. The Steele's voice grew dimmer as the Enclave's song took over the ritual.

  The Steele disappeared with a final flash of light, and the runes of light were drawn to David. Without resistance, these runes etched themselves into his skin before fading entirely.

  As the weight of ancient ambiance declined, so too did the divine hymn. Clapping erupted from within the shadows as if to celebrate the arrival of something dear and close.

  " The Song has decreed the ritual complete." Brahan's voice turned commanding as he addressed the unseen crowd. " Now the new Wra-th-unn shall return to the pits, fighting for survival as we all have. To make him strong and to align his soul with the righteous path."

  "Only with knowledge of the dark can the mind be a shining beacon that leads down the correct path. Through this, one can become the One to save numerous souls and help the Song remain balanced." The Enclave intoned.