The Ascendance Deceiver

Kodoku

"Please pay attention, train 11-30 is arriving on time at platform 6." The announcement echoed throughout the subway station. Alayne silently stood up from the bench and made his way straight to platform six. It was a Sunday evening, and although the subway station was less crowded, Alayne didn't mind the quieter atmosphere.

Sundays held little significance for him. On one hand, he didn't particularly care about holidays, and on the other hand, Alayne had to attend his university studies almost every day as a second-year student, so it didn't make much difference.

As he waited for the train to arrive, he casually brushed his somewhat long hair and glanced at the other passengers on the platform with his dark brown eyes. Wearing a gray hoodie T-shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of black and white shoes, Alayne carried the expression of a somewhat gloomy university student.

As the train approached and stopped at the platform, people started gathering their bags and belongings, preparing to board. Alayne boarded the train and quickly scanned the other passengers. He noticed that there were only seven people in the train car he entered. Three of them appeared to be university students, while the rest seemed to be company workers or regular passengers.

"Only seven? That's strange," Alayne murmured to himself. He couldn't see the passengers seated at the end of the train car, so he couldn't make out any details about them.

Alayne chose to sit in the far-right corner seat of the third row. He enjoyed watching the view outside the window as the train moved. Being in the middle rows, Alayne assumed it would attract less attention and probably prevent anyone from striking up a conversation and disturbing his peace.

After about ten minutes, the doors closed, and the train began moving with a soft clicking sound. As the train gained speed, Alayne took out his phone from his right pocket and began fiddling with it, occasionally lifting his head to look out the window. Around thirty minutes later, he put his phone down and gazed out the window, only to be met with an unsettling sight. He didn't expect a breathtaking view, but what he saw was complete darkness. It was as if everything was consumed by a void, resembling a moonless night without a single star in the sky.

"A power outage?" murmured the man in the second row, wearing a two-piece suit and appearing to be in his early thirties. He had a puzzled expression as he looked outside the train window. As he spoke aloud, all the other passengers in the train car seemed to turn their attention to the darkness outside.

Some wore puzzled expressions, while others dismissed it as a mere power outage. "Power outage, huh," Alayne muttered. As he continued to observe the darkness, tiny stars began to appear, twinkling one after another. Alayne couldn't help but feel a strange pull towards those stars in the darkness.

"What the f*ck is happening? Why do I feel sleepy? This isn't good."

Suddenly, Alayne woke up.

As he regained consciousness, the first thing Alayne did was glance out the window to see if the anomaly was still there. He was relieved to see a normal view outside the window.

"Was that a dream? But it felt so real." Alayne looked around at the other passengers in the train car, all of whom had puzzled expressions on their faces.

"Did all of you also have a dream just now?"

As Alayne pondered, the man in the left corner of the second row broke the silence in the train car and asked aloud. Some nodded in agreement, while others wore puzzled and scared expressions.

"We all had a dream? About the outside getting dark?" asked the woman sitting next to the man, appearing to be in her early twenties. She wore a blue dress and had a puzzled expression, her beautiful blue eyes trembling slightly.

"Did you have that dream too?" The teenage boy sitting in the front row, facing her, turned back and asked with fear in his face. "Should we call 911 or something?" he added. "Shouldn't we talk to the train guard or the senior conductor first, you idiot?" retorted the boy next to him contemptuously.

As he said that, the train came to a sudden stop, and the door of the train car opened abruptly. "Huh?" Everyone looked puzzled.

"Everyone, please step outside the train right now." A sweet female voice came from outside the train car, echoing throughout the car. It sounded like a speaker outside the train.

As the passengers looked at each other, the voice spoke again, this time with a hint of annoyance. "Please exit the damn train."

"Please exit the damn train immediately," the voice repeated with a more urgent tone. Alayne exchanged puzzled glances with the other passengers, a mix of confusion and concern evident on their faces.

Reluctantly, Alayne rose from his seat, feeling a slight unease creeping up his spine. The passengers began filing out of the train car one by one, stepping onto the empty platform. Alayne glanced around, searching for any signs of authority or assistance, but the platform was eerily vacant.

There were only the seven of them on the platform, and the train seemed blurry to their vision. As they got out, no one said a word. They were afraid of annoying the mysterious owner of the sweet voice.

The voice continued to echo through the station, urging them to move faster. Alayne noticed a flickering light at the end of the platform, casting eerie shadows on the tiled floor. He followed the others toward the source, a sense of trepidation growing within him.

As they reached the end of the platform, the group found themselves standing before an old wooden door, barely noticeable amidst the industrial surroundings. The door appeared to lead to a dimly lit underground passage.

"Enter," the voice commanded, its tone more impatient now.

Alayne exchanged another glance with the fellow passengers, all seemingly caught between curiosity and apprehension. Without exchanging a word, they collectively took a deep breath and stepped through the threshold, leaving the familiar subway station behind.

The underground passage was narrow, with a low ceiling that made even the shortest among them stoop slightly. Dim fluorescent lights intermittently illuminated the path, revealing graffiti-covered walls that whispered tales of forgotten souls.

The group followed the winding passage, each step amplifying the weight of uncertainty. Thoughts raced through Alayne's mind, questioning the nature of this strange occurrence. Was it a prank, a hidden camera show, or something far more profound? The dream-like experience and the voice's persistent commandments added an eerie layer of mystique.

After what felt like an eternity, they emerged into a vast underground chamber. The air was heavy with a sense of ancient secrecy, and the chamber was adorned with ornate symbols and inscriptions on the walls. At the center stood a circular platform, pulsating with an otherworldly glow.

Suddenly, the voice spoke again, this time directly within their minds. "Welcome to Kodoku. Hehe~ nice name right? I named it myself using your human history and words. Chosen ones, you have been called to fulfill a destiny beyond your imagination."

Alayne's heart skipped a beat as he absorbed the gravity of those words. Kodoku? Like the curse poison? Chosen ones? Destiny? What awaited them in this enigmatic underground realm?

As if guided by an invisible force, the passengers gathered around the pulsating platform, their gazes locked onto its mesmerizing light. A surge of energy coursed through Alayne's body, intertwining with a mix of trepidation and anticipation.

In that moment, the chamber trembled, and the ground beneath them split open, revealing a dazzling abyss. A staircase materialized, leading downward into the depths of the unknown. The voice echoed once more, resonating within their very souls.

"Now, descend, and embrace your true potential. The path to greatness lies before you."

Alayne took a deep breath, his heart pounding with a blend of fear and excitement. With resolute determination, he took the first step on the staircase, followed by the others, venturing into the uncharted territories that awaited them below.

Little did they know that this unexpected turn of events would unravel their lives, weaving a tapestry of adventure, danger, and self-discovery. The journey they were about to embark upon would test their limits, challenge their beliefs, and forge unbreakable bonds.

And so, they descended into the abyss, their footsteps echoing in the darkness, guided by the faint glimmer of hope that lay ahead.