The Sinner's Banquet

The Bottom of the World

Ethan did not hesitate. The wind tore at his face as he fell down the dark pit. He pushed his thoughts toward the glowing letters floating in the air.

Yes, he thought with all his strength. I choose to live.

[Selection Confirmed.]

[Activating Passive: Sin-Eater.]

A sudden impact cut off his breath. Ethan crashed through a thick layer of giant, soft mushrooms that grew along the walls of the pit. They broke his speed before he hit the solid floor below. He rolled across the damp ground and landed heavily on his side.

Pain ran through his back. He tried to move his legs, but they were completely numb. Malakai’s blade had ruined his veins, cutting off his connection to his own body. Blood still pooled from his missing right hand. He was trapped at the bottom of the world, crippled and bleeding to death.

The air down here carried the scent of old iron and wet dirt. It was completely dark, except for the dim purple light of the floating screen.

[Alert: Your life force is at 12%. You are bleeding out.]

[Warning: A flesh-eating creature has noticed your blood.]

A low growl echoed from the shadows. Ethan turned his head with great effort. Two large, glowing red eyes fixed onto him from a dark tunnel just ten feet away.

A massive creature crawled out on four legs. It looked like a human skeleton covered in thick, grey skin. Its fingers ended in long, sharp claws, and its wide jaws were lined with yellow teeth. A thick fluid dripped from its mouth, sizzling against the stone floor. It was an Abyssal Ghoul.

The monster sniffed the air and fixed its eyes on Ethan’s bleeding wrist. It saw an easy meal.

Ethan gritted his teeth. He had spent his whole life playing by the rules, trying to be a good brother and a loyal citizen. The reward for his goodness was a severed hand, a broken back, and a sister who sold him out for gold.

I am not dying here, Ethan thought. He looked at the monster. If you want to eat me, you will have to fight for it.

The ghoul lunged forward. It moved incredibly fast, its claws aiming directly for Ethan's throat.

Ethan could not move his legs to run. He could not lift a sword. As the heavy monster slammed into his chest, pinning him to the ground, Ethan swung his remaining left arm. He jammed his left hand straight into the creature's thick neck, holding it back with all his remaining strength.

The ghoul snapped its jaws, its sharp teeth inches from Ethan’s face. The pressure was breaking his ribs.

Ethan did not try to push it away. Instead, he pulled the monster's neck closer. He opened his mouth and bit down directly into the creature’s throat.

[Skill Activated: Gluttony's Maw.]

[Devouring Target...]

A rush of freezing energy poured out of the monster’s throat and straight into Ethan’s mouth. It tasted like bitter ice. The energy rushed down his throat and expanded inside his stomach like a wildfire.

Suddenly, strange images flashed across Ethan’s mind. He saw a great warrior in silver armor fighting against a younger High Priest Malakai. He saw the warrior getting framed, having his veins cut, and being thrown into this exact pit years ago. The warrior had changed into this monster over decades of hunger.

The ghoul shrieked, but the sound grew weaker as its body began to shrink. The grey skin dried up and turned to dust.

[Sinner's Legacy Digested.]

[Acquired: Unholy Berserker Soul-Core.]

[Level Up! Level 1 → Level 8.]

[Damaged Mana Veins: Fixed and Converted to Void Pathways.]

The freezing energy inside Ethan’s stomach exploded outward through his entire body. The numbness in his legs vanished instantly. He could feel his toes again. The broken bones in his chest snapped back into place.

Ethan looked down at his right arm. The bleeding had stopped. Dark purple energy gathered around his missing wrist, twisting and growing until it formed a brand-new hand. It was made of solid, pressurized shadow, glowing with a soft purple light. He flexed his new fingers. They felt stronger than steel.

He stood up easily, the cold air rushing through his lungs. He was no longer a weak boy from the slums. He possessed the power to fight back.

But as the energy settled, Ethan felt a sharp, cold pinch at the very back of his brain. It felt as if a needle had pierced his mind.

[System Alert: Data Syncing...]

[Current Status: Personality Integration at 5%.]

"Well, well," a rough, tired voice spoke out.

Ethan spun around, raising his shadow hand defensively. There was nobody in the cavern. The voice had not come from the tunnels. It had echoed from inside his own skull.

"Do not bother looking around, kid," the voice said again, sounding like an old, grumpy warrior. "I am in your head now. You ate my old body, so now we are stuck together. My name is Kaelen."

Before Ethan could even ask a question, the purple system screen flashed violently, turning a bright, bleeding red.

[Warning: The massive energy spike from your level-up has traveled through the tunnels.]

[The local monster pack has woken up.]

[Hostile entities approaching your position: 67.]

[They are hungry. Run.]

Ethan looked up. In the dark tunnels all around him, dozens of glowing red eyes opened at the exact same time.