The Devourer's Dominion

Aetheron stepped down from the golden throne, his body still adjusting to the strange shift within him. His Dominion felt heavier—denser—like it had gained something he couldn't fully understand yet.

The masked figure stood unmoving, their presence silent but unshaken.

"You have taken the throne and glimpsed the truth," the figure said. "But understanding is not given—it must be earned."

Aetheron exhaled. "Let me guess. There's another test."

The masked figure didn't confirm or deny. They simply raised their hand.

The ground trembled.

Aetheron's stance shifted as the chamber's walls began to peel away, revealing an endless void. The golden throne behind him faded into the darkness, leaving nothing but an open expanse beneath his feet.

Then—

Figures began to emerge.

One by one.

Ten.

Twenty.

Thirty.

Aetheron's eyes narrowed as the air thickened. These weren't ordinary people. He could feel it.

Each figure carried traces of Dominion—the same energy that now coursed through him.

They were like him.

Or rather—

They had been like him once.

The masked figure stepped aside.

"Face them."

Aetheron exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. His Dominion flared around him, surging like black fire.

The first figure moved.

A blur of speed, faster than Aetheron expected.

He barely dodged the strike aimed at his throat, twisting to the side as a second attacker followed, their blade shimmering with a warped version of Dominion.

Aetheron's instincts kicked in.

He raised his arm, clashing against the blade with his bare skin. The impact sent a shockwave through the void. Sparks danced in the air.

Another opponent rushed him from behind—

Aetheron whirled, catching their wrist mid-attack and twisting—snapping bone—before kicking them back into the others.

More came.

It was relentless.

They fought like a single entity, their movements sharp and precise. Each of them had been powerful in their time, but now they were just echoes—remnants of those who had once wielded Dominion but had failed.

And yet—

They weren't weak.

Aetheron dodged, countered, struck back. His Dominion pulsed, adapting, shifting with each clash.

A blade sliced toward his neck—

He caught it with his fingers, shattering it into dust.

A fist came from the side—

He ducked low, slamming his elbow into his attacker's ribs.

He was outnumbered, but—

He wasn't losing.

His body moved faster. His mind processed everything with unnatural clarity. His Dominion responded like it was an extension of his will.

Something was changing inside him.

The more he fought, the clearer it became.

This wasn't just a test.

It was a lesson.

Each of these warriors had once held Dominion. Each of them had walked this same path. But they had failed.

And now—

Their remnants were teaching him the weight of what he carried.

Aetheron's breath steadied.

He wasn't just fighting them.

He was learning from them.

Another opponent lunged—

Aetheron saw everything.

The way their feet shifted. The small gap in their defense. The exact moment to counter.

He moved faster than thought—

His palm struck their chest—

And Dominion surged through his hand, absorbing the remnants of their power into his own.

The figure vanished—erased from existence.

Aetheron's eyes widened slightly.

The others hesitated.

Then—

They rushed him all at once.

Aetheron stepped forward.

His Dominion exploded outward.

He met them head-on.

One by one, he absorbed their echoes, taking in their knowledge, their instincts, their experiences.

It wasn't just power—

It was understanding.

Each battle. Each struggle. Each fall.

He saw it all.

And when the last warrior faded into nothingness—

Aetheron stood alone.

The void around him pulsed.

And then—

Everything shattered.

Return to Reality

Aetheron's eyes snapped open.

He was back.

Still standing in the throne chamber.

The masked figure remained before him, watching silently.

Aetheron took a slow breath.

His body felt different.

Lighter. Stronger.

His Dominion was no longer just his.

It carried the weight of those who had come before.

Their knowledge.

Their failures.

Their lessons.

The masked figure finally spoke.

"Now you understand."

Aetheron exhaled.

Yeah.

He understood.

Dominion wasn't just about power.

It was about the ones who had held it before.

The ones who had lost themselves to it.

And now—

It was his turn to carry it forward.