The Ascended: Welcome to Syrova

June startled awake as a loud, booming sound echoed around him. It was so deafening that the vibrations shook his bones. Fluttering his eyes open, confusion clouded his mind because the scene before him was not the familiar cabin at all. Instead, an endless, dark abyss surrounded him.

His heart raced as he tried to clear the fog of confusion clouding his mind. Where was he? Then it hit him--his family! He tried to push himself to stand, but couldn't. He wasn't on the hardwood floor in Elias' cabin anymore, that much was clear. Instead, he floated in a thick, liquid-like substance, similar to honey or sap. Yet it had the same texture as water.

How was that even possible? Then again, everything that had happened was beyond the bounds of possibility. The meteor shower, the fiery sky, the voice in his head announcing, The System of Cultivation. Then came agonizing pain followed by that light. It was all mind-boggling, to say the least. Not what he'd expected on a normal weekend trip to the Appalachian Mountains in New York.

June grunted, his voice muffled by the water, as he tried to shake his head. But the thick liquid slowed his movements to a crawl, letting him only shift his head to the right. He didn't have time to think about what had happened. He just needed to figure out where he was and how to get back.

That was easier said than done, though. June's body was numb. A biting cold seeped into him, sapping his strength. He needed to get out of the water before hypothermia set in, leaving him dead. He took a deep breath before coming up with a plan, but then froze. How had he taken a breath just now? In fact, he had been breathing the entire time, without ever realizing it.

Panic overwhelmed him before he managed to calm down. He had to be dreaming--there was no other explanation. Gritting his teeth, he pinched himself hard, trying to wake up. After about thirty seconds of enduring the pain, he gave up, a welt forming on his forearm.

What the hell! Why am I not waking up?

A low rumble pulled him from his thoughts. He stared into the void as the gnawing dread that had haunted him during the meteor shower crept back into his mind. Panic seized him as he froze, trying to stay hidden. The rumbling sounded again. This time, even louder. Fear clenched his heart, threatening to crush it under its weight. He wasn't alone in these waters.

He tried to swim away, but before he could even try to, a sudden vibration reverberated through the water. A roaring voice erupted from the depths a moment later and slammed into him. The resulting shockwave sent him tumbling end over end, a disorienting experience that lasted what must have been an eternity before he finally stopped.

June struggled to straighten himself, his mind thoroughly rattled like a mixed drink. But before he could do anything else, the monstrous voice roared again. This time, along with several others.

Before this, he hadn't understood what the voice said, but this time it was loud and clear. "JUNE-TAE MIKKELSON!"

Fear's grip on his heart tightened, leaving him paralyzed. Had he only been hearing things, or was Sasha's voice mixed with the roaring bellow? That was impossible.

However, before another thought could cross his mind, the shadows in the corner of June's vision shifted. He instinctively turned, and his blood ran cold. A tear in the void appeared, and blood-red light radiated from it as the tear widened. It quickly became clear to him that it wasn't a tear at all, but rather an eye wreathed in blood-red flames.

Once fully open, it gazed upon June, suffusing him with its unholy red glow that burned with hatred and malice. The eye was nearly twice June's height, and that was saying a lot considering his stature of six foot one. His mind blanked out as he tried to comprehend the size of this monstrosity before him.

Shadow tendrils shot out from the eldritch monster and ensnared June, leaving him no chance to react. Actually, that was false. It moved so fast that even if he wanted to, he couldn't react. The eldritch creature pulled him just a few inches from its face. Its gaze pierced him, examining his soul and judging it.

The eye tilted to the side as if contemplating something before the voices echoed around June again. "JUNE-TAE MIKKELSON! SUBMIT AND SERVE!"

Sasha's voice rang out clearly this time, joined by Natalie's and Zach's voices as well. Rage surged from June's core, eclipsing his fear. "Fuck you!"

He had no intention of becoming this monster's slave. He struggled against his restraints to free himself. It was a hopeless effort, but he kept fighting until his muscles finally gave out. The eye narrowed as more tendrils hovered in front of it. June let out a scream of pain as the tendrils shot forward and pierced his chest, abdomen, and head. His veins bulged and turned black as the tendrils slithered through him, worming their way deeper, trying to infect him.

"SUBMIT AND SERVE!" it boomed again as the tendrils reached deep within June, invading a space he wasn't aware of until now.

Shadows obscured his eyes in a sea of darkness as he dangled, suspended in a silent scream, his mind flooded with a jumble of emotions and visions. The first was of Natalie. Grief and loneliness radiated from her as she huddled in the corner of their bedroom. The house rocked as a giant shadow swept across the window. She held a hand to her mouth, trying to stay as silent as possible. The thing lingered for a moment before its earth-shaking footsteps trailed away.

Natalie exhaled the breath she had been holding and hugged her knees to her chest, tears running down her cheeks. Fear quaked through her body, and she slowly rocked herself, trying to soothe her nerves. Her eyes shifted to June's 1911 handgun, held tightly in her hand.

"I'm sorry, June," she said before raising the gun to her temple and pulling the trigger.

The vision suddenly ended, replaced by another. Zach, a few years older than he was, stood at the front of an army made up of humans as a host of angels descended from the heavens above. Zach led the charge, shouting a war cry before the two armies collided. But the fight was hardly a battle--more like a slaughter, as the angels tore through the human ranks like a knife cutting through butter.

Zach stood alone, the only survivor. He fought bravely, but ultimately, the angels overwhelmed him. He dangled helplessly, with each limb gripped by an angel. Their shark-toothed smiles widened, and they released high-pitched laughter as they tore him limb from limb. Zach let out his last scream as the angels guzzled his flowing blood before feasting on his body.

Once again, the visions shifted, and Sasha appeared as an adult. She was in a room, lying on a bed stained with a mixture of fluids, the scent of sweat and sex heavy in the air. A thick fog clouded her mind, yet a powerful desire for one thing and one thing only radiated like a beacon. Sex.

Sasha moaned like a common whore as a stranger grunted from behind her, thrusting his cock deep into her cunt.

"Fuck me! Cum in me! Please, cum in me!" Sasha begged like a bitch in heat, her ecstasy clear. "Fill my womb!"

He obliged, chuckling darkly, gripping her hips tightly, and pumped vigorously. The wet sounds of his cock thrusting into her dripping pussy resounded as their skin smacked and her wild moans echoed through the room for another thirty seconds before the man drew near his release.

Just before he blew his load, he grabbed a handful of her sweat-slick hair, pulling her head back before roughly grabbing one of her breasts with the other and whispering in her ear. "Here it comes, bitch. Take it like the little whore you are."

"Yes! Give it to me!" Sasha moaned.

He grunted in gratification as he thrust one last time, deep into her and came, overflowing her already cum-filled womb. A purple tattoo over her womb glowed when his seed painted her insides white, throwing Sasha into a shuddering orgasm as another helping of cum flooded into her. A twisted smile formed on her face as she stared up at June, the vacant look in her eyes a torturous reminder of what had occurred.

Horror filled June, just like the man had done to his Pumpkin, as he tried to look away but couldn't. It was only when the man released her and she slumped forward, head down and ass high in the air, that freed him from his torment.

The man pulled his cock out of her with a wet plop as copious amounts of cum spilled from her. She continued to gyrate her hips, seeking to refill her now-empty, leaking hole.

"No, don't stop. I need more," Sasha begged languidly.

The man retrieved his clothes and smacked her ass, eliciting another moan, before leaving the room. However, the vision didn't end as another man, short and thin as a twig, entered. His pants fell to his ankles before the door even closed. His mottled shirt and underwear followed quickly as he hopped onto the bed, getting into position behind her.

"Holy shit, he sure fucked you good, didn't he?" he said in a squeaky, slimy voice, coating his dick with the cum still dripping from her pussy before lining his dick with her ass. "I think I'll fuck this hole today."

Another tattoo, this one on her lower back, glowed purple as he thrust his entire cock into her all at once, groaning with rapturous bliss.

"Yes!" Sasha moaned in euphoria as the sounds of sex resumed before the vision faded.

The image of what had become of his family burned into June's mind as wrath blossomed within him. He tried to scream, tried to do anything to stop this from continuing. But he couldn't. He was nothing more than a passenger on this ride as even more visions flooded his mind. These, however, he couldn't even understand.

A woman's decapitated head lay in his lap. Her fox ears drooped, and her lifeless eyes gazed up at him as if to mock him. Confusion coursed through him. A mixture of emotions swirled within him for this woman. Love, devotion, anger, grief, and a sense of failure. They all emanated just as powerfully as if she were his family. But how could that be?

Before he could dwell on the thought, another vision flashed by. A lithe Elven woman with pink hair and bright yellow eyes stumbled to her knees, sweat drenching her face. Surrounded, she had fought tooth and nail against mutated shadow monsters, yet their numbers seemed endless. With nothing left to give, she could only scream for her father, begging for his help before they tore into her and dragged her into the same void he was currently in.

Then, finally, a blue-skinned Elven woman hung limply, impaled from her navel to her mouth on a stone spike protruding from the ground. Her shriveled body suggested she had been like this for some time. June fell to his knees, tears blurring his vision. How could he let this happen? Why hadn't he been there for her? The same rage and anger he felt for the fox woman also roared within him for her. Who was she, and why was he feeling this way?

Back in the abyss, June sagged limply, shadows almost engulfing his entire body. The eye bobbed, a deep rumbling laughter resonating through the void. It had nearly broken June's mind, but then something unbelievable happened. June lifted his head and looked at it. The blackness in his eyes receded, revealing a burning flame.

"Fuck you," June whispered, his wrath overcoming the monster's attempt to break his will.

None of what he had seen was real. He refused to believe that they were. He roared with everything he had as the world around him trembled. By sheer force of will alone, June forced the monster's tendrils back and expelled them from his body. His will manifested into a powerful wave of light that radiated from him, obliterating the eldritch monster and the void.

June's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding a million beats per minute. His vision blurred, barely able to perceive the blond hair cascading down onto him. His ears rang as if a grenade had gone off nearby. A muffled voice called out for him, and he immediately recognized it. Familiar, supple lips planted kisses across his forehead, cheeks, and lips.

Natalie's muffled voice came between each kiss. "Thank god, you're okay."

His arms ached, but he ignored the pain and reached up, pulling her down onto him. His lips met hers, and they shared a passionate kiss. Their tongues engaged in a familiar dance, and the fog that clouded his mind lifted as he savored his wife's embrace. After enjoying the moment a bit longer, he released her, and they came up for air, both panting heavily.

"Looks like you're all better now," she said with a slight giggle.

"Thanks to you," June said.

She gave him a radiant smile before pushing herself up and helping him to his feet. June stumbled the moment he stood straight, his head feeling woozy. Natalie caught him before he could fall, and he gave her an appreciative smile. But when his eyes met hers, the vision from the nightmare reappeared, and he grimaced, holding his head.

"What's wrong?" Natalie asked, steadying him.

"It's nothing," he hissed through gritted teeth.

He repeatedly told himself it wasn't real, that it was nothing more than a nightmare. He was awake now, and everyone was okay. Still, the image of Natalie's terrified face remained.

"June!" Natalie cried out, trying but failing to keep him upright as his legs buckled and he collapsed to his knees.

Sasha's head whirled in his direction upon hearing his name.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed, hopping from her seat at the dining table and bounding over to him.

He struggled to maintain his composure but failed as a blinding rage exploded within him at the sight of his sweet baby girl. His Pumpkin. The floorboards groaned in protest as an invisible pressure radiated from him while the nightmare vision of what had happened to her played on repeat, tormenting him. Sasha froze in her tracks as the very air around June vibrated with energy.

"Daddy?" Sasha asked, cautiously stepping forward, only to be halted by Zach.

"June!" Natalie cried, falling to her hands and knees as the pressure descended on her.

The pressure he unknowingly released built up into a raging storm. It wasn't until the sound of wood snapping and Natalie's cries of pain that jolted him out of his trance.

"Wha--" June attempted to say, but couldn't.

He slumped forward and barely caught himself before face-planting on the floor. A sudden drain shocked his body, sapping him of his strength. Sweat trickled down his face as he fought to steady his breathing.

Cracks spider-webbed across the floorboards. The boards and subfloor beneath June's feet lay shattered, with splinters of wood scattered around, and dust slowly settling. The scent of mildew and mold crept up from the crawlspace beneath, causing him to sneeze.

"What the hell was that?" Christine asked, her voice trembling with panic.

Her question went unanswered as Natalie's pained groan from beside him caught his attention. She lay on her side, curled in the fetal position, and cradling her left arm. Any thought of exhaustion disappeared from his mind as he turned to his children. "Zach, grab the medical bag."

Zach nodded, concern in his eyes, before he retrieved the item June had asked for.

"Let me see," June said, helping Natalie up and onto the couch.

She winced with every movement, and it pained his heart to see her like that. Sasha finally approached, giving June a wary look as she sat beside her mother. That look alone ate at his soul. What had he done to warrant that reaction? He gave her a reassuring smile before gingerly examining Natalie's arm. Luckily, he found no broken bones. It must have been a fracture then. But how did it happen? One moment, he was on his knees, and the next, Natalie was beside him, injured.

The same feminine voice from earlier echoed in his mind, now sounding much more human than AI and very familiar.

It was because you released your Aura. However, I fail to understand how you released it. You are newly integrated, so you shouldn't have unlocked your Essence and Energy Cores yet.

June's eyes widened as he looked around frantically, searching for where the voice was coming from.

I'm in your head. Actually, not just your head, but my point still stands.

"Hello?" June said aloud, drawing a confused glance from Natalie before recognition flashed in her eyes.

"Is it the voice?" Natalie asked at the same time as the voice responded.

Hi, June!

"You hear it too?" June asked with a frown, ignoring the voice for now.

Natalie nodded her head before wincing and clutching her left arm. "I've confirmed that everyone besides the girls hears a voice."

"A voice? As in, you all hear different voices?" June asked, unzipping the medical bag and taking out a roll of gauze, bandages, and a triangular bandage. Realizing he'd need a splint, he asked Zach to retrieve a wooden spatula.

"Yeah," Natalie said as June used the spatula as a makeshift splint for her arm. "I hear my dad's voice."

June followed Natalie's gaze to Zach, who stood nearby, overhearing their conversation, prompting him to speak. "I hear Anna Mikarie's voice."

"The actress?" June asked, raising an eyebrow and flashing a cheeky grin.

"Shut up, Dad," Zach huffed, his face as red as a tomato.

June couldn't help but snicker as he placed Natalie's arm into the triangular bandage and tied it behind her neck to make a sling.

"What about you, June? Who do you hear?" Natalie asked with a teasing lilt in her voice.

June's face darkened as he leaned back before responding. "Emilia."

"Oh," Natalie said, her smile instantly disappearing. She was speechless at that revelation. Silence settled heavily around them.

Not wanting to leave them in a dour mood, June took Natalie's uninjured hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry. Apparently, I did this."

His eyes fell to her injured arm, drawing her attention. "Yeah, the voice in my head told me."

"It did?" June asked, his eyes darting back up to meet hers. "What else did it tell you?"

"A lot of stuff. Just talk to it and you'll understand, although I barely understood half of what it said."

June narrowed his eyes in skepticism, but he had no real reason to doubt Natalie. In the end, he gave a half-hearted shrug and followed her instructions.

Hello?

That's quite rude of you to ignore a lady like that. Although I'll overlook it this time, since you were speaking with your wife.

Her haughty attitude grated on June's mind, dredging up distant memories.

Oh, shut the fuck up, Emili--

However, he stopped himself before finishing the sentence. It wasn't Emilia. It wasn't his sister. It had been well over a decade since he had heard her voice outside of homemade videos. So hearing it now, and in his head, was really jarring.

How are you doing that?

Hmm? Doing what? You're going to have to specify what it is I'm doing.

June could already imagine her standing there, with an indifferent look on her face as she inspected her nails, just like Emilia used to do whenever she wanted to annoy him.

That! How are you speaking with Emilia's voice and sounding like she did!

Oh, that? Well then, let's start from the beginning, shall we?

She paused for a moment as if preparing herself for a presentation.

The great System of Cultivation has integrated your planet, saving it and you from annihilation.

She paused again.

This is where you're supposed to clap.

However, June simply ignored her and waited.

Hmph, a little gratitude could really go a long way, you know.

June rolled his eyes before giving a single mental clap.

That'll suffice. Now, if left alone, you wouldn't be well-equipped to handle the Dwellers of the Abyss. Additionally, the great System of Cultivation has also granted you a significant boon for being a progenitor of this planet.