Gasp.

  My eyes snap open.

  But there is… nothing.

  I see only myself, my body suspended in a vast, endless void. There is no ground beneath me, no sky above. Just an abyss of black nothingness stretching in all directions.

  Then, from the emptiness, a ball of golden light appears.

  It hovers, flickering gently, then begins to drift away.

  A guide to heaven?

  I move. My legs carry me forward, yet I feel no weight, no pain. I don’t tire. I just… run.

  As I chase the light, it splits into three separate orbs, each veering in different directions.

  Left. Right. Center.

  Each one radiates a unique presence. A different kind of mana.

  But my instincts pull me toward the center.

  It is overwhelming.

  The moment I reach for it, the golden light bursts.

  The void shatters into pure radiance. The black abyss transforms into a brilliant golden-white expanse, pillars stretching infinitely in all directions. They form massive bridges, some upright, others twisted at impossible angles.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Then—

  A sound.

  "Ssssssss..."

  A slow, drawn-out hiss.

  Something massive moves above me.

  I tilt my head upward.

  And there it is.

  A colossal serpent descends from the pillars, its body coiling through the air with ethereal grace.

  Its scales shimmer white like polished marble, accented with streaks of gold. Its sapphire-like eyes glow with unfathomable wisdom.

  I freeze.

  My heart pounds.

  It is… beautiful.

  And utterly terrifying.

  The serpent moves, its massive coils encircling me, spiraling closer with each rotation.

  It doesn’t strike.

  Instead, it studies me.

  Then—

  It speaks.

  Its voice is ancient, resonating deep within my soul.

  ---

  "Elysia..."

  "Thou hast grown into a brave girl."

  "Many scorned thee. Many spat upon thy name, deeming thee naught but a worthless healer."

  "Yet thou didst prove them false."

  "Thou didst stand against the abyss alone. Thou didst smite the foul beasts without reliance upon others."

  "And thus, as a god, I offer thee a boon."

  "Shall I grant thee a second chance?"

  ---

  I stare at the serpent, my breath shallow.

  I understand what it is asking.

  I swallow hard, my voice barely a whisper.

  "...Yes."

  The serpent's eyes gleam.

  "Elysia..."

  "Then accept my power. Wield me. And change the fate of this world."

  It lunges.

  Its massive jaws open, and before I can react—

  It swallows me whole.

  ---

  Gasp.

  My eyes snap open again.

  But this time, I am alive.

  Golden light pulses around me, mending my broken body. My wounds vanish before my eyes, flesh knitting together with radiant energy.

  And on my chest—

  A small serpent.

  Its body, white and gold, coils gently around me, its glowing eyes meeting mine.

  I hesitate.

  Slowly, carefully, I reach out and touch it.

  The moment my fingers graze its smooth scales, a familiar sound reaches my ears.

  Hoofbeats.

  I look up.

  The Death Knight returns.

  Its hollow eyes burn with fury.

  I don't have time to think.

  The serpent slithers up my arm, its small mouth opening, revealing sharp golden fangs.

  I aim it at the enemy and whisper—

  "...Please… do something."

  The serpent obeys.

  It bites.

  From its fangs, a golden liquid drips. It gathers at the tips before launching forward, a stream of divine venom hissing through the air.

  It strikes.

  The venom erupts into radiant lightning the moment it touches the Death Knight.

  A deep, otherworldly scream echoes as the dark soul within the knight’s armor ignites.

  Light destroys darkness.

  That’s why my healing spells wouldn’t work before.

  This serpent—this power—is not a spell.

  It is a summon.

  The Death Knight lets out one final, agonized roar before its body collapses, its soul consumed by divine fire.

  Silence falls.

  I clutch the small serpent close to me, my chest rising and falling.

  The Abyssal Spire took my life.

  But the world gave me a second chance.

  And it granted me power.