Ismael closed his eyes, turned away from the Bringer. Facing the wall, he let himself drift into a peceful sleep, the kind that diametrically opposes the hatred, fury and rage he recently exsuded.
Particles of light emerged from beyond his peripheral, a wave of raw dark energy crashed onto him, pushing him down on the ground.
There was no sky to look at nor help to call. An inferno of pure void instilled a natural, subversive fear in his soul.
His eyes are wide open, and they see a gigantic hole at the bottom of the overall place.
Some creatures pass by, akin to rays, giving him looks and warnings, like cats hissing before clawing and biting.
He was clinging on the walls, grasping at the very few marks in the rocks, probably done by the monsters themselves.
He could feel the height and the drop calling him to let go, commanding to jump. The hole all the way down was white, the only source of light in this place.
"I wonder if the Bringer did this or if he is a natural. Probably a natural. So what do I need to do here? I hope I don't need to jump to catch one of the things moving below..."
Ismael tested an idea, but before that, had a smoke while staring at the situation. Throwing the cigarette in the void, one of the creatures caught it and began spasming to eventually fall to the void, leaving the two others alone.
"I put some of my blood on the cig by biting my lip, in some regard it is similar to the Brand of Yael on most of species. Thought to myself, I have to be like this, somehow. My blood is starting to be a problem, meaning, as blood is the extension of somebody's dna, my own body, my own being is becoming a poison for reality."
Ismael jumped and threw his jacket at the same time, covering the creature's eyes. He then landed on the jacket and faced the final one.
"Knew it was you. Your traits are more defined. I knew it was the kind of riddle that goes without a word, just a scenery. Me, up there, desperately clinging on my humanity for it is my identity, and by the claws of ego, I hold on to it. The Nephilims are the creatures, all three of you, that "guard" the entrance to becoming one, act as if you were to kill me. But you're not, at least not if I'm aware of all of this. Down below is the light that I assume will change me into a Neph. I also assume that if I jump, you would catch me with your teeth and kill me in my sleep."
"There's one more thing you don't know. Human. The Nephilim fights for himself and for others. What makes you who you are is the way you use the nature of being a Nephilim. The riddle is unfinished."
"Of course it is, I'm still alive. Anybody would think that falling in the hole of light is enough. But that would be too easy. The entrance is all the way up there. As above so below, except here the two "doors", so to speak are different. With everything going on at the bottom, no one would look up, and that's the trick. Like a black insect on the wall, no one would look by the window and enjoy the sunlight. But if, right now, I look up..."
"Right on. A black hole of pure void and unimaginable energy. Unfathomable darkness."
"Take me all the way up. My name is Nero. Son of Helios."
The raye he was on elevated, swimming into the air, to reach the blackness above. Going faster and faster, Ismael rose his right fist, almost bursting by pure force the black veil.
Ismael woke up with the Bringer on his side.
"Was that it? Did I make it?"
"You did. Remarkable. And as you wondered, yes, it is natural for me. Though the test in nad of itself is a great one at that, it perfectly encapsulates the person's desire and capability to become a Nephilim or not. In other words, those who fail die because they didn't deserve it. This is the true final test, where failure means the individual did not meet the requirements. Fair and square."
"Now, what happens?"
"Now, Nero, your humanity is slowly dissolving. If you wish to continue on the road to becoming one of us, there is one last thing you have to do. You have to doom an enemy to the labyrinth. There is a maze, in a different realm, where they wander, as it is, for eternity. While there is a way out, it is almost impossible to find it. You have to say it out loud when the person comes here, you have to send them there and I will take you to our world, where Nara will crown you."
The group finally went back to the university, where Grid and Influenza were visibly anxious.
"Where is he? Where is Ismael?"
"Amphelise, calm down, he's in the Dead Zone."
"We have to go. All of us. He can't stop all of us at the same time."
"It's risky but it's possible. Grid, what do you think? I think we should do it."
It took a little bit more of a convincing for Yael and Anaïs to join, but ultimately they sighed and left with the group. They took every weapon and geared up to the extreme and parted to the Final Point.
"Your friends are coming, Nero. Choose wisely. In a few minutes they will be here. Can't go back."
"No, I'm not looking forward to go back to anything. I chose the name of Nero when I was killing people for sport and for my own security. It has to be done. I refuse to die as a mere human."
"Then welcome them as you must."