Chapter 22: The ascended plane

The realm was huge, but empty, according to Eren it’s a space that has long existed before the first king, but nobody knows of its creation or creator. To access this plane you need to reach a certain power threshold that allows you to open an entry the way Onyx did. The tear we had entered from closed on itself, the space mending back in on itself. We were forced to face down Onyx or be stranded. It was surrounded by a blank grey sky with fog around the far, far edges, the flooring was covered in sand, and small dunes of sand stuck out in its grey surrounding. Off in the distance was a bright slanted pillar, which must’ve been what Onyx came for. I'm suddenly overwhelmed by pain. The strange dark power began spreading over my arms again, this time out of my control. I was about to lose consciousness when someone emerged out of nowhere. The stranger knelt beside me before putting their hand on my arm, the strange darkness tried to latch onto the stranger but it withered on contact. My head began to feel better as the stranger's hand began to emanate light, driving the darkness back,

“ Who are you, why are you here?” I had asked. The stranger’s face became more visible, “I thought I told you not to leave the kingdom until I came back,” said the Queen of Light, my mother. We embrace each other in a hug, she had explained that once she had struck down the first king, he used what remaining strength he had to warp her here, knowing she wouldn’t be able to escape due to having expended almost all her energy in the battle, she had been regaining power to get out but due to the heavy presence of Abyssal energy it was slow gaining. “ Its good to see you again, seems you’ve been holding out well,” Cass remarks, they exchange hugs, “ Its good to see the both of you are doing well, but we can catch up later,” mother says, “Onyx plans on claiming the full power of the First King, the source lies is the pillar,” she explains, the pillar wasn’t very far from where we had arrived. On the way we exchange information regarding Onyx, Mother explained how the pillar was whats left of the first abyssal king and Onyx has been showing up from time to time, slowly absorbing it, I told her about the strange dark power and how I was able to wield it safely until a moment ago, as well as Jade coming back into power as queen. “The affinity of darkness, whether you got it because of your grandmother or some other case can be discussed later, for now only use it in emergencies, you’ve been using it too much I can tell, why haven’t you been using the light?” she asks, The only explanation I can think of is that I wasn't given the affinity of light? I conjure the power like I normally would, and to nobody's surprise darkness, out of desperation, I had allowed myself to wield the dark power. "I can help you wield the light for now but it won’t last, but promise me you won't use the darkness unless you need to, ok?” she asks, I promised to her that It would only be a last resort. By the time we had reached the pillar, Onyx was already absorbing its energy. Its height decreased as Onyx took from it, Cass’s sword had been tossed aside, the wound he inflicted was gone, as if it never existed. Mother struck first. Breaking his connection and turning his focus on us. This is where it would end, the king will fall here.