Spirit Cultivator
By @Raph
Elias, a young man burdened by a family curse that binds his soul to a dying village, discovers an ancient scripture detailing a forbidden path: 'Spirit Cultivation'. This isn't the familiar pursuit of qi or magic, but a divine journey to refine one's very essence through acts of faith, prayer, and service, drawing power from a celestial Creator. As shadowy entities, born from the world's fading belief, begin to consume sacred sites, Elias must cultivate his spirit, not just for personal ascension, but to rekindle the world's divine connection. His nascent powers, manifesting as ethereal light and restorative grace, put him on a collision course with ancient, disillusioned beings who seek to sever humanity from its spiritual roots entirely. The fate of both his village and a world teetering on the brink of spiritual oblivion rests on his untested faith.
14
Relics of the Living Saints
By @Dino1208
Within the foreboding Grey Abbacy, Brother Osric Dale, a gentle relicwright, grapples with a terrible gift: the ability to measure the fading sanctity within living saints. He ensures the Order’s endless demand for miraculous relics is met, determining precisely how much more can be harvested from those who willingly offer their bodies. But the saints, their bones slowly claimed for the 'greater good,' linger in the infirmary, broken husks of faith. Osric, quietly coming apart, believes he is merciful, the one who knows when to stop cutting. Yet, with each measurement, he inches closer to the abyss, haunted by the agony behind their stoic smiles and the chilling question of true mercy in a world where belief demands such a price. The line between devotion and monstrosity blurs, threatening to consume him.
7