Into Ascension — Volume One

Beneath a dead world lies Vallaris — a colossal cavern civilization built around a sapphire lake nobody from the lower tiers is allowed to touch. The Church of Aqua Puritas rules through faith. Manifest controls the mines, factories, and the flow of industry. Chancellor Shirk smiles down from flickering screens across the slums, promising prosperity while the city slowly rots beneath him. Together, they have built a world where survival itself is rationed. Orin has spent his life scavenging the forgotten places beneath the city with his adoptive father, Qweg. Stay unnoticed. Find scrap. Survive another day. That was the plan. Then he finds Virellium. After a failed rebel operation tears open something ancient beneath Vallaris, a living crystalline force bonds itself to Orin’s body — a power tied to buried prophecies, forbidden archives, and secrets the ruling powers have spent generations trying to suppress. Now hunted by Enforcers, pursued by Manifest, and watched by forces within Aqua Puritas itself, Orin is dragged into a growing rebellion that threatens to tear the cavern apart. A rebel sharpshooter carrying the memory of her dead brother.A priestess who no longer believes in the Church that raised her.A steam-powered Beastman guardian who has spent his life protecting a system that despises him.An Ifritian assassin with every reason to hate them all. As unrest spreads through the slums and something beneath the world begins to awaken, Orin must decide what the power inside him truly is: salvation… or the beginning of Vallaris’ final collapse. Into Ascension is a dark fantasy / sci-fantasy epic inspired by industrial dystopias, JRPGs, fungalpunk aesthetics, and grim mythic worlds. The story is intentionally cinematic and movie-paced — built around visual storytelling, atmosphere, character-driven scenes, and large-scale set pieces. Expect oppressive worldbuilding, ancient mysteries, brutal fights, slow-burn character relationships, political conflict, and a story about broken people trying to rise beneath the weight of a dying civilization. NOTE: Into Ascension was originally written as a script for an indie animation project. My goal was to create something that felt like a pseudo-video game — sprite-based action sequences, visual novel-style dialogue scenes, and motion-comic cinematics for major moments. Unfortunately, between work, family, and starting a small business, I no longer had the time to realistically produce it in that format. Rather than let the story sit unfinished, I decided to adapt it into a light novel so I could finally share this world and characters with people. I’m not a professional writer, just someone passionate about worldbuilding. I genuinely hope you enjoy the journey.