Interstice.
This was the transitional realm between the real world and the world of essence—the Abyss.
It was not a separate dimension completely detached from matter.
Rather, it was like a translucent veil.
It overlaid and intertwined with the "world of spirit and soul" of reality.
Here, the laws of reality became blurred.
Mountains and rivers had reflections, but they were more often projections of material "spectral bodies."
Thus, the living souls of those not yet dead and the departed souls of the deceased often lost their way here, unable to distinguish the boundary between life and death, eventually becoming lingering resentments that refused to disperse.
Somewhere within this hazy, fantastical land, the heavy sound of hoofbeats echoed.
A tall knight clad in heavy black armor rode a skeletal warhorse armored in the same black plate, slowly making his way through a muddy swamp.
In his left hand, he held a kite shield emblazoned with a thorned rose emblem.
His armored right hand forcibly pulled a pitch-black, egg-shaped object from the corpse of an Apostle that resembled rotten mud.
A Beherit.
The surface of this egg-sized object was covered in twisted, misplaced human facial features.
At this moment, it appeared utterly terrified by its host's death and its forced removal.
It even let out faint, pitiful whimpers.
This Skull Knight—
Gaiseric, the "Skull Knight" who had unified the continent a thousand years ago—was already thoroughly accustomed to such sights.
The eyes hidden beneath his skull-shaped helmet glimmered like ghostly flames from the underworld.
Without the slightest hesitation.
He directly placed this Beherit, which radiated an ominous aura, into his mouth.
In an instant.
An immensely powerful spiritual force erupted within him.
Like a furnace, it forcefully refined this evil egg of karma.
A moment later, Gaiseric opened his jaw again