The night was heavy with an unnatural stillness.
Lucian and Selene stood at the edge of the Forsaken Ruins, the ground beneath them cracked and scarred by centuries of decay. Towering stone structures loomed like the skeletal remains of a long-dead civilization, their shadows stretching toward the horizon like twisted fingers.
Ash stood a few steps ahead, their violet eyes scanning the ruins with a practiced wariness. "We have to move fast. The Rift won't wait, and neither will the Abyss."
Lucian clenched his fists. He could feel the darkness coiling within him, whispering in a language he shouldn't understand. Every moment they wasted brought him closer to losing himself.
Selene noticed his tension. She stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. Her touch was warm, steady—real.
"We're going to fix this," she murmured, her voice soft but firm.
Lucian exhaled, nodding. He wanted to believe her.
But the Abyss was no ordinary enemy.
It was inside him.
Waiting. Watching.
And it wasn't about to let go without a fight.
The Path to the Rift
The deeper they went into the ruins, the heavier the air became.
Magic hung in the atmosphere like a tangible force, thick with the echoes of ancient power. The ground beneath their feet pulsed with something unnatural—as if the very land was alive.
Ash led the way, moving with a confidence that suggested they'd been here before.
Selene kept her flames lit, the flickering embers casting eerie shadows against the crumbling walls. "What exactly are we looking for?" she asked.
Ash didn't turn back. "The entrance to the Rift isn't just a doorway. It's a trial."
Lucian frowned. "A trial?"
Ash nodded. "The Abyss doesn't just let anyone in. You have to prove yourself first."
Lucian's grip on his sword tightened. "And how do we do that?"
Ash glanced at him, their expression unreadable. "You survive."
A low rumble echoed through the ruins.
Lucian and Selene froze.
The air shifted—and suddenly, the ruins weren't empty anymore.
The Guardians Awaken
The shadows at the edges of the ruins moved.
Figures began to emerge—hulking, twisted beings with elongated limbs and glowing, hollow eyes. Their bodies were woven from darkness itself, shifting and writhing like living nightmares.
Selene's fire flared instinctively. "What are they?"
Ash's voice was grim. "The Forsaken."
Lucian's chest tightened. He'd heard stories of the Forsaken—ancient souls trapped in the Abyss's grip, cursed to guard its secrets for eternity.
And now—they were coming for him.
One of the creatures lunged, its clawed hands reaching for Lucian's throat.
He moved on instinct, his blade slashing through the air—but instead of blood, the creature's form rippled like liquid shadow, reforming almost instantly.
Selene threw a blast of fire—and the creature screamed, its body twisting violently as the flames burned through it.
Lucian's breath hitched. "Fire hurts them."
Selene's eyes blazed. "Then let's burn them down."
The Forsaken charged.
Lucian and Selene moved together, fire and steel clashing against shadow. Every strike, every movement was a delicate balance between survival and destruction.
But no matter how many they cut down—more kept coming.
Lucian's pulse pounded. He could feel the Abyss pressing against his mind, whispering, calling.
"Let me help you."
For a fraction of a second, Lucian hesitated.
And that's when the Abyss struck.
Lucian's Struggle
A sudden wave of darkness crashed over him, and Lucian staggered, his vision flickering. The world blurred, the sounds of battle growing distant.
He was somewhere else.
The ruins faded, replaced by a vast, endless void. Shadows stretched in every direction, shifting, twisting—alive.
And then—a voice.
Deep. Familiar. Inside him.
"Why do you fight me?"
Lucian spun around, his heart pounding. He couldn't see the source of the voice, but he felt it—everywhere.
"You are mine, Lucian."
His breath hitched.
"You are meant for more than this pitiful resistance."
Lucian gritted his teeth. "I don't belong to you."
The shadows laughed—a sound that sent shivers down his spine.
"Don't you? You have already used my power. You have already let me in."
Lucian's hands trembled. He could feel it—the dark energy woven into his very soul, thriving inside him.
The Abyss was right.
He had already let it in.
"Why suffer? Why fight?" The voice was hypnotic, coaxing. "I can give you strength. Power beyond your wildest dreams."
Lucian's vision flickered.
For just a second—he saw himself.
But not as he was now.
As something else.
Something terrifying.
A being of shadow and fire, his silver eyes replaced with endless darkness.
A Vessel.
Lucian's chest tightened. The Abyss wasn't just changing him.
It was trying to make him choose.
"Say the word," the voice whispered, smooth and coaxing. "And you will never feel weak again."
Lucian's breath came fast, uneven. The temptation clawed at him, wrapping around his thoughts like chains.
But then—
"Lucian!"
A different voice cut through the darkness.
Selene's voice.
Lucian's heart slammed in his chest.
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