Auron stood before the crystal, his hand inches from the cold surface.
Inside, the figure floated with eyes closed. Their body was pale and thin, wrapped in black markings that moved like smoke beneath the skin. Long white hair drifted around their head, like they had been frozen in time.
The voice returned.
"You were betrayed. So was I. You seek revenge. So do I."
Auron didn't answer yet.
He stared at the cracks in the crystal. Whatever was inside was still sealed, but the barrier was weak now.
The system spoke in his mind.
\[Warning: Unknown Entity – Risk Level: Critical]
\[Choice Available: Release the Abyssal One or Seal the Gate]
\[Note: Sealing will delay the awakening, but you will gain no power]
\[Note: Releasing may unlock forbidden abilities – outcome unstable]
Auron thought about his past. His lost crown. His mother's final words. His people slaughtered like animals. His own death.
He had nothing left to protect.
Only something to become.
"I want strength," he said quietly. "Not just to survive… but to make them all pay."
The voice whispered back.
"Then break the seal. And share in my curse."
Auron raised his hand.
He took a deep breath.
Then placed his palm against the crystal.
A loud crack echoed through the chamber.
The markings across the crystal lit up. Red and black pulses ran through the cracks. The figure inside opened its eyes.
They were not human eyes.
They glowed with endless depth — like looking into a void that could never be filled.
The crystal shattered.
Blue mist exploded outward. Auron stumbled back, covering his face. The air turned heavy, almost too heavy to breathe.
When the mist cleared, the figure floated just above the ground.
Not standing. Just hovering.
It was neither man nor woman, but both. Their voice was soft and calm — yet terrifying.
"You've awakened me, child of betrayal. I offer you a pact."
"What kind of pact?" Auron asked.
"A bond of shadow. I give you a piece of my essence. You give me a place to live."
"In my body?" Auron asked.
"Yes," the voice replied. "But only a small fragment. You keep control. I stay quiet… unless you call for me."
Auron stayed silent.
"What's the price?" he asked.
"My power feeds on blood," the being said. "You will feel rage more deeply. You will dream of death. And if you ever fall too far, I may take over."
Auron stared into those endless eyes.
And then nodded.
"I accept."
The being smiled.
A stream of black smoke flowed from its chest and into Auron's. It burned. His vision blurred. His heart raced. He screamed—but didn't fall.
The smoke sank deep inside him.
Then disappeared.
\[New Trait Gained: Vessel of the Abyss]
\[Passive Skill: Abyssal Instinct – Warns you of unseen threats]
\[Active Skill Unlocked: Void Edge – Slash made of pure shadow]
\[Warning: Use of Abyssal Power increases corruption]
The being floated back toward the broken crystal.
"I return to rest. Until you call."
Then it vanished, fading into mist.
Auron stood alone in the dark chamber.
His hands trembled.
But not from fear.
From the raw power that now pulsed through his veins.
---
Hours later, Auron climbed back into the upper mines.
His skin was pale.
His eyes… darker.
The guards didn't question him. They saw the way he walked — like something had changed.
The Warden waited in the hall outside his chamber.
"Well?" he asked.
"I dealt with it," Auron said. "The seal is broken. But the threat is gone — for now."
The Warden narrowed his eyes.
"I can feel it on you. Something unnatural."
Auron met his gaze without blinking.
"You told me to bring back power. I did."
The Warden stayed quiet for a moment.
Then stepped aside.
"I don't care what you've become. As long as you keep fighting for me."
Auron walked past him.
"I don't fight for you," he said.
"I fight for myself."
---
That night, as the other slaves slept, Auron sat alone near the edge of the pit.
He held the dagger in his hand.
But now, it felt like a toy.
He didn't need it anymore.
He had something else.
Something alive inside him.
\[Corruption Level: 3%]
\[Void Edge – Ready]
\[Next Quest: Hunt the Shadow Priest – Location: Sector Nine]
\[Reward: Abyssal Core Fragment]
He stared at the stars above the mine ceiling.
They were fake.
Painted long ago to give the slaves hope.
Auron didn't believe in hope anymore.
Only power.
Only revenge.