The sun was setting as Sylas and Alira emerged from the depths of the Abyss, their minds heavy with the revelations of the past few hours. The sky above was streaked with crimson and gold, but the colors seemed muted to Sylas, as if the world itself were holding its breath in anticipation of something yet to come.
Alira glanced at him, her brow furrowed in concern. He hadn't spoken much since their encounter with the keeper. His silence was deafening, his focus distant as he stared ahead, his hand subconsciously brushing the shard embedded in his chest. The power within him felt alive, pulsing with an almost terrifying energy, but at the same time, it felt as though it was slipping out of his control, like sand through his fingers.
"You don't have to do this alone," Alira said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "We'll figure this out together."
Sylas looked at her, his expression unreadable. "I don't have a choice. I need to master this power before it masters me." His voice was cold, sharper than she had ever heard it.
Alira felt the sting of his words, but she knew he was right. There was no turning back now. The shard had become a part of him, and the path he had chosen was leading him deeper into the darkness. She had always known Sylas was strong, but now, she could see that his strength was becoming a double-edged sword.
They made their way to the edge of the forest, where the last light of day cast long shadows across the landscape. The silence between them stretched out, heavy and uncomfortable, until Sylas suddenly stopped. Alira nearly collided with him as he turned, his eyes scanning the horizon.
"There's something wrong," he muttered, his voice low and tense. "I can feel it."
Alira instinctively reached for her blade, her senses sharpening. The forest was still, too still, as if the land itself were holding its breath. Then, she heard it—distant at first, like the rustling of wind through the trees, but growing louder by the second.
"What is that?" she asked, her voice tight with caution.
Before Sylas could answer, a dark shape streaked through the trees. It moved too quickly for her to get a clear view, but she knew one thing for sure—it wasn't natural.
Without warning, a figure lunged from the shadows, its eyes glowing a faint, unnatural red. Sylas was already moving, his hand flashing out to grab Alira's arm, pulling her out of the way just in time. The creature crashed into the spot where they had been standing a heartbeat earlier, its claws slashing through the air.
Sylas's heart raced as he pushed Alira behind him, his eyes narrowing at the creature. It was humanoid in shape, but its skin was mottled with dark patches, its body twisted and deformed. Its red eyes glowed with an unnatural hunger, and its mouth was filled with sharp, jagged teeth. This was no ordinary beast—it was something far worse.
"Stay back," Sylas warned, his voice low and commanding as he drew his blade. The shard in his chest pulsed in response, and he could feel the power within him stirring, eager to unleash its fury.
Alira instinctively drew her own blade, standing at the ready beside him. But as the creature lunged again, something unexpected happened. The shard embedded in Sylas's chest flared with bright light, and a surge of energy erupted from him, pushing the creature back with an explosive force.
The beast screeched in pain, its body convulsing as the energy slammed into it. But it didn't fall. It writhed, its body twisting unnaturally as it regained its footing, its eyes now filled with fury.
"It's not normal," Alira said, her voice a mixture of awe and fear. "It's been corrupted by something."
Sylas's grip on his blade tightened, his jaw clenched in frustration. "That's not all," he muttered. "It's connected to me—somehow."
The beast lunged again, faster this time. Sylas barely managed to parry its strike, the force of the blow sending a shockwave through his arms. The creature's strength was overwhelming, but it wasn't just brute force—it was as if it were drawing power from the very ground beneath them.
Sylas's heart pounded in his chest as he realized the truth. The shard was no longer just a source of power—it was a beacon, attracting these twisted creatures, feeding them, amplifying their strength.
He couldn't let this continue.
With a guttural roar, Sylas channeled the shard's energy through his blade, the air crackling with raw power. In a single, fluid motion, he struck, his blade cutting through the creature's chest with a sickening sound. The beast let out a final screech before collapsing, its body dissolving into the earth, vanishing as if it had never been there.
Breathing heavily, Sylas stood over the creature's remains, his heart still racing. The pulse of the shard in his chest was deafening now, almost like a heartbeat of its own.
"What was that?" Alira asked, her voice shaking slightly as she stepped forward, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Sylas didn't answer right away. His eyes were fixed on the spot where the creature had fallen, his mind racing with the implications of what had just happened. These creatures, the beasts, the corrupted shadows—they were connected to him. The shard was more than just a tool of power; it was a force that drew darkness to him, that called out to the corrupted and twisted things lurking in the world.
But why? What was the shard's true purpose?
His thoughts were interrupted as a familiar voice rang out from behind him.
"Sylas!" Alira exclaimed, her tone filled with urgency. "Look!"
Sylas turned just in time to see another figure emerging from the trees, but this one wasn't a beast. It was human, or at least, it appeared to be. The figure was tall, cloaked in dark robes, with a hood that obscured its face. The air around the figure seemed to shimmer with an unnatural energy, and Sylas could feel the weight of its presence before the figure even spoke.
"I've been waiting for you, Sylas Drevin," the figure said, its voice smooth, cold, and filled with a sinister undertone. "I see the shard has already claimed you."
Sylas's heart skipped a beat. The figure's voice sent a chill down his spine. He knew this wasn't just another enemy—it was something far worse, something far more dangerous.
"I'm not here to fight," the figure continued, stepping forward. "I'm here to offer you a choice. Join me, and together we can reshape this world."