The cliffs gave way beneath Ethan's feet. His pulse quickened, adrenaline surging as the ground crumbled into the abyss. Aeris' hand clutched his arm, pulling him back just in time. The towering figure's parting words still echoed in his mind: *I am what you will become.*
"Run!" Magnus's voice cut through the chaos, his arm extended as he cast a spell, stabilizing the crumbling ground for a moment longer. Blue light rippled from his fingertips, forming a temporary bridge over the widening chasm, but the magic was unstable, flickering with each second.
Ethan snapped back to reality and followed Magnus and Aeris, his heart pounding against his ribcage. They raced along the narrow strip of solid earth, their feet barely managing to stay ahead of the ground as it collapsed behind them. The rumble of the valley's collapse thundered in their ears, but Ethan's mind was elsewhere. The dark figure's words had pierced through the chaos, leaving a haunting uncertainty in their wake.
*What did he mean?*
They barely made it to the edge of the forest when the final collapse happened. The ground shook violently as the valley swallowed itself, a massive dust cloud billowing into the air. The cliffside where they had stood moments earlier vanished into the abyss, leaving only a jagged scar in the earth. Magnus lowered his hand, the last traces of his magic flickering out as the earth settled.
Panting, Ethan doubled over, hands on his knees, his legs shaking from the exertion. Aeris stood beside him, her chest heaving, but her eyes were locked on the gaping hole where the valley had once been.
"That was close," she muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. "Too close."
Magnus's face was grim as he surveyed the destruction. "We're safe… for now."
But Ethan could feel the weight of something much larger pressing down on them. He straightened, staring into the abyss where the dark figure had disappeared. "Who was that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Magnus turned to him, his brow furrowed. "I was hoping you could tell me."
"I don't know," Ethan replied, frustration creeping into his voice. "But he said something… something about me becoming him."
Aeris frowned, her eyes flicking between Ethan and Magnus. "Do you think it was a warning? Or a threat?"
Magnus's gaze darkened. "Perhaps both. The magic in this valley is ancient, far older than anything we've encountered before. It's possible that the figure is tied to Ethan's destiny in ways we don't yet understand."
Ethan shuddered at the thought. "But why would he look like that? Why would he say that *I* would become him?"
Magnus let out a long sigh, his eyes scanning the horizon. "There are forces in this world, Ethan, that can twist even the purest of intentions. If this figure is tied to you, then we must be cautious. It's possible he represents a version of your future—a path you may take if you're not careful."
Ethan's stomach churned. The idea of becoming that… *thing* was horrifying. But what could he do to stop it?
Before he could ask more questions, a low growl echoed from the woods behind them. Aeris tensed, her hand instinctively going to her blade.
"That's not good," she whispered, eyes scanning the tree line.
Magnus stiffened, his hands already crackling with magic. "We're not alone."
Ethan's heart raced as the growling intensified, followed by the rustling of leaves and the sound of heavy footsteps. Shadows shifted in the trees, and from the darkness emerged a pack of creatures unlike anything Ethan had ever seen.
They were large, muscular beasts, their skin as dark as night, eyes glowing a sickly yellow. Their mouths were filled with jagged teeth, and they moved with a predatory grace, circling the group like wolves preparing to pounce.
"Void Hounds," Magnus muttered under his breath. "They must have been drawn by the valley's collapse."
"What do we do?" Ethan asked, his voice shaking as he backed up, his sword drawn but feeling woefully inadequate against these creatures.
Magnus stepped forward, his eyes blazing with power. "We fight."
Without warning, the largest of the Void Hounds lunged, its claws extended toward Aeris. She sidestepped the attack with practiced precision, her blade flashing in the dim light as she slashed at the beast's side. The creature howled in pain but didn't fall, its glowing eyes narrowing as it circled for another attack.
Ethan barely had time to react before two more of the beasts rushed him. His sword clashed against their claws, the force of the impact sending him stumbling backward. He swung wildly, managing to land a hit on one of the creatures, but it barely slowed it down. The beast snarled and lunged again, its fangs bared.
Panic gripped Ethan. He was no match for these things—at least not like this.
"Focus, Ethan!" Magnus shouted, his voice cutting through the noise of the battle. He thrust his staff forward, sending a bolt of arcane energy into one of the creatures, vaporizing it instantly. "Use your power!"
But Ethan's mind was a whirlwind of fear and confusion. His grip on his magic was slipping, the weight of the dark figure's words still pressing down on him. What if he used his power and lost control? What if he became that… thing?
"Ethan!" Aeris's voice snapped him back to the present. She was locked in battle with another hound, but her eyes were on him. "We need you!"
The desperation in her voice cut through his hesitation. He couldn't let them down—not now.
Gritting his teeth, Ethan closed his eyes and reached deep inside himself, searching for that well of power that had always been there, waiting. He felt it stir, felt the familiar warmth of magic rise within him, and then… something else. A darker, colder energy, lurking just beneath the surface.
For a moment, he hesitated, afraid of what might happen if he tapped into it. But there was no time for doubt.
With a shout, Ethan unleashed the magic. Blue flames erupted from his hands, engulfing the two hounds that were charging him. Their howls of pain echoed through the clearing as the fire consumed them, leaving nothing but ash in its wake.
The other hounds faltered, their yellow eyes flicking to Ethan with a mixture of fear and anger. They backed away, growling, but no longer attacking.
Magnus stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he watched the remaining beasts. "They'll be back," he warned. "But for now, we have a moment to breathe."
Ethan's chest heaved as he tried to steady his breathing, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. His hands were shaking—not from the exertion, but from the cold, dark energy he had felt when he tapped into his magic.
"What… what was that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Magnus's expression was unreadable as he turned to face Ethan. "That, my boy, is the reason we need to find out who you really are."
Before Ethan could respond, a low rumble shook the ground beneath their feet. The group tensed, expecting another attack, but the source of the sound was not the hounds. From the direction of the collapsed valley, a massive spire of black stone began to rise, piercing the sky with unnatural speed.
Aeris's eyes widened. "What in the gods' name is that?"
Magnus's face paled as he watched the spire continue to rise. "It's a signal. A call."
"A call to what?" Ethan asked, dread pooling in his stomach.
Magnus turned to him, his eyes filled with grim certainty. "To whatever is coming next."
The spire glowed with an ominous light, and as it reached its full height, a wave of dark energy swept across the land, sending a chill through the air.
Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the spire, the weight of the dark figure's words pressing down on him once more. *I am what you will become.*
But what did that mean? And what had they just unleashed?
As the darkness spread, Ethan knew one thing for certain: this was only the beginning.