The following morning, Ethan sat cross-legged on the floor of the training room. It was dark, save for a single, dim light overhead that cast long shadows across the metallic walls. He had barely slept, his mind too restless to find peace after the revelations Monroe had shared. He kept seeing the pyramid of the demon hierarchy in his mind, the ranks that stretched upward toward unimaginable power. Thralls had been terrifying enough—what would it be like to face something higher?
"Clear your mind," came Monroe's voice, sharp as a whip in the silence. She was pacing in slow, deliberate steps around him, her dark boots the only sound echoing in the vast room.
Ethan clenched his jaw and tried again, pushing the thoughts away. It was harder than he'd expected, though. His mind raced with everything that had happened in the past few days—the binding, the demon, the danger. He couldn't shake the unease that gnawed at him.
"You need focus, Cole," Monroe snapped, stopping in front of him. "If you can't quiet your mind, you won't last five seconds in the presence of a Lurker."
Ethan exhaled slowly, trying to center himself. Focus, he told himself. He wasn't going to fail—not now. The weight of the Bureau's mission was heavy, and he knew he had to be ready for whatever came next.
"Good. That's better," Monroe said, her voice softening slightly. "You're going to need every bit of that focus when you step into the containment room today."
His eyes snapped open at that. "Today? Already?"
Monroe nodded, her arms crossed over her chest. "You've shown enough aptitude with the Thrall. We're moving you to the next rank—Lurkers."
Ethan's pulse quickened. The word itself sent a shiver down his spine. Lurkers—demons of stealth and shadows. He remembered the profile on the monitor, the way Monroe had described them: cunning, invisible, and always watching.
"I hope you're ready," Monroe added, studying his face. "This will be a real test of your ability. A Lurker is not a mindless beast like the Thrall. It will test you, push you, try to manipulate you. Your mind will be its battleground."
"What exactly are we summoning?" Ethan asked, his voice steadier than he felt. "I need to know what I'm dealing with."
Monroe raised an eyebrow, a flicker of approval crossing her face. "Good. You should always ask that question."
She tapped a panel on the wall, and a holographic display sprang to life, showing a swirling mass of shadows. It looked almost humanoid, but its edges bled into the darkness around it, as though it couldn't hold a solid form for long. Its eyes, however, glowed a sickly green—sharp, intelligent, and calculating.
"This is a Lurker named Asheron. It's one of the more experienced of its kind," Monroe said. "It's been used in numerous covert operations by the Bureau, and every time, it's come back stronger. More clever. But it's also… difficult to control."
Ethan stared at the shifting form on the screen, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in his gut. He could almost sense its intelligence, its malice, even through the image. Asheron was watching them. Waiting.
"You'll be summoning it, binding it, and maintaining control for as long as possible," Monroe continued. "The goal is to hold the link without breaking focus. The moment you hesitate, the moment you doubt yourself, Asheron will slip free. And if it does…"
Monroe trailed off, but she didn't need to finish the sentence. Ethan knew what would happen if he failed. He'd seen the containment breaches before—the chaos, the destruction. If Asheron got loose, it wouldn't hesitate to tear through the facility.
"I understand," he said, his voice low.
Monroe nodded once, satisfied. "Then follow me."
They made their way down the long corridor, the sterile lights flickering overhead. With each step, Ethan could feel the weight of his task settling deeper into his bones. He tried to steady his breathing, to calm his racing heart. This was what he had signed up for. He had to remember that.
When they arrived at the containment room, Ethan saw it was far more secure than the one he had used for the Thrall. Thick reinforced walls, layers of magical wards etched into the floor, and surveillance cameras trained on every corner. This wasn't just for keeping the demon in—it was for keeping everything else out.
Monroe handed him a small metal tablet engraved with runes. "This will help stabilize the summoning circle. It's a crutch, but given that this is your first Lurker, you'll need it."
Ethan took it, his fingers cold against the metal. "What about after? When I've summoned it?"
Monroe gave him a hard look. "Then you're on your own. The moment the circle stabilizes, the Lurker will try to break free. You'll have to keep it bound with sheer will. Remember what I taught you—visualize the bond, make it stronger than your fear."
He nodded, stepping into the containment room and taking his place at the center of the etched summoning circle. The air was heavy with anticipation, the magic thick and oppressive. Ethan felt the weight of the wards pressing down on him, as though the room itself was holding its breath.
Monroe's voice crackled over the intercom. "Begin the summoning."
With a deep breath, Ethan placed the tablet at the edge of the circle and began to chant. The words of the incantation flowed through him, ancient and powerful. He could feel the energy building in the room, the runes on the floor glowing brighter as the summoning took hold.
The shadows in the room began to twist and writhe, as if alive. Ethan's pulse quickened. It's coming.
The air grew colder, and from the dark corners of the room, the Lurker began to materialize. First, its glowing green eyes appeared, hovering in the void like predatory lights. Then its form followed—a swirling, shapeless mass of darkness, coiling and shifting as it stepped into the circle.
Ethan clenched his fists, focusing his mind on the binding. The bond had to be strong. Control it. Don't let it slip.
Asheron's eyes flickered toward him, and Ethan felt a presence brush against his mind—a cold, invasive whisper that sent shivers down his spine.
"You think you can control me, boy?" The voice was soft, mocking. "I've devoured summoners far stronger than you."
Ethan gritted his teeth, tightening his focus. It's just trying to distract me. Don't listen.
But the voice continued, its words like poison seeping into his thoughts. "I can show you things, Ethan. Secrets. Power beyond your wildest dreams. Just let me in."
For a split second, Ethan's focus wavered. He could feel Asheron testing the bond, pushing at the edges, looking for a weakness.
Monroe's voice echoed in his mind. No hesitation.
Ethan's will surged, and he slammed the bond shut, cutting off Asheron's whispers. The demon recoiled, its form flickering as the binding tightened around it.
I've got you.
The Lurker's eyes narrowed, but it didn't speak again. For now, Ethan had control. But he knew this was only the beginning.