The figure stood at the edge of the valley, draped in shadows that seemed to cling to his very form. Xander's heart raced as the man's voice echoed in the stillness of the night.
"I've been waiting for you, Xander."
Zara stepped closer to Xander, her hand instinctively gripping her dagger. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the figure. "Who is that?" she whispered, tension coiled in her voice.
Xander didn't answer immediately. His mind was swirling with a thousand thoughts, but one stood out—the unmistakable recognition of the man before them. It wasn't just the dreams he had been having, the cryptic whispers in the darkness. He knew this face from his past. A past he had long tried to bury.
The figure stepped forward, the shadows peeling away to reveal a face that was both familiar and alien—sharp features, dark eyes that gleamed with an unnatural light, and a crooked smirk that sent a chill through Xander's spine.
"Zorin," Xander finally muttered, his voice thick with disbelief. "You're supposed to be dead."
Zorin's grin widened. "I was. But things have a way of changing, don't they?"
Xander's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. Zorin had been one of the experimenters—one of the men responsible for turning him into what he was today. But he had died. Xander had seen him fall, consumed by the same power they had unleashed within him.
"How?" Xander demanded, stepping forward despite Zara's attempt to hold him back.
Zorin's eyes gleamed with amusement. "You really thought you were the only one who survived the Abyss? Poor, naive Xander. You were just the beginning."
Xander felt the familiar pull of the Abyss within him, the dark energy swirling in response to Zorin's presence. It was like a magnet, drawing him closer to the darkness he had fought so hard to control.
"What do you want?" Xander asked, his voice tight with tension.
Zorin chuckled, the sound low and menacing. "Want? Xander, this was never about what I want. It's about what you've always wanted. Power. Control. You've tasted it, haven't you? The thrill of devouring, of becoming more than human. You and I... we're the same."
"No," Xander growled, shaking his head. "We're nothing alike."
Zorin's smirk never wavered. "Keep telling yourself that. But deep down, you know the truth. The Abyss isn't something you control—it controls you. And soon enough, you'll embrace that. Just like I did."
Zara stepped forward, her voice sharp. "Whatever game you're playing, it ends here. We don't have time for this."
Zorin's eyes flicked to her, and for a moment, Xander saw a flash of something—recognition, perhaps? Interest?
"You brought a companion," Zorin said, his tone mocking. "Interesting. Does she know what you are, Xander? What you've done?"
Xander's jaw tightened. "Leave her out of this."
"Oh, but she's already part of it," Zorin said, his grin widening. "She's been part of it from the moment she joined you. You can't run from your past forever, Xander. It's coming for you. And her."
Zara glared at Zorin, her hand on her dagger, ready to strike. "Try me."
Zorin merely laughed. "Soon enough, you'll understand. The Abyss is everywhere, Xander. It's not just inside you—it's inside this world. It's in the people you meet, the places you go. You're not fighting to control it. You're fighting to survive it."
Xander felt a cold sweat break out on his skin. The weight of Zorin's words pressed down on him, threatening to suffocate him. He wanted to deny it, to reject everything Zorin was saying—but deep down, a small part of him knew there was truth in his words.
The Abyss was changing him. Every time he used its power, he felt it pull him further away from who he had been. And now, standing here, facing Zorin, he could feel it stronger than ever.
"What do you want?" Xander repeated, his voice low and dangerous.
Zorin's grin faded, his expression growing serious. "I want you to embrace what you are, Xander. Stop fighting the inevitable. Together, we can reshape this world—tear it apart and rebuild it in our image. The Abyss has chosen us. We can be gods."
Xander clenched his fists, anger boiling inside him. "I'll never be like you."
Zorin's eyes darkened. "You already are."
Before Xander could react, Zorin moved with inhuman speed, his hand shooting out toward Xander's chest. Xander barely had time to raise his arms in defense, but the impact never came. Instead, Zorin stopped inches from him, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
"Consider this a warning, Xander," Zorin whispered. "The Abyss is coming for you. And when it does, I'll be there. Waiting."
With that, Zorin vanished, his body dissolving into the shadows as if he had never been there at all.
Xander stood frozen for a moment, his heart racing and his mind spinning. The encounter had left him shaken, more so than he wanted to admit. Zorin's words echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of the darkness that lurked within him.
Zara stepped closer, her face etched with concern. "What the hell was that about?"
Xander shook his head, trying to steady his breathing. "He's someone from my past. Someone I thought was gone."
Zara frowned. "And now he's back. With... whatever that was."
Xander nodded, his jaw tight. "Yeah. And it's not over."
Zara looked out into the distance, where the lights of the city still flickered faintly. "We should keep moving. The city might be our best chance to find answers."
Xander hesitated, still feeling the weight of Zorin's presence lingering in the air. But Zara was right. They needed to keep moving. Whatever was waiting for them in the city, it was better than standing out here, exposed and vulnerable.
"Let's go," Xander said, his voice firm.
They began their descent once more, moving quickly down the ridge and into the valley. The city loomed closer, its walls towering and ancient, a place of secrets and danger.
As they approached, Xander couldn't shake the feeling that Zorin was right. The Abyss was coming for him, whether he liked it or not. And when it did, he would have to face the truth about what he had become.
Just as they neared the city gates, a tremor shook the ground beneath their feet. Xander's heart skipped a beat as the earth split open in front of them, revealing a dark, bottomless chasm. From within the depths of the abyss, a low growl echoed, and something began to crawl out—something massive, twisted, and very much alive.
Zara's eyes widened. "What the hell is that?!"
Xander's blood ran cold. "Something we're not ready for."