Kaelor felt a sensational rush of adrenaline as he made his way through the city streets with the stranger guiding him. Despite his physical weakness, he could feel an old fire within him starting to smolder. Somewhere in this new, foreign world, his power awaited him.
All he had to do was find it.
"You're a stranger to me," Kaelor began, "It's only right that you tell me your name."
The stranger looked at him with a puzzled expression and introduced himself.
"I am Lyle Stone. You could at least try to be friendly while we're together."
Kaelor scoffed, sensing his comment as pathetic.
Lyle led him deeper into the city's underbelly. The atmosphere grew dark and heavy, overwhelmed with the scent of damp stone and rusted metal. They finally arrived at a dark alley, ending at a gated door, barely visible in the dim light.
"Through here," Lyle muttered, glancing around as if checking for any onlookers. With a whispered incantation, he touched the gate, and it swung open silently.
Kaelor's eyebrow arched.
"Magic?"
Lyle chuckled.
"Only a whisper of it. Just enough to open doors to places the rest of the world doesn't see. Welcome to the Nexus."
Inside, the Nexus was a world of its own, swarming with an eerie kind of life. Lanterns shone, casting shadows over creatures he barely recognized— half-human figures with pointed ears, veiled figures murmuring incantations, and tables displaying mystical items that thrummed with faint power. This hidden market held a pulse of magic he hadn't felt since his previous life.
"This is a place where secrets trade hands, where the powerful come to barter," Lyle explained in a low tone. "And you, my friend, are in desperate need of both."
His gaze fell on a dark, hooded figure across the room, who held a small, glowing stone. Instinctively, he could feel the artifact's power— it was like a piece of his past calling out to him.
"What is that?" He asked, his voice betraying a hint of astonishment.
"A fragment of a soul stone," Lyle replied cautiously. "In the wrong hands, it can give a mage unimaginable strength— or drive them mad."
His hand spasmed. He needed it. If he could somehow harness the stone's power, it might be the edge he was looking for. But as he moved toward it, Lyle's hand shot out, gripping his arm.
"Careful," Lyle muttered, his gaze hard. "That's not for you… yet. There are other ways to find what you seek."
Kaelor shook him off, irritated but wary. His eyes darted around the room, catching sight of a nearby vendor with shelves stacked with ancient scrolls. His fingers itched to grab one, to see if it held the secrets of magic he desperately needed to regain.
"Look, if you want to survive here, you need to understand that nothing comes for free in the Nexus," Lyle warned. "Every bit of power, every ounce of magic, comes with a cost. The kind that will change you."
His mouth twisted into a smirk.
"I am no stranger to change. I was torn from my world, stripped of my power, and forced to live in this… cesspool." His voice turned dark, a flash of his old self breaking through. "If it's a price I must pay, I will pay it. I will claw my way back to power even if it means ripping this world apart."
A momentary silence settled between them, hefty with unspoken tension. Lyle's gaze softened, almost pitying.
"If you're certain, there's someone here who can help. But be warned, he deals in dangerous trades. Follow me."
They approached a small, dim stall at the edge of the market, where an old man sat, shrouded in shadow. His eyes were an unnatural shade of green, glowing faintly as he surveyed Kaelor with a sly smile.
"Ah," the man rasped, his voice like gravel. "A new soul seeking old powers. You have the look of someone who has lost everything." He laughed mockingly.
Kaelor glared.
"And you have the look of someone who talks too much."
The old man chuckled, unfazed.
"I can offer you something better than a soul stone. An item of true power. Something bound to your very essence."
He leaned forward, curiosity piqued.
"And what would that be?"
The old man reached under his counter, pulling out a small, polished black stone. Unlike the others, this one felt cold, almost void-like, as if it absorbed the very light around it.
"This is a shard from the Abyss," he murmured, his voice almost reverent. "It connects directly to those who possess dark magic… like you."
Kaelor could feel the pull of the shard, a resonance that matched his own energy. It was as though the artifact could sense the rage and pain within him, feeding off it. He had to have it.
"What's your price?" He demanded, barely concealing his eagerness.
The old man's eyes gleamed. "Only a promise." He leaned in, "That when the time comes, you will owe me a favor."
He felt Lyle tense beside him, but he hardly registered it. A favor was a small price to pay, especially when he needed every advantage he could get. He nodded sharply.
"Done."
The old man slid the shard across the table, and as he picked it up, he felt a surge of raw energy pulse through him. It was weak, nowhere near the power he once held, but it was a start. The shard seemed to whisper to him, calling out memories of his old life, his enemies, and the betrayal that had led him to this point.
But as he turned to leave, a sharp, sudden pain shot through his chest, and he stumbled, clutching the shard. The old man's laughter resounded behind him.
"Be careful with that power. It has a mind of its own… and it will demand its due."
As the darkness started to close in around him, he realized the price of his bargain was greater than he had anticipated. The shard wasn't just a source of power— it was a curse, binding itself to his soul, draining him even as it granted him strength.
And as he struggled to stay conscious, a single thought cut through the haze.
He wasn't alone in this quest for power. Someone—or something—was watching, waiting for him to make a fatal mistake.