The cave pulsed with a strange, ominous energy, the stillness around them broken only by the faint rustling of shadows along the walls.
Elara stood frozen, her heart pounding, still grappling with the weight of the blood pact she had just forged with the ancient devil before her. She felt a chill down her spine, not just from the dark magic surrounding them, but from the man—no, the creature—standing before her.
Lucian, his form tall and imposing, gazed at her with an unreadable expression. His eyes, a shade of crimson that flickered in the dim light, gleamed with something like curiosity, though it was buried beneath layers of cold calculation.
His long, black hair, untamed and wild, framed a face of sharp, cruel beauty, the kind that spoke of ages of power and destruction. His skin was pale, almost ashen, as if untouched by the sun for millennia. He wore a long black robe, draped loosely over his muscular frame, adding to the aura of ancient authority that surrounded him.
"You truly have no idea of the strength you possess," he muttered, his voice low and smooth, though the edge of irritation was unmistakable. "Your bloodline... it interfered with the pact. This should not have happened."
Elara flinched at his words, though she felt a strange surge of defiance. "I didn't mean for this to happen either. You're the one who forced the pact," she shot back, surprising herself with the boldness of her tone.
Lucian's lips twisted into a smirk, though his eyes remained cold. "True, but I am not accustomed to such... complications. I will have to make do with this arrangement. For now."
He reached into the swirling darkness around him, his hand disappearing briefly before emerging with a pure black ring.
The surface gleamed like polished stone, the light catching the intricate serpent patterns that coiled around the band. The serpents seemed almost alive, their eyes faintly glowing as they intertwined in an endless loop.
"This is for you," Lucian said, holding it out to her. "It is no ordinary ring. It is forged from the black obsidian of the Underworld, imbued with my power. Inside, you will find treasures and tools to assist in your training."
Elara hesitated before taking the ring, feeling the cold metal press against her palm. The moment she slipped it onto her finger, a jolt of energy surged through her body, as though the ring itself recognized her as its new master. She shuddered slightly at the intensity of the magic within it.
"Inside, you will find several scrolls of dark magic," Lucian continued. "You will begin with the most basic: Whispers of Shadows. It will teach you how to manipulate the darkness around you. This is the foundation upon which all other dark arts are built."
He paused, watching her intently. "You will need to understand this power. It is not to be taken lightly. The shadows are alive, and they will obey you only if you command them with absolute focus."
Elara nodded slowly, feeling both excited and apprehensive. The idea of wielding dark magic, something so forbidden and powerful, filled her with a strange sense of exhilaration. But at the same time, there was fear—fear of losing herself to the darkness that now called to her.
"I understand," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Lucian's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he turned away, his cloak billowing in the air as he moved deeper into the shadows. "Good. Now let's begin."