The air in the dimly lit room of the tavern was thick with tension. Ethan sat across from the tall woman, her calculating gaze never leaving his face. Around the table sat her lieutenants, each one as hardened and dangerous as she was. These were not mere mercenaries but the leaders of Gravenhold's most feared criminal network: *The Whispering Veil.*
"Power," the woman repeated, her voice cold and deliberate. "Many come to Gravenhold seeking it. Few leave with anything but regret."
Ethan leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "That's because most don't know what to do with it once they have it."
Her expression didn't change, but one of her lieutenants, a burly man with a jagged scar running down his cheek, scoffed. "Bold words for someone with no reputation."
Ethan's eyes flicked to the man, and for a moment, the dagger at his side whispered eagerly. He suppressed the urge to act, knowing this was a game of patience.
"Reputation can be built," Ethan said, his voice calm but firm. "What matters is opportunity. And I'm offering you one."
The woman tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Go on."
---
### A Proposition in Shadows
Ethan leaned forward, his tone lowering conspiratorially. "The city's guilds and noble houses grow fat with wealth and complacency. They rely on mercenaries like you to protect their interests, but they don't respect you. They see you as expendable."
"And you're different?" the scarred lieutenant growled.
"I'm not offering you crumbs from their table," Ethan replied sharply. "I'm offering you a seat at my own. Together, we can take Gravenhold—not as hired blades, but as its rulers."
The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
The tall woman regarded him carefully. "Ambitious. But why should we follow you? What do you have that we don't?"
Ethan's smirk widened. He stood slowly, drawing the obsidian dagger from his side. The runes along its blade flared with a dark light, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
"Because I have power," Ethan said, his voice resonating with an unnatural authority. "And I'm willing to share it."
The woman's eyes narrowed as the shadows in the room seemed to shift unnaturally, drawn to the blade. One of her lieutenants flinched, muttering a prayer under his breath.
The scarred man, however, sneered. "Parlor tricks. You expect us to—"
He never finished. Ethan moved faster than the eye could follow, the dagger slicing through the air and stopping just shy of the man's throat. The room froze, the oppressive weight of the Abyss pressing down on everyone.
"I don't expect anything," Ethan said, his voice low and dangerous. "I demand it."
The scarred man's eyes widened in fear, and Ethan withdrew the blade, letting him collapse back into his chair.
The tall woman's lips curled into a faint smile. "Interesting. Very well, stranger. You have my attention. But power alone isn't enough. Show me your worth, and we'll consider your proposition."
---
### A Test of Blood
The woman, who introduced herself as Selena, wasted no time testing Ethan's resolve. "There's a rival group operating in the eastern district," she explained. "They've been interfering with our operations for months. Eliminate their leader, and bring me his head. Do this, and we'll talk."
Ethan nodded, rising from his seat. "Consider it done."
Selena's smirk deepened. "One more thing—he's a sorcerer. Don't expect an easy fight."
Ethan simply turned and left, his mind already racing with possibilities.
---
### Into the Lion's Den
The eastern district was a labyrinth of narrow alleys and crumbling buildings, a breeding ground for crime and despair. Ethan moved through the shadows, the dagger at his side humming with anticipation.
His target was a man named Roran, a sorcerer who commanded a gang of cutthroats. Roran was said to be ruthless, his magic leaving behind nothing but ash and bone.
Ethan found the gang's hideout in an abandoned warehouse, its windows shattered and walls covered in graffiti. Two sentries stood guard at the entrance, their weapons crude but deadly.
Ethan didn't bother with subtlety. The shadows around him coiled and struck like serpents, dragging the guards into the darkness before they could raise an alarm.
Inside, the air reeked of sweat and blood. Gang members lounged around makeshift tables, their laughter dying as Ethan stepped into the room.
"Who the hell are you?" one of them snarled, reaching for his weapon.
Ethan's response was swift and brutal. The dagger flashed, its runes flaring as it drank deeply of their fear and blood. Within moments, the gang lay dead at his feet, their lifeless eyes staring at nothing.
---
### A Sorcerer's Wrath
The sound of slow clapping drew Ethan's attention. At the far end of the room, a man stepped forward, his robes tattered but crackling with arcane energy. Roran.
"Well done," the sorcerer said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But you've made a grave mistake coming here."
Roran raised his hands, and the air around him shimmered with heat. Flames erupted, spiraling toward Ethan like living serpents.
Ethan dodged, the Abyss's power guiding his movements. The shadows around him surged, swallowing the flames and extinguishing them.
"Impressive," Roran admitted, his eyes narrowing. "But let's see how you handle this!"
He slammed his staff into the ground, and the floor beneath Ethan's feet erupted in a blast of fire and stone. Ethan was thrown back, his body slamming into a pillar.
Pain flared through him, but he gritted his teeth and pushed himself up. The dagger whispered in his mind, urging him to strike.
Ethan focused, drawing on the Abyss's power. Shadows erupted from his body, coiling around Roran like chains. The sorcerer struggled, his magic flaring wildly, but the shadows tightened, cutting off his air.
Ethan advanced, his eyes cold and unrelenting. "You should have stayed in your little corner of the city."
With a swift motion, he plunged the dagger into Roran's chest. The sorcerer's screams echoed through the warehouse as the dagger's runes flared brightly, consuming his essence.
When it was over, all that remained was silence—and a severed head in Ethan's hand.
---
### A Deal Sealed
Ethan returned to the Whispering Veil's hideout, tossing Roran's head onto the table before Selena.
The room fell silent, the lieutenants staring at the gruesome trophy in awe and fear.
Selena rose from her seat, a pleased smile playing on her lips. "Well done, Ethan. You've proven yourself."
Ethan met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "What's next?"
Selena's smile widened. "Now, we build."
Ethan's path to power had begun, and Gravenhold would be the first city to fall under his shadow.