Aric's mind buzzed as the shadows seemed to close in on him, thick and suffocating. The figure in the hood, the keeper of the old ways, had vanished into the ether, leaving behind a lingering sense of dread. His heart pounded in his chest as the echoes of the words he had heard reverberated in his mind: You must remember what has been forgotten.
What had he forgotten?
He stood alone in the ruins, the crumbling city stretching out before him, its ancient power pressing against him like an invisible weight. The air felt charged, crackling with energy, as if the ruins themselves were alive, watching him. Aric turned, his eyes scanning the ruins, searching for some clue, some sign that could unlock the door to his past. But there was nothing. Only the silence and the shadows.
His beast, ever watchful, stood a few paces away, its eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. It too seemed on edge, its fur bristling in the unnatural stillness. The bond between them had only deepened since the battle with the dragon, and Aric could feel the creature's unease through their shared connection.
"Are you ready to face what comes next?" Aric muttered under his breath, though he wasn't entirely sure if he was asking the beast or himself.
The beast didn't answer, but its gaze held an understanding. It had always been with him, his loyal companion, and in that moment, Aric knew that he wasn't alone in this journey—no matter how dark the road ahead might become.
The voice of the keeper still echoed in his mind. The past has a way of finding you, Aric Thornfield. Whether you are ready or not, it will claim you.
Aric took a deep breath, steadying himself. He had already made the choice. He had already committed to the path, even if he didn't fully understand what lay ahead. The Abyss had marked him, and now it was a part of him. The darkness that had whispered to him in the past was no longer something to fear—it was something to be wielded. But how?
He closed his eyes and focused inward, reaching for the connection he had with the Abyss. The bond was there, pulsing faintly beneath the surface of his thoughts. It was like a whispering voice—soft, insistent, but just out of reach. Aric's fingers twitched, instinctively reaching for the power he could feel thrumming through his veins.
The Abyss is yours to command, the voice whispered, its tone almost seductive. But first, you must learn to listen. To see beyond the veil.
Aric's eyes snapped open. He felt it then—an almost imperceptible shift in the air, a presence lurking just beyond his perception. The ruins were no longer just ruins. They were a doorway. A gateway to something far darker, far more dangerous than he could have ever imagined.
It was then that he heard it again. The voice.
"Aric Thornfield… you have come."
The voice was no longer distant. It was right next to him, a breath in his ear. He spun around, dagger drawn, but there was no one there. Only the crumbling walls and the shadows.
"Who are you?" Aric demanded, his voice steady, but his heart racing. "Show yourself."
A figure stepped forward from the shadows. This time, there was no mistaking it. The figure was tall, cloaked in black, with an aura of ancient power that seemed to distort the very air around them. Aric felt the weight of their presence press down on him, and for the first time in a long while, he felt fear—real fear—grip his chest.
The figure's face was obscured by a dark hood, but their eyes glowed with an unsettling intensity. They were no mere spirit or illusion. This was someone—something—very real.
"I am no mere shade, Beastmaster," the figure said, their voice deep and resonant, as though it came from the very core of the earth. "I am a part of the Abyss, just as you are."
Aric's heart skipped a beat. "What do you want from me?"
The figure raised a hand, and the shadows seemed to gather around them like a cloak, swirling and shifting in the air. "You were chosen, Aric Thornfield. The Abyss has long awaited someone like you. You have the potential to control the darkness, to shape it to your will. But you must first understand the cost."
The air around Aric grew cold, a chill that seeped into his bones. He could feel the Abyss now—like a hunger, a thirst, deep within him. It was no longer a distant, abstract force. It was a part of him, gnawing at the edges of his mind, urging him to embrace it fully.
"Cost?" Aric repeated, his voice tight. "What do you mean by that?"
The figure stepped closer, and Aric instinctively tightened his grip on his dagger, but he knew it would do little to protect him against whatever this being represented. This was no ordinary enemy.
"The Abyss demands everything," the figure said, its voice echoing with a dark finality. "Power, yes. But at what cost? Your soul? Your humanity? You cannot wield the Abyss without losing a piece of yourself. That is the price of power."
Aric felt the weight of those words settle heavily in his chest. He had always known that power came with a price, but hearing it so plainly was a shock. The Abyss was not a gift. It was a curse—one that would take more than just his time and effort. It would demand a part of his very essence.
"And if I refuse?" Aric asked, his voice low but firm. "What happens if I choose not to embrace it?"
The figure's glowing eyes flickered with amusement—or was it pity? "Refuse? There is no refusing the Abyss, Beastmaster. You have already chosen. It has already chosen you."
Aric felt a sudden surge of rage, but he fought to keep it in check. "So, what now? Am I doomed to be a puppet of the Abyss? A tool for its will?"
The figure's voice softened, as if it were speaking to a child, explaining a difficult truth. "You are no puppet, Aric Thornfield. But you are bound. The Abyss does not choose weaklings. It chooses those who can wield its power and understand its truth. You will not be a servant of the Abyss unless you fail to learn its lessons."
Aric's mind whirled with questions. There was so much he didn't understand. So much he still had to learn. But one thing was clear: The Abyss was not something to be taken lightly. It was a force beyond his control, and yet, it was a force that had claimed him. He had no choice but to embrace it, for better or worse.
The figure stepped back, their form dissolving into the shadows. "Remember this, Aric Thornfield," it said, its voice echoing in the darkness. "The Abyss will test you, challenge you. It will seek to break you. But if you survive, you will wield a power unlike any the world has ever known. The question is not whether you will survive, but whether you can retain your humanity in the process."
And with that, the figure vanished completely, leaving Aric alone in the ruins once again.