Chapter 14: Bargain with Darkness
The world around Darius collapsed into chaos. The dark energy swirling around him twisted his senses, pulling at the very essence of his being. His Sovereign Chains, once tools of incredible control, now writhed like serpents in his mind, fueled by his anger, fear, and desperation. They became monstrous extensions of his fury, snapping and lashing out indiscriminately, as if seeking to devour anything in their path.
Tobias's scream echoed in Darius's ears, but it was drowned out by the laughter of the mages. The world was spinning, the pressure building in his chest, his mana spiraling out of control. His vision blurred, the edges of reality fraying, and the only thing he could feel was the burning heat of the chains as they tore through everything around him.
"You are nothing but a tool of destruction," one of the mages taunted. "You'll destroy everything you touch, just like all of your kind."
Darius's body trembled, a sudden surge of power seizing him. The Sovereign Chains responded, their form changing, becoming more twisted and chaotic, as if to mirror his inner turmoil. They were no longer the unyielding force they had once been. Now, they were a wild, uncontrollable extension of his rage—a manifestation of his darkest impulses.
And in the midst of the storm, a voice broke through—cold and smooth, like the promise of oblivion.
"You are more than this, Darius Lionhart," the voice whispered, its tone filled with ancient power. "You do not need to suffer. I can give you control. Power beyond your imagination."
Darius's eyes snapped open, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he saw something amidst the swirling chaos—a figure, cloaked in shadow, its form only faintly visible in the dim light of the chamber. The figure seemed to pulse with a presence that radiated darkness, and the air around it seemed to crackle with forbidden energy.
"Who… are you?" Darius growled, his voice hoarse from the weight of his emotions, his chains still thrashing violently around him.
The figure stepped closer, its eyes gleaming with an eerie, supernatural light. "I am Nyx, the bringer of night. The one who offers the power you crave. The one who can silence your pain, give you vengeance, and restore control over your own destiny."
Darius's heart pounded in his chest. The whispers were growing louder, pressing in on his mind, urging him to listen, to take the offer. The chains seemed to pause, as though awaiting his decision.
"You've already lost control," Nyx continued, its voice dripping with a promise of power. "But I can help you find it again. All you need to do is accept me."
Darius's vision flickered, his body aching with the strain of his mana. Tobias's limp form hung from his chains, the blood staining the floor beneath him. The mages were still laughing, mocking him. Every inch of his being screamed for him to act, to make them pay for what they had done. His thoughts were a whirlwind of rage, guilt, and despair.
And then, in a moment of utter desperation, he made his choice.
"Give me control," Darius whispered, his voice a raw, desperate plea. "I'll do whatever it takes."
The air around him grew cold, as if the very world was holding its breath. Nyx's form seemed to shimmer with satisfaction.
"Then let us strike our bargain, Darius Lionhart," Nyx intoned, its voice now a powerful force that resonated deep within his soul. "I will grant you the power you seek, but remember, nothing comes without a price."
A cold, dark energy flooded through Darius's body, more intense than anything he had ever felt. His chains, no longer just an extension of his will, now pulsed with the power of Nyx herself. They wrapped around him, tightening like a vice, fusing with his very being. He felt a surge of strength—an overwhelming, all-consuming force that shattered the remnants of his doubt.
Darius's eyes glowed with a new, unnatural light as he straightened. He felt… alive, in a way that he had never experienced. He could feel every thread of power in the air, in the ground, in the blood of his enemies. His chains no longer obeyed him out of sheer will—they were an extension of the darkness he had embraced.
The mages, sensing the change, stopped laughing. They looked at him with fear now.
Darius took a step forward, his chains slithering at his command, their monstrous forms flickering with dark energy. "You were right," he muttered, his voice cold and final. "I've lost control. But I will never let it go again."
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Chapter 14 ends with Darius accepting Nyx's offer, his power now fused with darkness, as he steps into a new, dangerous path filled with untold consequences.
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