The aftermath of the battle hung heavy in the air.
The corpses of the corrupted assassins lay sprawled across the sanctuary floor, their twisted forms grotesque and still. The faint glow of the sanctuary's sigils flickered unevenly, casting jagged shadows that rippled like water against the stone walls. The splintered faction of assassins moved among the bodies with grim efficiency, retrieving weapons and checking for survivors.
Kael stood apart from them, his sharp eyes scanning the room as his shadow tendrils pulsed faintly around him. The ache in his chest hadn't subsided; if anything, it had deepened, each pulse of the shadows dragging more of his strength away.
"You held your own," Leryn said, stepping up beside him. Their dark eyes flicked to the blood-streaked dagger in Kael's hand before meeting his gaze. "But you still haven't answered the real question."
Kael glanced at them, his expression calm. "Which question is that?"
Leryn's lips pressed into a thin line. "Why are you here, Kael? What's your plan? You can't tell me you've been wandering the ruins without some kind of goal."
Kael's lips curled into a faint smile. "I don't owe you an explanation."
Leryn's gaze sharpened. "If we're going to fight the Choir, we need to know where you stand. Are you with us, or are you just passing through?"
Before Kael could respond, another voice cut through the room.
"He's not with us," the scarred assassin from earlier said, his voice sharp. He stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade as his gaze locked onto Kael. "He's a liability. A traitor. You're a fool if you think we can trust him."
Kael turned to face the man, his shadow tendrils rippling faintly. "I don't recall asking for your trust."
The man's hand tightened on his blade. "You're dangerous. Unstable. Whatever connection you have to the Choir, it's only a matter of time before it consumes you. And when that happens, it'll be us who pay the price."
Kael's sharp eyes narrowed, his voice calm but laced with something cold. "If you think you can stop me, go ahead and try."
The room grew tense, the other assassins watching silently as the scarred man stepped closer. His blade gleamed faintly in the flickering light, his posture coiled like a spring.
"Enough," Leryn said sharply, stepping between them. Their gaze flicked to the scarred man, their tone hard. "We don't have time for this. The Choir is the enemy, not each other."
The man hesitated, his jaw clenching before he stepped back, his expression dark.
Leryn turned back to Kael, their voice steady. "You need to decide where you stand. If you're going to fight the Choir, then fight. But if you're only here to serve yourself, you're no better than the ones we're trying to stop."
Kael didn't respond immediately. His sharp gaze lingered on Leryn, the weight of their words settling over him like a shroud.
"I'll fight the Choir," he said finally, his voice calm. "But don't mistake me for one of you."
Leryn's expression remained unreadable as they nodded. "Fair enough."
They gestured for Kael to follow, leading him toward a side chamber at the far end of the sanctuary. The air grew colder as they walked, the faint hum of the sigils fading into silence.
The chamber was smaller, its walls lined with shelves that held a mix of old weapons, faded scrolls, and strange artifacts. At the center of the room was a pedestal, its surface smooth and black like obsidian. Resting atop it was a small, intricate object—a shard of crystal, its surface etched with jagged lines that glowed faintly with an otherworldly light.
Leryn stopped in front of the pedestal, their gaze steady as they turned to Kael.
"This is what's left of the guild's experiments," they said. "A relic tied to the shadows. It was designed to amplify the connection between an assassin and the Veil, giving them greater control over their magic."
Kael's gaze locked onto the crystal, his shadow tendrils rippling faintly in response to its presence.
"And what's the cost?" he asked.
Leryn's lips pressed into a thin line. "It strengthens your bond with the shadows. But it also strengthens the bond between you and the Choir. The more power you take, the harder it is to resist their influence."
Kael exhaled slowly, his sharp eyes narrowing as he studied the crystal. The whispers in his mind were louder now, threading through his thoughts with an urgency that cut like shards of glass.
"Take it… complete the design…"
Leryn's gaze flicked to Kael, their tone cautious. "I'm not going to force this on you. But if we're going to have any chance of stopping the Choir, we need every advantage we can get. The choice is yours."
Kael's shadow tendrils coiled tightly around him, their cold presence pressing against his skin like a second heartbeat. His chest tightened as the weight of the decision settled over him.
He stepped closer to the pedestal, his sharp eyes locked onto the crystal. The light emanating from it pulsed faintly, its rhythm matching the hum of the medallion in his pocket.
For a moment, he hesitated.
The shadows around him pulsed, their presence growing heavier as the whispers surged. He could feel the weight of the Choir's influence pressing against him, the fragments of memory clawing at the edges of his mind.
But he could also feel the potential.
Kael reached out, his fingers brushing against the cold surface of the crystal. The moment he touched it, a surge of energy shot through him, sharp and electric, sending a jolt racing down his spine.
The shadows around him pulsed violently, their cold tendrils lashing out as the light from the crystal flared.
Kael clenched his jaw, his breathing sharp as he fought to steady himself. The whispers in his mind grew louder, their discordant melody rising to a crescendo as the crystal's energy coursed through him.
And then, the light faded.
Kael straightened slowly, his sharp eyes narrowing as he turned back to Leryn. The shadows around him were stronger now, their cold presence sharper and more deliberate.
"I'll fight the Choir," he said softly, his voice steady but laced with something cold. "But I'll do it my way."
Leryn nodded, their gaze steady. "Then let's hope your way is enough."