The ocean stretched endlessly before him, its surface glittering in the pale dawn light. Darian stood on the balcony of his study, his hand gripping the cold stone railing, his silhouette stark against the stormy gray sky. The air was sharp with salt, carried by the wind that howled through the jagged cliffs below. The Blackstone keep loomed behind him- a fortress of ancient, weathered stone carved directly into the cliffs. Its spires jutted skyward like the fangs of some great beasts, blackened by centuries of storms and time. The walls were thick and uneven, their surface etched with strange, faded glyphs that no scholar had even managed to decipher. Some said the keep was older than the kingdom, its foundations steeped in blood and sea salt.
At night, the castle seemed to merge with the darkness, a shadow within the shadows. Even during the day, it exuded a coldness that no sunlight could penetrate. Thick ivy crawled up the sides of the wall, its roots twisting into cracks as if the earth itself was trying to reclaim it. Inside, the corridors were a labyrinth of long, vaulted halls and steep, spiraling staircases. The ceilings soared high, supported by arches adorned with grotesque carvings-serpent, wolves, and creatures of the sea whose names had been lost to time. The floors were polished with obsidian, reflecting the flickering light of the ever-burning sconces that lined the walls. Tapestries hung in heavy folds, their once-vivid colors dulled to somber hues. They depicted battles long forgotten, dark legends passed down through his bloodline, and the sigil of his house: a serpent coiled around a crescent moon. The air smelled faintly of cold stone and dampness, with a whisper of iron- a scent that clung to the keep as though it remembered every drop of blood spilled within its walls.
Blackstone Keep was more than a home; it was a warning.
For centuries, his family had ruled these lands, their power rooted in the pact forged with the sea. Stories of his ancestors' cruelty and cunning kept would-be usurpers at bay, but the keep itself played its part. Its shadow stretched long over the cliffs, a constant reminder of the cost of defiance. Darian had inherited the title of lord of Blackstone without ever seeking it. The keep, the lands, and the people were all his burden now. The court respected him and feared him, but he doubted they truly understood what it meant to carry the weight of a legacy steeped in darkness.
Turning his gaze to the ocean below, he watched the waves crash violently against the cliffs, the white foam disappearing into the jagged rocks. Ships rarely came this close; the waters near Blackstone were treacherous, with hidden reefs and unpredictable currents. Many whispered that the sea itself guarded the keep, a silent ally to its master. Darian let his hands rest on the cold stone railing, his crimson eyes scanning the endless horizon. The morning light did little to warm the chill that settled in his chest, the dreams still fresh in his mind. Each night, they grew stronger, and each night, he woke with the same ache-like weight of something vast and ancient pressing down on him.
Beyond the waves, beyond the horizon, lay the Abyss.
He'd never seen it, though his bloodline spoke of it often. A place of unyielding darkness, where the ocean gave way to something far older and far more dangerous than anything the surface world could comprehend. His family's power came from its proximity to this curse domain, though none dared to speak of what they had given in return
As the wind whipped through his hair, Darian turned and strode back into his chambers. The council would be waiting soon, bringing with them the petty concerns of lords and peasants alike. They would demand solutions and reassurance, expecting their immortal lard to carry their burdens as well as his own. The keep seemed to groan as he walked through its halls, the ancient stone shifting like a living thing. Servants bowed low as he passed, their eyes cast downward. They whispered of his power and aura, of his strange and unaging presence, but never in his presence. Blackstone wall had ears, after all, and secrets did not stay hidden long within its shadowed halls
As he descended towards the council chamber, Darian cast one last glance at the ocean through the narrow windows. It was churned restlessly as though it, too, was keeping secrets. For all its strength, Blackstone could not protect him from what lay beneath the surface. Not forever