Aetheron sat alone in his chamber, staring at his hands. The words of the cloaked man echoed in his head.
"You have already taken more than you can control."
His fingers twitched. His power—this ability to devour—had always felt like an extension of himself. A gift. But now, for the first time, it felt like something alive.
Something that could take hold of him if he wasn't careful.
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Yeah?"
The door creaked open, and Aria stepped in.
"You alright?"
Aetheron exhaled, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah. Just thinking."
Aria crossed her arms, leaning against the doorway. "Thinking about what that guy said?"
Aetheron didn't answer right away.
"Do you think he was lying?" he asked finally.
Aria hesitated. "No," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean he told you everything either."
Aetheron nodded.
That was the problem.
The man knew something. Something about his power, something about the Sovereign. But he had vanished just as quickly as he appeared.
And now Aetheron was left with nothing but more questions.
"Look," Aria said, stepping closer. "I get that this is messing with your head. But right now, you need to focus. Your next fight is coming up, and if you hesitate, you're dead."
Aetheron smirked slightly. "You really know how to cheer someone up."
Aria rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, Aetheron. That guy didn't just show up for no reason. Someone like him doesn't waste time unless it's important."
She wasn't wrong.
Which meant one thing.
Whatever was coming next—it was big.
The Arena – Next Battle Begins
The roar of the crowd filled the air once more as Aetheron stepped onto the battlefield.
The stone platform beneath his feet radiated heat from the previous battles. Opposite him stood his next opponent—a broad-shouldered fighter clad in black and crimson armor.
Riven Kallix.
Aetheron recognized him immediately.
A former mercenary turned champion, known for his ruthless fighting style. His power? Crimson Bind.
A technique that let him lock down his opponent's movements by linking his own energy to theirs.
Aetheron exhaled slowly.
This was going to be a problem.
The announcer's voice boomed across the arena.
"Next match—Aetheron vs. Riven Kallix!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Aetheron cracked his knuckles. He could feel it—the anticipation, the tension in the air.
Then—
The bell rang.
Riven moved first.
Aetheron barely had time to react before a streak of crimson energy lashed out toward him.
He dodged, twisting his body to the side, but the energy curved mid-air—chasing him.
"Shit—!"
The red tendrils wrapped around his arms, locking them in place.
Riven smirked. "Got you."
Aetheron struggled, but his body felt heavy. Like something was pulling him down.
"Crimson Bind," Riven said, tightening his grip. "Once I've got you, you ain't going anywhere."
Aetheron's muscles strained. He could still move, but it was sluggish—like his own energy was fighting against him.
Riven clenched his fist—
And Aetheron was yanked forward against his will.
Before he could react—
A knee slammed into his ribs.
Aetheron gasped, pain shooting through his body.
The crowd roared.
Riven didn't let up. He pulled again—this time, forcing Aetheron's body to twist unnaturally, exposing his side.
Then came the elbow.
Aetheron barely managed to raise his arm in defense, but the impact still sent him staggering.
Riven grinned. "See? Doesn't matter how strong you are. The moment you're in my Bind, you're just a puppet."
Aetheron clenched his teeth.
This wasn't good.
If he didn't break free now, he was done.
But how?
The Bind wasn't just physical—it was energetic. Riven was literally anchoring his energy to Aetheron's, using it to restrict his movements.
Which meant—
Aetheron's eyes widened slightly.
He had a way out.
Breaking the Chains
Aetheron took a slow breath.
Then, he stopped resisting.
Riven's smirk widened. "Giving up already?"
Aetheron exhaled again.
Then—
He let his power flow.
Not outward—inward.
The Bind wasn't a chain—it was a link. Aetheron could feel Riven's energy connected to his own.
And that meant—
He could devour it.
Riven's eyes widened as the crimson energy around Aetheron's arms flickered.
"What—?"
Aetheron clenched his fist.
Devour.
The Bind shattered.
Aetheron moved.
Fast.
Too fast for Riven to react.
Before the mercenary could even blink, Aetheron was already in front of him.
His fist shot forward—
Slamming straight into Riven's gut.
The impact sent a shockwave through the arena.
Riven's eyes bulged. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his body was lifted off the ground—
And then—
Aetheron twisted his body.
A second punch—even stronger.
This time, it sent Riven flying.
His body crashed into the arena wall, leaving a deep crater in the stone.
The crowd went silent.
Then—
They erupted into cheers.
Aetheron exhaled, shaking out his hand.
His power was still humming beneath his skin, but something was different this time.
The energy he devoured from Riven's Bind—it wasn't fading.
It was staying.
He could feel it, integrating into him.
He swallowed.
This was new.
He had always been able to take abilities. But now—
Now it felt like they weren't just temporary.
Like they were becoming part of him.
Aftermath
As the medics dragged Riven's unconscious body away, Aetheron stood in the center of the arena, the weight of his new discovery settling in.
Aria watched from the stands, arms crossed.
Rael leaned against a pillar nearby, chuckling. "Well, well. Looks like he's evolving faster than we thought."
But neither of them noticed the pair of golden eyes watching from the shadows.
The cloaked man was still there.
And this time, his expression was unreadable.
Because now, he knew.
Aetheron wasn't just a devourer anymore.
He was something far worse.