The world snapped back into focus.
Lucian stood in the ruins of the Rift, his body trembling from the sheer weight of what he had just done. He had stepped forward. He had made the choice.
The Abyss had not taken him—not yet.
But something was different.
The darkness that had always clawed at the edges of his soul now rested inside him, no longer fighting against him, no longer trying to consume him. Instead, it waited, as if expecting him to take the next step.
And that terrified him more than anything.
Selene's Anger
A sudden force slammed into Lucian, knocking him backward. Before he could react, Selene's hands gripped his collar, golden fire flickering dangerously in her eyes.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" she shouted, her voice breaking. "You just—" She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "You don't just make a deal with the Abyss, Lucian! You don't just—just step into its trap!"
Her hands were trembling. Not with anger.
With fear.
Lucian swallowed hard, staring into her eyes. "I had to."
Selene let out a bitter laugh. "Had to? Had to do what, exactly? Give it a chance to control you? Let it sink its claws deeper into you?"
"I had to understand," he said quietly. "If I don't… we'll never win this war."
Selene's fingers clenched tighter, the heat of her fire searing through his shirt. But then, just as suddenly, she released him, stepping back like he had burned her instead.
"You don't understand anything yet," she whispered.
Lucian didn't argue.
Because she was right.
Ash's Warning
Ash was watching him with a dark, unreadable expression. They didn't speak at first, just slowly sheathed their dagger. But Lucian could feel the tension in the air.
"Selene's right," Ash finally said. "That was a dangerous gamble. And I don't trust it."
Lucian met their gaze. "You think I do?"
Ash tilted their head slightly. "I think you want to believe you're still in control." They took a step closer, lowering their voice. "But what if you're not?"
Lucian had no answer to that.
Because part of him wasn't sure.
The Darkness Stirs
Something inside him shifted.
It was subtle—just a flicker of energy beneath his skin, a whisper in his mind. But it was there, coiled deep within him like a predator waiting in the dark.
Lucian clenched his fists.
This wasn't just power.
It was a presence.
Watching.
Waiting.
Testing him.
And for the first time, he wondered… had he truly made the choice?
Or had the Abyss made it for him?
The First Test
The ground rumbled beneath them.
Lucian's instincts kicked in immediately, his hand flying to his sword as he turned toward the disturbance.
A shadowy rift split open in the distance, and from within, creatures began to emerge. Twisted figures of dark energy, their eyes glowing with eerie violet light.
Forsaken.
Lucian's grip tightened. He had fought them before. He knew their mindless hunger, their relentless destruction.
But this time… something was different.
Because as soon as they saw him, they hesitated.
Selene noticed it too. "Why aren't they attacking?" she whispered.
Lucian didn't have an answer.
The Forsaken didn't rush forward like they usually did. Instead, they watched him, their glowing eyes flickering with something he had never seen before.
Recognition.
The realization hit him like a cold wave.
They know me.
The Abyss had already begun its work.
Selene's Plea
Selene's hand wrapped around his wrist, and he turned to face her. Her golden eyes burned with urgency.
"Lucian," she said softly. "You don't have to do this. Whatever the Abyss is trying to turn you into—you can fight it. You always have."
Lucian swallowed hard. "I don't think it's that simple anymore."
Selene shook her head. "It is. You're still you. And I won't let you forget that."
Her fingers curled around his hand, her warmth chasing away the creeping cold of the Abyss inside him.
Lucian exhaled.
For her—for her, he would try.
A Line Crossed
The Forsaken moved again, this time bowing their heads slightly before vanishing back into the darkness.
Selene and Ash stiffened at the sight.
Lucian felt a pit form in his stomach.
That wasn't a normal retreat.
It was submission.
Ash's voice was quiet, but filled with an edge of unease.
"They see you as their own now, Lucian."
Lucian closed his eyes.
He had feared that might be true.
And now—there was no denying it.