Christian stood in the center of the dimly lit arena, his breath coming in sharp gasps. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his body trembling as the black mist from his core swirled around him like an angry storm. Every breath felt like it could tear him apart.
"Focus," Garran's voice echoed from the shadows. "You've faced worse than this. You can control it."
Christian clenched his fists, the energy surging through him with an uncontrollable ferocity. The Abyss was there, pressing in on every side, whispering dark promises of power. He could feel it calling to him—urging him to let go, to let it consume him entirely.
But every time he listened to that pull, the shadows within him grew stronger, deeper, and more dangerous.
He had to stop it. He had to control it.
"I can't…" Christian muttered, barely able to speak as the darkness threatened to overtake his senses.
"You're not trying hard enough." Garran's voice was harsh. "You think it's only the core that's dangerous? You're wrong. It's your fear that's holding you back. Fear of the power, fear of the darkness."
Christian's eyes flickered to Kien, who was watching him intently from the sidelines. She didn't speak, but the concern in her eyes was unmistakable. She knew, better than anyone, the price of surrendering to the Void.
"I can't do it alone," Christian said, voice breaking. "It's too much. I don't even know what this thing inside me is anymore. I don't know how to control it!"
The ground beneath him cracked, and the dark mist spiraled violently around him. It was like trying to hold back a storm with bare hands.
Kien's voice broke through the chaos. "You're not alone."
Christian turned to her, his eyes desperate. "Kien, you don't understand. This—this power—it wants to destroy everything."
Kien's face softened, and she took a step forward. "I understand more than you think."
A Glimpse into the Past
Kien's words seemed to still the energy in the arena, even if just for a moment. She lowered her gaze, and for the first time, Christian saw a deep sadness in her eyes.
"When I was younger… I was trained to control my own power, just like you. But I didn't have a mentor like Garran, and I didn't have anyone to warn me of the dangers of the Abyss."
She paused, as if weighing the memory.
"I grew up in a village on the outskirts of the Sacred Mountains. My family… they were the last line of defense against the dark forces that lived within the mountains. I was trained as a spirit binder, a guardian. But I didn't know how deep the darkness ran until it was too late."
Kien's voice grew quieter. "I was chosen to bind a powerful spirit—a creature of shadow that once served the Abyss. My family thought it was the only way to protect our village. But what they didn't know was that the spirit was still connected to the Abyss. And when it bonded with me… it nearly consumed me. I barely escaped with my life. The Abyss marked me… just like it's marked you."
Christian stared at her, his heart sinking as he understood the weight of her words. Kien wasn't just a protector—she was someone who had fought the Abyss and lived to tell the tale.
"I wasn't strong enough back then," Kien continued, her voice almost a whisper. "But you're different. You have something I didn't. You have the strength to control it. I know you do."
The Confrontation with Riven
Before Christian could respond, a voice broke the silence.
"Well, isn't this touching?"
Christian spun around to find Riven standing in the entrance to the arena, his smirk as cold as ever.
"You seem to be having a lovely heart-to-heart," Riven continued, his eyes glinting with a cruel light. "But I'm afraid that's not going to help you."
Riven's eyes flicked to Christian's chest, where the pendant pulsed faintly in the light. "You're playing with forces you don't understand, Vale. You're already too far gone."
Christian clenched his fists, anger rising within him. "You're the one who's been stirring up all of this. What do you want?"
Riven's smirk widened. "Oh, I'm not the one you need to worry about. You should be worried about yourself." His voice darkened. "The Abyss doesn't care about what you want, Vale. It doesn't care about your control or your hopes. It only cares about one thing—consumption."
Before Christian could respond, Riven snapped his fingers.
A burst of flame exploded from Riven's hands, shooting straight toward Christian. The flames crackled with a terrifying intensity. Christian barely had time to react, but as he raised his arms to defend himself, the black mist surged violently, reacting to his emotions—fear, anger, desperation.
The flames collided with the mist, sending a shockwave through the arena.
Christian stumbled, his body jolting under the force of the explosion. He struggled to stay upright, the mist pulsing wildly as if feeding off the battle.
Riven stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "See? You can't control it. And soon, it will control you. When the Abyss takes over, there won't be anyone left to protect you."
Kien stepped in front of Christian, her eyes flashing with protective fury. "We won't let it happen."
Christian's heart raced, his body trembling as the black mist continued to swirl violently around him, more dangerous than ever. He could feel the Abyss pulling at him—demanding that he give in, that he surrender.
But then he remembered Kien's words.
He wasn't alone.
"Stop!" Christian shouted, his voice shaking as he raised his arms, willing the energy within him to obey. "I can control it! I can fight it!"
The mist surged outward, more solid than before. It surrounded Riven, forming a massive shield around Christian.
For a moment, it felt like Christian was standing on the edge of a precipice, balancing between two worlds—one of light, one of darkness. His own power was a storm that could tear him apart… or rebuild him.
Riven, for the first time, looked unsure. "You… think you're in control?"
Christian's voice was cold, filled with the weight of everything he'd learned in the past few days. "I'm not trying to control the Abyss, Drael. I'm trying to survive it."
Far Away – The Watcher's Dark Promise
The dark entity in the Abyss watched, its many eyes burning with anticipation.
"The boy grows stronger. But soon, the gate will open. And when it does, the world will tremble."
In the arena, the final choice was clear.
Christian had made his stand.
But the real battle—was just beginning.