Reid awoke with his chest tight, a dull ache spreading from his ribs to his fingers. Dim light crept through the cracked walls of the factory, worsening his headache. Every sound—the hiss of pipes, the shuffle of boots—rang in his ears. He hadn't truly slept; the memory of glowing eyes in the fog lingered. Even here, surrounded by rusted metal, the sense of being watched remained.
The Bond slithered through his mind. "Still being observed. They're curious about what you'll become."
He sat up abruptly. "Shut it."
Mara leaned on the doorway with her spear. "Talking to yourself or to it?" she asked gently.
"Didn't sleep," he said.
"No kidding. You look awful." She stepped closer. "Nightmares?"
"They weren't just dreams."
Before she could reply, Jorik passed, his glare sharp. "Next time maybe it finishes the job," he muttered. Mara turned, but he was gone. Reid said nothing; part of him agreed.
Holt entered, visor catching the dim light. "Gear up," she ordered. "The Stalker's adapting. It's more dangerous each hour it lives. Today, we end it." Her gaze pinned Reid. "Keep control."
Reid checked his gear. The knife felt heavier, faintly warm. The Bond purred. "Back to feed me."
They left as the fog thickened, rolling over ruins in pale waves. It coiled around fences and broken machines, twisting like it lived. The ruins ahead were silent graves, the smell of rust and blood heavy.
The Bond murmured. "Closer now. The hunt calls."
Reid followed glowing corruption marks that stained the earth.
Hours dragged on. Only boots crunching and distant groans of metal broke the silence. Holt crouched over the ground. "Fresh tracks. Stay sharp."
A low growl rippled through the mist. Two smaller corrupted crept forward, glowing cracks across their hides.
"Quiet kills," Holt ordered.
The beasts lunged. Reid struck first, knife flashing. Pain flared in his chest as the Bond stirred. He dodged, twisted, and buried his blade in one neck. Black ichor hissed on the ground. The second leapt at Mara. She pivoted, spear driving deep. Reid rolled, Veil Step distorting air, and appeared behind it, stabbing through its spine. It collapsed.
Heat surged as essence flowed, glowing faintly under his skin. The Bond chuckled. "More."
Reid staggered, clutching his chest. Mara grabbed his arm. "You're shaking. You used that step again."
"I'm fine."
Jorik spat. "You're not fine. That thing's eating you alive."
Holt cut the tension. "Move."
The trail led to a valley shaped like jagged jaws. Fog pooled thick, the ground sloping into darkness. Reid's skin prickled. The Bond hissed. "Here it waits."
A scream shattered the stillness.
The Stalker erupted from the mist, a blur of claws and glowing eyes. Holt's commands were lost under the roar. Jorik fired, bullets sparking against stone. Mara shouted, spear flashing.
Reid's heart hammered. "Step!" the Bond urged. He vanished as claws tore empty air, reappearing to slash its side. Ichor burned where it landed. Pain lanced through him, but he moved again, faster, sharper.
The Bond screamed. "Let me take the lead."
For a moment, control slipped. His body moved unnaturally, every strike perfect. The Stalker staggered, shrieking. Mara's voice cut through, "Reid! Stop!"
He gasped, wresting control back as the Stalker slammed him into rock. Pain lit his body. Veil Step flared once more, and he drove his knife into its chest seam. The creature screeched, wounded, and vanished into the mist.
Reid collapsed, lungs burning. Mara dropped beside him, shouting his name.
They limped back to the factory, battered and pale. Holt's visor fixed on Reid, cold. Later she pulled him aside. "Keep whatever's inside you under control."
He nodded. The Bond purred. "She's right to be afraid."
That night, Reid stood alone at the perimeter. Mist rose high, carrying whispers. Beyond the fence, shadows shifted and eyes blinked in unison. They didn't advance. They simply watched.
The Bond's voice was smooth and dangerous. "They know you're changing. Tomorrow, hunter, you either claim it… or I will."
Reid gripped his knife. The fog pressed close. The eyes never blinked.
Dawn crept through the mist, weak and cold. The factory stirred with restrained urgency as Holt's orders cut through the chill air: they would track the wounded Stalker to its lair and finish what they started. There would be no fallback.
Reid stood apart from the others, adjusting his gear. His knife thrummed faintly in his hand, as though it recognized what was coming. The Bond's voice was quieter than usual, almost savoring the moment. "This will be a fine hunt. Don't hold back, host. You want this as much as I do."
Mara approached, her expression a mix of concern and resolve. "You're pale. Maybe you need rest before—"
He cut her off with a shake of his head. "No. This ends today."
Her lips tightened, but she said nothing more. Holt signaled, and they moved out.
The landscape shifted as they pressed into the outskirts of the sector, the ground fractured and scorched. Pools of foul water bubbled faintly, releasing steam that clung to their armor. Each step was a warning. Shadows moved at the edge of their vision, flickering shapes that faded when looked at directly. Jorik muttered, "This place feels cursed," his voice tight as his hands gripped his rifle.
Hours stretched, the fog thicker with every turn. When they reached the fissure where the Stalker had retreated, the air smelled of rot and heat. Holt raised her hand, signaling a halt. "This is it. Once we're inside, expect the worst."
The descent was slow, the path narrowing as they dropped into the cavern. Steam rose from cracks in the floor, and the walls were lined with bones blackened by age. The ground was slick with moisture, forcing every step to be careful. The smell grew stronger, burning their throats.
A low growl rumbled ahead, vibrating through the stone. The Bond's voice purred. "It's waiting. This is its ground. But soon it will be yours."
The Stalker stepped from the shadows, larger than before, its jagged armor glistening in the dim light. Its wounds had hardened into spiked ridges, and its glowing eyes fixed on Reid with predatory focus.
Holt raised her weapon. "Positions!"
The creature attacked first, blurring across the cavern with speed that made it almost invisible. Reid barely dodged, using a quick Veil Step that strained his muscles. Mara struck at its side, her spear biting through one of its plates. The Stalker recoiled, then swiped at her with enough force to send her tumbling. Jorik's rifle spat fire, bullets sparking uselessly against its armor.
Reid rushed in, knife cutting at weak points. Each clash rattled through his bones. The Bond urged him on. "Push harder. Show it what lurks inside you." He ignored the voice, fighting with his own strength, but the creature's power was overwhelming. It slammed him against a wall, claws pinning him.
Pain exploded through his ribs. The Bond roared. "Let me in! You can't win without me!" Reid gritted his teeth, resisting, but as the Stalker prepared to finish him, he released a fraction of the power. Veil Step flared violently, distorting the air as he reappeared behind it, stabbing deep into the exposed seam at its neck.
The Stalker screeched, thrashing wildly. Holt and Mara pressed the attack, driving their weapons into the openings Reid created. Jorik's covering fire kept it reeling. Finally, with a desperate lunge, Reid buried his blade into its skull seam. The creature shrieked one last time before collapsing, its form dissolving into black mist that spiraled upward and vanished.
[Quest Complete: Stalker Eliminated]
[Essence Absorbed: +5]
[Bond Influence: Growing Stronger]
Reid fell to one knee, gasping. The Bond's voice was a pleased whisper now. "See? Together, we are unstoppable."
Mara knelt beside him, relief and fear in her eyes. "You're shaking. What did you do?"
He looked away. "Just finished it."
Holt's visor reflected cold light. "Whatever you're hiding, keep it on a leash."
They left the cavern in tense silence. Faint glowing eyes lingered at the edges, watching as they climbed out. By the time they reached the surface, the fog had thickened to a solid wall.
That night, Reid stood at the perimeter again, gripping the Stalker's core. Shapes shifted in the mist, dozens of faint eyes staring back. They didn't advance. They only watched.
The Bond spoke softly. "The hunt is over, but the game has only begun."