Kael left the ruined village behind. The ashes clung to his boots as he walked into the forest. The air was heavy, the trees blackened and twisted as if they had once burned and never healed. Every step felt like walking through a graveyard.
Kael (narration): "The world rots, and yet it keeps breathing. Just like me."
A low growl echoed through the mist. Kael froze, his hand tightening on his dagger. Shadows coiled around his arm, answering his call. From between the trees, a creature emerged—half-wolf, half-smoke, its glowing eyes fixed on him.
Kael: "Another beast born of curses. Fine."
The monster leapt. Kael's shadows lashed out, striking it midair. The fight was brutal—teeth, claws, and black smoke tearing the ground apart. Kael staggered, the darkness inside him surging too violently. For a second, he thought it would consume him.
Then, light cut through the gloom.
A figure stood in the mist, raising her hand. Green radiance struck the beast, shattering it into ash. Silence fell. Kael turned sharply, dagger ready.
A young woman stepped forward. Pale skin, gray eyes, and a faint scar across her cheek. Calm, but dangerous.
Liora: "If you keep using that shadow power… it will kill you."
Kael's voice was cold.
Kael: "And yet, you saved me. Why?"
Liora: "Because cursed men attract cursed things. And you reek of curses."
The forest groaned. Whispers slid through the mist, and dozens of glowing eyes opened in the darkness around them.
Kael tightened his grip on the dagger. The shadows writhed eagerly.
Kael (narration): "Survival isn't mercy… but tonight, it might be impossible."