The cavern trembled. Every stone wall pulsed with the red glow of the Abyssal veins, echoing like a heartbeat in Kael's chest.
The Sentinel stood before him, towering, silent, a figure of pure menace. Its eyes—cold pale blue—pierced through him, reading not just his body, but his very thoughts.
[Entity: Nightmare Sentinel — High Threat]
Objective: Test host control of Abyssal Power]
Kael's hands shook, veins crawling black beneath his skin. The Abyss surged within him, hungry, impatient, whispering: "Obey… destroy… prove your worth…"
"I… I control it," Kael whispered. Not fully. Not yet. But enough.
The Sentinel's voice echoed like grinding stone. "Control is an illusion, host. The Abyss chooses who it serves. Let it take you… or perish."
Kael clenched his fists. "I serve myself."
The Sentinel tilted its head. Then it moved. Faster than he could see.
Kael barely dodged. Its claws swiped, tearing through stone like paper. Tendrils of shadow erupted from Kael's arms, coiling and striking.
[Abyssal Borrowing — Controlled Activation: Level 2]
The power surged through him, obeying his will for the first time. He moved deliberately, striking at the Sentinel with shadow tendrils that wrapped around its limbs. But the Sentinel's form was unnaturally strong, absorbing the attacks like they were nothing.
Lira watched from the edge, spear raised, heart pounding. "Kael… be careful!"
Kael felt the Abyss pulsing violently, almost screaming. "Kill… obey… take your ally… take control…"
He gritted his teeth, focusing on himself, not the whispers. Shadow tendrils lashed with precision, striking joints, then retracting. The Sentinel staggered slightly—a reaction he hadn't anticipated.
Synchronization increased: 68%
Warning: Host autonomy still at risk
The Sentinel roared, a sound that rattled the cavern. "You resist… but resistance is pain!"
Kael's hands glowed black. "Pain is temporary. Control is mine!"
With a surge of power, he struck the Sentinel mid-step, tearing a gash along its arm. Shadows slithered over its body, constricting, forcing it back.
The Abyss pulsed, testing him again, whispering to strike harder, to obliterate, to obey.
Kael forced himself to pull back. He could destroy it—but he refused to let the Abyss dictate his actions.
The Sentinel's gaze hardened. "Interesting. Strength and restraint. Perhaps… worthy."
It stepped back, vanishing into the shadows. The cavern fell silent.
Kael collapsed to his knees, chest heaving. Black veins slowly retreated, the Abyss quiet—for now.
Lira rushed to him, grasping his arm. "Kael… you… you survived."
He nodded slowly, voice hoarse. "I did. But it's not over. The Abyss… it's testing me. Always testing me."
One truth echoed in his mind:
Power without control is death.
And the Nightmare Realm had just begun to watch him.