The Weight of Power

Kai hesitated, the obsidian blade still humming faintly in his grip. He didn't trust this woman—Lysara—but her calm demeanor and sharp gaze suggested she knew more about the chaos he had just survived. His instincts screamed to keep his guard up, but he couldn't deny she had a point. The world as he knew it had just been turned upside down, and he was clearly in over his head.

"Help?" Kai asked, his voice sharp with suspicion. "Why would you want to help me?"

Lysara leaned against the alley wall, crossing her arms as if she had all the time in the world. "Because you've bonded with a Shard that shouldn't exist." Her eyes flicked to the blade. "That thing in your hand? It's not just any Shard—it's one of the rarest and most dangerous ones out there. And if you don't learn to control it, you'll either kill yourself… or attract things far worse than Abyssals."

Kai clenched his jaw. The truth in her words stung more than he wanted to admit. He glanced at the weapon in his hand, its dark surface now eerily quiet, almost as if it were waiting. "You seem to know a lot about Shards," he said, lowering the blade slightly. "Why should I trust you?"

Lysara's smirk widened. "You shouldn't. But right now, I'm your best chance of staying alive. Unless, of course, you want to wait around for the next Abyssal to show up. Or worse, the Eclipse Order."

The name sent a chill down Kai's spine. He had heard whispers of the Eclipse Order—shadowy figures who moved in the background, manipulating events for their own mysterious purposes. If they were involved, he was in deeper trouble than he'd thought.

Kai exhaled, forcing his racing thoughts to slow. "Fine," he said finally. "But if this is some kind of trap—"

Lysara raised a hand, cutting him off. "Yeah, yeah. You'll regret it, or you'll kill me, or something dramatic like that. Come on, delivery boy. Let's get out of here before someone else shows up."

She turned and started walking, her stride confident and unhurried. Kai hesitated for a moment longer before dismissing the blade. The weapon dissolved into wisps of shadow, vanishing into his palm. The sensation was strange—both comforting and disconcerting. He flexed his fingers, then followed after Lysara.

---

The city streets were quieter now, the distant hum of activity fading as Lysara led Kai deeper into the labyrinth of alleyways. The towering skyscrapers loomed overhead, their windows reflecting the faint glow of the Rift on the horizon. The farther they went, the darker and narrower the streets became, until they stopped in front of an unmarked steel door.

Lysara knocked twice in a peculiar rhythm. A slot in the door slid open, revealing a pair of suspicious eyes. "It's me," Lysara said, her tone bored. "Let us in."

The slot closed, and a moment later, the door creaked open. The interior was dimly lit, the walls lined with maps, weapons, and glowing Shard fragments encased in glass. A few people milled about, their expressions wary as they eyed Kai.

"This is a safe house," Lysara explained, leading him inside. "One of the few places in the city where the Eclipse Order doesn't have eyes. For now, at least."

Kai's gaze wandered over the room, taking in the strange mix of technology and chaos. "Who are these people?"

"Rift Hunters," Lysara replied casually. "Mercenaries, scavengers, and a few people who just hate Abyssals enough to risk their lives for a shot at killing them. Don't get too attached. Most of them won't last long."

The bluntness of her words left Kai momentarily speechless. Before he could respond, a burly man approached, his arms crossed over his chest. His stern expression softened when he saw Lysara.

"Didn't expect you back so soon," he said, his voice a deep rumble. "And with a recruit, no less."

"Not a recruit," Lysara corrected, jerking her thumb toward Kai. "This one bonded with Eclipse."

The man's eyes widened slightly, his gaze snapping to Kai. "Eclipse?" He studied Kai carefully, as if searching for signs of corruption. "You're sure?"

"Positive," Lysara said. "I saw it myself. He's a Fledgling, but the Shard didn't kill him."

The man let out a low whistle, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's… unexpected. And dangerous."

Kai frowned, growing increasingly frustrated with the cryptic conversation. "Would someone mind explaining what's so special about this Shard?"

Lysara exchanged a glance with the man before answering. "Eclipse isn't just any Shard," she said. "It's a Legendary Shard, one of the strongest ever recorded. It's also tied to the Rift itself. The last person to bond with it vanished years ago, and no one knows what happened to them."

Kai felt a knot form in his stomach. "Tied to the Rift? What does that mean?"

Lysara hesitated, her earlier confidence faltering for the first time. "It means the Rift wants it back," she said quietly. "And it'll send everything it has to reclaim it."

The weight of her words settled heavily on Kai's shoulders. He had stumbled into something far bigger than himself, and there was no going back. He didn't know whether to feel terrified or angry. Maybe both.

"So what now?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lysara's smirk returned, though it lacked its usual sharpness. "Now we teach you how to survive. Welcome to your new life, delivery boy."

---

To Be Continued…