[Into The Dark]

The world went black.

For a moment, there was nothing. No sound, no light, no air—just emptiness pressing in from all sides.

Then, suddenly, I could move again.

I gasped, stumbling forward. My body felt light, like I had been floating a second ago. My hands reached out, but I couldn't see anything. The corridor, the inquisitor, even the stone beneath me—it was all gone.

Where… am I?

A whisper brushed against my ear.

"Not yet."

I spun around. Nothing. Just endless black.

A cold shiver ran down my spine. I wasn't alone.

Then—

Light.

It started as a thin crack in the darkness, spreading like shattered glass. Faint colors bled through—gray stone, flickering torchlight—until the world snapped back into place.

I was somewhere else.

The corridor was gone. The inquisitor was gone. Instead, I stood in a narrow alley, the sky above me dark and filled with stars. The air smelled damp, like rain had just passed.

I had escaped.

But how?

━━━ ◇ ━━━

[Your bloodline has stirred.]

[Ability unlocked: Abyss Step (Incomplete)]

━━━ ◇ ━━━

My heart pounded. Abyss Step?

I had teleported. Not by choice, but something inside me had reacted to danger and pulled me out. That meant—

I had powers.

I clenched my fists, breathing hard. It wasn't much, and I didn't know how to control it, but it was something.

A sound broke through my thoughts—shouting in the distance.

I tensed, stepping deeper into the alley. The voices were muffled, but I caught enough to understand.

"—Anomaly sighted near the temple!"

"—Find him before sunrise!"

The Holy Order.

Of course they weren't done. I had escaped, but they weren't giving up that easily.

I needed to move. Fast.

I took a step forward—then staggered.

Pain shot through my side. I reached down, fingers coming back wet. Blood. The inquisitor's spell had injured me worse than I thought. My clothes were damp with it, sticking to my skin.

I couldn't keep running like this.

I had to find a place to hide.

I glanced around. The alley opened into a wider street, lined with worn-down buildings. The city looked old—stone houses, wooden signs creaking in the wind, lanterns flickering on iron hooks.

This had to be Elaris, the capital's lower district. In Eclipse of the Gods, this place was filled with criminals, mercenaries, and desperate people looking to survive. The perfect place to disappear.

If I could find somewhere safe, I could figure out my next move.

I pressed forward, sticking close to the shadows. My breath came out ragged, each step sending another wave of pain through my body.

Then, up ahead—I saw an open door.

A tavern.

The sign above it read: The Broken Dagger.

I hesitated. Taverns meant people. People meant risk. But right now, I didn't have a choice. If I passed out in the streets, I'd either bleed out or wake up in chains.

I pulled my hood lower and stepped inside.

The Broken Dagger

The air inside was thick with smoke and the scent of cheap ale. Dim candlelight flickered across wooden tables, where groups of rough-looking men and women sat drinking and talking in hushed voices.

No one paid me any attention. Good.

I moved toward the back, looking for an empty seat. My legs felt weak. My vision blurred at the edges. I was losing blood too fast.

I needed help. But asking for help in a place like this? Dangerous.

Still, I couldn't afford to be picky.

I scanned the room—and my eyes landed on a woman sitting alone.

She had dark hair pulled into a loose braid, a scar running from her brow to her cheek, and sharp green eyes that flicked toward me the second I looked at her.

She noticed me.

I hesitated. She didn't look like a mercenary. More like a traveler—or someone who had seen their fair share of fights.

I took a chance.

I staggered toward her table and leaned in, keeping my voice low.

"I need help."

She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Do I look like a charity?"

I gritted my teeth. "I can pay."

That got her attention. She studied me for a long moment, then sighed. "Sit before you fall over."

I didn't argue.

As soon as I sat, my legs nearly gave out. My vision swam, the edges going dark.

I forced myself to focus. "Do you have bandages?"

She sighed again and pulled a small pouch from her belt, tossing it onto the table. "That's worth more than your life right now. Be careful with it."

I took it with shaking hands, opening it to find clean cloth and a small vial of something that smelled like herbs. A healing salve.

I let out a slow breath. This would keep me alive.

I looked up at her. "Thanks."

She shrugged. "Just don't die at my table. It's bad luck."

I managed a weak smile. Then, hesitating, I asked, "What's your name?"

She leaned back in her chair, eyeing me like she was trying to figure something out. Then she answered,

"Lyra."

Short. Simple. No extra details.

I nodded. "Kier—" I stopped myself. Giving my real name was stupid. The Holy Order was looking for me.

I needed a fake name. Fast.

"Kai," I said instead. "Just Kai."

Lyra smirked like she didn't believe me, but she didn't push. "Alright, Just Kai. You look like hell. Who's after you?"

I hesitated. "Trouble with the church."

Her eyes darkened slightly, but she didn't ask more.

Instead, she leaned forward, lowering her voice. "If you're smart, you'll leave the city by morning. The Order doesn't stop once they've marked someone."

I clenched my fists. I knew that already. But I couldn't run forever.

I had to find out why I was an anomaly.

Why I had been killed before the story even started.

And why the Abyss was watching me.

But first—I had to survive the night.