Price of Power

Raven woke up to the strong smell of blood, which made him panic right away.

His chest felt heavy, and it was hard for him to breathe, as if something was pressing down on him.

He tried to sit up, but sharp pain in his side forced him to fall back onto the cold stone floor.

Looking down, his blurry vision focused on the bandage where Estra had stabbed him with her dagger.

Blood seeped through the bandage, darker than normal—there was more to this pain than just a simple injury.

The thought made Raven shiver; this wasn't an ordinary wound.

The room was dark, a windowless space lit by a faint red glow from strange symbols carved into the stone walls.

He instinctively activated his blood sense, scanning for any sign of life. The sensation washed over the area, searching for warmth.

He detected weak, unfamiliar heartbeats in the distance—just faint echoes that felt meaningless. Panic rose in his throat as thoughts of his friends crossed his mind. Where are they?

"You're awake," a cold voice broke the silence.

Raven looked quickly to a corner of the room. Estra appeared, her pale blonde hair shining in the low light, and her unusual golden eyes watching him without any emotion.

She looked almost like she wasn't human, and there was something dangerous about her that made him feel uneasy.

Ignoring the pain, he pushed himself up on his elbows. "You're the one who stabbed me."

A faint, emotionless smile appeared on Estra's face. "And yet, here you are. Alive. Functioning. That's... impressive."

Raven's voice came out low and rough.

"Where are the others? Where is Lyra, where are they?"

Her expression turned hard, startling him with its suddenness. "Why have you grown attached to people you met few days ago,," she said flatly, her tone bone-chilling. "Well they are gone. Their sacrifices ensured the mission's success."

Raven froze, her words hitting him like a ton of bricks. Sacrifices? No way, that couldn't be right. He had fought so hard to protect them. He had promised...

"You... set all this up," he whispered, fury bubbling beneath the surface. His fists clenched at his sides. "The trials. The Order. It was all a trap."

Estra's smile returned, but it was twisted, and her gaze didn't waver. "Not a trap Raven. A necessary test, let's just say everyone played their part.

You survived because you were meant to. The Order wants you, they want your powers, the want to use you as a tool.

Raven's blood was boiling, his vision briefly tinted red as his instincts cried out for action. "So what now? You just keep toying with me? I am already your perfect pawn.

Estra stepped closer, her voice calm but firm. "A pawn? No, Raven. Pawns are replaceable. But you?

You were specially chosen for this. You've already shown you're valuable—even if you don't realize it yet."

Her golden eyes stared into him, making him shiver. He wanted to yell and demand answers, but he was still too weak, his blood magic slow from the injury.

"What do you want from me?" he snapped angrily.

Estra tilted her head and smiled mysteriously. "We'll talk about that soon."

First, you've got to train. Our master insists on it."

Raven's breath caught in his throat. Our master? Before he could respond, the metal door to the room creaked open.

Adrian walked in, his usual swagger a bit muted by signs of fatigue. He flashed a cheeky grin, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Nice to see you're still alive, Raven."

Raven shot him an irritated look, anger bubbling up again. "You," he spat. "You were part of them from the beginning, aren't you? This was all your fault, you lead us to this trap."

Adrian just shrugged, nonchalantly brushing past Estra. "Raven, nothing change even you have the powers to, wow Estra, I am sounding more like a wise person" His casual demeanor barely hid the tension underneath.

Raven forced himself to sit up despite the pain stabbing at his side. "Adrian is there something you are not saying"

You'll figure it out soon enough."

Estra raised her hand to cut off any further banter. "Enough. We don't have time for personal issues, Raven cooperate with me, for now. And if you find doubt in me, you are free to go. Are you ok with that.

Raven nodded, ok

You've recovered quicker than expected, Raven, but first of all we need you to master you art."

Raven smirked bitterly. "Let me guess—you're going to teach me how?"

"No," she said, her tone sharp. "I'm going to test you again."

---

As Raven followed them into a large room filled with chilly, stale air, the mood shifted.

Torches lined the stone walls, their flickering flames creating long shadows in the training area.

The floor was marked with signs of past fights—burn marks, rough cracks, and old bloodstains. Up above, a gallery held several figures watching quietly, a chilling reminder of what was at stake.

Adrian leaned against a pillar, cracking his knuckles. "Feeling cocky, Raven? Or do you want me to go easy on you?"

Raven stepped forward, his smirk lacking humor. "Go easy if you want, but that'll just make losing even more embarrassing."

Adrian's laid-back grin faded as he stretched, the air around him beginning to ripple slightly. "Alright then. Let's see what you've got, Blood Seeker."

The atmosphere felt dense as Adrian unleashed his gravity arts.

A huge force slammed down, almost knocking Raven over, but he stayed standing. His instincts took over, and red, glowing magic appeared around his arms.

Adrian didn't hold back. He made gravity even stronger, making debris slide across the floor and forcing Raven to dodge quickly.

Adrian said, "People say your powers are impressive, but compared to mine, they're nothing. You're not at my level yet."

As Raven ducked a concentrated blast of force, he pulled a silver coin from his pocket.

He tossed it into the air, watching it wobble under Adrian's gravity control. Using the coin's path as a guide, Raven darted to the side, closing the distance faster than Adrian expected.

Adrian's eyes widened as Raven lunged with his dagger. A sharp *clang!* rang out as Adrian barely managed to block with a gravity barrier, the dagger sliding off harmlessly.

That brief moment allowed Adrian to regroup and unleash a series of targeted gravitational pulses.

Raven rolled again, the blood chain wrapping around his legs giving him extra speed. He propelled himself off the nearest wall, vaulting into an aerial dash and slipping around Adrian's guard.

This time, the dagger struck home, stopping just short of Adrian's throat, while Raven's intense gaze locked onto Adrian's surprised expression.

"Well," Raven panted, his chest rising and falling quickly, "looks like you didn't think the Blood Seeker could actually deliver."

Adrian let out a low growl, losing some of his usual calm when Raven pulled out his dagger and stepped back.

Just as Adrian was about to speak, the torches flickered and dimmed. A cold breeze blew through the training hall.

Shadows started to move and twist on the stone floor, glowing faintly with a purple light.

The room grew much colder, and everyone went quiet.

From the shadows, a figure appeared—a woman whose presence felt like a weight in the air.

The Shadow Queen wore a long black cloak that seemed to move like it was alive. She looked at Raven with a sly smile.

"Impressive," she said in a smooth, strong voice that filled the room. Her dark eyes showed curiosity and a little pride. "Good to see you standing again."

Raven held his dagger tighter, feeling a chill run down his spine.

From the sidelines, Estra stiffened but offered a slight nod. "He's doing well," she said smoothly, though her voice hinted at unease.

The Shadow Queen raised a finger, silencing her. "I'll be the one to judge that."

Locking eyes with Raven, she flashed a dark smile. "Oh, my this one looks yummy."