Mia's heart pounded as Kael Draven's words hung in the air like a death sentence. Serve me, and I might let you live. His storm-gray eyes bore into her, and she felt like a mouse trapped under a cat's paw. The system's new mission—Gain Kael Draven's trust. Reward: 500 Shadow Points. Failure: Immediate termination—blinked in the corner of her vision, a constant reminder of the stakes. She was out of options, and she knew it.
"Serve you?" she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "What does that even mean? I'm not exactly the loyal minion type."
Kael's lips curled into a smirk, and he straightened, his crimson cloak swirling around him. "You'll learn," he said, his tone laced with amusement. "But first, let's see if you're worth the trouble." He turned, gesturing for her to follow with a lazy flick of his hand. "Come, little shadow. We have work to do."
Mia hesitated, glancing at the ballroom where Lord Varen still sat, oblivious to the threat she'd posed. Her original mission—kill Varen within 24 hours—was still active, the timer now at 23:52:47. But Kael's presence had thrown everything into chaos. If she tried to complete the mission now, he'd kill her. If she didn't, the system would. Great. I'm screwed either way.
With no better choice, she followed Kael, her dagger still clutched in her hand. He led her through a side corridor of Vaelor Keep, his steps silent despite the heavy cloak. The air grew colder as they descended a spiral staircase, the walls transitioning from polished marble to rough, damp stone. Torches flickered, casting eerie shadows that seemed to move on their own.
"Where are we going?" Mia asked, her voice echoing faintly.
Kael didn't look back. "Somewhere we won't be disturbed," he said, his tone clipped. "You'll need to prove yourself if you want to live past tonight."
The staircase ended at a heavy iron door, its surface etched with runes that glowed faintly with a sickly green light. Kael pressed a hand to the door, and the runes flared brighter before the door groaned open, revealing a dark tunnel. The air smelled of earth and decay, and Mia's skin prickled with unease.
"After you," Kael said, his smirk returning as he gestured into the darkness.
Mia glared at him. "You're kidding, right? I'm not walking into a creepy tunnel with a guy who just threatened to kill me."
Kael's smirk widened into a grin, and for a moment, he looked almost… human. "Smart girl," he said. "But you don't have a choice." He stepped forward, and before she could react, he grabbed her wrist, his grip like iron, and pulled her into the tunnel. The door slammed shut behind them with a resounding clang.
"Hey!" Mia yanked her wrist free, stumbling back. "What the hell—"
"Quiet," Kael snapped, his voice low and dangerous. "We're not alone down here."
Mia froze, her eyes darting around the tunnel. It was pitch black, save for the faint glow of Kael's runes, which now pulsed on the walls like a heartbeat. She activated Shadow Veil on instinct, blending into the darkness, but the skill's 10-second duration ran out quickly, leaving her exposed again. Her cooldown timer ticked down: 28 seconds. Too slow.
A low growl echoed from deeper in the tunnel, and Mia's blood ran cold. "What was that?" she whispered.
Kael didn't answer. Instead, he raised a hand, and a sphere of dark energy materialized, illuminating the tunnel in a ghostly violet light. The walls were lined with more runes, but now Mia saw something else—scratch marks, deep and jagged, as if something had clawed its way through the stone.
"Welcome to my training grounds," Kael said, his voice calm despite the growling growing louder. "If you survive this, I might consider keeping you."
"Survive?" Mia's voice rose, panic creeping in. "Survive what?"
The system chimed, answering her question:
*New Objective: Survive Kael Draven's Trial. Reward: 50 Shadow Points.*
Before she could process the message, the ground beneath her shook, and a creature burst from the shadows ahead. It was a mass of writhing darkness, shaped vaguely like a wolf but with too many legs and glowing red eyes. Its claws scraped against the stone, sending sparks flying, and it lunged straight for her.
Mia dove to the side, her body moving on instinct—or rather, the instincts of the "Nameless Assassin" she'd become. She rolled to her feet, dagger in hand, and slashed at the creature as it passed. The blade barely scratched its shadowy hide, and it turned, snarling, its eyes locked on her.
"Use your skill!" Kael called, his tone almost bored. He leaned against the wall, watching her like this was some kind of twisted entertainment.
"Gee, thanks for the tip!" Mia shouted, activating Shadow Veil just as the creature lunged again. She vanished into the darkness, her body melding with the shadows, and the creature's claws swiped through empty air. She had 10 seconds to move. She darted behind the beast, aiming for its back, but her skill ran out mid-step, and the creature spun, its jaws snapping inches from her face.
Mia stumbled back, her heart racing. The cooldown timer on Shadow Veil was at 15 seconds. She couldn't wait that long. The creature charged, and she threw herself to the ground, rolling under its legs. Her dagger slashed upward, cutting into its underbelly. A howl of pain echoed through the tunnel, and black ichor sprayed across the stone.
The creature staggered, but it wasn't dead. Mia scrambled to her feet, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She glanced at Kael, who hadn't moved, his expression unreadable. "A little help here?" she snapped.
Kael raised an eyebrow. "You said you wanted to serve me," he said. "Prove it."
Mia gritted her teeth, her mind racing. The creature lunged again, but this time, she was ready. She dodged to the side, using the tunnel's narrow walls to her advantage, and drove her dagger into one of its glowing eyes. The creature screeched, thrashing wildly, and Mia yanked the blade free, plunging it into its skull. With a final shudder, the beast collapsed, its body dissolving into wisps of shadow.
Mia stood there, panting, her hands trembling as she clutched the blood-slick dagger. The system chimed:
*Objective Complete: Survive Kael Draven's Trial. Reward: 50 Shadow Points.*
*Skill Unlocked: Enhanced Agility (Level 1) – Increases speed and reflexes. Passive.*
She felt a surge of energy course through her, her body suddenly lighter, her movements sharper. She turned to Kael, wiping the ichor from her blade. "Happy now?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Kael pushed off the wall, his cloak rustling as he approached. "Not bad," he said, his tone appraising. "You've got potential, little shadow. But potential isn't enough." He stopped in front of her, his height forcing her to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. "Tell me—why are you really here?"
Mia's heart skipped a beat. He knew something was off about her—he'd said as much in the keep. But she couldn't tell him the truth, not yet. "I told you," she said, forcing her voice to stay steady. "I'm here to serve you."
Kael's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, she thought he'd call her bluff. But then he stepped back, his smirk returning. "We'll see," he said. "For now, I have a task for you." He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small, black crystal, its surface swirling with faint, violet light. "There's a noble in Vaelor City—Lord Eryntis. He has something I want. Steal it, and bring it to me."
The system chimed:
*New Mission: Retrieve the Artifact from Lord Eryntis. Reward: 150 Shadow Points.*
*Warning: The artifact is cursed. Survival probability: 10%.*
Mia stared at the crystal, then at Kael, her stomach sinking. "Cursed?" she said, her voice barely a whisper. "What do you mean, cursed?"
Kael's smirk widened, and he leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear. "You'll find out, little shadow," he whispered. "Don't fail me."
*To be continued…*