The city lay quiet beneath a thick fog that crept between buildings and settled in the alleys like a heavy blanket. The orange glow of the streetlights flickered weakly, casting long, uncertain shadows on the cracked pavement. To most, this was a night like any other—still and forgotten—but to Coker Valshar, the night was alive with whispers and threats.
The mark on his chest throbbed steadily beneath his shirt, a burning reminder of the power and curse within him. It pulsed like a living thing, sending waves of heat and cold through his body. The Abyss was restless, clawing at the edges of his soul, hungry for freedom.
Coker moved silently through the fog-shrouded streets, his boots barely making a sound. His eyes scanned the darkness, sharp and alert, searching for signs. Lyra had warned him about the echoes—the traces of blood and shadow the Abyss left behind whenever it stirred. Those signs led hunters like him to the heart of the darkness.
The alley opened suddenly into a wide, forgotten courtyard. Cracked stones and broken bricks littered the ground. Ancient runes glowed faintly on the walls, casting a cold blue light that made the darkness seem even deeper.
From the mist emerged a figure. Tall and thin, wrapped in dark robes that swallowed the light. His eyes burned bright like molten coals, cold and unyielding.
"Coker Valshar," the man said, voice low and rough like grinding stone.
Coker's hands curled into fists as black energy coiled around his fingers. "Who are you?" he demanded, steady despite the tension tightening his chest.
The man smiled—a cruel, twisted smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I am the one who marked you. The one who set the fire in your soul."
Shock rolled through Coker, but he kept his ground. "Why? What do you want?"
"To see if you are strong enough to carry the burden," the man said. "To see if you will rise from the ashes or be consumed by them."
Before Coker could answer, a roar shattered the silence. From the shadows, twisted creatures burst forth, eyes burning red, teeth sharp and glistening.
They moved like nightmares, swift and merciless. They lunged toward Coker with hunger in their snarls.
Coker's body reacted instantly. Black shadows erupted from his hands, forming claws sharper than steel. He slashed through the nearest beast, feeling the rush of power flood through him.
Pain flared as a creature's claw cut across his side, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through. The Abyss inside him surged like wildfire, hungry and wild, but he forced it under control.
The man watched with cold amusement. "Show me, Coker. Show me the power the Abyss has given you."
The battle raged on, brutal and unrelenting. Coker fought with every ounce of strength, moving faster and striking harder than he thought possible. Shadows curled and snapped, swallowing the creatures whole.
One by one, the monsters fell. When the last collapsed, silence returned.
The man stepped forward, eyes burning bright. "You've passed the test. For now."
Coker's breath came hard. "What comes next?"
The man's smile vanished, replaced by a cold hardness. "You must learn the true cost of power. The Abyss demands sacrifice. Not everyone survives."
The fog thickened around them as the man's figure faded into the mist.
Coker stood alone, the weight of the night pressing down on him. The echoes of blood would lead him deeper into the darkness. And he knew he would have to face it alone.