Raven's vision blurred as the eerie whispers of the past coiled around her, the air thick with something ancient and powerful. The glow of the markings on her skin pulsed like a second heartbeat, each flicker sending a jolt through her veins. She barely registered the cold stone floor beneath her as she gasped for air, her mind reeling from the vision that had gripped her moments ago.
A cold draft swept through the chamber, carrying with it the faint scent of something metallic—blood? No, something older. A presence lurked in the shadows, its form shifting like smoke.
"Who are you?" Raven's voice was hoarse, but steady.
The figure stepped forward, a tall, cloaked silhouette with piercing silver eyes. His voice was a whisper, yet it echoed in her mind. "The curse has awakened, child. And so have you."
Raven clenched her fists, the markings on her arms glowing brighter as if in defiance. "I don't believe in curses."
A chuckle reverberated through the chamber. "Then you are blind to what is already inside you."
Before she could respond, pain shot through her skull—visions flashed before her eyes: a woman bound in chains, screaming as flames consumed her; a dark figure watching from the shadows, whispering words of power; the ground cracking open beneath an ancient seal. Then, silence.
Raven collapsed to her knees, panting.
The figure loomed over her. "You carry the blood of the forsaken. Their pain is yours. Their power is yours. But power without control..." His voice darkened. "That is destruction."
Raven forced herself to stand, swallowing the fear clawing at her throat. "Then teach me to control it."
The figure tilted his head. "You ask for guidance, yet you resist what you are. Tell me, Raven, are you ready to accept the truth?"
The room seemed to tremble at his words. A part of her wanted to run, to pretend none of this was real, but deep down, she knew she could no longer ignore what was happening. She met his gaze. "I need to know everything."
The figure nodded. "Then let the trial begin."
Darkness surged forward, engulfing her.
The sensation was unlike anything she had ever felt—like being pulled through layers of time, memories not her own rushing past her. When the darkness receded, she found herself standing in a vast, desolate landscape. The sky churned with black clouds, and the air smelled of smoke and decay.
A voice whispered beside her. "This is where it began."
Raven turned to see the figure standing next to her. "What is this place?"
"The ruins of the first blood pact. The moment your ancestors sealed their fate."
A gust of wind blew past them, carrying echoes of screams. Shapes formed in the dust—spectral figures reenacting a moment lost to time. A woman stood in the center, her arms outstretched, dark symbols glowing on her skin. Surrounding her were hooded figures, chanting in an unknown language.
Then came the betrayal.
One of the figures lunged, a dagger flashing in the dim light. The woman's scream shattered the vision, and suddenly, Raven was back in the chamber, gasping.
"You have seen what was taken from you," the figure said. "Now, you must reclaim it."
Raven clenched her fists. The markings on her skin had grown brighter, their glow steady. She felt something stir within her—a force both powerful and terrifying.
"How?" she asked.
The figure raised a hand, and the shadows around him twisted into a shape—a staff adorned with a glowing crystal. "By embracing the darkness that was once denied to you."
The staff pulsed, and Raven felt a pull, as if something deep within her recognized it.
She reached out.
The moment her fingers brushed the staff, a surge of energy coursed through her, setting her veins on fire. She staggered back, barely containing the raw power flooding her senses.
"Control it," the figure commanded. "Or it will consume you."
Raven gritted her teeth, forcing herself to breathe through the storm raging inside her. The markings on her skin flickered wildly, as if caught between submission and rebellion.
She focused.
The energy, though volatile, responded. It coiled around her fingers, forming tendrils of shadowy light.
A slow smile spread across the figure's face. "Good. But power alone is not enough. You must understand the cost."
Raven frowned. "What cost?"
The chamber darkened.
"You will see soon enough."
A sudden force slammed into her chest, sending her flying backward. She hit the ground hard, pain flaring through her ribs.
She barely had time to recover before a shadowy form lunged at her.
Instinct took over.
She raised her hands, and a burst of energy erupted from her palms, colliding with the figure mid-air. The force sent it hurtling into the darkness, but Raven knew it wasn't over.
Another strike came from behind.
She ducked, pivoting just in time to counter with a surge of power. The figure dissolved upon impact, but more shadows slithered toward her.
The battle was relentless. Each attack forced her to push beyond her limits, her control slipping with every strike. The markings on her skin burned, the energy demanding release.
Then, the whispers returned.
They slithered into her mind, ancient voices urging her to surrender, to let the power consume everything.
For a brief moment, she considered it.
But then she remembered.
The vision of the woman—the betrayal, the sacrifice.
This wasn't just about power. It was about reclaiming what had been lost.
Gritting her teeth, she fought against the pull, channeling the energy with precision rather than force. The shadows recoiled, their forms unraveling.
A final surge of power erupted from her, dispelling the last of the darkness.
Silence fell.
The chamber returned to its original state, the figure watching her with something akin to approval.
"You are stronger than I expected," he said.
Raven exhaled, her body trembling from exhaustion. "Is it over?"
"For now."
The figure stepped forward, his silver eyes gleaming. "But the true test begins soon. You have taken the first step, but the path ahead is treacherous. Are you ready?"
Raven met his gaze, determination hardening her features. "I don't have a choice, do I?"
A smirk played at the edge of his lips. "No. You don't."
The markings on her skin pulsed one last time before fading.
The curse had awakened.
And so had she.