Cronicals of the Abyss

The air in Kaldora had grown heavier since Revan, Kael, and Lyra returned from the ruins. Whispers spread through the village like wildfire. Fearful glances followed Revan's every move, and even the bravest among the townsfolk avoided him. The Fragment of the Abyss now embedded in his Shadow Seal had changed him, though not outwardly. Inside, he could feel the Abyss pressing against the edges of his mind, whispering promises of power and freedom.

Revan sat alone on the steps of the old inn, staring at his hand. The intricate markings of the Seal seemed darker, more alive. Shadows flickered around his fingertips as though testing their limits, shifting with every breath.

Kael emerged from the inn, chewing on a piece of dried meat. "Still brooding over that cursed thing?"

Revan glanced at him but said nothing.

Kael sighed, leaning against the railing. "Look, I get it. Power like that—it's tempting. But you're walking a dangerous line. I've seen men destroyed by far less."

"It's not just power," Revan said, his voice quiet. "It's a piece of something bigger, something ancient. And it's connected to me in ways I don't fully understand."

"Connected or not," Kael replied, "you'd better figure out how to control it before it controls you."

Before Revan could respond, Lyra approached, her expression grim. "We have a problem."

---

The three of them gathered in the common room of the inn. Lyra laid out a map on the table, pointing to the northern outskirts of the village.

"The Eclipse Covenant," she said. "They've been spotted near the forest's edge. A group of them—at least ten, according to the scouts."

Revan's jaw tightened. "They're here for the Fragment."

Kael smirked, drawing his blade and testing its edge. "Finally. I was getting bored."

"This isn't a game," Lyra snapped. "The Covenant isn't just a group of zealots. They're trained killers, and they won't stop until they have what they want."

Revan looked at her. "Do we know their numbers? Their leader?"

Lyra shook her head. "Not yet. But if they've sent this many, they'll have someone powerful leading them."

"Then we take the fight to them," Kael said.

"No." Revan's voice was firm. "We need to draw them out, split their forces. If we fight them head-on, we'll be overwhelmed."

Lyra crossed her arms. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

Revan leaned over the map, his mind racing. "They're looking for me. If I show myself, they'll come after me. You and Kael can take out the stragglers while I handle their leader."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "You're just going to waltz into their trap?"

Revan met his gaze. "It's not their trap. It's mine."

---

The plan was set. Revan would draw the Covenant into the heart of the village, using its narrow streets to limit their mobility. Kael and Lyra would flank them, picking off the weaker members of the group while Revan faced their leader.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the village, Revan stood in the central square. The Fragment pulsed in his hand, its dark energy fueling his resolve.

The first of the Covenant appeared, their black robes blending into the night. They moved like phantoms, silent and deliberate, their weapons glinting in the faint moonlight.

Revan raised his voice, letting it carry through the square. "You're wasting your time. If you want the Fragment, come and take it!"

The leader stepped forward, a tall figure with a mask of bone covering his face. His voice was cold, calculated. "You have no idea what you've stolen, shadow bearer. The Abyss will consume you, as it has consumed countless others."

Revan smirked, his Shadow Seal flaring. "Let it try."

---

The battle erupted in an instant.

The Covenant swarmed the square, their weapons and seals flashing as they attacked. Revan met them head-on, his shadows forming tendrils that lashed out, disarming and disabling his enemies. He moved with precision, his body an extension of the Abyssal power coursing through him.

Kael and Lyra struck from the sides, catching the Covenant off guard. Kael's blade flashed as he cut down two robed figures, his movements fluid and deadly. Lyra stayed at a distance, using her Resonance Arts to bind and immobilize the attackers, giving Kael clean openings.

Revan focused on the leader, who watched the chaos with a calm demeanor. When Revan charged, the leader raised his hand, summoning a wave of dark energy that clashed with Revan's shadows.

"You're strong," the leader said, his voice carrying an edge of approval. "But you're reckless. The Abyss will devour you."

Revan pushed against the wave, his Seal glowing brighter. "The Abyss doesn't scare me."

The leader laughed, the sound chilling. "Then you're a fool."

---

Their clash shook the square. The leader's Abyssal techniques were precise, each strike forcing Revan to adapt. The bone mask hid his expressions, but his movements were filled with purpose, as though he had fought countless battles like this before.

Revan unleashed his Shadow Eidolon, the spectral double forming beside him. Together, they overwhelmed the leader, forcing him to retreat.

"You fight like someone desperate," the leader said, his voice almost pitying. "But desperation won't save you."

Revan gritted his teeth. "Neither will arrogance."

He surged forward, his shadows coiling around the leader's legs and pulling him off balance. The Eidolon struck from above, its blade slicing through the air. The leader barely managed to block, his mask cracking from the force.

For a moment, their eyes met—Revan's burning with determination, the leader's cold and calculating.

"You'll regret this," the leader said, before vanishing into the shadows.

---

The remaining members of the Covenant fell quickly, their formation broken. Kael wiped his blade on his cloak, smirking. "Not bad, shadow boy. Though I'd have preferred a bit more of a challenge."

Lyra approached Revan, her expression concerned. "Are you all right?"

Revan nodded, though his hands trembled. The Fragment's power was exhilarating, but it left him drained, as though it had taken more than it had given.

"They'll be back," he said quietly. "And next time, they'll come in force."

Lyra frowned. "Then we need to be ready. The Covenant won't stop until they have the Fragment—or until you're dead."

Kael sheathed his sword, clapping Revan on the shoulder. "Well, you're not dead yet. So let's keep it that way."

---

Later that night, Revan sat alone in his room, staring at the Fragment. Its whispers were louder now, filling his mind with half-formed thoughts and images he couldn't quite grasp.

He closed his eyes, trying to silence them, but the Abyss was relentless.

"You are marked, shadow bearer. Chosen. But even the chosen must decide—will you embrace the Abyss, or will you let it consume you?"

Revan didn't answer, the weight of the question pressing down on him like a storm.