The Devourer's Dominion

Darkness.

Aetheron floated in a void, weightless, caught between consciousness and something deeper.

Then—a voice.

Cold. Commanding. Ancient.

"You are not yet ready."

Aetheron's eyes snapped open.

A New Threat

Pain shot through his body the moment he moved. His ribs ached, his limbs heavy, but he was alive.

And he wasn't alone.

A robed figure stood nearby. Their presence was suffocating, a force pressing against the air itself. The Enforcer faced them, tense—watchful.

Aetheron's mind raced. Who the hell was this?

The figure didn't look at him.

Their focus was entirely on the Enforcer.

"You interfere where you shouldn't," the figure said, voice smooth, almost mocking.

The Enforcer smirked. "And you're late."

They moved in an instant.

The clash shattered the ground beneath them.

Aetheron barely rolled away before a shockwave tore through the battlefield, kicking up debris like a hurricane.

The Enforcer's blade met nothing but air.

The robed figure vanished—then reappeared behind him.

A single motion—the Enforcer was sent flying.

The Power Gap

Aetheron struggled to his feet, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing.

The Enforcer—**the one who had broken all of them so easily—**was now on the defensive.

The robed figure moved like a phantom.

No wasted motion. No hesitation.

The Enforcer slashed—only for the figure to catch the blade with two fingers.

Aetheron saw something flicker in the Enforcer's eyes. Annoyance.

Then, pain.

The figure's other hand barely moved.

But the force behind the strike—it sent the Enforcer through three trees.

Aetheron's breath caught.

Who was this?

And more importantly—whose side were they on?

A Warning

The dust settled.

The Enforcer wiped blood from his lips.

Then—he laughed.

"Well then," he muttered, standing, rolling his shoulders. "You really are a pain in the ass."

The figure tilted their head slightly. "You should leave while you still can."

The Enforcer's smirk didn't fade.

But… he didn't attack again.

Instead—he sheathed his blade.

Aetheron tensed. Was he… leaving?

The Enforcer stretched his neck, then shot Aetheron a glance.

"You're lucky," he said, voice almost bored. "Next time, no one will save you."

Then, in the blink of an eye—he was gone.

The tension didn't fade.

Not yet.

Aetheron turned toward the robed figure, his body still on high alert.

"…Who are you?" he asked.

The figure finally looked at him.

And when they spoke—something cold crawled down Aetheron's spine.

"I am the Sovereign's shadow."

Aetheron's blood ran cold.

The Truth About the Mark

The air felt heavier.

Aetheron clenched his fists. "What does that mean?"

The figure's gaze never wavered.

"You carry the mark, yet you do not understand what it means."

Aetheron stayed silent.

Because they weren't wrong.

The mark had changed him. Given him power. But at what cost?

The figure stepped closer. "The Enforcer came for you because he knew. The Sovereign's will lingers within you, and with every battle, it grows."

Aetheron's jaw tightened.

He had felt it.

The hunger. The pull.

But he had ignored it.

Until now.

"What does it want?" he asked.

The figure exhaled softly.

"It wants to consume you."

Aetheron's heart pounded.

No.

Not happening.

He had control over it. He had to.

Right?

A Choice

The figure watched him.

"You stand at a crossroads," they said. "The path you take will determine whether you rule your power… or become its next vessel."

Aetheron gritted his teeth. "I won't be controlled."

The figure's expression was unreadable.

"We shall see."

Then, before Aetheron could react—

They vanished.

Aetheron exhaled, his body finally relaxing.

And then—

He collapsed.

His vision blurred, his strength leaving him all at once.

But as he hit the ground, only one thought echoed in his mind.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?