The silver moon hung high above the Abyssal Forest, bathing the land in a cold glow. Beneath the dense canopy, Lucien moved in silence, his crimson eyes scanning every shadow. Since the Nightshade Clan's message, he had traveled alone—his instincts sharpened, his powers surging with every step he took toward his unknown destiny.
The trees whispered secrets as he passed, and the wind carried voices only he could hear.
"Do you sense it?" the Abyss grumbled inside him, low and curious. "Something ancient watches."
Lucien tightened his cloak. "I know. I've felt it since I crossed the river. But it doesn't feel hostile. More… curious."
He paused by a stream, kneeling. The reflection that greeted him shimmered unnaturally. Not just his face—he saw fragments of memories, pieces of the abyss, flickers of blood and fire. A past he didn't yet remember.
Suddenly, a ripple disturbed the surface. From the reflection rose a shadowy figure cloaked in feathers and smoke, eyes glowing a soft violet.
"Lucien of the Abyss," the figure spoke in a feminine voice, ancient and melodic. "The moon watches you tonight. And so do I."
Lucien stood slowly, hands near his daggers, unsure of the entity before him. "Who are you?"
"I am Eira," she answered, stepping forward into the physical world, her feet not touching the ground. "Warden of the Forgotten Path. Guardian of Moonwell."
Moonwell.
Lucien had read about it—an ancient place hidden deep within the forest, said to be where lost spirits gathered. A sanctuary for those neither dead nor alive.
"You've come far," Eira said, tilting her head. "But the darkness inside you—do you truly wield it, or does it wield you?"
Lucien clenched his fists. "I control it."
"Do you?" Her gaze pierced him. "Or have you simply learned to live with the chains?"
Before he could reply, Eira extended a hand, revealing a crystal shard glowing faintly blue.
"This is a memory fragment—left by your mother."
Lucien's heart skipped. "My mother?"
"She passed through the Moonwell long ago. She was powerful… but her soul was fragmented to protect you. She left behind echoes, sealed pieces of her power and her truth. This is one."
Lucien took the shard, feeling warmth spread through his chest. Images flooded his mind—his mother holding a baby, whispers of lullabies, her eyes filled with sorrow and fire.
Eira stepped back. "There are three more fragments scattered across the Abyssal lands. Only by gathering them can you awaken the true power of the Abyss King."
"So it's true," Lucien muttered. "I was never meant to be just a vessel. I was meant to rule it."
"Not rule," Eira corrected. "Balance it."
She turned, walking across the surface of the stream. "Find the remaining shards, Lucien. But beware… others are searching too. And not all seek harmony."
The figure faded into mist, leaving Lucien alone again.
He looked at the shard, feeling the echoes of his mother's soul within. It was a reminder. Of who he was… and who he might yet become.
With renewed purpose, he pressed forward, deeper into the forest. Deeper into the path that fate had prepared.