Aeron stepped over the remnants of the guardian, his breath steady but his mind racing. The cavern was silent now, save for the faint hum of residual energy that still lingered in the air. The power he had taken, reshaped, and unleashed, it was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Abyssal Convergence. A skill born from his struggle, an ability that didn't just absorb power but made it his own.
Kael wiped his blade on his cloak, glancing at Aeron warily. "You good?"
Aeron flexed his fingers, feeling the raw energy thrumming beneath his skin. "Better than ever."
Kael exhaled. "Yeah, that's what worries me."
Nyxus' voice slithered through Aeron's thoughts, laced with amusement. "You're starting to understand, aren't you? Power isn't just taken—it's reshaped, molded by the will of the one who wields it. But there's always a cost."
Aeron ignored him. He knew that nothing in this world came without consequences, but for now, the strength he had gained was necessary.
He turned his gaze toward the far end of the cavern, where something glowed faintly in the darkness. The artifact.
Approaching cautiously, he knelt beside it. The object was unlike anything he had expected,a crystalline shard pulsing with a cold, silver light.
Kael peered over his shoulder. "That doesn't look like any dungeon reward I've seen before."
Aeron reached for it, and the moment his fingers brushed against its surface, a surge of energy shot through his veins.
System Notification: [Unknown Artifact Acquired]
Analyzing…
ERROR. Insufficient Authority to Access Full Data.
Aeron frowned. That was new.
What the hell did he just find?
Before he could ponder further, something shifted in the air around them. A distant sound footsteps.
Kael's stance tightened. "We're not alone."
Aeron immediately pulled back, tucking the artifact into his coat. He focused his aura, suppressing it, making himself vanish into the shadows. Kael followed suit, stepping into the darkness.
From the mouth of the cavern, figures emerged.
At first glance, they looked like ordinary mercenaries—leather armor, cloaks drawn against the cold, weapons at their sides. But something was off.
Their leader, a tall figure wrapped in dark robes, paused in the center of the cavern. Then, in a low, calculating voice—
"He was here."
Aeron's muscles tensed. They were tracking him.
Kael glanced at him. Who the hell were these people?
The robed figure turned to one of their subordinates. "The energy signature is recent. We just missed him."
Aeron remained silent, his heartbeat steady. If they noticed even a flicker of his presence, it would turn into a fight.
Then
"Bring in the Seeker. If he's nearby, she'll find him."
Aeron's breath stilled.
A Seeker.
That changed everything.
Nyxus' voice rumbled. "You need to leave. Now."
Aeron didn't need to be told twice.
His fingers twitched, his shadows stirring, and in an instant, he and Kael vanished into the darkness.
---
Aeron moved like a phantom through the cavern's shadows, his breath controlled, his heartbeat steady despite the tension in the air. Kael followed close behind, his movements fluid but not as seamless as Aeron's. The mercenaries hadn't noticed them—yet—but that could change at any moment.
The robed figure gestured, and one of the mercenaries stepped forward, retrieving a small device from their belt. With a flick of their wrist, the object emitted a low, pulsating hum.
A resonance scanner.
Aeron's jaw tightened.
It wasn't just any ordinary tracking tool—it was designed to detect lingering energy signatures. If he stayed too long in one place, it would pick up the remnants of his aura, no matter how well he tried to suppress it.
Kael leaned closer, whispering, "This isn't good."
Aeron's mind worked fast. If they stayed, they'd be exposed. But if they moved recklessly, they could alert the Seeker, who—according to Nyxus—was someone they absolutely didn't want to meet.
Options. I need options.
Nyxus' voice rumbled in his mind. "You still don't fully understand the ability you gained, do you?"
Aeron narrowed his eyes. Now is not the time for riddles.
"I'm not speaking in riddles. You absorbed the guardian's power, but you've yet to explore what that means."
Aeron focused inward, reaching for the well of energy that had become part of him since his last battle. The Abyssal Convergence skill wasn't just about taking power—it was about melding it, shaping it into something new.
A wild thought formed in his mind.
He took a slow breath and, instead of suppressing his aura, he redirected it.
System Notification: Abyssal Convergence Activated.
Mimicking Energy Signature…
The cavern trembled as a new signature spread through the space—one that didn't belong to him.
It was the exact same aura as the dungeon guardian they had just fought.
The moment it flared, the resonance scanner went wild.
The robed figure took a sharp step back. "What is this?"
Another mercenary cursed. "The guardian? But that's impossible"
Aeron didn't wait. He grabbed Kael's arm, pulling him back toward the deeper tunnels. The mercenaries were distracted, their focus now on the fake energy signature he had left behind.
One of them hesitated, glancing around. "Wait… what if it's still here?"
The leader of the group clenched his fists. "The Seeker will confirm."
Aeron and Kael slipped through the rocky passage, their footsteps silent. They had bought themselves a few seconds, but once the Seeker arrived, all bets were off.
They needed to get out.
Aeron and Kael moved deeper into the labyrinthine tunnels, their footsteps silent but swift. The false aura had worked for now, but Aeron knew it wouldn't last long.
The Seeker will confirm.
That phrase stuck with him. He had heard of Seekers before—those with abilities designed specifically to hunt people like him.
Kael muttered under his breath, "That won't fool them forever."
Aeron knew he was right. The resonance scanner had detected something, and though he had masked his own signature, it wouldn't be long before the Seeker looked deeper.
Nyxus stirred in his mind. "You should test the limits of your power while you still can."
Not the time, Aeron thought back.
"It's exactly the time. You won't get stronger waiting for an opportunity. You make one."
Aeron's eyes flickered with an internal battle, but he didn't have time to argue.
They reached an opening in the tunnel,wider, with uneven terrain that led downward. Stalactites hung from above like jagged teeth, and the faint, damp scent of something ancient lingered in the air.
Kael crouched low. "Do you hear that?"
Aeron listened.
A faint vibration.
Then, voices.
"We can still feel traces of them." The voice was calm, steady.
A cold sensation prickled at the back of Aeron's neck.
The Seeker.
Another voice responded, "Then where did they go?"
A deep chuckle. "They're close. Very close."
Aeron clenched his fists. He and Kael had only moments before they were found.
Nyxus' voice rumbled again. "Are you ready to push further?"
Aeron didn't respond. Instead, he reached into the depths of his absorbed power.
System Notification: Abyssal Convergence Adapting…
A flicker of energy coursed through his veins—stronger, denser.
His aura began to shift. Not just suppressed. Not just redirected.
Morphed.
Kael's eyes widened as he stepped back slightly. "What the hell are you doing?"
Aeron looked at his hands, watching as faint, dark tendrils of energy curled around his fingertips, sinking into his skin.
A hunter's aura.
A mirror to the very thing hunting him.
Kael's voice lowered, tense. "You're copying them?"
Aeron exhaled. "No. I'm becoming something else."
The Seeker's footsteps grew closer.
Aeron's eyes darkened.
If they were going to find him, he would make sure they regretted it.