Aldin’s eyes snapped open, his clammy skin clinging to the sheets. Another restless night had left him drenched in sweat, the remnants of dreams slipping through his fingers like smoke. The room felt oppressive, as if shadows clung to the corners, whispering secrets he couldn’t quite grasp.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, the floor cool against his bare feet. The journey to the bathroom was a blur—a cascade of dimly lit hallways, the distant hum of pipes, and the rhythmic patter of water droplets. The shower offered temporary solace. The water sluiced down his back, washing away the residue of nightmares. Leaning against the tiled wall, he let the heat seep into his bones, lost in thought.

Life had taken a dizzying turn. Each day seemed to hurtle forward, leaving Aldin scrambling to keep up. The ghostly figure in the abandoned tunnels—their hollow eyes haunting his every step. To then return to find the market there instead. The stranger who had attacked his neighbor, leaving her dead with the eerie explanation from another neighbor. And that piercing screech at the hotel, from himself, a sound that had knocked him unconscious.

Then there was the food—the tainted morsels that had drained him, leaving him weak and disoriented. A vampire, they said. The faces of strangers morphing into something otherworldly, their eyes glinting with secrets. And the Evermore Coven—their existence a revelation. Meeting them had been like stepping into a forgotten tale, where magic and danger danced hand in hand.

The attack on the coven—their sanctuary violated because of his presence. Aldin’s guilt weighed heavy. He had stumbled into their world, unwittingly unraveling threads that bound them together. And now, the Skree—the enigmatic creatures that defied explanation. The sorcerers cryptic message echoed in his mind, “Find strength in defeat.”

But how? Aldin dried himself off, the rough towel scraping against his skin. He stood in front of the mirror, his reflection a stranger’s face. Should he seek out Corthus—the elusive demon who swayed so many? Was this his battle alone? Responsibility weighed on him like a stone. No one else could face this darkness for him.

He dressed in fresh clothes, the fabric crisp against his body. Someone had prepared them, silently tending to his needs. The house was too quiet, an unsettling hush that clung to the air. Aldin descended the creaky stairs, heart pounding. The wood stove crackled in the kitchen, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Luna and Melissa were nowhere to be found.

As he moved through the rooms, Aldin wondered if he was a pawn in a larger game—one he didn’t fully understand. But he would keep moving forward, seeking answers, even if it meant facing Corthus alone. Strength in defeat—the sorcerer’s advice echoed through his mind once more. Perhaps it was time to unravel the threads further, to find the hidden power within himself. The silence pressed in, urging him onward. There was no turning back now.

Maybe they’re outside? He clung to hope.

The front door led to more solitude. “What’s going on… Where is everybody?” he called out, his voice tinged with alarm.

Around the house, a figure in the yard caught his attention. At first uncertain, then with a jolt of recognition—the ghostly woman from the tunnels, her ragged black dress and dark hair flowing behind her. He backed away as she turned to look at him. A gasp of terror escaped him, but she didn’t give chase. She simply floated away, ascending higher as she moved down the street.

“Now what? I can’t just…” He trailed off. “Can I fly?”

Only one way to find out he thought. He closed his eyes and focused his intent. He could feel the mana around him form to his body and lift him. Aldin opened his eyes and found himself hovering above the ground. He flipped and flailed, then steadied himself and took off after her, flying high above Auburn, catching sight of Federal Way, and following the ghost southwest towards Tacoma.

Where is she taking me? The thought troubled him as they approached the sea. He slowed, second-guessing his decision to follow.

Out of nowhere, something struck him, sending him crashing through the roof of a derelict factory and into a giant metal container. He braced for the end, but when he opened his eyes, he was unscathed.

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“What the…” he said to himself, looking at his hands in disbelief.

“I’m glad you’re here,” came a voice from the darkness. “Sorry for the long journey. We couldn’t have your friends getting in the way.”

“What are you talking about?” Aldin pressed, trying to locate the source of the voice.

“I’ve known about you for a while. But pulling you out this easily? That annoying spell that hid you is gone, and now here you are. So, are you ready?”

“Ready for what?”

No answer came. Aldin scanned the empty factory for any sign of the voice. Nothing. He moved towards the exit cautiously, on guard for more surprises. Suddenly, another force hit him, blasting him through the factory wall. He slammed into another building and tumbled to the ground, his body slick with sweat and blood. He pushed himself up, panting.

He looked back at the trail of destruction, trying to spot his attacker. Where he had been standing was now a monstrous figure—a skinless, hairless being of pure muscle, its hollow eyes staring right at him.

“What the hell is that?” he exclaimed, his voice shaking. His heart pounded as he frantically searched for a way out.

"That's my handiwork, my 'muscle,' if you will," the disembodied voice cackled, the sound echoing ominously around Aldin. "He's your challenge today. Let's see what you're made of Sorcerer. Attack!"

Aldin's eyes darted around, trying to locate the voice, but it was as if it came from the very air itself. The creature before him, a grotesque mass of sinew, lunged with supernatural speed, vanishing and reappearing in a blur. Its fist connected with Aldin's face, a brutal force that sent him crashing to the concrete. Blow after blow rained down, each one a thunderous echo in the silence, driving him deeper into the earth.

Abruptly, the assault ceased. The creature's hollow gaze bore into Aldin as it hoisted him into the air, then flung him skyward like a ragdoll.

Desperately, he focused his mind trying to re-center himself for flight, but his balance eluded him. The creature leaped, its fists merging into a hammer that struck Aldin's skull, propelling him back to the ground with a force that rippled outwards. The muscle slammed into him grabbing his head and slamming it repeatedly against the hard concrete rubble.

Pinned beneath the creature's weight, Aldin gasped for air. "I thought you'd be more... interesting," the voice sneered. "No training? This will be simpler than I thought. Finish him."

The creature stood, releasing him and its foot pressed against Aldin's throat, slowly, inexorably crushing his windpipe. As his vision dimmed, Aldin's thoughts scattered—*Is this how it ends?

Stand! The command pierced the encroaching darkness, a beacon of light in the void.

“Who's there?” he coughed. Though, it didn't matter; death was imminent.

Fight, Sorcerer! He heard the voice again. The darkness shattered, light flooding his senses.

Warmth surged through Aldin's body, his bones realigning, breath returning. He rose to his feet, energy cascading from him in waves, the ground quaking in response.

"You have much to learn," the voice taunted, omnipresent.

The creature charged again, but Aldin's perception had shifted. Time seemed to slow, the creature's movements now clear and deliberate. He braced himself, his eyes igniting with an inner fire. As the creature neared, Aldin locked eyes with it, his gaze intense. He seized its wrist, halting its momentum. A surge of energy erupted, shattering the ground.

Aldin stood, enveloped in a halo of violet energy. "I don't care who you are. This creature won't be my end!" he declared, crushing its hand and hurling it skyward.

Propelling himself above the creature, Aldin grasped its shoulders, flinging it further upwards. Reappearing above it, he drove his fist into its torso, sending it plummeting to the ground. The impact unleashed a shockwave of energy that obliterated the creature. Aldin, bloodied but unbowed, scanned for the source of the voice.

"Remarkable," the voice observed. "You surpass the others. Your physical magic is potent Sorcerer, how intriguing."

"Show yourself, coward!" Aldin roared into silence.

"In due time," the voice slithered through the darkness, a chilling promise. "This was but a lesson. When you encounter that vile coven, you'll have gleaned some wisdom—just as they have."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Aldin's demand hung in the air, met only by silence. As he turned to leave, he was stopped in place. An entire group of those muscles was standing there waiting.

“Who’s first then?” He asked, resetting into a fighting stance as the creatures all charged in unison. He grabbed the first and spun it towards the rest knocking them all through the wall of the warehouse. He jumped after them, fury flashing across his face as he landed on one. He stomped down on its head, and it smeared across the broken ground.

Another tackled him off and slammed him down to the concrete. Quickly he punched its descending fist and it shattered. Aldin used his strength to kick the creature off and send it flying into the ocean. The few that remained all charged at once and Aldin pushed mana into his lungs. He bellowed into the sky and a shock wave of sound emitted out from him disintegrating the remaining muscles.

“I had to try.” the chilly voice said.

"Fantastic," Aldin spat out, his anger palpable. With urgency clawing at him, he conjured a portal. Time was slipping, and danger loomed over his friends like a specter—he had to act.