Zahb's eyes flickered open, greeted by a world of darkness. His mind swirled with confusion as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Before he could fully grasp his bearings, a searing pain tore through him like a jagged blade, and a sound pierced the air, echoing screams that reverberated in his skull.

One of his eyes, he realized with horror, was stabbed. The agony was overwhelming, threatening to drown him in its relentless embrace. Zahb's thoughts fragmented, his mind a maelstrom of panic and despair as he fought to cling to consciousness.

Then, another strike of pain, this time in his left shoulder, jolting him back to awareness. With a cry of anguish, Zahb's primal instincts kicked in, urging him to fight, to survive. Through the haze of agony, he made a decision – he would not succumb to this darkness.

Summoning every ounce of willpower, Zahb attempted to negotiate for his life, his pleas falling on deaf ears. The gaze that met his was cold, devoid of mercy or compassion, locking his soul in a chilling embrace. Yet, even as death loomed closer, Zahb refused to surrender.

Desperation fueled his resolve as he struggled against the bindings of fate. His screams mingled with those of countless others, a chorus of suffering that echoed across the void. In that moment, Zahb understood the harsh reality of this new world – a realm where survival meant embracing the darkness within.

As he fought against the encroaching oblivion, Zahb's mind raced with memories of a time before, a time when the sky was not shrouded in black and the cries of the innocent did not haunt his dreams. But those memories felt distant now, fading into the abyss as he braced himself for the final confrontation.

With a defiant roar, Zahb lashed out against his assailants, refusing to go down without a fight. Each blow he delivered was a testament to his resilience, a testament to the indomitable spirit that burned within him. Though outnumbered and outmatched, he refused to yield, drawing strength from the echoes of pain that surrounded him.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

In the end, it was not the darkness that consumed Zahb, but the flickering flame of his own defiance. As his consciousness waned and the world around him was fading to black.

As Zahb's body crumpled to the ground, the world around him blurred and wavered, his vision flickering like a dying flame. Through the haze, he caught sight of a crimson symbol emblazoned on the backs of his attackers, a mark that seared itself into his memory before his consciousness slipped away.

The last thing Zahb saw before his eyes shut tight was a chaotic scene unfolding before him. Warriors with various symbols, each representing their own dark purpose, darted among the fallen bodies, snatching candidates from other worlds and disappearing into the shadows. It was a grim tableau of betrayal and desperation, a testament to the ruthlessness of those who roamed this accursed realm.

Time passed in a haze of agony and uncertainty. The air grew thick with the stench of death, the ground stained crimson with the blood of countless souls. Among the lifeless bodies, Zahb lay still, his form a mere silhouette against the backdrop of carnage.

But amidst the chaos and despair, a single figure stirred. From the depths of oblivion, Zahb's consciousness emerged, his mind a whirlwind of pain and rage. With a cold and vengeful eye that refused to yield, he surveyed the devastation that surrounded him, his gaze piercing through the darkness like a beacon of defiance.

With a slow and deliberate movement, Zahb rose from the blood-soaked ground, his body a canvas of scars and bruises, a testament to the trials he had endured. With each step, he felt the weight of his newfound purpose bearing down upon him, driving him forward through the maelstrom of despair.

As he ascended from the depths of darkness, Zahb found himself seated upon a mound of corpses, his legs crossed in an almost meditative stance. His stabbed eye turned completely white with black smoke emitting from it, glowed with an otherworldly intensity, a stark contrast to the carnage that surrounded him.

In that moment, Zahb was more than a mere survivor – he was a harbinger of vengeance, a force to be reckoned with in a world consumed by chaos. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured forth the remnants of his shattered will, weaving them into a tapestry of determination and resolve.

Through the haze of pain and despair, Zahb's mind reached out, probing the darkness for answers. In the recesses of his consciousness, he found fragments of memories, echoes of a past that seemed both distant and surreal. But amid the chaos, one thing remained clear – he would not rest until he had exacted his revenge upon those who had wronged him.

With a grim determination, Zahb rose to his feet, his body pulsing with newfound strength. Each step he took sent shockwaves through the ground, a testament to the power that surged within him. With a single-minded focus, he set his sights on the horizon, his gaze burning with an unquenchable thirst for justice.

With every step he took zahb could still hear a symphony of screams and clashing steel that reverberated through his mind. But Zahb paid them no heed, his mind consumed by thoughts of retribution. For in this world of shadows and deceit, only one thing mattered – the pursuit of ultimate power,power to stand up for yourself no matter the cost.