Kai didn't sleep long. He could not. Every time he closed his eyes he saw souls being ripped from bodies, saw the ring pulsing like a beating heart, saw Min's pale face behind demon hands. When sleep finally came, it dragged him into dreams where he was standing on a precipice above a sea of black flames. Voices whispered up at him from the fire, promising power, begging for mercy, warning him to turn back. He didn't know which to believe.
He woke with a start to find a new message burning in his vision.
**[Message from Eclipse Order: Well done. Soul count confirmed. Meet us at the eastern bridge at midnight tomorrow. A patron is eager to meet you. Failing to appear will result in forfeiture.]**
Forfeiture. Of what? His life? His brother? His own soul? He didn't ask. He closed the message, and the ring pulsed, as if pleased.
He spent the day in a haze. He cleaned his sword until the water in the basin ran pink, then clear. He replaced the bandages on his ribs and drank the potions Luna placed in front of him without tasting them. He listened to Shirin and Marcus argue over whether to go back to the mall dungeon. He stared at the wall of the guild hall where maps and quest posters hung and thought about all the things he had once believed were important: leveling up, making enough credits to pay the rent, keeping his brother in school. They seemed small now.
At dusk, he found Luna on the roof.
She sat cross-legged with her back to the parapet, her eyes closed, her hands resting on her knees. A faint glow emanated from her palms, warm and pale. It bathed her face in light and made her look serene, older than her nineteen years.
"You're healing yourself," Kai said, leaning against the wall beside her.
She opened her eyes and smiled slightly. "I'm practicing. Every time I use my ability, the curse in it takes a little bit of my lifespan. I have to be efficient if I want to stick around long enough to annoy you."
Kai laughed softly, and it felt strange in his chest. "You couldn't annoy me if you tried."
"Give me time." Her smile faded as she studied him. "You look worse than this morning. And you looked like death then. What happened?"
He sat beside her and told her everything. He told her about the Eclipse Order messenger on the roof, about the Pact of Shadows ring, about the demand for three souls. He told her about the warehouse, the souls, the rain, the demon. He told her about the message to meet at midnight.
Luna listened without interrupting. Her expression went from disbelief to horror to a kind of grim acceptance. When he finished, she was quiet for a long time.
"You should have told us before," she said at last, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I couldn't risk you trying to stop me."
"We're your friends, Kai. We're your family. We're supposed to stop you if you're doing something that might... that might eat you from the inside."
He looked at his hands. "It's already eating me. This is the only way I can control it."
She reached out and took his hand between hers. Her touch was warm, her grip steady. "You don't have to go alone tonight."
He wanted to say yes. He wanted to let her come. He wanted to feel her light at his back when he stepped into whatever darkness waited on that bridge. But he couldn't. The ring pulsed as if sensing his hesitation. The curse bracelet warmed, a warning.
"I have to," he said. "They won't like it if I bring company. And if something happens to you because of me... I couldn't live with that."
Her eyes glistened, but she blinked away the tears before they could fall. "Then promise me you'll come back. Promise me you won't make any more deals without talking to me."
He smiled, but there was no humor in it. "I promise I'll try."
He left as the sun dipped below the skyline. The city was quieter than it had been in days. People had learned to stay indoors after dark. The only ones on the streets were hunters returning from raids, black market runners hauling crates of curse artifacts, and creatures that had no concept of time. Sirens were rare now. No one came when you called.
Kai moved through the shadows like water. He avoided patrols, ducked under security drones, crossed the river on a partially collapsed highway ramp. The eastern bridge loomed ahead, its suspension cables like strings of a giant instrument plucked by the wind. The river below was a thick ribbon of darkness, reflecting the occasional flicker of purple light from the portals that still hovered in the sky like bruises.
He reached the bridge at midnight. The city was a series of silhouettes behind him. The sky was cloudy, the moon hidden. The only light came from the faint glow of his ring and the distant fires of dungeons still burning.
A figure stood in the middle of the bridge. Tall, robed, hood drawn low. Not the same as the messenger on the roof. This one held a lantern whose light did not flicker in the wind. Next to the figure was a wooden crate covered with a tarp.
"You're punctual," the figure said as Kai approached. The voice was neither male nor female, but something in between, rich and smooth. "We appreciate punctuality. It shows respect."
"Where's my brother?" Kai asked, his own voice echoing off the water.
"In safe hands, as promised," the figure replied. "He sleeps peacefully. He will continue to do so as long as you continue to meet your obligations."
Kai's jaw clenched. "And you are?"
"Merely a servant," the figure said with a slight bow. "Your patron will be with you shortly. She is... rarely on time."
As if on cue, the air at the far end of the bridge rippled. Shadows coalesced into a shape. A woman emerged from them, or at least she looked like a woman at first glance. She was tall, with long black hair that fell in waves around shoulders draped in midnight-blue silk. Her skin was pale, almost luminescent. Her eyes were gold, not the gold of jewelry but the molten gold of magma. Small curved horns protruded from her hairline, just enough to catch the lantern light. A cascade of jewels hung from her ears and throat, clicking softly as she walked. She wore no shoes, but her feet made no sound on the concrete.
Kai felt the weight of her gaze like a physical touch. It was at once curious and predatory, like a cat studying a mouse that had done something unexpected. It sent a chill down his spine.
"Ah, Kai Ren," she said, and her voice was music layered over the sound of grinding stone. "We finally meet. I have been watching you."
"Who are you?" he asked, trying not to let his voice tremble.
She smiled, revealing teeth that were just a fraction too sharp. "I have many names, given by those who fear me or worship me. The Eclipse Order calls me the Patron. Demons call me Nyxara. Humans once called me the Dream Devourer. You may call me what you like. For now, I am the one who holds your brother's life in my hands."
Kai's fingers tightened on the hilt of the Blood Fang. He could feel the sword's hunger stir at the sight of her, as if it recognized her.
"What do you want from me?" he demanded.
"To see what you will become," she said simply. "To nurture you, perhaps. To use you, certainly. To feed on you, possibly, if you fail. The usual arrangement."
She waved a hand, and the robed servant pulled the tarp off the crate. Underneath was a man bound in chains, gagged, his head bowed. His clothes were torn, his face bruised. Despite the blood and the swelling, Kai recognized him instantly.
"Scar-Nose?" he breathed.
The man lifted his head, and his eyes widened when he saw Kai. He mumbled something through the gag. Tears mixed with the dirt on his cheeks.
"He has been... inconvenient," Nyxara said, examining her nails. "He stole from us, sold information he should not have, disrupted our experiments. He has been a thorn in our side. Normally we would feed him to lesser demons. But I thought it fitting that you have the honor. Consider it your next assignment."
Kai's heart hammered. "You want me to kill him?"
"I want you to feed the ring," she corrected gently. "Three souls was merely an appetizer. The true feast is ongoing. You must prove your loyalty. You must show me you understand the power you have been granted."
Scar-Nose thrashed against his chains. His eyes locked on Kai's. He shook his head violently. He made a sound that might have been "please."
Kai remembered the first time he had met Scar-Nose in the alley behind the market, the way the man had tested him, insulted him, then smiled when Kai had held his ground. He remembered the second time, when Scar-Nose had given him a seal bracelet upgrade and said, "This will keep you alive a little longer, kid." He remembered the man's laughter, his greed, his fear. Scar-Nose was a criminal. He had profited off curses. He had endangered Min by working with the Order. He had also helped Kai. More than once.
Kai looked at Nyxara. Her golden eyes were bright with anticipation. She wanted him to do it. The ring pulsed, eager. The Bone Whisper Ring hummed with voices chanting, "Kill, kill, kill." The Blood Fang Sword vibrated, hungry. The pact bracelet warmed, warning him that refusal might have consequences.
His mind spun. If he killed Scar-Nose, he would be proving himself to Nyxara. He might gain her favor. He might save Min. He would also be taking another human soul. He would be crossing another line. If he refused, he would defy Nyxara. He might lose Min. He might become the target instead of the weapon.
Scar-Nose groaned. His eyes pleaded. He shook his head again.
Kai took a step forward. The ring tightened on his finger. He could feel Nyxara's gaze on him, heavy as lead. He could feel Luna's promise in his ears, faint as a whisper. He could feel Min's small hand in his memory, warm as sunlight.
He drew the Blood Fang Sword. Its blade caught the lantern light and sent it skittering across Nyxara's gold eyes, making them blaze. The sword sang in his hand, a low, eager note.
Scar-Nose's breathing quickened. He squeezed his eyes shut.
"Kai," he mumbled around the gag. "Don't."
Kai raised the blade.
His heart pounded. His ring burned. The wind whipped across the bridge, carrying the scent of the river, of rust, of blood. Nyxara watched, smiling. The servant watched, lantern steady. The city held its breath.
Kai hesitated. One heartbeat. Two. He could feel the entire universe balanced on the edge of his blade.
He made his choice.