The sun barely cleared the ash fog when they returned to the factory. The structure loomed ahead, half-ruined and shadowed, but it was shelter from the corrupted wilds. Holt stood at the gate, arms crossed, visor gleaming faintly. Her gaze swept over the three of them and lingered on the Ash Beast's fang clutched in Reid's hand.
"You killed it?" she asked, voice calm but heavy.
Reid nodded, still catching his breath. His chest burned from exhaustion, and he swayed slightly.
Holt took the fang, turning it in her gloved hand. "Impressive work. But luck only lasts so long." She pocketed the trophy and turned away. "Rest. We move at nightfall."
Mara nudged Reid with a grin. "See? Not just alive—you're impressive now."
He tried to return the smile but felt hollow. Every muscle ached, and the burning in his veins hadn't stopped since the fight. Jorik brushed past him, muttering just loud enough to hear, "Impressive doesn't mean safe."
Reid clenched his jaw. He's not wrong.
Inside the factory, the survivors collapsed on makeshift mats. Reid lowered himself to the cold floor, feeling the trembling in his limbs. The smell of oil, ash, and blood lingered. Outside, the wind moaned through broken windows. He closed his eyes, but the burning inside kept him awake. Sleep refused to come.
That night, as the others slept, pain ripped through him. His chest seared, veins glowing faintly red. He bit back a scream and sank to his knees. The Bond's voice slithered into his skull. "You think you've earned rest? No, little hunter. You've tasted power, and now you'll learn the cost."
His vision darkened, and the world melted away.
When Reid opened his eyes, he was standing in a void. Shadows swirled like mist under his feet, endless and shifting. Above, faint red lights pulsed like stars, and something unseen breathed with the rhythm of his heartbeat. A screen of glowing text appeared before him, shifting with each breath.
[Bonded Host: Reid Veylan]
Core Color: Red
Stage: Awakening (Tier I)
Abilities: Veil Step (Locked – Requires Mastery)
Essence: 4/10
Next Surge Threshold: 10 Essence
Bond Influence: Stable (Minimal Interference)
Warning: Influence grows with each feeding.
The Bond's laughter echoed from everywhere at once. "Stats bore you, little hunter? Learn to read them—they'll decide if you live or rot."
Reid reached out, the text rippling under his touch. "What is this?"
"Your leash. And my mirror. Every essence you take, every step you bleed—it all feeds me. You grow stronger, but so do I."
A second line flickered beneath the warning:
[Ability Locked: Veil Step – Learn to Step Between]
"Master it, and you'll be harder to kill. Fail, and you'll tear yourself apart." The voice purred with delight.
Reid's chest tightened as he stared at the warning. "What happens if your influence grows?"
The Bond chuckled, low and cold. "Then I will take more than whispers."
The text dissolved, and with it the void. Reid jolted awake, drenched in sweat, the burning in his veins slowly fading.
Holt granted the squad a rare reprieve to rest, but Reid couldn't sit idle. When no one was watching, he slipped out into the shadowed yard. The fog clung to the ground, curling between broken pipes and rusted machinery. The distant screech of something dying reminded him why he needed to master this.
He rolled his shoulders, gripping his knife. "Alright. Let's try this."
"Step through the cracks, not around them," the Bond whispered. "Close your eyes, feel where the world bends."
Reid focused, chest burning. The air rippled faintly around him. He took a step—and suddenly he was two meters to the left, stumbling hard. His head pounded, and blood dripped from his nose. The disorientation nearly toppled him.
The Bond chuckled. "Pathetic. Again."
Gritting his teeth, he tried again, this time focusing on the strange pull in his veins. The world blurred, and he reappeared behind a rusted beam. Pain seared his chest, but it worked.
[Veil Step Progress: 1% Mastery]
Reid groaned. "This is going to kill me."
"Not if I kill you first," the Bond teased.
Hours passed. His body bruised from missteps, knees scraped from hard falls. Each use drained his strength, leaving him gasping, but every success sharpened his movements. He felt the world's edges twist, and he learned to slip between them. By the time he collapsed to his knees, the technique finally obeyed without tearing him apart.
[Veil Step Progress: 15% Mastery]
As Reid caught his breath, the air shimmered again. Text burned across his vision:
[Quest: Feed the Bond Again]
Objective: Slay three corrupted entities before the next sunset.
Time Limit: One day.
Reward: Bond Favor – Essence Surge
Failure: Bond Will Override Control.
His stomach dropped. "Override control?"
The Bond's voice purred. "Oh, don't look so scared. I'll only borrow your body for a while… if you fail."
Reid clenched his fists. "You're using me."
"And you're using me. Isn't this fun?"
The message faded, leaving only the dread.
Later, Holt gathered the initiates. "We've received reports of a stalker-type corrupted roaming nearby. Fast, intelligent, humanoid. If it's allowed to linger, it'll kill more than just us."
Her visor turned toward Reid's team. "You three are hunting it. Move fast, stay sharp."
Jorik glared openly. "Perfect. Let's take the freak with the other freak."
Mara stepped between them. "Enough. We need to survive this." She shot Reid a softer look. "Don't push yourself too hard, clumsy. I'd hate to have to drag your corpse back."
He managed a faint grin. "I'll try not to die."
"Not dying is my job," the Bond hissed.
They set out, fog thickening as they moved. The air grew colder, silence pressing on their ears. Every step felt like it carried them into a trap. Reid's chest burned, the Bond humming in anticipation. The ground crackled with frost from the ash fog, and every shadow seemed to move.
The fog swallowed sound. The ridge ahead blurred, shapes bending unnaturally. Then a figure appeared—tall, humanoid, skin like ash, eyes glowing faint orange. It tilted its head slowly, unnaturally, studying him.
A system alert flared:
[Warning: Predator Intelligence Detected]
[Bond Alert: The Stalker Knows You.]
The Bond's voice dripped with delight. "It smells me on you. It knows what you carry. Let's see which of you feeds me first."
The creature hissed, crouching low. Reid raised his knife, heart pounding.
The fog closed in.