The Abyss was never quiet.
Even in the deepest shadows, she could hear whispers. And tonight, one came closer than ever.
Seris crouched behind a jagged pillar of black stone, her breathing shallow. The mark on her chest pulsed furiously, screaming warnings she could barely ignore.
Something moved in the darkness. Fluid, deliberate, silent.
Before she could react, a blade of obsidian shot past her ear, embedding itself into the stone with a sharp thunk.
She whirled—Mason was there, as always. But this time, his silver eyes were storm-dark.
"They came for you," he said, voice low and dangerous. "And they will not stop."
From the shadows, a figure emerged: tall, cloaked, with eyes like molten gold. A rival god, ancient and furious.
"I've come for the girl," it hissed. "The blood she carries will belong to us, not him."
Mason's expression twisted into something that was almost feral. "You dare?"
The air around him shivered. Shadows bent toward him, recoiling from the intruder.
"Step closer," Mason whispered, calm and terrifying. "And I will show you what it means to challenge the Eternal Sovereign."
The rival god froze, sensing the latent power radiating from both Mason and the mark on Seris's chest. For the first time, Seris noticed Mason's obsession flare—not like a predator claiming prey, but a god defending what was his.
"I am not yours," she spat, though part of her trembled at the raw intensity of his gaze.
Mason's lips curved faintly. "Not yet," he murmured. "But you will learn… everything belongs to me eventually."
The rival god hissed and vanished in a ripple of shadows, leaving only silence.
Seris turned to Mason, fear and awe mingling in her chest.
"You're… dangerous," she whispered.
He stepped closer, eyes burning into hers. "Dangerous?" he echoed. "I am nothing compared to what I feel for you."
The Abyss itself seemed to shudder, as if acknowledging the obsession that bound them both.