Hope sat there for a long time, his breaths slowing, his mind gradually pulling itself back from the edge.
The voice had faded.
The weight in his chest had loosened, if only slightly.
It wasn't the first time he'd heard something like that.
And it probably wouldn't be the last.
With a deep breath, he ran a hand through his messy, damp hair, pushing back the strands that clung to his forehead.
Then—
He remembered something.
Something The Veil had whispered to him.
"You shall have the power to hide and move within darkness."
A slow grin spread across his face.
If that was true—if he could truly hide in darkness without being detected—then…
He could steal food.
Not just from some random market stand like he used to.
But from gang members.
From those who hoarded more than they needed.
If no one could see him, no one could catch him.
A perfect skill for someone like him.
A scavenger. A survivor.
His fingers twitched with excitement.
Then—
A realization struck him like a sharp gust of wind.
Would he even get the chance to go back to the outskirts?
Was he trapped here?
He had seen how The Ascended treated contestants.
To them, people like him weren't really people.
They were assets.
Resources.
Government property.
His freedom wasn't guaranteed.
Maybe it was already gone.
A flicker of frustration curled in his chest, but then he sighed.
Who cares anyway?
It wasn't like he had a home to return to.
The outskirts had been a cage of its own.
A different kind of prison.
At least here, he had power.
Something he never had before.
Hope slowly stood up.
The room was dimly lit, the single bulb above casting a dull, sterile glow.
With a flick of his wrist, he turned off the light.
Darkness swallowed the room whole.
And in that instant—
Something shifted inside him.
Hope's breath hitched.
His eyes, accustomed to light, should have been useless in this black abyss.
But he could see.
Not in the way he normally did.
It wasn't about his eyes adjusting—
It was deeper than that.
Like he could feel the shape of the shadows around him.
Like the darkness itself was an extension of his senses.
A slow thrill crawled up his spine.
This was new.
This was real.
He took a cautious step forward—
And the moment his foot touched the floor, he felt it.
The darkness welcomed him.
It wasn't just something he stood in.
It was something he could move through.
Hope exhaled, a slow smirk forming on his lips.
The shadows curled around his form, clinging to him, merging with him.
For the first time in a long while—
He felt at home.
He felt stronger.
A part of something vast and endless.
And in the midst of it all—
For just a fleeting moment—
He felt free.