The air around the Gate of Corruption was thick with darkness, its sinister energy pulsing in waves. Ethan watched in horror as more demons poured out, their monstrous forms twisting and writhing in unnatural ways. The battle earlier had clearly stirred something deeper within the abyss.
Selena analyzed the situation quickly, her icy gaze sharp. "Whatever this is, we need to use it. If they're not attacking Ethan, then he has to be the one to close the gate."
Ethan's eyes widened. "Me?! I don't have any powers!"
Luna smirked, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Maybe not, but the darkness seems to like you. Why not give it a try?"
The Moment of Truth
There was no other option. Taking a deep breath, Ethan clenched his trembling fists and stepped toward the Gate. With every step, a strange sensation crawled through his body—something eerie, yet not entirely unfamiliar. It was as if the darkness was whispering to him.
Suddenly, glowing messages flashed before his eyes:
[Darkness Synchronization Increased!]
[New Skill Acquired: "Touch of Darkness"]
Ethan's breath hitched. Did this mean… he could actually do something?
Slowly, he reached out toward the Gate. The moment his fingers neared it, tendrils of black mist coiled around his skin, sinking into his very being. A cold sensation spread through his veins, but it wasn't painful—it felt like a connection.
From the sidelines, Fira, who had been skeptical the entire time, watched in astonishment. "No way… is this actually working?!"
Selena nodded, her expression unreadable. "He's absorbing the Gate."
But just as it seemed things were under control, the demons realized what was happening. A deafening roar echoed through the battlefield, and in an instant, every remaining creature turned toward Ethan, charging at him with terrifying speed.
Forced Cooperation
Ethan took a step back, panic setting in. "Uh—some help here?!"
Selena reacted first, conjuring razor-sharp ice spears in the air and sending them flying toward the demons. The shards pierced through them like arrows, freezing them mid-motion before shattering their bodies into pieces.
Fira, fists blazing with fire, lunged forward, landing powerful blows that reduced the creatures to ashes. "Quit whining and do your job!"
Meanwhile, Luna simply grinned as shadowy tendrils emerged from the darkness, ensnaring several demons and dragging them into an abyss of nothingness. "Well, well… maybe you're not entirely useless."
Ethan, still struggling to process what was happening, forced himself to focus. He had to close the Gate. But how?
The whispers of darkness grew louder in his mind.
"Embrace us… Become one of us… Accept the void… Accept the power…"
His heart pounded. Was he supposed to fully embrace this force? He hesitated for only a moment before shutting his eyes and letting the energy flow through him.
A surge of darkness erupted from his body, a violent tempest of swirling black mist that consumed the Gate in an instant.
The End of the Battle… or the Beginning of a Disaster?
The Gate trembled violently, releasing unearthly shrieks as the light within it flickered and dimmed. Swirls of purple and black intertwined, collapsing inward as the portal slowly began to shrink.
Ethan gritted his teeth, his entire body feeling as though it was being drained of every ounce of energy. He could barely hold on. Just as he thought he would pass out, the final surge of darkness erupted—
And the Gate vanished.
For a brief moment, silence filled the battlefield. Then, without their connection to the corruption, the remaining demons lost their strength. Their bodies crumbled into dust, swallowed by the void from which they had come.
Ethan, completely exhausted, collapsed onto his knees, gasping for breath. "Is it… over?"
Fira looked around in disbelief. "Holy hell… that actually worked."
Selena sighed. "So you're not completely useless after all."
Luna sauntered over, crouching beside Ethan with an amused glint in her violet eyes. Her voice dropped to a teasing whisper. "But you still have a long way to go, little master."
Ethan frowned. "Call me that again, and I swear I'll make you regret it."
Luna chuckled, tilting her head. "Oh? I'd love to see you try."
Before he could snap back, a new notification appeared before his eyes.
[Warning: Unknown energy detected within your body!]
[Processing new data…]
His eyes widened. "Oh, come on… what the hell does that mean now?!"
Return to Home—Secrets of Darkness and Hidden Identities
Ethan walked alongside the dragon girls, his steps heavy with exhaustion. The sun was beginning to rise, casting a soft golden glow over the world, yet his mind remained clouded by the chaos of the past few hours. His hands trembled slightly—he was still in shock. His life had been turned upside down in such a short span of time.
"If I remember correctly, this is where I lived before everything went crazy," Ethan thought as he gazed at the house before him, now seeing it through a completely different lens.
The door was ajar, and an eerie silence filled the air. This place had once been his sanctuary, his safe haven. But now, nothing about it felt the same.
Selena was the first to step inside, sweeping her gaze over the interior with a look of clear disdain. "What exactly do you expect to gain from this place? It seems… painfully ordinary."
Luna smirked as she strolled in behind her. "Yeah, I suppose an average person wouldn't see anything more than a mundane home."
Fayra, ever the serious one, crossed her arms and fixed her sharp gaze on Ethan. "Now that we're here, I think it's about time you gave us some real answers."
Ethan took a deep breath, stepping away from them. "I seriously don't get it—why were you trapped in that necklace? How did you even get out? And just… what the hell is going on?!"
Questions and Unanswered Mysteries
Selena turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "You really don't know anything about us, do you?" She reached for the necklace around his neck, her fingers brushing against the cold metal. "We weren't inside it by chance. This was an ancient scheme… a cruel fate woven long ago. If you really want to know, I can tell you how we ended up imprisoned inside that cursed thing."
Fayra, struggling to keep her curiosity in check, took a step forward. "That's right. It's not like we could just walk out of that place on a whim. If you want to understand, then listen carefully."
Ethan's mind reeled. "Wait… you mean you were trapped inside that necklace for a long time?!"
Luna, lounging lazily against the wall, rolled her eyes. "Yes, genius, we were sealed inside. That necklace was a magical prison, forged because of… well, let's just say some unfortunate mistakes we made in the past. You might think it's just another piece of magic, but no—this was a full-blown curse designed to keep us locked away."
Ethan rubbed his temples, trying to make sense of it all. "Then… what changed? Why did you suddenly get out? And why does it feel like your powers are somehow tied to me?"
Dark Truths and a Buried Past
Selena met his gaze, her crimson eyes gleaming. "Luna and I were bound by an ancient oath. We accepted our fate, knowing that only when a human truly connected with the darkness would we be released. We waited… for someone who could serve as our successor. But we never expected that someone would actually appear."
Fayra, her gaze fixed on the necklace, added, "For us, that place was never a way out—it was a dead end. The only way for us to escape was through you… through the darkness awakening inside you."
Luna grinned mischievously. "To put it simply, you were the reason we got out. Even if you don't understand it yet, you've already started walking the path of power—whether you like it or not."
Ethan's breath caught in his throat. "I was the reason…?"
Selena's voice softened slightly, but there was still an edge of authority in her tone. "Exactly. And you need to learn how to wield that power. What you have inside you is immense. As you saw in that battle… the darkness is already responding to you. It won't stop growing."
The Weight of Responsibility
Ethan slowly sank onto the couch, his mind spinning with thoughts of the girls' past and the enigmatic nature of the darkness within him. "So what now? Do I just… keep using this power? I still don't even understand how it works. It feels like it's overwhelming me."
Selena stepped closer, her expression unusually gentle. "Listen. We have to work together. Like it or not, you're part of this now. You're not just some ordinary human anymore—you're someone who holds a power that even we can't fully comprehend yet. You need to accept that."
Fayra leaned against the doorframe, scrutinizing him. "Yeah, we're not trying to pressure you, but let's be clear—this isn't just about you. If you lose control, it's not just your life on the line. This power… it's dangerous."
Luna, still smirking, tilted her head. "So, you better be careful, Ethan. What you've got now… it could either become the greatest weapon or your greatest downfall. And if you want to survive, you'd better learn how to use it properly."
Ethan exhaled sharply. "Alright. I get it. I need to be careful. But this darkness… it's inside me. How am I supposed to control something that feels like it has a will of its own?"
Selena and Luna exchanged glances. Then, Selena placed a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm. "You'll learn. Step by step. And we'll be right here, making sure you don't destroy yourself in the process."