Varyn
The moment I lost my magic to her, I knew I was in deeper trouble than any spell or incantation could fix. Mortals were meant to be fleeting shadows of nothingness in my world, yet here I was, watching a weak woman hold the very power that had taken me years to master. I had to keep her safe and take back what was mine.
…
The rain falls steadily, creating a soft rhythm against the pavement as I weave through the city’s narrow alleyways. The air is thick with uncertainty, and I can feel it prickling at the back of my neck. Whispers have reached my ears—intel of dark magic creeping back into our world, and I can’t ignore the pull to uncover the truth.
I pause at the opening of a shadowy alley and the flickering light from a nearby streetlamp illuminates the crumbling brick of the buildings surrounding me. One name lingers in my mind: the Siphon. Rumors spoke of his return and a twisted ritual that harnessed power beyond comprehension.
I pull my hood tighter around my face, stepping into the darkness. Each footfall echoes softly against the damp ground, leading me deeper into the maze of abandoned structures. I trust my instincts, feeling the vibrations of magic in the air.
Then, I see it—a warehouse. Its silhouette looms ominously, like a relic of a past I’ve fought to keep buried. I can feel the pulse of energy emanating from within, a chaotic stirring that calls me closer. I approach cautiously, scanning the surroundings for any signs of movement.
As I near the entrance, I catch snippets of hushed voices drifting through the cracks in the door.
“The ritual must be perfect…” one voice whispers, filled with a deep urgency. It’s true…everything that I’ve heard is true. “Put the woman down there,” another voice directs.
The musty air envelops me, thick with the scent of mildew and something darker—something sinister. Shadows move along the walls, flickering from the weak light of candles arranged in a chaotic circle at the center of the room.
I see figures cloaked in black, their hands twisting through the air as if conducting an orchestra of calamity. The energy around them crackles, and I know I’ve found the source of the rumors. I glance around, ensuring that the three hooded figures didn’t come with backup, before pushing the door open slowly. I step inside, steeling myself for what comes next.
“What are you doing here, Siphon?” I call out, my voice steady. One of the dark figures turns, revealing a twisted smile that sends chills down my spine.
“Ah, the warlock,” he taunts, his voice a low hiss as the other two figures continue their plans.
In the center of the circle lies the still body of the woman they spoke of earlier.
With a surge of adrenaline, I prepare myself. I didn’t come here to play games; I came to confront the darkness before it spreads in my world.
“I don’t know what you have planned here, but I’m not leaving until I put an end to it,” I reply, my magic awakening within me, ready to fight.
“You’re just in time for the ceremony,” he speaks calmly. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
Waiting for me? How did he know I would be here? My head starts to spin. All those leads and all that information—a trap.
“What do you want from me?” I snarl at him as I silently strategize.
He steps closer to the woman in the center of the circle.
“Oh, just one small thing,” he says. “Your magic, warlock.”
My heart pounds harder, like the beat of a war drum.
“You think you can just take what’s mine?” I challenge, my voice steady despite the dread pooling in my stomach.
The Siphon smirks, a glint of madness in his eyes.
“Oh, I don’t just want it, I need it. And I know just how to get it.” With a flick of his wrist, he unveils an ominous-looking device—a twisted contraption of obsidian metal and crystal humming with dark energy.
I step back, my instincts screaming at me to run, but I can’t. I won’t.
“You’re a fool if you think that can contain me,” I warn. He wouldn’t get my magic without a fight.
“Contain you?” he laughs, his voice echoing in the vast space. “I don’t need to contain you. I need to take your magic—just like this!”
Before I can react, he activates the device, sending a pulse of dark energy rippling through the air. The others begin chanting in an ancient tongue, their voices growing louder with each word, surrounding me like a suffocating fog. Every single syllable strips away more of my strength, weakening me, tethering me to the circle. The force of it slams into me like a wave, and I feel my magic being drained, pulled from my core. It feels as if my very essence is being ripped from me.
The woman stirs, her chest rising and falling erratically as the dark energy coils around her like a living thing. My heart pounds in disbelief as I watch it siphon my magic, the once familiar power now a twisting, shimmering thread, spiraling toward her body. In one horrifying moment, the strand of my magic makes contact with her, and the air itself seems to crack. A blinding light explodes from the circle, flooding the warehouse with a searing brightness. I’m thrown back, slamming against the concrete, gasping as the impact rattles my bones. My breath is ragged, but it’s nothing compared to the crushing realization—my magic, my essence, is leaving me, draining away into her.
Her eyes fly open, wide with shock, as the surge of power rushes into her, overwhelming every fiber of her being. She shudders, visibly struggling as the energy floods her system, seeping into places that were never meant to hold such power. I watch helplessly, every second she holds my magic, pushing her closer to being consumed by it.
I can’t let this happen. I won’t let this happen. My magic is on the line. Gritting my teeth, I gather the last dregs of my strength, focusing everything on breaking the connection, severing the tie that binds my power to that damned device.
“Stop!” I roar, pushing against the invisible force that clings to me, pulling me under. But it’s too late. My magic slips through my fingers like water, no longer responding to my will. It shifts, flows, and wraps around her instead—binding us together in a way I never could have expected, never wanted.
The Siphon’s laughter rings through the air, triumphant.
“The transfer is complete! She’ll be the perfect vessel!”
“No!” I shout, my voice raw with desperation.
As the blinding light fades, I collapse on the cold, hard floor, dull and devoid of energy. It’s gone. My magic is gone.
“We’ll meet again soon, warlock,” the Siphon sneers, his voice echoing a dangerous promise, “when I come to claim what’s mine.”
I look up, but the Siphon and his accomplices have vanished, leaving only silence in their wake. My gaze lands on the woman who now glows faintly with a strange aura, her silvery blonde hair shimmering like moonlight. She’s disoriented but alive, her sapphire eyes wide with fear and wonder.
“W-What just happened?” she stammers, glancing between me and the ruins of the device. I push myself up to a seated position, every movement a reminder of the power stripped from me.
“My name is Varyn Blackmoore,” I rasp, my voice hoarse and strained. “ That power that’s been put inside you? It’s mine—and I’m going to need it back.”
Before I can continue, the world around me begins to fade. The dark, gloomy colors and sounds dim, like someone slowly turning down the volume and brightness of everything. A wave of dizziness washes over me, and the pounding in my chest feels distant, as if it belongs to someone else. Just as the edges of my vision blur and the shadows deepen, everything slips away into an all-consuming black. Shit.
