Evan stood at the edge of the abyss, his heart racing. The figure before him—a tall, cloaked entity—hadn't moved, but there was a weight to the air, a sense of expectation that made his skin crawl. The wind howled like a thousand voices in agony, the sand swirling around his feet, black and unnatural. It was as if the desert itself were alive, watching him, judging him.
The figure, still silent, raised a hand toward the abyss, its dark cloak shifting in the wind. For a moment, Evan's gaze was drawn to the void below, where the swirling darkness seemed to pulse with a sinister energy, pulling at his very soul.
"Do you understand the price of power, Evan?" the figure asked suddenly, its voice deep, echoing in the empty desert. "Do you understand the burden that comes with what you seek?"
Evan swallowed hard, his throat dry. He wanted to ask who this figure was, why he was here, but something held him back. The desert was suffocating, each breath a struggle against the unseen weight pressing on him. The figure's words rang in his mind, but it wasn't the question that lingered—it was the truth hidden within it.
He did want power. But what had he sacrificed for it?
"I've come to claim my place," Evan replied, his voice stronger than he felt. "I've fought for this. I'll do whatever it takes."
The figure tilted its head, as though studying him. "And yet you don't understand," it murmured. "The Hollow has shown you your fear, but you haven't yet seen your greatest challenge. Power is not simply taken, Evan—it demands your soul."
Before Evan could respond, the ground beneath him cracked open, and the abyss before him began to shift, revealing a second figure—darker, more twisted than the first. This one bore Evan's own face, but there was nothing human in its expression. Its eyes were black voids, and its mouth was twisted in a cruel grin that stretched too wide.
The twin stepped forward, its movements jerky, like a puppet controlled by unseen strings.
"You want power?" the twin hissed, its voice a mockery of Evan's own. "Then prove it. Show me you're worthy. But be warned—every choice you make here will cost you."
Evan's heart hammered in his chest. This was no mere trial. This was a reckoning. He had been brought here not just to face his fears but to confront the darkest parts of himself. The twin before him was his shadow, a manifestation of his own deepest desires, regrets, and weaknesses.
The wind howled louder, drowning out all other sound as the twin raised its hand, fingers curled into a claw. The sky above darkened further, the crimson hues turning to pitch black. The desert itself seemed to shift, becoming a labyrinth of twisted shapes and shadows.
"You have a choice, Evan," the twin said, its voice sharp and cruel. "Will you conquer your demons, or will they conquer you?"
With those words, the ground beneath Evan's feet cracked wide open, and he plunged into the darkness below.
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