Nightborn Evolution

Kairo's breaths were uneven as he sat on the cold tunnel floor. His vision still swam with flickering images of the Abyss—shifting shadows, crimson eyes, and the whispered words of ancient beings.

Lena's grip on his shoulder tightened. "Kairo! Talk to me. What happened?"

He looked at her, but the words caught in his throat. How could he explain something that didn't make sense even to him?

His system notification was still hovering in his vision.

[New Trait Acquired: Abyss-Touched.]

[Effect: ???]

He had never received a trait without a clear description before. That alone sent a shiver down his spine.

Lena's gaze darkened. "Don't tell me you touched that thing."

Kairo exhaled. "I did."

"Damn it, Kairo." She stood up, pacing. "You don't just touch weird, glowing abyssal symbols! That's basic survival instinct!"

He managed a weak smirk. "Guess I need to work on that."

Lena rolled her eyes. "Yeah. No kidding."

Despite her frustration, he could tell she was worried. And honestly? He was worried too.

He clenched his fists, staring at the Abyssal Mark on the ground. It had stopped glowing, as if whatever power it once held had transferred into him.

The Abyssborn's words haunted him.

"You are not yet whole."

"The Abyss remembers what the Nightborn have forgotten."

Kairo didn't even know what it meant to be Nightborn. He didn't know why he had a system, why he was different, or why so many enemies seemed drawn to him.

And now? Now he was Abyss-Touched.

What did that mean for him?

The moment they stepped out of the tunnel, Kairo felt it.

Something was different.

The world around him seemed sharper. The shadows stretched slightly longer than they should. The air felt colder, despite no change in temperature.

Then—his system flickered.

[Abyssal Awareness Activated.]

His vision shifted. The world around him became hazy for a brief second, and suddenly—he sensed something.

A presence.

Something watching from the rooftops.

Kairo's instincts screamed danger. He grabbed Lena's wrist and pulled her back into an alley.

"What the hell?" she hissed.

Kairo didn't answer. He just pointed.

At first, Lena saw nothing. But then—her eyes widened.

A figure crouched on the rooftop, cloaked in darkness, its features hidden beneath a hood. The air around it rippled, as if it wasn't fully in this world.

Lena whispered, "Tell me that's just a really weird guy in a hoodie."

Kairo swallowed hard. "I don't think so."

The figure tilted its head, as if acknowledging them. Then—without a sound—it vanished into the shadows.

Lena tensed. "That… that's not normal."

Kairo's system sent another alert.

[Unknown Entity Identified: Abyssal Watcher.]

[Status: Observer.]

Observer?

Kairo didn't like that.

Not one bit.

They didn't go back to their usual hideout.

After what they had just seen, staying in a predictable location felt like a bad idea. Instead, they found an abandoned storage facility and set up there for the night.

Lena paced, clearly frustrated. "Okay, so let's go over this again. You touch some Abyssal Mark, pass out, wake up, and now some creepy shadow figure is stalking us?"

Kairo nodded. "That about sums it up."

Lena groaned. "This is worse than I thought."

Kairo frowned. "You're taking this seriously."

She gave him a dry look. "You just got marked by something ancient. And now things are watching you. If you don't see the problem, you're an idiot."

Kairo exhaled. "Fair point."

Lena sat down, running a hand through her hair. "We need information. Someone has to know what the Abyss-Touched means."

Kairo agreed. But who could they ask?

Most people didn't even believe in the Abyss, let alone understand it.

Then, a thought struck him.

"What about the Forsaken?"

Lena stiffened. "The failed evolutions? The ones that lost their humanity?"

Kairo nodded. "Some of them survive. Some still talk. If anyone has felt the pull of the Abyss, it's them."

Lena didn't look thrilled. But after a long pause, she sighed. "Fine. But if this gets us killed, I'm haunting you."

Kairo smirked. "Noted."

They had their next step.

Find the Forsaken.

And pray they had answers.