Ethan stared at the injured man, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. The adventurer’s left eye—once human—was now blackened, swirling with unnatural patterns. A mark. A symbol Ethan recognized. Because it was just like his. “You shouldn’t have come here.” The man’s voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. Leah’s magic flared as she pressed her hands against his chest, trying to stabilize him. [Healing Light – Activated.] The golden glow pulsed, sealing the worst of his wounds. But the black veins creeping across his skin? They didn’t fade. Leah’s breath caught. “I can’t heal it.” The man laughed weakly. “…You won’t be able to.” His glowing eye flickered toward Ethan. “Not unless he wills it.” Ethan’s stomach twisted. Because he knew exactly who the survivor was talking about. The Master. And that meant whatever had marked this man… It wasn’t just some curse. It was a claim.

  The man coughed, blood speckling his lips. Gareth knelt beside him, voice firm. “What happened to your team?” The man’s fingers twitched. “…We were looking for the ruins.” His breath hitched. “We found them.” His marked eye pulsed. “And then… they found us.” Kara’s expression darkened. “Shadow-Touched?” The man shook his head. “No.” His fingers clenched against the stone floor. “They weren’t like the others.” Ethan’s grip tightened on his daggers. “Then what were they?” The survivor’s voice dropped to a whisper. “…They used to be us.” A Nightmare Reborn Silence fell. Ethan felt his chest tighten. “…What do you mean?” The man’s blackened eye flickered. His lips curled into a tired, broken smile. “They weren’t monsters when they entered the city.” His voice shook. “They were adventurers.” Leah froze. Kara’s fingers tightened around her sword. Gareth’s expression darkened. Ethan felt cold. Because if this man was telling the truth— If the creatures that had attacked his team were once adventurers… That meant the corruption wasn’t just spreading. It was turning people. And the worst part? The survivor had been left alive. Not saved. Not spared. But left as a warning.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Ethan stepped closer. The mark on his chest burned, reacting to the survivor’s tainted presence. The man noticed. His glowing eye narrowed. “…You have it too.” Ethan’s breath caught. The survivor’s voice was barely a whisper now. “…Then he’s already watching you.” Ethan clenched his fists. “Who is he?” The man chuckled weakly. “You already know.” Ethan’s pulse spiked. And the moment the words left the survivor’s lips— The air changed. A pulse of dark energy rippled through the ruins. And Ethan knew. Something had arrived. Something had found them. And it was too late to run.