The Goblin Who Devoured Fate

My body still felt wrong.

The black mist had vanished, but something lingered inside me—like a second heartbeat, slow and heavy. My veins felt colder, my senses sharper.

I clenched my fists, feeling raw power pulsing beneath my skin.

But this wasn't normal.

Rhia hadn't moved, her silver eyes locked onto me with suspicion. "…Leon, what did you just take?"

I exhaled slowly. "I don't know."

And that was the truth.

The system had granted me a new ability, but it wasn't finished—something was still missing.

[System Notification!]

[Ability Acquired – ??? (Incomplete)][Effect: Sealed][Requirement to Unlock: ???]

I frowned. The system never left things vague like this.

Rhia sheathed her dagger, but I didn't miss the way she kept her distance. "We need to get out of here. That… thing might not be fully free, but I don't trust this place."

I nodded. "Agreed."

But as we turned to leave, the chamber shook again.

And this time, the shrine wasn't the only thing breaking.

Collapse

The tunnels rumbled, chunks of rock falling from the ceiling.

I cursed. "The whole place is coming down!"

Rhia grabbed my wrist. "This way!" She sprinted toward the narrow passage we had entered through, and I followed.

But then—

I heard it.

A whisper, soft and amused.

"You think you can run?"

Shadows erupted from the cracked shrine, slithering along the floor and walls like living tendrils.

I skidded to a stop. "Rhia, move!"

She was already ahead, dodging debris as she disappeared into the tunnel. I pushed forward, but—

A black tendril shot out, wrapping around my ankle.

Cold. Suffocating. Wrong.

My vision blurred, my body freezing up as the darkness seeped into my skin.

The voice laughed.

"You are mine now, little goblin."

A Choice in the Dark

My system screen flickered, glitching out for the first time ever.

[Emergency Override: System Interference Detected]

[Break Free – Requires Immediate Action]

I gritted my teeth. I didn't know what the hell this thing wanted, but I wasn't about to let it drag me down.

I had one chance.

I could fight back using the unknown power I just absorbed… or try to escape before it took control of me completely.

I had to decide.