Chapter 28 - The Man Who Looked Like Him

Silence filled the dungeon. The storm was gone. The destruction remained. Cracked ground. Burnt air. Faint smoke rising from what used to be a battlefield. And in the middle of it— Riven's body finally gave in. His legs collapsed. His vision faded. The last thing he saw… was his party rushing toward him. Then— Darkness. Deep. Heavy. Endless. No sound. No movement. Just nothing. Until— Step. A sound echoed. Soft. But clear. Riven's eyes slowly opened. He was standing. Not lying. Not injured. Just… there. The space around him was unfamiliar. Empty. Grey. Like a place that didn't belong anywhere. "…Where…" His voice came out low. Then— Another step. Step. Someone was there. In front of him. A figure. Standing still. Back facing him. Slightly taller. Slightly broader. Built. Not massive—but strong. Defined. Calm. Riven frowned slightly. "…Who are you?" No answer. The figure didn't move at first. Then slowly— It turned. Riven's breath stopped. His eyes widened. "…What…?" Because the face… Was his. Older. Sharper. More defined. Mid-twenties version of him. But wrong. Completely wrong. The eyes— Black. Deep. Empty. And the eyeballs—white. Cold. Unnatural. Like something that had lost humanity. The presence alone felt dangerous. Not loud. Not aggressive. But… absolute. The figure looked at him silently for a moment. Then— It spoke. Voice calm. But heavy. "…You're late." Riven's body tensed. "…Late for what?" No reply. Instead— The figure took a step forward. The air grew heavier instantly. Riven felt it. Pressure. Not physical. Something deeper. The figure's gaze didn't change. "…You saw it, didn't you?" Riven frowned. "…Saw what?" A pause. Then— "…The gap." Silence. Riven didn't answer. Because he knew. The difference between borrowed power… and his own. The figure smirked slightly. Not warm. Not kind. Just… knowing. "…Good." Another step. Closer now. Riven instinctively stepped back. "…Who are you?" This time— The answer came. Slowly. "…You." Riven's heart skipped. "…That's not funny." The figure tilted his head slightly. "…Do I look like I'm joking?" Silence. The air grew colder. Riven's fists clenched. "…Then what do you want?" A pause. The figure looked at him—deeply. Like reading everything inside him. Then— It spoke. Low. Clear. Dangerous. "…Find him." Riven's eyes narrowed. "…Find who?" The figure's gaze darkened slightly. "…The Ghuul." The word echoed strangely. Like it carried weight beyond meaning. Riven stepped forward slightly. "…What is that?" The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead— He turned slightly. Looking away. "…You don't have time." Riven's voice rose. "…Explain it properly!" The figure stopped. Then spoke again. Slower. "…Find him…" A pause. The air cracked slightly. "…You need to ki—" Static. The sound broke. The space trembled. The voice distorted. Like something was interfering. Riven stepped forward. "…I need to what?!" The figure didn't finish. Couldn't. The world around them began to collapse. Cracks spread through the grey space. The figure looked back one last time. Those black eyes—empty yet overwhelming—locked onto Riven. "…Next time…" A pause. "…Don't hesitate." The space shattered. Riven's vision went white. Then— He woke up. Gasping. His body jolted upward. Sweat covered him completely. His breathing was uneven. Fast. Heavy. "…What… was that…" He looked around. The dungeon. His party. They were still there. Some injured. Some sitting. Some watching him. "…He's awake!" someone shouted. But Riven didn't respond immediately. His mind was still there. In that place. With that… version of him. His hand slowly moved to his chest. His heartbeat was still racing. "…Find him…" He whispered. "…The Ghuul…" His eyes darkened slightly. Not physically. But something inside had shifted. Because that wasn't just a dream. And that person— Wasn't a stranger. It was him. Or… something he could become. The chapter ends. 🔥