Sovereign of the Forsaken Path

Ezra ran like hell.

The tunnel twisted beneath his feet, the stone warping and shifting in ways that shouldn't be possible. The air behind him shivered , filled with the crawling whispers of the thing that followed.

"You cannot run from what you are."

Ezra gritted his teeth. "Watch me."

The Sigil on his chest burned , pulsing like a heartbeat.

The hunger was there , clawing at his ribs, but he shoved it down.

Not now.

Not like this.

He needed distance.

Up ahead, the tunnel split into two paths.

One was narrow and twisting , disappearing into more darkness.

The other was wide , leading toward a faint, flickering light.

Ezra didn't hesitate he took the wide path.

Which, in hindsight, was probably the wrong choice.

Because the moment he stepped in

The walls snapped shut behind him.

Like a stone mouth slamming closed.

Ezra cursed. "Fantastic. Trapped in another nightmare hallway. Love that for me."

The light ahead flickered , revealing more carvings along the walls.

Ezra frowned, stepping closer.

The carvings were old. Deep, jagged etchings that looked less like writing and more like… warnings.

And beneath the dust of time, he saw them:

Rules.

Carved in a language he didn't know… but somehow understood.

Ezra swallowed and read:

The Forsaken Path is not kind.

It is not fair.

It does not forgive.

If you walk this road, know these rules:

1. You must devour, or you will be devoured.

2. You are watched. Always.

3. Do not answer the voices that call your name.

4. If the lantern flickers three times, it is already too late.

5. Never under any circumstances turn around when you hear footsteps behind you.

Ezra exhaled slowly.

"Alright," he muttered. "That's not terrifying at all."

Then

His lantern flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Ezra's stomach dropped.

The rules carved into the stone felt heavier now. More real.

Because the fourth rule had just been tested.

And if it was real

His pulse pounded.

Because that meant the fifth rule was real too.

And right behind him

Footsteps.

Slow. Measured.

Getting closer.

Ezra clenched his fists.

"Don't turn around."

The rule was clear.

The rule was a warning.

But his body wanted to move.

Every instinct screamed at him to look.

To see what was there.

The footsteps stopped.

Right behind him.

And then

A breath, cold and wet , against the back of his neck.

"Turn around."

Ezra's fingers twitched.

He couldn't.

He wouldn't.

And then

Something touched his shoulder.

A hand.

Cold. Clawed. Too many fingers.

Ezra's breath hitched.

He clenched his teeth.

He did not turn around.

The thing behind him did not like that.

The fingers dug into his skin , pressing harder.

The lantern flickered again.

A voice slithered through the dark.

"You do not belong here."

Ezra agreed completely.

And then

The wall ahead of him cracked open.

An exit.

He didn't hesitate.

Ezra lunged forward

And as he crossed the threshold, the fingers let go.

The air behind him vanished.

Ezra hit the ground hard , his breath ragged.

When he turned

There was nothing behind him.

No tunnel.

No footsteps.

Just endless, empty stone.

Ezra laid there, chest heaving.

Then, after a moment, he let out a bitter laugh.

"Right. So… let's not do that again."

The Forsaken Path had rules.

And now

Ezra knew just how real they were.