In the depths of the Obsidian Abyss, a desperate scholar named Varian sought forbidden knowledge. The tomes spoke of the Shadow Pact, a ritual that could grant limitless power at a terrible price. Armed with nothing but ambition and a flickering lantern, he stepped into the abyss, whispering the incantations he had memorized.
The darkness stirred. A voice, ancient and hungry, slithered into his mind. "A soul for wisdom. A life for dominion." Varian hesitated, his heart hammering, but he had come too far to turn back. He accepted. Shadows wrapped around him, pouring secrets into his mind even as they drained something vital from within. When he emerged from the abyss, he held the knowledge of ages—but his reflection in the lantern’s light revealed empty, soulless eyes. He had become something else entirely.