The Abyss pulsed with a rhythm older than memory, alive with the tension that threaded between Seris and Mason. Shadows coiled protectively around him, yet reached for her like living extensions of his obsession. Every heartbeat of hers resonated through the dark corridors, synced with the tether, the mark blazing silver against her collarbone.
"You cannot escape me," Mason whispered, his voice threading into her mind, suffocating yet exhilarating. "Every spark of defiance, every act of power… belongs to me. Even your independence… strengthens the tether."
Seris swallowed hard, trying to focus on the shadows in her hands. They twisted and writhed, obedient yet subtly bending toward Mason's influence. She hated him. She feared him. And yet, the pull of his obsession was intoxicating.
From the depths, another rival god emerged, molten-gold eyes blazing centuries-old hatred. Seris lunged, shadow blades striking with precision. Mason's presence flared, amplifying every motion, threading obsessive intent into each strike while leaving her in control. The immortal screamed as her goddess-blood energy flared violently, tearing through the Abyss in a storm of dark power.
"You see?" Mason murmured, leaning close. His shadow brushed her arm, the heat of his obsession suffocating and thrilling. "Every flicker of rebellion, every spark of defiance… it belongs to me. Every heartbeat… you are mine. And you will crave it."
When the immortal disintegrated, Seris sank to the floor, trembling. Mason knelt beside her, brushing a shadowed tendril through her hairline. "You are mine," he whispered. "Even your defiance… strengthens the bond. And eventually… you will want it. You will want me."