The pendant in my palm pulsed like a heartbeat, its dark glow swirling with an energy I couldn't comprehend.
The Moonshadow Circle had accepted me. I should have felt victorious. Yet, as I looked at the masked figures surrounding me, an unsettling thought crept into my mind.
What exactly had I just agreed to?
The leader, the man with the golden eyes, stepped forward. "Your training begins now, Alden Draven."
The way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine. Like he had known it long before I ever spoke it aloud.
I steadied my breath. "What do I have to do?"
A flick of his wrist, and the shadows around us shifted. The air became heavier, dense with something unseen.
"This is the Moonshadow's Trial," the woman with silver eyes said. "To walk this path, you must prove your will to bond beyond the limits of normal beast taming."
I clenched my fist around the pendant. "What kind of trial?"
The leader smirked. "A simple one. You must synchronize with a beast of our choosing."
I frowned. "That's it?"
"You misunderstand," the woman said. "This is not a bond of command. Not a contract. You must become one with the beast's instincts, its emotions, its very being."
I exhaled slowly. Argonax twitched on my shoulder, clearly uneasy.
"Fine," I said. "Let's do it."
The leader raised his hand. Shadows twisted behind him, forming a swirling gateway. And from within—
A creature emerged.
At first, I thought it was just a wolf. But as it stepped into the moonlight, I realized how wrong I was.
It was twice the size of any normal beast, its fur a shimmering silver-blue. Four piercing eyes stared at me, unblinking. But the most unnerving part?
Its shadow moved on its own.
A Shadowfang. A beast said to be near-impossible to tame.
The leader gestured toward it. "Prove your worth."
The Shadowfang growled, lowering its head, its many eyes gleaming with a mix of hunger and challenge.
I rolled my shoulders. "No problem."
Argonax let out a worried chirp, but I gave him a reassuring nod. This was my test. I had to do it alone.
The Shadowfang pounced.
I barely dodged in time, rolling to the side as its claws slashed through the air.
Think, Alden. This wasn't a normal fight. I wasn't supposed to overpower it.
I had to synchronize.
I let out a slow breath, focusing. Feeling.
The Shadowfang lunged again, and this time—I didn't dodge.
I stood my ground.
At the last moment, I reached out—not with my hands, but with my mind.
For a split second, something clicked.
I wasn't just looking at the Shadowfang. I was seeing through its eyes.
The world shifted. My body felt lighter. Faster. Stronger.
A connection.
The Shadowfang skidded to a stop, its breathing heavy. Its gaze locked onto mine—not with hostility, but understanding.
The leader smiled. "Impressive."
The woman stepped forward, eyes gleaming. "It seems you have the potential after all."
I barely heard them. My heart pounded with adrenaline, with exhilaration.
Because in that moment—I knew.
This was just the beginning.