The portal of swirling shadows loomed before me, a gateway into the unknown. The Shadowfang remained by my side, its glowing eyes reflecting the dark energy that pulsed from within. Argonax ruffled his feathers nervously on my shoulder, his instincts screaming at him to fly away.
But I took a step forward.
This was the path I had chosen. A test not just of my skill, but of my will.
The leader of the Moonshadow Circle watched me closely, his golden eyes gleaming like a predator assessing its prey. "Once you step inside, there is no turning back," he said. "The trials will test you in ways you cannot imagine. Only those who prove their worth emerge stronger."
I exhaled slowly. "Then I guess it's time to prove myself."
With that, I stepped into the portal, and the world vanished.
Darkness.
Not the kind found in the absence of light, but a living, breathing entity that coiled around me like a predator studying its prey. For a moment, I felt weightless, as though I had been stripped from reality itself.
Then, the world shifted. The darkness parted like mist, revealing a vast landscape unlike anything I had ever seen. The sky was a deep shade of violet, swirling with distant, glowing constellations. Strange, twisted trees loomed in the distance, their black branches stretching toward the heavens like grasping fingers. The air was thick with an unnatural silence, broken only by the distant howls of creatures I couldn't see.
A deep voice echoed through the air, as if the shadows themselves had spoken.
"The first trial begins."
Suddenly, the ground beneath me trembled. I barely had time to react before a massive shape burst from the earth—a beast unlike any I had ever encountered. Its body was shrouded in living darkness, shifting like smoke, its piercing red eyes locking onto me with a primal hunger. A Void Stalker.
The voice continued. "You will not tame the shadows by force, Alden Draven. To control the darkness, you must first understand it."
The Void Stalker let out a guttural snarl and lunged. I barely dodged in time, rolling to the side as its claws slashed through the air where I had stood. It moved with an unnatural speed, vanishing and reappearing in bursts of shadow.
Argonax screeched, flapping wildly in distress, but the Shadowfang stood firm beside me, its hackles raised. I could feel its energy pulsing through our bond, an unspoken promise that we would face this together.
I had to think. This wasn't just a battle—it was a test.
I closed my eyes, reaching for the connection I had felt earlier. The pulse of the shadows, the energy that bound me to this place. If I could sync with the Shadowfang the way I had before, maybe I could do the same with the darkness itself.
The Void Stalker lunged again. But this time, I didn't move. I let go of my fear. Let the shadows in.
The moment the creature's claws should have torn into me, I felt it—
A shift. A connection.
Time seemed to slow. The darkness around me no longer felt suffocating—it felt alive. And in that moment, I understood.
The shadows weren't an enemy.
They were a force waiting to be harnessed.
I raised my hand, and the darkness obeyed.
The Void Stalker stopped mid-lunge, its form wavering. A ripple passed through the air as tendrils of shadow curled around my arm, merging with me. For the first time, I wasn't just using the shadows—I was becoming a part of them.
The beast hesitated, then let out a deep growl. Not one of anger, but of recognition.
The voice spoke once more. "You have passed the first trial. The shadows have accepted you."
I exhaled sharply, my heart pounding. The Void Stalker's form began to dissipate, fading back into the darkness from which it came. The landscape shifted again, warping and twisting until I was standing in an entirely new space—a vast coliseum made of dark stone, with towering statues lining the perimeter.
And at the center of it all stood a figure.
She was unlike anyone I had ever seen.
A girl, draped in flowing robes of deep indigo, her silver hair cascading down her back like liquid moonlight. Her eyes, glowing a piercing violet, locked onto me with an intensity that sent a shiver through my spine. She radiated power.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then, she tilted her head slightly, a smirk playing at her lips.
"So, you're the one who passed the first trial." Her voice was smooth, laced with amusement. "Not bad. But don't get cocky. The real test begins now."
I frowned. "And you are?"
She took a slow step forward, the air itself seeming to bend around her presence. "Lyra Solenne." Her smirk widened. "And if you want to master the shadows, you're going to have to go through me."