Shadow slave:The Forgotten Spawn

Chapter: The Test of Will

The air felt as though it were being crushed by an invisible hand. The swirling shadows around the mysterious figure thickened, forming tendrils that lashed out unpredictably. Each strike rattled the ground beneath Eryth and his companions.

Tessa was the first to act again, vaulting toward the shadow-cloaked man with her blade glowing faintly. "If you're so eager for a fight, then let's see how you fare against someone who won't back down!" she snarled.

But the man didn't flinch. With a flick of his wrist, the shadows coiled like serpents and intercepted her attack, forcing her to pivot mid-air. She landed with a growl, sliding back into a defensive stance.

"I'm not here to kill you," the man said coolly, his glowing eyes flickering toward Eryth. "This is about him."

Eryth froze as the weight of the figure's gaze pinned him to the spot. His pulse quickened, and the faint warmth in his chest—something he'd associated with the rift's energy—grew hotter. It wasn't just heat. It was alive, as if something deep within him was beginning to stir.

"Me?" Eryth asked, his voice hoarse. "Why?"

"Because," the man replied, stepping closer, "you carry the seed of the rift within you. It grows, whether you want it to or not. You've felt it, haven't you? The way it pulls at you, the way it whispers. That power isn't a curse. It's a gift. But to wield it, you'll need resolve." He raised a hand, and the shadows twisted into a monstrous form behind him, towering over the group. "Let's see if you're ready."

The shadow creature lunged.

Eryth barely had time to react before Nyx surged forward, placing itself between him and the attack. The creature's sleek, serpentine body glimmered with an unnatural light as it met the shadow beast head-on. The impact sent tremors through the ground, and Nyx snarled as it pushed back against the oppressive force.

"Stay close to me!" Eryth called to Tessa and the others, but his voice wavered. The weight of the rift's presence grew heavier with each passing second, pressing on his mind like a vice.

Tessa was already on the move, flanking the shadow beast and delivering a sharp, calculated strike to its side. The creature howled, its form briefly faltering before reforming as though it were made of liquid darkness. Another tendril shot toward Tessa, forcing her to roll out of its path.

"Eryth!" she shouted. "Snap out of it and fight! We can't keep this thing at bay alone!"

The words jolted him, but so did the intense heat in his chest. It wasn't pain—it was something else entirely. The man's voice rang out again, calm but insistent.

"You're afraid of it, aren't you? That power inside you. You've been holding it back, pretending it isn't there. But if you don't embrace it, it will consume you."

Eryth's hands trembled as he clenched his fists. He hated how right the man's words felt. He had been running from the rift's influence, trying to fight its pull, but deep down, he knew it was part of him now. He could feel it thrumming beneath his skin, waiting.

"Enough talk!" Tessa yelled as she leapt back into the fray, her blade slicing through one of the shadow beast's limbs. "If you've got something to prove, do it now, or we're all dead!"

Nyx let out a guttural roar as it struck the beast again, but even its strength was waning. The creature was relentless, each blow regenerating faster than they could deal damage.

Eryth took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he tried to block out the chaos around him. He focused on the warmth inside him, on the strange rhythm it seemed to beat to. It wasn't foreign—it was part of him, like an unspoken word waiting to be uttered.

And then he opened his eyes.

The shadows around him shifted, drawn to him like moths to a flame. The oppressive weight he had felt moments ago lightened, and for the first time, he didn't feel suffocated by the rift's presence. He felt… connected.

The man's faint smile grew wider. "Good. Now show me."

Eryth stepped forward, and the shadows obeyed. Tendrils of darkness rose around him, twisting and coiling like extensions of his own will. He raised a hand, and the energy within him surged outward, colliding with the shadow beast's form. The creature howled, its body writhing as the rift-born power tore through it.

Nyx snarled and lunged, taking advantage of the opening Eryth had created. Its claws struck true, tearing the shadow beast apart. This time, it didn't reform. The remnants of its body dissolved into the air, leaving the battlefield eerily silent.

Eryth stood there, breathing heavily, the shadows around him slowly dissipating. His heart pounded, but he felt… stronger, more in control.

The man watched him with an approving nod. "You're starting to understand. Good. But this is only the beginning."

Tessa approached cautiously, her weapon still drawn. "Who are you really? Why are you doing this?"

The man's smile faded, and his gaze turned toward the horizon. "I'm someone who's seen what lies beyond this rift—and what's coming. If you want to survive, you'll need more than strength. You'll need knowledge. Power. And trust."

He turned back to Eryth, his glowing eyes piercing. "I'll be watching."

And with that, the man vanished, his form dissolving into the lingering shadows.

End of Chapter