A gloomy cave where even the rays of light from the sun dared not enter, stood there this faithful night.
A lonely stalagmite shadow floated there.
"From a human to shadow how sad... Damn it all, I want to go back home!
How can I even be a shadow without even a speck of light, what is this!"
[Ding! Binding to the Life of Shadows system.]
"Mmmm a system? Well, I should have expected that huh. Maybe I can go back to being human!!!"
[Ding! It's impossible to go back to a fully human form.]
With the gut-churning hit, Mat decided to check out the Life of Shadows system.
Wanting to know all of the system's functions as quickly as possible, what could be quicker than just asking the system in question.
"System what do you do?"
[Ding! As the Life of Shadows system, the host will receive help in absorbing energy from the Black Inkstones and manipulating it.]
"Absorbing energy and manipulating energy"
Looking at these two points Mat wasn't sure exactly what they do, but thought he grasped the general use.
I mean just by hearing it absorbing was obviously a way of gaining energy to strengthen himself.
While, manipulating energy a form of using that energy, maybe to cast spells?
Either there's no better way of knowing their functions of the skills than to just use them.
"System is there any Black Inkstone nearby to absorb energy?"
[Ding! Yes, there is Black Inkstone nearby!]
Oh, there is that's perfect!
"System begin absorbing the energy."
[Ding! The host is too far away to absorb the energy. Why doesn't the host try bringing the stone closer.]
If I'm too far away why bother saying there's a stone nearby... anyways I need to get to that stone.
How should I get the stone, I can't interact with the environment and I can't even move. I should ask the system why I can't move after getting the stone.
"System how would I get the stone if I can't move close to it?"
[Ding! The system has a small amount of starting energy that the host can use to manipulate.]
[The system recommends the host to create a minion using the energy.]
A minion!
Can I really make other beings do work for me, that's perfect!!
"System give me the energy."
Following that Mat felt a stream of cool, but yet terrifying liquid-like energy flow into his shadow form.
While he couldn't see the liquid-like energy just the feeling was enough to bring him fear.
Following the fear came a pleasant 'Ding!' from the system.
[Ding! Dark energy sent to the host.]
Do I have to go through that feeling every time I absorb energy.
I don't know if I can do that again!
Just thinking about it sent shivers down his non-existent spine.
Let's just leave it to the future.
[Host why don't you try to create your minion.]
Mat let lose a self-pity laugh
The very near future it seems...
Well, I have to do it, if I don't I'll just be stuck here till I die.
Can shadows even die...
I don't know and I don't want to even test it.
"Okay, system how do I go about manipulating the energy."
[You need to feel the energy in you and bring it out. In order to do that you should go back to the wonderful feeling from before.]
WONDERFUL!! HAHAHAHA HoW waS that wonderful!!
The terror that I felt back then.
It was like a powerful giant overlooking you with disdain.
Even If I tried absorbing a bit of its power I would never reach its height.
"Alright, I'll try it."
Focusing on the cool feeling of terror that the energy brought him before.
Continuously concentrating on that feeling Mat started to feel a liquid-like energy flow out from in him.
Feeling the energy coming out of him brought a sense of euphoria, the power!
The power in the energy, for the first time in his life he felt a power beyond what he could imagine.
But the euphoria didn't come from the power, it came from being able to control the power, to bring about his dreams and desires with that power.
But the feeling was passing and the crippling terror returned.
The sudden mix of emotions almost caused Mat to collapse.
Mat continued this loop for a little while till there was no more energy coming out of him.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for learning the initial steps of manipulation! With practice the process of releasing your energy will become faster.]
[With the energy in hold try using it on a nearby object, like a rock. Imagine the energy nourishing the object and then overpowering it. Once the energy has a hold of the object start imagining what you want your minion to look like and be like.]
Okay so I should focus the energy onto a nearby object and then the rest, lets give it a try.
Looking at a nearby stone, well more of a pebble but still, Mat focused on the liquid energy that surrounded him and focused on moving it to the stone.
The energy started to flow from him to the stone.
A strange thing to note was that once the energy left Mat it manifested into reality becoming a visible dark liquid.
The black liquid looked like it was seeping into the liquid.
"Is this nourishing the object?"
[Ding! Yes, the host is correct. Right now the dark energy is binding itself with the stone. If this was done with a living creature then it would also nourish and bind to them.]
"What about the part about overpowering the stone.
I don't feel any resistance coming from it."
[Ding! The host's observation is most astute. Similar to how only living creatures can be nourished by the dark energy, only living creatures can put up resistance. Of course, objects that were bound to other energies can also resist. And there are some other special situations.]
[For now, the host should go ahead and manifest their imagination of a minion onto the stone.]
"Alright"
Mmmm, what's a good minion.
Goblin, gremlin, or maybe a golem.
Well, why not go the traditional goblin minion.
Not only am I more familiar with them, but it's just a lot simpler.
Feeling the energy in and around the stone, Mat pictured a goblin.
The goblin wasn't a fancy-looking goblin, not too evil-looking but not kind either.
In Mat's imagination, the goblin had the traditional sharp ears small body with a slightly round head. It also had claws for nails and sharp fang-like teeth. The goblin would wear a cloth hoody like garb. With that mats imagination of the ideal goblin was over.
While Mat was imagining the goblin minion in his mind, the dark energy around the goblin was churning and morphing into a shape.
....
Finishing his imagination Mat focused his attention onto where the stone was previously.
Where the stone had laid was now a goblin, just like what Mat imagined;
A goblin dressed in a grey hoody with sharp ears, a large head, claws, and fangs.
But there was an issue, the goblin had no legs and not eyes.
"I was so busy focusing on a goblins popular features I forgot about the lower body and the eyes!"
"System do I need to start over now since I messed up."
[Ding! There is no need for the host to worry. While the host is creating a physical body for the minion, in the end, the minion is a dark creature and does not need a physical body.]
[Host please take a look at your minion.]
Confused Mat once again focused onto his creature, but this time the eye sockets that were once empty now had a shiny black luster.
The goblin minion that lay on the grown slowly started to float in the air.
The lower eds of the grey hoody flapped lightly in the air as the goblin floated up.
Looking into the black eyes that shined in the darkness of his good, Mat stood stunned.
Stunned at what would soon be called a terror.
"That's not what I imagined..."