The tension in the air was palpable as Victoria Corvus' declaration echoed through the camp. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, the bandits frozen in a mix of fear and disbelief. Then, chaos erupted.
In a flash too quick for the eye to follow, Victoria vanished, reappearing behind one of the archer bandits. Before he could react, a swift, clean cut sent his head tumbling to the ground, his body collapsing in a heap. Blood spurted in a grotesque fountain, painting the nearby leaves a grim hue.
The bandits scrambled to their feet, weapons drawn, but their efforts were futile against Victoria's lethal precision. "She... She is Victoria Corvus. What is she doing here?" one of them stammered in terror. His question was answered by his head flying off his shoulders, severed with the same deadly precision.
The campsite turned into a dance of death, with Victoria moving like a specter among the bandits. Each strike was a display of her formidable skill; her movements were fluid and ruthless. The bandits, despite their numbers, fell one after another, no match for her speed and expertise. In less than a minute, the clearing was silent, save for the soft rustling of the leaves.
Cain watched in stunned silence, bound to the tree, as Victoria Corvus, his mentor and guardian, transformed the campsite into a scene of carnage. The forest itself seemed to recoil at the violence, the shadows deepening around the clearing.
With all the bandits fallen, Victoria approached Cain. Her breathing was calm, and her expression was unreadable. With a swift motion, she cut the ropes binding him, freeing him from his captivity.
"Why did you come for me?" Cain asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I have always been with you, from the moment you left the Silverblood estate," Victoria said, her voice soft yet firm. "You are my apprentice, Cain. It is my duty to watch over you."
Cain rubbed his wrists, looking up at her with a mix of awe and newfound understanding. The realization that Victoria had been his silent guardian all this time brought a sense of security, yet also many questions.
"Come," Victoria said, turning to leave the now-silent camp. "We have much to discuss, and this place is no longer safe."
As they walked away from the devastation, the forest seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, the shadows retreating to their normal depth. Cain followed Victoria, his mind racing with questions and his heart heavy with the realization of the brutal reality of his world.
Under Victoria's guidance, and with the power of the shadow wolf within him, Cain stepped forward into an uncertain future. The echoes of the morning's violence served as a stark reminder of the path he had chosen—one filled with danger, discovery, and the responsibility of his newfound powers.
***
After arriving back at the Cain camp to regroup before making their way back home, Victoria tells Cain that he succeeded in the trial and congrats him on his awakening.
"I would never guess that this journey could bring your awakening. Also, to be blessed by the spirit of this forest, you are very lucky. The more powerful monsters that reside deeper in the forest felt you, but because the blessing was bestowed on you, they didn't make a move to attack and consume you. Well, at the end of the day, nothing bad would have happened to you with me close. But still, the power of shadows is a powerful affinity. On the right hand, it is a very potent weapon. And in the hands of an assassin from the Silverblood family, if lethal. If I remember correctly, the last member of your family to be blessed with the love of shadows was your grandpa, Gerald Silverblood, the founder of your family and the killer of demigods. He was a powerhouse, a rank 6 monster hunter. The rank of a sovereign."
"Was my grandpa so powerful? Then how did the church get him? My dad told me that he was ambushed," replied Cain with curious eyes after taking a seat and leaning against the wall of the cave.
Victoria, leaning to the other side of the cave, responds, "Well, the church of Atheron is one, if not the most powerful, organization in this world. I mean, at least on this continent, they are the biggest. But that doesn't mean they are invincible or all-powerful. An example is the Tepes Empire, which has no connection to the church; moreover, they are not on good terms. But the church has a lot of sovereigns and demigods as individuals. To get your grandpa was still a difficult mission, and even then, they ambushed him. He took down five sovereigns of the church with him."
Cain, with a newfound admiration for his grandpa Gerald, responds, "Then my grandpa was awesome. And my power of shadows is also awesome. But I need to understand it better. I feel like I need to understand it more first, to gain insight into it, to bond with it, and to become one of it before I can reach the level of power to be like my grandpa..
Victoria, with a kind smile, speaks to Cain. "Oh yes. The power of shadows is powerful but also hard to control and even understand. But you also have the power of the soul-weapons. You may not know it yet, but they are more than what normal people think. Even your dad doesn't understand them as well as you will. I mean, he never had a weapon of a god like you have. So to have two powers at the age of 5, congratulations, Cain; that is a feat to boast about. But don't do it; remember to be discreet about your powers. Also, about your new companion. Till he reaches the level of power to fight soldier-class beasts, let him nurture in the shadows of Night's Whisper and grow strong and healthy. I know he is inside the spear with the avatar. He will be a great companion in your life, Cain. Take care of him and feed him well to grow strong."
"I will master."
"Also, give me the soldier-beast core from the Grendelwolf. I know from your dad that you have it. I will make a new suit for you. I also took the core from the shadow boar. Feed it to the pup. He has a better affinity for shadow-beast cores, which will help him grow stronger. From the leather of the shadow boar and the core of the Grendelwolf, I will make a nice shadow affinity leather armor for your next year.
"Thank you, master. Dad always told me to use equipment only crafted from materials that I collected or bought with money that I worked for. In this way, the affinity between me and them will be higher, and I will also take better care of them," says Cain, remembering his dad's advice.
"Good, your dad is a wise man. We'll leave in half an hour, Cain. Rest and be prepared because we're going to fly," says Victoria with a mischievous smile.
"Fly?" Cain responds with a curious look.
"Yes, we're going to fly. I mean, I will fly with my wings, and I will hold you. This way, in 2 hours, we will be back at your home. And not four days like it took you on the foot."
"Mhm, I trust you, master. Be your way."
After finishing the conversation with his master, Cain tries to contact Lysara, who hasn't talked with him in a long time. Not hearing her voice in his head for the last few hours became strange.
*Lysara, are you there? Can you hear me?*
Cain tries to talk in his mind with her, using their connection. But nothing. He even brings Night's Whisper close to him and tries again, but still nothing.
Dread starts to fill his heart as the response he is waiting for never comes. He starts sweating and tries again and again to contact her, but nothing. The pup also seems like it can't be contacted.
He feels a connection with them in his soul, but he can't reach them.
At that moment, some dark, tough thoughts start to go through his head, but Victoria's voice distracts him from his fears a little.
"It is time to go, Cain; we will be home before the sun goes down. Let's go.
And with that, Victoria takes him like a sack of potatoes, spreads her vampiric wings wide, and takes off towards Silverblood Estate.
***
As Victoria took flight with Cain, the Shadow Forest below seemed to awaken in a silent farewell. The dense canopy, a tapestry of dark greens and blacks, swayed gently as if waving goodbye to the young boy who had found his strength within its embrace. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the leaves, casting a dappled pattern on the forest floor, creating a mosaic of light and shadow that danced with the movement of the trees.
The air was alive with the whispers of leaves and the distant calls of hidden creatures, a symphony that had become familiar to Cain. The forest, which had been a backdrop to his trials and transformation, now stood as a witness to his departure, its presence a constant reminder of the journey he had undergone.
High above, the view from Victoria's soaring flight offered a breathtaking panorama of the forest's expanse. The verdant sea of trees stretched as far as the eye could see, a testament to the untamed and ancient spirit of the land. The forest's heartbeat had a rhythm that resonated with the very essence of nature—wild and free.
In the heart of the forest, the Spirit of the Shadow Forest stood, her ethereal form barely visible among the intertwining branches. She gazed up at the departing figures, a sense of satisfaction and intrigue in her ageless eyes.
"Cain Silverblood," she murmured, her voice a gentle rustle in the leaves. "A child of murder and sin, yet touched by a fate beyond the ordinary. Your journey has only just begun, and the shadows will always be a part of you."
She turned her gaze back to the depths of the forest, her form blending into the shadows. "We will meet again, child of shadows. Fate has woven our paths together, and the dance of destiny is far from over."
As Victoria and Cain disappeared into the distance, the forest seemed to settle into a peaceful quietude. The Spirit of the Shadow Forest, a guardian of ancient secrets and untold stories, watched over the land, her thoughts lingering on the young boy who had left an indelible mark within its realm.
The Shadow Forest, a realm of mystery and magic, stood waiting for the next chapter of its story, its whispers echoing the promise of future encounters and the unfolding of destinies yet to be revealed.