Dante could feel the oppressive weight of the creature's gaze upon him, its luminous eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity. Each step it took shook the chamber's stone floor, its claws leaving deep gouges in the ancient carvings. The orb on the pedestal pulsed, casting eerie shadows across the room, its connection to the monstrous beast clear.
Selene gripped her blade tighter, her muscles tense, ready for the fight she knew was coming. "Dante, we can't take this thing head-on. You saw what happened the last time you tried to harness power you didn't fully understand."
Dante didn't respond immediately. His eyes were locked onto the orb, his mind racing as the dark energy surged through the chamber. The raw power emanating from the orb called to him, but he knew that rushing into it blindly could lead to disaster—just as it had before.
But he also knew they had no choice. They couldn't outrun the creature, and fighting it without harnessing the shadows would be suicide.
"I know," he finally said, his voice low. "But we don't have time to run, and we can't beat this thing without the shadows."
Selene shot him a glance, her frustration barely contained. "You're walking into a trap. Whatever that orb is, it's not going to give you what you think. It's controlling that thing. If you try to tap into it—"
"Then I'll control it," Dante interrupted, his tone sharp. "I've already tasted this power. I can handle it."
The creature growled, its massive form inching closer. The air in the chamber grew thick with tension, each second feeling like an eternity.
Selene stepped closer to him, her voice a harsh whisper. "And what if you can't? What if this time, the shadows consume you?"
Dante clenched his fists. She had every reason to be concerned—he had nearly lost himself to the darkness once before. But this was different. He could feel it. There was something in the orb, a force stronger than before, but it wasn't trying to consume him. It was waiting for him to claim it.
"Trust me," Dante said, his voice quieter now, but no less determined. "I can do this."
Selene's eyes softened for a moment, but the tension between them didn't ease. She was scared, not just for herself, but for him too. She had seen what the shadows could do—how they changed him.
But in the end, she nodded. "Fine. But if you lose control again, I won't hesitate."
Dante nodded back, understanding the gravity of her words. There was no turning back now.
He turned towards the pedestal, the orb's energy vibrating in the air around him. With slow, deliberate steps, he approached, his heart pounding in his chest. The creature seemed to sense what he was about to do, its growl growing louder, more threatening.
Dante extended his hand towards the orb, feeling the dark energy pulse through his fingertips. It was cold, colder than anything he'd ever felt, and yet, it didn't repulse him. The shadows seemed to welcome him, wrapping around his arm like tendrils of mist.
In that instant, a flood of images filled his mind. Visions of battles long past, of figures cloaked in darkness, wielding the shadows with precision and power. He saw the orb in its original form—an ancient artifact forged by beings who had long since vanished, their knowledge and power sealed within. The orb was a key, a conduit for controlling the very essence of the shadows themselves.
And then, he saw the creature. Born of the orb, a guardian of its power, bound to protect it from those who sought to wield it recklessly.
Dante's breathing quickened as the visions faded. The weight of what he was about to do pressed down on him, but he didn't falter. He closed his eyes, feeling the shadows coursing through his veins, and with a deep breath, he reached for the orb with both hands.
The moment his fingers touched the cold surface, a surge of energy exploded through him. Darkness enveloped him, swallowing the room, Selene, and the creature in its void.
For a moment, there was only silence.
And then, the shadows began to part, revealing the chamber once more. But Dante had changed. His eyes glowed with the same eerie light as the orb, and the darkness seemed to bend to his will, coiling around him like a living thing.
The creature roared, sensing the shift in power. But Dante didn't flinch. The connection between the beast and the orb was clear now. The shadows that bound it could be controlled—if he was strong enough.
"Dante?" Selene's voice cut through the haze, pulling his attention back to her. She stood a few feet away, her blade still drawn, but her expression had shifted. She wasn't just worried anymore. There was something else in her eyes—fear.
"I'm fine," he said, though the words felt hollow even to him. The shadows tugged at his mind, urging him to act, to command them, to unleash their full potential. But he couldn't let them take over. He had to remain in control.
The creature lunged forward, its massive form barreling towards them with terrifying speed. Dante reacted instinctively, raising his hand and summoning the shadows. They shot forward like a tidal wave, wrapping around the beast and halting its advance mid-step.
The creature snarled, thrashing against the tendrils of darkness that held it in place, but it couldn't break free. Dante could feel its rage, its primal desire to destroy, but he also felt its connection to the orb—the shadows that controlled it were the same as the ones he now wielded.
He tightened his grip on the orb, focusing all of his energy on controlling the creature. For a moment, it struggled, its body writhing against the bonds of shadow, but slowly, its movements became sluggish, as if the very essence of the darkness was draining its strength.
Dante stepped forward, his voice a low command. "Submit."
The creature let out a final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing to the ground, the shadows still coiled around it like chains. Its glowing eyes dimmed, and it lay still, defeated but not dead.
Selene lowered her blade, her eyes wide in disbelief. "You… you controlled it."
Dante nodded, his breathing heavy. The power of the orb still surged through him, but the cost of maintaining control was draining him. He couldn't hold it forever.
"I need to bind it," Dante said, his voice strained. "The orb... it's too powerful to leave here."
Selene looked at him, her brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"
"I have to take it with me," he explained, his eyes locking onto hers. "If I leave it here, it'll just create more creatures like this one. The shadows won't stay dormant."
Selene hesitated. "And what happens when you take it with you? Are you going to keep using it? How long before it consumes you, Dante?"
Dante didn't have an answer for that. The power was seductive, overwhelming, but he couldn't deny how much he needed it. Without the shadows, they would never have made it this far.
"I'll control it," he said finally, though the uncertainty in his voice betrayed him. "I have to."
Selene shook her head, but she didn't argue. She knew there was no turning back now.
Together, they stood over the defeated creature, the weight of the orb's power hanging between them like a shadow that refused to dissipate.
The path ahead was darker than ever, but Dante knew one thing for certain—he couldn't let go of the shadows now, no matter the cost.