The morning air was still heavy with the remnants of the night's coolness as Kai led Wan away from the training grounds and toward a small secluded area surrounded by tall, dark trees. The spot felt different, quieter, as though the shadows themselves whispered here. Kai motioned for Wan to sit down in the center of a circle of stones.
"Today, we start with something essential—meditation. You need to learn control before anything else. Shade is not a tool you can wield at will. It is a part of you, but only if you understand it," Kai explained, his voice calm and steady.
Wan settled onto the ground, unsure of what was to come but determined to learn. The previous attempts at activating Shade had drained him, and his body ached from the unrelenting failures. His mind felt scattered, like a storm had taken root inside it. He closed his eyes, hoping to find some calm in the process.
"Focus on your breath," Kai instructed. "Breathe in deeply. Let the shadows surround you, but do not let them overwhelm you. The energy of Shade is like the wind. It moves freely, but you must learn to direct it. First, breathe."
Wan inhaled, holding the air deep within his chest, letting it fill him. Slowly, he exhaled, feeling the weight of the world lift with each breath. The tension in his body loosened, and for the first time, he felt a slight semblance of peace.
"As you breathe, listen," Kai continued. "Listen to the shadows. They are always with you, waiting to be summoned. When you open your eyes, the world will not be the same. The shadows are a part of everything, the light and the dark. They are balance. And from that balance comes power. You must find it inside yourself."
Wan's mind wandered as he breathed, letting the shadows of the forest blend with his thoughts. Slowly, he began to sense a familiar presence, a tingling at the edge of his consciousness. It was as though the shadows themselves were waiting to connect with him. For the first time, he didn't feel like an outsider; he felt like he belonged.
After some time, Kai broke the silence. "You must remember this: Shade is not about raw power. It is about control. Without control, you will only burn yourself."
Wan nodded, his mind still focused on the shadows swirling around him. The connection had grown stronger, but he knew this was just the beginning.
For the next few days, Kai continued to teach Wan, guiding him through the meditation exercises and helping him refine his control. In addition to the meditation, Kai began teaching Wan the basic fighting forms of the Tenebri, movements that combined precise physical techniques with the manipulation of Shade.
"The physical forms help ground your energy," Kai explained as they practiced. "Each movement you make should align with the flow of the shadows. You must become one with them."
At first, the stances felt unnatural, awkward. But as Wan practiced, his body slowly began to understand the rhythm of the forms. Each strike, each block, seemed to resonate with the darkness around him. Slowly, his body grew accustomed to the flow of energy that came with each movement. His strikes were sharper, more focused.
When they were done for the day, Kai led him back to the village, this time guiding him toward a quiet corner of the settlement. "I think you are ready to understand more about the Tenebri and the world we live in," he said, his tone turning more serious. "We are not like the other races. We are born from the shadows. We are the Tenebri, the ones who walk between the light and dark."
Wan listened intently as Kai continued. "Our nation, In, is built upon the power of Shade. It is a land of eternal twilight, where the sun never fully sets nor rises. This balance gives us the strength to harness our power. Our ruler, Emperor Luan Nox, leads us with wisdom and love. He is the heart of our nation, the one who keeps our shadows in harmony."
"The Emperor sounds... powerful," Wan said, still processing everything.
"He is," Kai agreed. "But it is his heart that makes him special. He governs with compassion, ensuring that the Tenebri live in peace. In, unlike other nations, does not seek conquest or war. We are a people of balance, using our power only when necessary."
As they walked, the realization began to sink in. Wan was in a place of deep, untold power. The Tenebri were unlike anything he had ever imagined. And yet, for all their strength, they lived in harmony with their shadows. It was a place where power was not abused but understood.
That night, Wan stood alone in the village square, under the pale light of the moon. The stillness of the night called to him, urging him to push forward. He closed his eyes and sat cross-legged in the middle of the square, focusing on his breath once again.
The energy around him hummed, and with it came the sensation of the shadows. This time, the feeling wasn't distant—it was intimate. He could feel the flow of Shade, swirling just beyond his reach. He focused harder, reaching out with his mind to pull it closer.
Minutes passed. Hours, it seemed. His body trembled, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggled to focus. The image of the swirling darkness finally came into focus—a small black dot, no bigger than a coin, floating in front of him. Wan's heart raced. It was Shade, and he had called it into being. But it felt unstable, like a flame too close to the wind.
He concentrated harder, extending his will. The dot pulsed, but as he reached for it, it flickered and collapsed into nothing. Wan gritted his teeth. It wasn't enough.
The next time, he moved with purpose, his hand outstretched, focusing the Shade into something more defined. Slowly, the black dot reappeared, this time slightly larger. He concentrated on it, shaping it, pushing it to form into something more.
The dot began to shift, twisting in on itself like a miniature black hole. He felt a surge of exhilaration as he forced it to move, to spin. The shadows obeyed, but they were still wild, flickering on the edge of control.
With a final push, he shaped the energy into a perfect sphere. The shadows around him coiled into a tight, spinning singularity. The air around it hummed with power.
"I did it," Wan whispered to himself.
He had created a move, something entirely his own, a manifestation of the power that had once eluded him. He named it Singularity.
But as soon as he released it, the dot dissipated, fading into the air like smoke. Wan sighed, a mix of frustration and satisfaction. He was still learning. But now, he knew that he had unlocked something incredible—something that could change the course of his destiny.
Kai appeared from the shadows, watching with quiet approval. "Not bad," he said with a slight smirk. "But remember, control is everything. You've made progress, but you're not done yet."
Wan nodded, determination burning brighter than ever. "I'll keep working. I won't stop until I've mastered it."
And with that, he began his next step in the path of Shade—no longer as an outsider, but as one of the Tenebri.