The shadows roared to life, twisting and contorting like serpents in the dim firelight. The travelers screamed as the monstrous entity lunged toward them, its crimson eyes glowing with malevolent intent.
Kael clenched his fists, willing the shadows around him to obey. But as he reached for their power, he felt resistance—a dark, suffocating force that threatened to pull him under.
"Do you truly think you can control them?" Umbrael's voice was a taunting whisper in his mind. "They are mine, Kael. You are merely borrowing their strength. Prove you deserve it."
Kael growled under his breath, his frustration mounting. "Shut up and help me!"
The monstrous shadow struck, its claw sweeping toward a young woman in the group. Kael reacted instinctively, throwing himself in front of her. His own shadow surged upward, forming a barrier that barely deflected the attack.
"Run!" he shouted, glancing back at the terrified travelers. "Get out of here!"
The leader, the burly man with the scar, hesitated, his hand gripping his sword. "What about you?"
Kael didn't answer. He knew this was his fight. The travelers wouldn't stand a chance against something like this.
The man cursed under his breath before grabbing the others and pulling them away. Kael watched them vanish into the forest, their frightened faces etched into his memory.
The shadow beast let out a guttural growl, its focus now solely on Kael. Its form seemed to ripple and shift, growing larger with every passing second.
Kael took a deep breath, forcing his fear aside. He reached deep into himself, feeling for the connection to Umbrael's power. This time, he didn't resist. He let the shadows consume him, their cold tendrils wrapping around his arms and legs like armor.
"Better," Umbrael said, his voice laced with approval. "But be warned, Kael. Each time you call upon me, the bond tightens. Soon, there will be no turning back."
"I'll deal with that later," Kael muttered. "Right now, I need to survive."
The beast lunged again, its massive claws aiming to crush him. Kael dodged to the side, the shadows around his feet propelling him with unnatural speed. He countered with a sweeping strike of his own, a tendril of shadow lashing out and slamming into the creature's side.
The impact sent the beast stumbling, but it recovered quickly. Its form split apart into dozens of smaller shadows, each one darting toward Kael like arrows.
Kael gritted his teeth, spinning and weaving through the onslaught. His shadow armor absorbed some of the blows, but the force still sent him staggering. One of the shadows slashed across his arm, leaving a burning gash that oozed with dark ichor.
"You're too slow," Umbrael chided. "Let me take control. I can end this in an instant."
"No," Kael snapped, his voice sharp. "I'm not giving you that kind of power."
"Stubborn as always," Umbrael sighed. "Then suffer."
The beast reformed, its towering figure looming over Kael. It roared, the sound shaking the ground beneath them. Kael knew he couldn't keep dodging forever. He needed to end this now.
Closing his eyes, he focused all his energy on the shadows around him. He imagined them as an extension of himself, a weapon he could wield rather than a force he had to fear.
"Bind it," he whispered, his voice steady.
The shadows obeyed. Tendrils shot out from the ground, wrapping around the beast's legs and pulling it down. The creature thrashed and howled, but the bindings held firm.
Kael didn't hesitate. He gathered the remaining shadows around his arm, forming a blade of pure darkness. With a roar, he leaped onto the creature's back and drove the blade into its core.
The beast let out a final, earsplitting screech before disintegrating into a cloud of black mist. The shadows dissipated, leaving Kael kneeling on the ground, his body trembling with exhaustion.
As the mist cleared, Kael felt a strange sensation in his chest—a faint, pulsing warmth. He looked down to see a fragment of crimson light hovering in the air before him. It shimmered briefly before sinking into his chest.
"What… was that?" he muttered.
"A piece of the Eclipse Chain," Umbrael said, his tone unreadable. "With every victory, you claim another fragment. But beware, Kael. The more you collect, the closer you come to becoming something… more than human."
Kael didn't respond. He pushed himself to his feet, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The travelers were gone, but their voices still echoed in his mind—their fear, their desperation.
He couldn't stay here. The shadows were tied to him now, and wherever he went, danger would follow.
Turning away from the ruined campsite, Kael began walking. His journey was far from over, and he knew the road ahead would only grow darker.
But he wasn't afraid.
Not anymore.
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