---
Kael emerged from the Underforge, his body shivering from the cold and his mind heavy with an unnatural stillness. The memories of the Trial of Sacrifice were already beginning to fade, slipping through his grasp like sand in an hourglass. His thoughts felt fractured, distant, and hollow, as though pieces of himself had been carved away.
Caden followed close behind, silent and observing. As the dim light of the outer cavern illuminated Kael's face, Caden frowned.
"Kael," Caden said carefully. "Do you remember what you've done?"
Kael turned to him, his expression blank. "I… remember the pain. The shadows. But the rest… it's like a dream I've woken from. Blurry, fragmented."
Caden nodded solemnly. "You sacrificed your past. Your memories. That emptiness you feel—it's the void left behind. You've paid the price for power, but you're not whole anymore."
Kael flexed his hands, watching as black tendrils of shadow swirled around his fingers. The power within him felt limitless, raw, and alive. Yet it came with an unnerving detachment, as though the emotions tied to his memories had vanished entirely.
"Does it matter?" Kael asked, his voice colder than he intended. "The past is gone. All that matters is what I do next."
Caden's eyes narrowed. "Don't mistake power for purpose, Kael. That void will grow if you let it. The shadows are a part of you now, but they'll consume what's left of your humanity if you don't anchor yourself."
Kael stared at him, the words hitting like a distant echo. Anchor himself? To what? There was nothing left to hold on to.
---
The Disciples' Return
The two made their way back through the winding tunnels of the Underforge. The air felt heavier than before, as though the Forge itself was aware of Kael's transformation. When they finally reached the surface, the sight of their camp came into view—but something was wrong.
Smoke rose faintly in the distance, and the bodies of shadow creatures littered the ground, their forms dissolving into black mist. The group of travelers Kael had saved earlier stood in the center of the camp, their faces pale with fear.
A tall figure clad in black armor stood among them, his sword drawn. His helmet gleamed like polished obsidian, and his voice was cold and commanding.
"You have no place here," the man said to the travelers. "Leave, or face the wrath of the Eclipse Disciples."
Kael and Caden froze at the edge of the treeline.
"Disciples," Caden muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with anger. "They must've tracked us here."
"Who are they?" Kael asked, his gaze fixed on the armored man.
"Servants of the Voidmaster," Caden replied. "They wield the same shadows you do, but their loyalty is to the darkness itself. They'll stop at nothing to ensure its dominion over the living."
Kael's grip tightened around the hilt of his blade. The shadows within him stirred, eager for release.
The travelers were pleading with the disciple, their voices trembling. "We don't mean any harm! Please, we'll leave—just let us go!"
The disciple raised his sword, shadows coiling around the blade like living serpents. "You've seen too much. The penalty for trespassing is death."
Kael stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Enough."
The disciple turned toward him, his head tilting slightly. "Ah, another shadow-wielder. Are you friend or foe, stranger?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. The shadows around him surged, dark tendrils snaking outward as his power flared. He felt the familiar rush of strength, but it came with a cold detachment that unsettled him.
"I'm someone you don't want to fight," Kael said, his tone low and even.
The disciple chuckled, a harsh, grating sound. "Bold words for a fledgling. Let's see if you can back them up."
The man charged, his sword slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Kael raised his blade to block, the clash of steel reverberating through the clearing. The force of the blow sent him staggering back, but the shadows around him reacted instinctively, forming a shield that absorbed the brunt of the impact.
Caden moved to intervene, but Kael raised a hand. "Stay back. This is my fight."
The disciple's movements were relentless, each strike infused with dark energy that cracked the ground beneath them. Kael countered with the power of the Eclipse Chain, the shadows responding to his will like extensions of his own body.
Tendrils lashed out, striking at the disciple from every angle. He parried with precision, but Kael's attacks grew faster, more unpredictable. The shadows seemed to dance around him, their movements fluid and chaotic.
The disciple faltered for a moment, his stance breaking. Kael seized the opportunity, driving his blade forward. The shadows surged with him, slamming into the disciple with a force that sent him crashing into a nearby tree.
The armored man groaned, struggling to rise. Kael stood over him, his blade poised to strike.
"You're strong," the disciple admitted, his voice strained. "But you've barely scratched the surface of the shadows' true potential. If you think this victory means anything, you're mistaken."
Kael hesitated, the cold emptiness within him stirring. He could feel the shadows urging him to strike, to finish the fight. But something held him back—a faint echo of something he couldn't quite remember.
Instead, he stepped back, lowering his blade. "Tell your master that I'm coming for him. And when I do, he'll wish he'd never unleashed this power on the world."
The disciple stared at him for a moment before rising unsteadily to his feet. "Foolish words. But we'll see how long you survive, shadow-wielder."
He vanished into the darkness, leaving only the faint smell of smoke and ash behind.
Kael turned to the travelers, who were staring at him with a mix of awe and fear.
"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice colder than he intended.
They nodded hesitantly, their eyes lingering on the shadows still swirling around him.
Caden approached, his expression grim. "You spared him. Why?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. He stared at his hands, the shadows flickering faintly around his fingers.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But something tells me… this fight isn't over."
---
To be continued...