Chapter Two: "The Cursed Choice"
The tremor in the stone floor grew more violent, as if the world itself was protesting what was about to happen. Azar stood, leaning against the wall, his body no longer feeling the same exhaustion, but a different weight, a deeper one. The voice inside his head echoed louder.
"Finally... the moment of truth. Don't disappoint me, Azar. I've seen people break at this moment. Will you be one of them?"
The heavy footsteps he had heard earlier drew closer. The iron barrier at the end of the corridor was slowly pushed open, revealing a creature that resembled a living nightmare. It was humanoid, but not of this world. Its face was obscured, its features unclear, but its eyes... those glowing red eyes burned straight into the soul.
"This is the true guardian of the binding ritual," the shadow inside Azar said. "To survive, you must face it. If you don't, you'll become just another fuel for the shadows."
The room filled with incomprehensible sounds, whispers chanting in a thousand languages Azar did not understand. The walls began to shift, the glowing carvings moving as if reshaping themselves, drawing more complex and darker symbols.
"What is this place?" Azar asked, but his voice barely escaped.
"This is the first arena," the shadow replied coldly. "Everyone who comes here faces their own trial. But don't worry, I'll be here to watch you fail."
The creature began to move, its steps slow but carrying an immense threat. Azar felt a strange power coursing through him, the shadow power he had just acquired. But he didn't know how to wield it.
"How do I face it? Give me the answer!"
"The answer is not from me. This is your battle," the shadow said, its voice colder than before. "If you can't think, you don't deserve to survive."
The creature raised its hand, and in an instant, black spikes shot up from the ground, speeding towards Azar with insane velocity. He barely managed to dodge them, but one tore the edge of his cloak. The pain was too close, and he had to move.
He ran toward the opposite wall, trying to buy some time, but the room wasn't large enough. The creature was in pursuit, and the whispers had turned to deafening screams.
In a moment of despair, Azar focused on the shadows around him, trying to summon the power that had emerged before. But there was nothing.
"I'm not a game," he said to himself, gathering all his anger. "If I'm in this situation, I won't be a victim!"
In that moment, he felt a new shift. The shadow surrounding him began to move, but this time, it wasn't because of the creature. It was by his will. He raised his hand, and the shadows responded. They formed a barrier before him, stopping the next barrage of spikes.
"Aha! You're starting to understand. But this isn't enough."
The creature didn't stop. It became faster, more aggressive. Its attacks grew more complex, as if they had learned from Azar. But now Azar was more prepared. He began to counter, using the shadows as his weapon.
In a decisive moment, Azar managed to land a fatal blow. The shadow stretched like a spear and pierced the creature's heart.
The room stopped shaking, and the carvings returned to their original state. The creature faded away, leaving behind only its shadow, which Azar absorbed without realizing how.
"Congratulations," the shadow inside his head said. "You passed the first test. But don't rejoice too soon. What's coming next will be worse."
"What do you mean?"
"You chose life, didn't you? Life with the shadows is not a gift... It's a curse."
Azar took a deep breath, but he wasn't ready to surrender.
"If that's the price, I'll pay it. Just show me the way."
"As you wish... Master of Shadows."
The ending carries enough mystery to leave readers questioning what will happen next in the following chapter.