Chapter 1: The Weakest of Them All
The sprawling halls of Shadow Academy echoed with laughter and whispers, none of which were directed at Aelric. He shuffled through the stone corridors, his head low, avoiding the gazes of students who passed him. His black cloak, the standard uniform of the Academy, hung awkwardly over his thin frame, a constant reminder of how he never quite fit in.
"Hey, look! It's Aelric, the shadowless wonder!" a mocking voice called out.
Aelric flinched but didn't turn. He knew better than to respond. Confrontation only made things worse. His tormentors were a group of upper-class students, led by Drennan, the son of a noble family and one of the Academy's star pupils.
"Still here, huh?" Drennan stepped into Aelric's path, blocking him. His emerald eyes gleamed with malice. "I thought you'd have dropped out by now. Guess some people just don't know when they're not wanted."
The others snickered, their laughter like knives slicing into Aelric's already fragile confidence.
"I… I have a class to get to," Aelric mumbled, attempting to step around Drennan.
But Drennan wasn't finished. He grabbed Aelric by the collar and pulled him close, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "Listen, weakling. People like you don't belong here. The Shadow Academy is for the strong, for those who can wield the darkness. You? You're just a joke."
Aelric's fists clenched at his sides, but he said nothing. He had no retort, no defense. Because Drennan was right.
---
The Legacy of Shadows
The Shadow Academy wasn't just a school—it was an institution that trained the next generation of shadow-wielders, those who could manipulate the darkness to protect the kingdom or, in some cases, dominate it. Every student was expected to show potential by the age of fifteen, mastering at least basic shadow manipulation.
Aelric, at seventeen, had nothing to show for his years of training. While others summoned shadow tendrils, cloaked themselves in darkness, or even crafted shadow weapons, Aelric could barely manage a flicker. His instructors had all but given up on him, relegating him to the bottom of every ranking chart.
He didn't even know why he was still here. Maybe it was stubbornness, or maybe he just didn't want to face the pity in his parents' eyes if he returned home as a failure.
---
Punishment and Opportunity
Later that day, Aelric sat quietly in the back of Professor Kael's classroom. The older man, with his graying hair and sharp eyes, was one of the few instructors who didn't openly ridicule him.
"Today, we'll discuss the relics of the Shadow Emperor," Professor Kael began, his deep voice filling the room. "Powerful artifacts, each imbued with a fragment of the Emperor's strength. These relics were said to grant their wielders unparalleled abilities—but at a cost."
The room buzzed with excitement. Stories of the Shadow Emperor were the stuff of legend, whispered about in hushed tones. Aelric, however, remained silent, his thoughts elsewhere.
"You, Aelric," Kael's voice snapped him back to reality. "Since you're so keen on daydreaming, why don't you retrieve the relic logs from the archive? Now."
The class erupted in muffled laughter, and Aelric's face burned. Without a word, he stood and left, his heart sinking.
---
The archive was in the older, less-used part of the Academy, its stone walls lined with ancient texts and scrolls. The air was cool and damp, the flickering lanterns casting long shadows across the room. Aelric searched the shelves, muttering under his breath about unfair punishments.
As he reached for a dusty tome, a faint glimmer caught his eye. Tucked away behind a row of books was a strange object—a small, black crystal pulsating with a dim light.
Curiosity overpowered caution. Aelric reached out, his fingers brushing the crystal's surface.
The world around him shifted.
---
The Awakening
Aelric found himself in a void of absolute darkness. The air was heavy, oppressive, as if the shadows themselves were alive.
"Who dares disturb my slumber?" a voice echoed, deep and resonant, shaking Aelric to his core.
"I-I didn't mean to!" Aelric stammered, his voice trembling. "I was just… I found…"
"Silence," the voice commanded. Slowly, a figure emerged from the darkness—a towering form cloaked in shadows, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. "You have touched the Relic of the Shadow Emperor. Do you know what that means?"
Aelric shook his head, too terrified to speak.
"It means," the figure said, stepping closer, "that you are now bound to me. My power flows through you, whether you are worthy or not."
The shadows around Aelric surged, coiling around him like snakes. He felt a searing pain in his chest as the crystal embedded itself into his skin. His vision blurred, and the last thing he heard was the voice's ominous whisper:
"Prove yourself, child… or be consumed by the darkness."
---
Aftermath
Aelric awoke in the archive, gasping for air. His body trembled, and his chest ached where the crystal had fused with him.
"What… what just happened?" he muttered, looking at his hands. They seemed normal, but he could feel something new—a presence, a power, lurking just beneath the surface.
The shadows around him seemed to shift and writhe as if alive. For the first time in his life, he felt something stir within him, something dark and powerful.
But was it a blessing—or a curse?