Kade's chest heaved, his breath a sharp rasp against the weight of the moment. The six-eyed beast snarled, its claws digging into the earth with a sickening crunch as it charged. Every fiber of his body screamed to run, but his legs remained rooted to the spot.
"Prove yourself," the silver-haired man had said. Like it was that simple.
"What am I supposed to do?" Kade shouted over the roar of the approaching creature.
"Call the Arcana," the man replied calmly, stepping back into the shadows. "Feel its presence within you and let it guide you."
Kade clenched his fists, his palms slick with sweat. The Arcana Nexus—the thing that had burned its way into his chest moments ago—was there, thrumming like a second heartbeat. But how was he supposed to call it? He didn't even know what it was.
The beast let out a deafening roar as it lunged, its claws gleaming like blackened steel. Instinct took over, and Kade threw his arms up in a futile attempt to shield himself.
The air crackled.
A sudden surge of energy shot through him, and a wave of translucent blue light exploded outward. The beast collided with the barrier, its momentum sending it sprawling back into the dirt with a howl of fury.
Kade staggered, his vision swimming. "What… the hell was that?"
The silver-haired man reappeared, his golden eyes gleaming with approval. "The Nexus answered your call. Now, focus. Shape it into something more than a shield."
"Focus?" Kade barked. "You're telling me to focus while that thing is trying to eat me?"
The beast recovered quickly, shaking off the impact before charging again.
Kade's mind raced. The power inside him felt wild, raw, like a storm barely contained. He could feel it surging in his veins, begging to be unleashed.
"Okay, okay," he muttered, raising his hands again. "Work with me here."
This time, when the beast lunged, he imagined pushing the energy forward—not as a barrier, but as something sharper. The air around his hands shimmered, and a jagged arc of light shot out, slamming into the creature's flank. The beast roared in pain, skidding to a halt.
Kade blinked, staring at his hands. "Holy crap, I just did that."
The man nodded. "Good. But it will take more than that to kill a shadehound."
Shadehound? Great. That sounded about as friendly as a tax collector.
The beast rose again, its six eyes glowing a menacing crimson. It paced in a wide circle now, as if rethinking its strategy.
Kade felt a flicker of confidence. If he could just keep the thing at bay, maybe he'd survive this. He raised his hands again, ready to summon another arc of light.
But the Nexus didn't respond.
"Come on, come on," he muttered, his palms tingling but refusing to spark.
"Your power is not infinite," the man said, his voice carrying an edge of warning. "The Nexus draws upon your own energy. Use it recklessly, and it will consume you."
"Could've mentioned that earlier!" Kade snapped.
The shadehound took advantage of his momentary distraction, leaping toward him with terrifying speed. Kade barely had time to dive out of the way, rolling across the grass as the creature's claws tore into the ground where he'd been standing.
He scrambled to his feet, heart pounding. The Nexus pulsed faintly, weaker now. He needed a plan—and fast.
His eyes darted to the river a few yards away. An idea sparked.
Kade turned and sprinted toward the water, the shadehound hot on his heels. His lungs burned, and his legs felt like lead, but he pushed forward.
When he reached the riverbank, he turned sharply, skidding to a stop. The shadehound lunged, its claws outstretched. Kade dropped low, grabbing a fistful of loose dirt and flinging it into the creature's eyes.
The beast howled, thrashing wildly as it stumbled.
Kade seized the moment. He raised his hand, summoning every ounce of energy he had left. A faint glow formed around his palm, weaker than before but still potent. He thrust it forward, aiming at the river.
The spell hit the water, sending up a geyser that soaked the shadehound. The creature recoiled, its body steaming as the water hissed against its shadowy flesh.
The silver-haired man appeared beside him, a faint smile on his lips. "Clever."
Kade collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air. "You could've helped, you know."
"This was your trial," the man said, his tone unyielding. "Interference would have rendered it meaningless."
"Meaningless? That thing almost killed me!"
"And yet, here you are. Alive. Stronger."
Kade glared at him but lacked the energy to argue.
After what felt like an eternity, the man extended a hand to help Kade up.
"Walk with me," he said.
Kade groaned but followed, his legs shaky as they moved away from the river.
"Welcome to Eryndral," the man said, gesturing to the vast expanse of the meadow. "A world of infinite beauty—and infinite danger."
Kade glanced at the horizon, where the mountains loomed like ancient guardians. "What's the deal with this place? Why am I here?"
"The Arcana Nexus chose you," the man said simply.
"Yeah, you mentioned that. But why me? I'm not some chosen-one type. I was barely keeping my head above water in my old life."
The man stopped, turning to face him. "The Nexus sees potential, not perfection. You are untested, yes, but you have something this world needs. The strength to forge your own path, to change the fate of the realms."
Kade frowned. "And what happens if I don't?"
"Then the realms will fall."
"No pressure or anything," Kade muttered.
The man chuckled softly. "You have questions. They will be answered in time. For now, rest. You'll need your strength for what lies ahead."
As if on cue, a structure came into view—a small cottage nestled against the edge of the meadow. Smoke curled lazily from its chimney, and the warm glow of candlelight spilled from its windows.
Kade hesitated. "Is this… safe?"
"For now," the man said. "But do not grow complacent. Your journey has only begun."
Kade's gaze lingered on the cottage as unease gnawed at the edges of his mind. He didn't trust this man—or the Nexus, for that matter. But one thing was certain: there was no going back.