The night sky stretched endlessly above Sangravia, its stars muted by the city’s glowing haze. Arin and Meera moved swiftly through the labyrinthine streets, shadows clinging to them like a second skin. The tavern was far behind, but the weight of the battle lingered.

“Where are we going?” Arin asked, his voice low.

Meera glanced back at him, her face etched with tension. “To a safe house. Somewhere we can regroup and figure out what to do next.”

Arin’s pace slowed as a sharp pain flared in his chest. The shadows inside him pulsed erratically, their whispers louder and more insistent than before. He pressed a hand to his ribs, gritting his teeth.

“What’s wrong?” Meera stopped, her eyes narrowing.

“The shadows,” Arin muttered. “They’re… pulling at me.”

Before Meera could respond, the world around Arin began to blur. The streets, the distant hum of the city, even Meera’s voice—all of it faded into nothingness.

The Abyss Within

Arin found himself standing in a void, an expanse of endless black. The air was heavy, suffused with an oppressive energy that made it hard to breathe. Wisps of shadow coiled around his feet, curling and twisting like living things.

“You’ve finally come,” a voice echoed, deep and resonant, yet strangely familiar.

Arin turned, his hand instinctively reaching for a weapon that wasn’t there. From the darkness, a figure emerged—tall, cloaked, and featureless, its form a shifting mass of shadow. Its eyes, twin orbs of crimson light, bore into him.

“Who are you?” Arin demanded, his voice steady despite the unease creeping through him.

“I am the Abyss,” the figure replied. “I am the source of your power, the Eternal Shadow you now wield.”

Arin’s jaw tightened. “If you’re the source, then why are you tormenting me? What do you want?”

The figure chuckled, a sound that reverberated through the void like thunder. “Torment? No, Arin Veer. I am testing you. Power such as mine is not given freely. It must be earned—proven worthy through trial and sacrifice.”

“And if I refuse your tests?” Arin asked, his tone defiant.

“Then you will be consumed,” the Abyss said simply. “The shadows do not serve the weak.”

The Trial of Shadows

Before Arin could respond, the void shifted. The ground beneath him vanished, and he was plunged into a churning sea of darkness. Shapes emerged from the shadows—vague, monstrous forms with glowing eyes and jagged teeth.

Arin felt the weight of their malice, their intent to destroy him. The shadows within him surged in response, urging him to fight.

“Prove yourself,” the Abyss’s voice boomed.

The first creature lunged, a massive beast of shadow and claws. Arin raised his hand instinctively, and the shadows obeyed. A spear of darkness materialized, piercing the creature’s chest and dissipating it into nothingness.

Another beast attacked from behind, its movements swift and fluid. Arin turned, summoning a wall of shadow that absorbed the impact. He countered with a wave of darkness, scattering the creature into fragments.

The onslaught didn’t stop. More beasts emerged, each one more ferocious than the last. Arin fought with everything he had, his movements growing faster, more precise. The shadows moved with him, an extension of his will.

But with every strike, he felt a piece of himself slipping away. The whispers grew louder, more insistent, promising power but demanding surrender.

The Abyss's Warning

After what felt like an eternity, the beasts retreated, dissolving back into the void. Arin stood alone, his chest heaving, his body trembling with exhaustion.

“You fight well,” the Abyss said, reappearing before him. “But you are reckless. The power you wield is not a tool, Arin Veer. It is a living force, one that will consume you if you do not learn control.”

“How do I control it?” Arin asked, his voice edged with frustration.

The Abyss’s crimson eyes glowed brighter. “By understanding its nature. The shadows are not just darkness; they are the absence of light, the void that exists in all things. To master them, you must confront the void within yourself—the fears, the doubts, the anger that feeds them.”

“And if I fail?”

“Then you will become like the others before you,” the Abyss said. “A puppet of destruction, a vessel for the Void’s endless hunger.”

Arin clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. “I won’t let that happen.”

The Abyss chuckled. “We shall see.”

Return to Reality

The void dissolved, and Arin found himself back in the alley. Meera was shaking his shoulder, her face pale with concern.

“You were gone,” she said, her voice shaky. “One moment you were here, and then… you just froze.”

Arin rubbed his temples, his mind still reeling. “The shadows pulled me into some kind of… trial.”

Meera’s expression darkened. “A trial? What kind of trial?”

“The kind that tests whether I’m worthy to wield this power,” Arin said. “It’s more than just a tool, Meera. It’s alive. And it wants to consume me.”

Meera’s eyes narrowed. “Then we need to act fast. If the shadows are testing you, it means they haven’t fully claimed you yet. There might still be a way to sever the connection.”

Arin shook his head. “No. I don’t want to sever it. I want to master it.”

Meera stared at him, her expression unreadable. “You’re playing with fire, Arin.”

“Maybe,” Arin said, the shadows flickering around him. “But fire is what I need to burn the Council to the ground.”

Meera didn’t argue. Instead, she turned and started walking, her steps brisk. “If you’re serious about this, then we need help. There’s someone who might be able to guide you.”

“Who?” Arin asked, falling into step beside her.

“An outcast,” Meera said. “A shadowbinder who was exiled from the Council for studying forbidden arts. If anyone knows how to control the Eternal Shadow, it’s him.”

“Where do we find him?”

Meera hesitated. “In the Wastes. Beyond the city.”

Arin nodded, his resolve unwavering. “Then that’s where we’re going.”