One shadow was slowly absorbing the others. At first, the shadows focused on us didn't notice, but soon they turned on it. One by one, they were either defeated or absorbed. Now only a single humanoid shadow remained. Surely there might be more deeper in the cavern, but if we escaped this one, we would escape.
We quickly retreated to a chamber, the shadow following. Here, we could confront it properly and finish this.
The humanoid shadow hovered in the chamber, taller than either of us, its form constantly shifting, edges flickering like smoke in a storm. Its single glowing eye fixed on us, and I felt the malevolence radiating from it. The others had been absorbed or destroyed—this one remained, the final obstacle before our escape.
"Stay sharp," I whispered to Lucas. He nodded, sword ready, breathing heavily from the chase.
I moved first, darting to the side, sword flashing with a faint magical glow. The shadow reacted instantly, limbs extending like tendrils to strike where I had been. I rolled behind a jagged rock, trailing wind slashes after my blade, slicing a few tendrils mid-air.
Lucas lunged from the opposite side, striking at its lower torso. My eyes widened—he was aiming precisely at the weak points I had noted in the shadow's structure. The sword connected, and the shadow hissed, parts of its mass dissipating momentarily before reforming.
"It's faster than we thought," I muttered, summoning a concentrated burst of air magic to push it back. The shadow staggered, but its limbs lashed out like whips, forcing us to leap backward.
I darted forward, slashing repeatedly, each strike accompanied by a spark of light magic. The shadow shrieked, a sound that rattled the chamber, and swung a tendril toward me. I parried, feeling the immense pressure through my sword—its strength was far beyond its size.
Lucas took advantage of the distraction, striking a flurry of blows aimed at its midsection. I could see the shadow faltering, its form momentarily unstable. "Now, Lucas!" I yelled, casting a concentrated wind slash that split part of its shadowy mass.
But the creature recovered almost instantly. It twisted, launching a sudden strike directly at Lucas. I reacted, casting a barrier just in time—but the force slammed into him, throwing him backward. He hit the ground hard, groaning, his sword skidding from his grasp.
"No!" I shouted, rushing forward. The shadow turned its focus on me, limbs snapping in a blur. I sidestepped, slashing with both sword and magic, landing precise cuts. The tendrils recoiled, hissing.
Lucas struggled to rise, dazed, clutching his side. The shadow lunged again, faster this time, aiming at both of us. I intercepted, parrying with my blade and a wind burst, but the force slammed Lucas fully onto the ground. He gasped, unmoving.
The shadow hissed, flickering around him like smoke, and I realized how vulnerable we had become—half of our strength neutralized by just one blow. My heart pounded, adrenaline surging. I had to finish this, or we'd both be trapped.
I took a deep breath, focusing on its movements. The shadow's attacks were precise but predictable in rhythm. Using that, I slashed at a critical joint in its arm, then drove a light magic-infused strike into its chest. It let out a piercing wail, recoiling.
I glanced at Lucas—he was unconscious but breathing. I had won a temporary reprieve, but only barely.
The humanoid shadow hovered, battered but not destroyed. I clenched my sword, preparing for the next phase. We had survived this round, but the fight was far from over.
Anger surged through me. "I am done with you."
I sighed. "I am weak, after all."
"HAHAHAHA!"
The shadow hesitated, confused, and slashed at me, cutting my left arm off. But I was ready.
"Activate The Devourer's Gift. Activate Blitz."
I moved so fast that I killed it before it could react. Then I changed clothes, bringing a spare just in case. After all, if they saw cuts on my clothes but me completely fine, it would be strange.
I carried Lucas a little and woke him up. A few taps on his shoulder, a nudge, and finally he groaned, eyelids fluttering open.
"…Elric?" he rasped, voice hoarse.
"Yeah, it's me. You're okay… mostly," I replied. "But we need to move before anything else shows up."
I hoisted him onto my back, using magic subtly to lighten the weight just enough to make the trek less exhausting. His arms instinctively clutched my shoulders as I led us toward the cavern's entrance. The path was treacherous—rocks were loose, and debris from the earlier collapse littered the floor—but I moved as swiftly as possible, careful not to jostle him too much.
The shadows we had encountered before were gone, sealed away by the destruction of the humanoid. Still, every instinct in me screamed caution. I cast a faint light spell from my hand, illuminating the path ahead, but keeping it dim enough not to draw attention. Perhaps other shadowy figures were fighting each other and absorbing one another—but that also meant their power would increase.
Lucas groaned again, this time with more awareness. "Did… we…" His words trailed off as he looked around the cavern.
"We survived," I said simply. "But this mission… it was far beyond first-year difficulty. The Academy filtered it as moderate, but two students? Not possible without…" I paused, glancing at him. "…luck and timing."
He coughed softly, then smiled weakly. "Yeah… thanks to you, Elric."
We continued cautiously through the twisting tunnels, each step echoing off the stone walls. We reached a section where the ceiling sloped higher, and I knew we were nearing the exit.
Lucas said, "We didn't enter from here. The whole place is destroyed."
He was not wrong, but this route was shorter, so it was better.
Finally, daylight broke through a narrow fissure. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air. "I never thought we'd make it," he admitted, looking around at the forested area beyond the cavern mouth.
"Neither did I," I said, allowing a brief smile. "But we did. Now we report back, get our grades, and… maybe get a good night's sleep."
Lucas chuckled weakly, still pale but recovering. "Next time… I vote for a mission with fewer life-threatening surprises."
I laughed quietly, nodding. "Agreed." I helped him to his feet, and we walked slowly back. The journey was still long, but nothing compared to the horrors inside the cavern. Each step felt lighter now that the shadows were behind us.
---
When we returned, we were immediately met by a group of instructors. Their expressions were serious, some bordering on disbelief, as though they were trying to reconcile the report with what they had expected of first-year students.
Professor Kael stepped forward first, arms folded, eyes sharp. "Elric Lewin, Lucas Rivers… according to your report, the creatures you faced were far beyond what any first-year pair should handle." He paused, scanning the two of us carefully. "Tell me… was there any part of this mission that you exaggerated?"
I shook my head firmly. "No, Professor. Everything happened exactly as reported. The humanoid shadow absorbed the others, and it nearly overwhelmed us. We could only survive because of caution and cooperation."
Another instructor, a middle-aged mage named Professor Velric, stepped forward, brow furrowed. "This… this is beyond comprehension. The mission was categorized as 'moderate difficulty' for first-year students. Clearly, there has been an oversight in filtering."
Kael nodded. "Indeed. This situation is unacceptable. A mission of this level should never have been assigned to only two students. Not only does it endanger lives, but it undermines trust."
Professor Thane Edrich, swordsman and combat instructor, crossed his arms and gave a small nod. "And yet… both of you survived. That is commendable, though not wise." His eyes lingered on me, then Lucas. "Your tactics, cooperation, and improvisation under extreme pressure were impressive. You handled yourselves well… but this could have ended differently. I want a detailed account of the encounter, including every decision you made, so we can understand how first-year students achieved what should be impossible."
Professor Selene, a younger mage, sighed. "It's fortunate no other students were involved. If others had joined, the scale of casualties could have been catastrophic."
Kael addressed all of them, voice steady and authoritative. "This is a direct failure of oversight. I will personally ensure the missions are reclassified and provide better guidance. Additionally, I will convene a council to discuss whether any further missions need to be temporarily suspended until corrections are made."
He then turned to us. "As for your grades… considering the extraordinary circumstances and the risks you survived, your performance will be recognized. You demonstrated excellent judgment and capability under duress. That said, any misrepresentation of difficulty on your part will not be tolerated. Be honest in your reports."
I nodded. Lucas did the same, still catching his breath.
Thane added, "I will schedule a debriefing in the combat hall tomorrow. You'll explain your movements, strategy, and why you decided to engage and retreat at certain moments. This will serve as a lesson for all first-year students who may face dangerous situations in the future."
Velric muttered, more to himself than anyone else, "I still can't believe two first-years did this alone…"
Kael raised a hand. "Order, everyone. Let this be a reminder: even when students perform admirably, we must maintain strict standards. No first-year should ever be exposed to such life-threatening missions again."
Finally, after more instructions on paperwork and warnings about future safety, the teachers allowed us to leave. Lucas exhaled audibly once we were outside, eyes wide. "Elric… we actually lived through that… and the teachers didn't scold us?"
I smirked faintly. "Not scolded, no… but I'd say we've officially earned a reputation. They'll probably be watching us closely now."
Lucas shook his head, a grin forming despite exhaustion. "Yeah… I think 'first-years who nearly died on a moderate mission' is not how I wanted to be remembered."
---
Meanwhile, the professors acted quickly. A group of senior instructors—including Kael, Thane, and Velric—convened near the entrance to the mission area. They carried specialized equipment: wards, enchanted chains, containment crystals, and prepared offensive spells meant for high-level creatures.
Kael addressed the group sternly: "These shadow figures are not part of any first-year mission. They cannot be left unchecked. We'll need to neutralize or seal them before anyone else stumbles into this area."
Thane added grimly, "The humanoid shadow might have been just the tip of the iceberg. If the remaining entities are left unchecked, they could spread, absorbing lesser shadows and threatening nearby settlements."
Velric examined the area with a magical detection orb. "There's residual energy and traces of absorption. They've consolidated power in the deeper chamber. Standard containment might not be enough. I suggest combining binding magic with physical suppression. Kael, Thane, you lead the assault while I maintain containment spells."
Within an hour, the instructors entered the cavern. Kael's tactical knowledge ensured they avoided triggering the shadows unnecessarily. Thane coordinated physical suppression, using enchanted spears and swords to strike weak points while maintaining a defensive perimeter. Velric and other mages maintained complex runes on the walls, generating wards that prevented the shadows from moving beyond the chamber.
The remaining humanoid shadow, alone after absorbing the lesser shadows, moved with unnatural intelligence. It attempted to escape the containment runes, but Kael's precise attacks disrupted its motions. Thane's strikes targeted joints and energy points, weakening its form enough for Velric to finish the containment.
After a tense half-hour, the instructors successfully sealed the remaining shadows inside a magical containment orb, reinforced with multiple binding spells. Velric commented, "These should hold indefinitely, but we will need periodic inspections. The energy here is volatile; we cannot let it leak."
Kael nodded. "We'll submit this as an urgent case to the Adventurer's Guild. No mission should ever expose students to entities like these again. Patrol wards must be installed immediately to prevent accidental intrusion."
The containment orb glowed faintly, humming with absorbed shadow energy. By the time Elric and Lucas returned, the area had been fully secured. No trace of the shadows remained outside the orb, and the cavern was declared safe—but it was clear the incident had far exceeded the normal scope of first-year missions.
The containment orb was placed in a secure vault within the Academy, monitored constantly by advanced magical wards. Any attempt by the shadows to escape would trigger an alarm and automatic countermeasures. The professors documented the event thoroughly, both as a warning to the Guild and as a safety protocol for the Academy.