Dodging arrows, it became easier to change back and forth to the shadow form. But regardless, the toil didn't change one bit. But something in me knew that wasn't all it could do, what if i could replicate it on another object and not jut myself. I fell to the ground, my head was pounding, just managing to keep this up was enough to wear me out, the thought of doing that on another object was nothing less than terrifying. I walked out of the room, the instructor was already halfway asleep. I switched off everything and left. Glancing at mg phone, i was shocked by the time it was 11: 30 pm. Yet i wasn't that tired, just worn out a little. I heard sounds of movement coming from the combact class from earlier, when i got to the door, i felt it again, that feeling i felt from that girl from the academy's gate. She was practicing , she held a long sword which looked really heavy but was gracious. Her foot work was nothing short but beautiful. But her strikes were terrifying, a single one was able to kill a veiled monster in an instant . Not wanting to stay a second later , i left for the dorm.
---
[Right after night left]
The girl still moved, when she stopped, with sweat dripping to the ground, she whispered:
"Its him, right"
---
Months passed, night's routine became chaotic, from moving through history classes, to the BioLife and combact. Not to mention, he made sure to keep working on his shadow traits. And on special days, he stayed in the library, writing down every useful info he could get, the journal was basically endless so he had mo worries about it ending.
Right after that was over he went to the training room.
Absorbing all the shadows in the room. He entered the testing room.
The moment arrows shot at him, their shadows wrapped around them, and seeped into his palm. Learning that took him more than three months, yet he could only manage to at a time. It was an efficient method, but the problem was if, the items were released in an hour, they just vanished without a trace.
Now that was done, he could finally finish his sparring classes.
---
Night was in the ring, holding a Sword and standing right opposite from his opponent, the moment the bell rang, the match was over, his blade easily by- passed his opponents. It was another trick he picked up, took of the blind fold and with an unexpected smirk , he finally finished the class after three months of constant sparring, he could finally move on.
The sun set and night made his way to his room. He had an worried expression, he was happy about the changes but all of it felt foreign, deep down in his heart, he knew he didn't deserve it. But he shrugged it off. He was bound to change, no matter what.
---
That night, night found an unexpected page among one of the books he had written he found in the library.
The shadow attribute, it wasn't consider much because, only when a seeker fails to actually unlock their attribute does it appear. It only shows that their affinity is very low and the more it grows the closer they are to unlocking their main attribute.
It wasn't actually an attribute, but a sign of growth.
And the part that shocked him the most, was...
The unawakened attributed was likely to be unusable.
It wasn't that he was scared, but he still felt like his hope was going to be destroyed, but still he couldn't give up no matter what.
---
The next day, night's routine circle was finally broken, every seeker was gathered and split. That day marked the sixth month since he arrived and that meant , his time was running low. Then an instructor led us towards the part of the academy we weren't normally supposed to go to. We got to a large building and slowly, everyone were led into the building. When i entered inside, i felt my stomach, turn. There were pods , and each one, a human was inside, someone whispered.
"A life support pod"
Then we were led through and deeper into the building, this time we were going underground.
Unlike the upper floor, there tombs everywhere, with patterns all over them, and then the instructor said with a stern voice.
'If you die in the scape, nothing can bring you back, because what dies isn't your body but your soul, your soul can't be revived even. by divinity. And if you're lucky, you die peacefully, but if your not you become a dread gate. Your death would ruin some many more lives. That is why you must live, although these tombs are engraved with seal marks, you will forever remain in this dark place, your lives aren't worthless like they used to be , being chosen, was the same thing was the same thing as becoming test subject, if it fails, you die and if its succeeds you live.
Regardless of how we feel, how lives aren't just ours anymore, because one wrong move could wipe us all out. Either way you have to make a choice ,to survive or to die. But death is always near'.
He stopped and were were dismissed, except for the sorrowful mood around the academy, nothing really changed.
---
Night was at the roof top of his dorm, it was winter and it marked the ninth month since he arrived at the academy, which meant, there were only two months before the blood moon. The day every marked seekers soul would be shoved into the maws of the scape.
He was cold, but his heart was a flame. a lot of things had changed, his abilities, knowledge and mindset. He made a friend and discovered things he never had interest in before. But he still felt hollow. A thought wandered through his mind, if people died easily in the scape, how sure was he that he would survive. How could he live if everyone around him died. He stared at his hand and smelt it.
I could feel its scent, the scent of blood, it never really left his hands, not even once since that day.
Runes appeared in front of him, they went his , but described something that made him shiver more than the cold.
[A task as appeared]
[Kill the guardian of the gate]
[Reward: ???]
He hadn't received one since his trial, but that wasn't what scared him. A large explosion sent tremors into the ground.
A dread gate had appeared .