Lessons in the Dark
The chapel smelled of dust and ash, a heavy scent that clung to the bones of the building. The walls, cracked and blackened, whispered in the silence, as if the shadows themselves were listening.
Cael stood in the center, his cloak flowing like a river of night. "To fight the shadow, you must understand it. Fear is not your enemy, Elira. Ignorance is. Tonight, you will see what lies beneath the veil of this world."
Elira's pulse raced. She followed him into the deepest part of the chapel, where the floorboards groaned under her weight. Cael extended a hand, and the silver pendant on her chest flared.
Suddenly, the air thickened. Darkness peeled itself from the corners, forming shapes—twisted, humanoid, and writhing. Whispering voices filled the room, seductive, cruel.
"Focus," Cael said. "They will try to break you. The Ashen Master sends his scouts to test you. Watch carefully, Elira. See the light in the shadow, and remember it."
Elira closed her eyes. She breathed slowly, letting the warmth of her pendant wash through her. She saw visions—memories, but not her own entirely. A battlefield, ages past, where Watchers fought shadows in swirling storms of fire and ash. She felt their courage, their pain, their triumph… and their fear.
Opening her eyes, she saw the dark forms advancing. Heart pounding, she raised her hand, and silver light lanced out. Shadows hissed, recoiling, but never gone.
"You are ready," Cael said quietly. "Ready enough to touch the shadow, to feel its lies, and to survive."
But Elira knew she had only grazed the surface. The Ashen Master was still out there, waiting. Watching.
Night fell over Eldrin City, blanketing the streets in gray mist. Elira moved through the alleys, pendant glowing faintly, shadows skittering at the edges of her vision. This was her first mission alone: confront a corruption that had taken a young boy.
The memories returned again—faster this time. She saw herself, younger, standing in a forest of silver mist. A voice, familiar and ancient, whispered: "The Veil chooses, but the burden remains."
Ahead, a shadow coalesced into the shape of a boy, his eyes wide, glowing red with possession. The darkness pulsed around him like a living thing, trying to seep into Elira's mind. She felt panic clawing at her.
"Hold your faith," Cael's voice echoed in her memory. "Light does not come from fear. It comes from what you are willing to protect."
Elira stepped forward. She placed a hand over the pendant. Silver light poured out, wrapping the boy, pushing the shadows back. He screamed, a sound like breaking glass, then fell silent.
The darkness fought, whispering lies into her mind, threatening her very soul. You are alone… you cannot save him… you are nothing.
And yet… she held the light. The shadow shrieked, fractured, and vanished into a haze of ash. The boy collapsed into her arms, trembling but alive.
Elira exhaled. Her hands shook. Her heart raced. She realized, with a chill, that this was only the beginning. The Ashen Master was out there, building his army, and the city itself was a battlefield she could barely see.
The Veil had chosen her. And now, she was truly awake.