CHAPTER FORTY THREE: SHADOWS ASCEND

Helen sat rigidly in her office, her hands resting on the desk, fingers curled just enough to leave faint imprints on the polished wood. Outside the window, the night stretched endlessly, thick with silence, but her thoughts refused to settle. The flickering candlelight cast shifting patterns across the room, but she barely noticed.

Selena was strong. But was she strong enough?

Helen exhaled slowly, pressing her lips together. Sage Henri wasn't just any opponent. He was a force of nature, a legend whose strength defied logic. She had seen him fight before—his movements effortless, his techniques overwhelming. What chance did her daughter truly have?

Her fingers twitched. The weight of her own helplessness pressed against her chest, but she forced herself to remain still. She was the Headmistress. She couldn't afford to fall apart.

Then, a shift.

The air in the room tightened, charged with something dark and suffocating. Helen's breath hitched. A pulse of energy slithered through the walls, thick and raw, making the hairs on her arms rise. It carried the unmistakable essence of her daughter—but there was something else laced within it. Something volatile.

Her pulse quickened. She clenched her jaw, fighting the urge to stand. Her body screamed for action, but there was nothing she could do.

Her eyes flickered to the heavy wooden doors of her office, half-expecting someone to burst in with news. But the halls remained silent.

Was this surge of power a sign that Selena had pushed past her limits? Or was it the desperate flaring of a candle about to be snuffed out?

Helen didn't know. And the not knowing was unbearable.

Back in the chamber, a slow, pulsing energy expanded outward, thick and oppressive, coiling around the battlefield like an unseen predator. The once-still shadows along the walls twisted and writhed, dragged toward the center of the room as if drawn by an overwhelming force. The torches that lined the chamber flickered violently, their flames straining against an unseen pressure, barely clinging to life.

Sage Henri stood in the eye of the storm, unmoving. His golden eyes gleamed with intrigue as he watched the figure before him stir.

Selena, bloodied and battered, lay on her hands and knees. Her breaths came shallow and ragged, her entire body trembling under the weight of her injuries. Yet, despite it all, she was rising.

A deep crack split the stone beneath her palms as her fingers dug into the floor. Shadows slithered toward her like rivers drawn to their source, wrapping around her frame, surging beneath her skin. The black aura that had once seeped from her unmoving body now flared violently, no longer leaking—now surging.

The temperature in the chamber plummeted. The pressure of her presence pressed down like an unseen hand, making the air itself feel heavier, suffocating. Outside, beyond the chamber walls, those sensitive to energy felt it—felt the shift, the sheer force rolling off her in waves.

Selena pushed herself fully upright. Blood dripped from her lips, her body screaming in protest, but her expression was unreadable. Her once-deep violet eyes now gleamed a shade darker, like the abyss itself had taken root within them.

Sage Henri smiled.

"Ah," he mused, rolling his shoulders. "So, you're finally standing again?"

Selena exhaled slowly, her breath curling in the cold air. The storm was far from over.

The shadows obeyed.

Like ink drawn into water, they bled toward her—slowly at first, then with growing urgency. The thick tendrils of darkness that had coiled and danced along the chamber walls slithered across the ground, converging toward a single point: her shadow. The very air trembled with the pull of her power.

Selena stood still, her chest rising and falling in steady breaths. The black aura that had once spilled from her in reckless waves was now controlled, drawn inward. It seeped into her body, vanishing beneath her feet, consumed by the ever-deepening abyss of her own shadow.

Then, silence.

The tension hung thick, stretching out until—

A sudden gust of wind erupted from beneath her, violent and wild. Dust and debris scattered across the chamber as the force of her power surged outward. The flames lining the walls flickered furiously, nearly snuffed out by the sheer pressure in the room.

And from the abyss of her shadow, something stirred.

A deep, resonating hum filled the chamber, low and commanding, as an object rose from the swirling darkness at her feet. It hovered beside her, weightless yet exuding undeniable power.

The Scepter of the Remmick Bloodline.

Black as midnight, its surface pulsed with ancient energy, thin streaks of violet light running along its length like veins of raw power. It hovered at her side, waiting. A weapon bound to her will, to her command.

Selena's fingers twitched.

Then, with purpose, she reached out.

The moment her fingers wrapped around the scepter, the entire chamber shook. A final, resounding gust exploded outward, forcing even Henri to take a step back as the force rippled through the space.

Selena lifted her head, her grip firm, her blood-red eyes locking onto her opponent with renewed intensity.

Sage Henri's sharp eyes flickered to the scepter, recognition flashing across his face. He had seen that weapon countless times before—gripped firmly in Helen's hands, wielded with grace and power.

But now… now it belonged to Selena.

A slow smile crept onto his lips, something between amusement and approval. He let out a short chuckle, rolling his neck as he assessed the young woman before him. "So, the scepter finally recognizes you," he mused, his voice carrying a tinge of nostalgia. "I've seen your mother use it more times than I can count… but seeing it in your hands? That's something new."

His expression shifted, the humor fading just slightly as his stance adjusted, weight shifting onto the balls of his feet. The air between them crackled with energy.

A deep, resonant hum filled the chamber as Sage Henri extended his hand. From the shifting darkness around him, a staff materialized—its form ancient yet pristine, pulsing with raw power. Unlike Selena's scepter, which radiated authority and control, this weapon exuded something deeper, something far more ominous. The air thickened, heavy with the presence of something legendary.

The staff was forged of an obsidian-like material, its surface sleek yet rugged, as though it had been shaped by centuries of battle. Deep violet veins ran along its length, pulsing with an eerie glow, as if the staff itself was alive, responding to its wielder's call. The weight of it sent a dull tremor through the ground when Henri planted it firmly, his fingers tightening around its shaft with practiced ease.

He smirked, twirling the staff effortlessly before slamming its base onto the ground. A pulse of darkness rippled outward. "A weapon as powerful as the one you wield deserves a matching counterpart," he said smoothly, his smirk widening. "That's why I've called forth mine—Umbrafang."

The name carried weight, rolling off his tongue like a whispered legend. The chamber itself seemed to react, the surrounding shadows bending toward the staff as if drawn to its immense presence. Henri rested it over his shoulder, his gaze locking onto Selena's.

"Let's see which weapon stands supreme."

A moment of absolute stillness filled the chamber. The weight of their weapons alone had altered the atmosphere, pressing down on every shadow cast within the walls. Then, like a spark igniting an inferno, they moved.

Selena struck first. With a surge of power, she spun her scepter, the weapon crackling as it extended her will into the darkness. She lunged, shadows twisting around her form, her movements sharp and precise. A downward swing sent a cascading wave of darkness hurtling toward Henri, sharp as a blade and swift as the wind.

Henri countered with ease, lifting Umbrafang and slamming it into the ground. A pulse of deep violet erupted outward, swallowing Selena's attack into its abyss. Before she could recover, he shifted, his staff spinning in his hands like an extension of himself. A flick of his wrist, and tendrils of raw shadow lashed toward Selena like whips, cracking through the air.

Selena twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the first strike. The second grazed her shoulder, a searing cold burning through her nerves. Gritting her teeth, she raised her scepter high and slammed it downward. The moment it connected with the chamber floor, a shockwave erupted, the ground cracking as dozens of shadow spikes shot upward in every direction.

Henri leapt, spinning midair, his staff twirling in his grasp like a storm. With a single swing, a wave of concentrated force descended upon the spikes, shattering them into dust. But Selena was already there, appearing above him in a burst of speed, her scepter coated in dense, crackling shadows. She struck downward with all her might.

Their weapons met.

The collision was cataclysmic. A deafening explosion of dark energy erupted between them, the sheer force of it distorting the air, cracking the walls, and shaking the chamber to its core. Shadows clashed violently, intertwining and rebelling against one another, twisting into unnatural forms before dispersing into nothingness.

Henri grinned, pushing against the force. "Not bad," he mused, his tone light despite the pressure bearing down on him. "But you're still hesitating."

Selena's eyes burned, her grip tightening. She pushed harder, willing her scepter to overcome his staff. But then Henri shifted his footing, and in an instant, he was behind her.

A sharp jab to her ribs sent her staggering forward. Henri followed through, spinning Umbrafang around and slamming the blunt end against her back. The impact sent her crashing into the ground, her scepter skidding across the floor.

Selena gasped, rolling onto her side, but before she could rise, Henri planted his staff against her shoulder, pinning her in place. His expression was unreadable.

"Power means nothing without control," he said, his voice lower now, almost... disappointed. "And control is nothing without instinct."

Selena's body trembled with pain, frustration burning deep within her chest. But beneath it all, something stirred—a realization, a truth clawing its way to the surface.

A deep, shuddering breath escaped Selena's lips as she lay beneath the weight of Henri's staff. Pain clawed at her body, her limbs screaming for rest, but she refused to yield. Her fingers twitched, reaching for her scepter just out of reach, but Henri pressed down slightly, a silent warning.

"You're forcing your power," Henri continued, his voice calm yet firm. "You wield the shadows as if they're mere tools, but they are more than that. They are alive, they flow, they shift—"

Before he could finish, Selena's eyes flickered with determination. A faint ripple coursed through the ground beneath them. Shadows, subtle and unnoticed, slithered like ink, spreading from her body. Then, without warning, they erupted.

The chamber shook as tendrils of pure darkness surged upward, striking with the ferocity of a beast unleashed. Henri leapt back just in time to avoid being ensnared, flipping midair as Selena's shadows coiled around the spot he had been standing, crushing the ground beneath them.

Selena shot up, her body fueled by raw determination. Her scepter flew back into her grasp as the darkness around her pulsed violently. The entire chamber seemed to tremble in response to her rising power.

Henri landed smoothly, his grip tightening around Umbrafang. He exhaled, watching the shadows writhe around his opponent. Finally, he thought, she's listening.

Selena wasn't forcing the shadows anymore. She wasn't bending them to her will—she was moving with them.

She surged forward, faster than before. This time, her attacks were fluid, her movements precise. Her scepter became an extension of herself, guiding the shadows like a conductor leading a grand symphony. She lashed out, sending a Shadow Blast toward Henri, but instead of merely launching the attack, she let it bend, shift—changing its trajectory mid-air.

Henri barely had time to react. The blast struck his side, sending him skidding across the chamber. For the first time, he let out a grunt of approval.

But he wasn't done either.

He twirled Umbrafang, and the staff sang—a deep, resonant hum that sent chills through the air. The shadows around Henri obeyed in an instant, rising and twisting like a tidal wave before crashing down toward Selena with devastating force.

Selena didn't back down. She swung her scepter, and the shadows beneath her split open, swallowing her whole before reappearing behind Henri in an instant.

Henri turned just as she struck. Their weapons clashed once more, but this time, Selena wasn't losing ground. She met his strength with her own, her body pushing past its limits.

Henri grinned through the clash. "That's it," he muttered. "Now, show me more!"

With a powerful thrust, he pushed her back and leapt into the air, raising Umbrafang high. The entire chamber seemed to bend under his will, shadows shifting unnaturally, converging above him into a massive, condensed sphere of absolute darkness.

Selena's breath hitched. She could feel it—this wasn't just an attack. This was an endgame move.

A challenge.

Her grip on her scepter tightened, her own shadows flaring wildly around her. She could barely stand, barely breathe, but she refused to fall.

Henri's sharp gaze flickered to Selena's shoulder, noting the way her shadow pulsed and expanded, growing darker, heavier—denser. It wasn't just following her command anymore; it was evolving, adapting to her emotions, her will.

He exhaled through his nose, a smirk playing at his lips. Impressive.

"She's feeding off the fight," he muttered under his breath, gripping Umbrafang tighter.

Selena's breath was ragged, sweat trailing down her temple, but the fire in her eyes only burned brighter. She could feel it—her power surging, growing with every second. The weight of her scepter no longer felt burdensome; it felt like an extension of herself.

Henri rolled his shoulders, flexing his fingers as he observed her stance. "You learn fast," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Your shadow… it's not just growing—it's thickening, becoming something more." His expression darkened with intrigue. "If I keep pushing you… what will it become?"

Selena didn't answer with words. Instead, she lifted her scepter, and the chamber responded. The very air seemed to vibrate as her darkness deepened, shadows rippling outward in slow, ominous waves. The once flickering torches along the walls now barely emitted light, consumed by the abyss radiating from her body.

Henri's grin widened. "Good."

He twirled Umbrafang, its deep hum reverberating through the chamber. "Let's see how far you can take it."

And with that, he vanished into the shadows.

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