Shadow Beast

The morning light spilled through the windows of the grand palace, illuminating the training grounds below. Morvane stretched, his body aching from the relentless pace Crimson set for their sessions. The past few weeks had become a pattern: train, eat, rest, and repeat. Occasionally, he'd break the monotony by speaking with Medas or visiting his grandmother in the quieter parts of the palace.

Today, however, something felt... different.

"Focus!" Crimson barked, bringing Morvane back to the present. They were in the middle of a sparring exercise, wooden weapons clashing as they moved in sync. Crimson's eyes were sharp, his movements precise, leaving Morvane barely able to keep up.

Just as he prepared to counter an incoming strike, Morvane froze. His gaze drifted past Crimson, locking onto a familiar figure standing at the edge of the grounds. Hiraya. Her ethereal form glowed faintly, her eyes filled with an emotion Morvane couldn't quite place.

"Crimson," Morvane whispered, lowering his weapon. "Do you see her?"

"See who?" Crimson asked, turning his head briefly.

"Hiraya… she's—"

But when Morvane looked back, she was gone, dissolving into the air like smoke in the wind.

Crimson frowned. "Focus, Morvane. Distractions will cost you in battle."

Morvane nodded, though his heart was still racing. At the edge of the training grounds, Medas stood silently, leaning against a stone pillar. His dark eyes followed Morvane with an intensity that was hard to ignore, as if he had seen something he shouldn't have.

The training resumed, but Morvane's thoughts were elsewhere.

Later that afternoon, while practicing weapon techniques, Morvane made a careless move. The knife in his hand slipped, nicking his palm. Blood welled up, bright and stark against his pale skin.

"Are you alright?" Crimson was at his side instantly, inspecting the wound.

"It's nothing," Morvane assured him, wrapping his hand with a strip of cloth.

The moment he finished speaking, the air around them grew colder. A low, guttural growl echoed from the shadows. Both men turned to see the source: the shadowy wolf-like monster Morvane had seen in the city days ago.

It stepped out of the darkness, its eyes glowing like embers. Its body seemed to shift and ripple, smoke-like tendrils trailing from its limbs.

"Get behind me," Crimson ordered, unsheathing his twin katanas. He stood firm, a wall of defense between Morvane and the creature.

The battle was swift and brutal. Crimson moved like a storm, his blades cutting through the monster again and again, but it was futile. Each strike passed through the beast as though slicing air.

"Why won't it fall?" Crimson growled, his voice laced with frustration.

Morvane's mind raced. He remembered the last time he faced this creature—the way it had obeyed him when he raised his hands. Desperation clawing at his thoughts, he stepped forward, ignoring Crimson's shout of protest.

Slowly, he raised his hands.

The creature froze mid-attack. Its fiery eyes locked onto Morvane, and its posture shifted. Instead of lunging, it sat back on its haunches, its massive head bowing low like a tamed animal awaiting commands.

Crimson stared in stunned silence, his blades still at the ready.

"What… did you do?" he finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Morvane didn't know how to answer. All he knew was that something within him had shifted—something powerful and terrifying.

The shadowy beast sat motionless at Morvane's feet, its glowing eyes still fixed on him. The silence was heavy, broken only by the sound of Morvane's uneven breathing. Crimson slowly lowered his blades, his stance still guarded.

"Who's there?" Crimson suddenly demanded, his sharp gaze darting to a figure stepping from behind a nearby pillar.

It was Medas. He walked forward with an air of calm confidence, his eyes never leaving Morvane. "So, it's true," he said softly, almost to himself. "You truly are the same as Hiraya."

"What are you talking about?" Crimson asked, his grip tightening on the hilt of his swords. "And why is that thing following his command?"

Medas stopped a few paces away, his expression unreadable. "That 'thing' is not just a random beast. It's a shadow beast, bound to Morvane. Just as Hiraya's shadow beast was bound to her."

"Hiraya?" Morvane's voice trembled slightly as he glanced between Medas and the creature. "What do you mean? Is this… part of my curse? My so-called power?"

"Yes," Medas said simply, crossing his arms. "Shadow beasts are drawn to those like you and Hiraya. This one has chosen you. It will serve as your companion, a protector summoned from the shadows whenever you're hurt." He tilted his head slightly, his tone becoming thoughtful. "Hiraya's shadow beast was a crow. Yours, it seems, has taken a different form. But the bond is the same."

Morvane stared at the beast, its smoky form eerily still.

"So… this thing will protect me? Like it did just now?"

Medas nodded. "Yes. It's tied to you, responding to your pain, your will. Just as Hiraya's did for her."

Crimson's frown deepened. "Why didn't you say anything about this before, Medas?"

"I had to be sure," Medas replied, his gaze steady. "The bond is rare. And dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Morvane echoed, his heart sinking.

Medas sighed, looking at the shadow beast. "This power can be a gift or a curse, Morvane. It depends on how you use it—and how much control you have over it. For now, it seems the beast trusts you. But that trust must be earned."

Morvane's hands trembled slightly as he lowered them. The shadow beast shifted, its form dissolving into dark wisps before fading completely.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this," Morvane admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Medas gave him a small, almost cryptic smile. "You'll have to be. The shadows don't wait for anyone."

Crimson stepped forward, his protective instincts still on high alert. "We'll figure this out. Together."

Morvane nodded, though the weight of what had just been revealed settled heavily on his shoulders. As Medas turned to leave, Morvane called after him.

"Medas… was Hiraya afraid of her shadow beast?"

Medas paused, his expression unreadable. "No," he said after a moment. "But she feared what it made her capable of."

With that, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving Morvane and Crimson alone with the echoes of his words.

The weight of the moment lingered as Medas stepped closer, his usual aloof demeanor giving way to a quiet authority. "That's enough training for today," he declared. "Morvane, come with me. There's something you need to see."

Crimson, still wary, sheathed his swords and followed without hesitation. "I'm coming too," he said, his tone firm.

Medas didn't object, leading the two through the winding corridors of the palace. The air grew cooler the deeper they went, the halls dimly lit by flickering torches. Eventually, they arrived at a door engraved with intricate runes. Medas pushed it open, revealing a room lined with ancient artifacts and strange objects.

At the center of the room stood a tall, glass-like statue. Inside, a dark, feathered form was suspended, frozen in time. It was a crow, its wings partially spread as if caught mid-flight.

"This," Medas began, gesturing to the figure, "is the shadow beast of Hiraya."

Morvane stepped closer, his breath catching as he observed the frozen creature. Its eyes seemed to glow faintly, even through the glass. "How… how is this possible? What happened to it?"

"It looks like a spell," Crimson said, his sharp eyes scanning the statue.

Medas nodded slowly. "You're correct. And I was the one who cast it."

Morvane turned to him, confusion and shock written across his face. "You… trapped her shadow beast? Why?"

Medas's expression darkened as he folded his arms.

"Because it had to be done. The crow whispered things to Hiraya—things that twisted her thoughts, made her different. Its influence grew stronger over time, and it became impossible for her to control."

Crimson's gaze flickered between Medas and the statue. "So, you're saying these beasts can corrupt their masters?"

"Not all," Medas replied, his voice heavy. "But some. Hiraya's shadow beast wasn't just a protector. It was cunning, manipulative. It fed on her doubts, her fears, until she wasn't the same person anymore."

Morvane stared at the crow, a sinking feeling settling in his chest. "Is that going to happen to me?"

Medas stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "That depends on you. Shadow beasts are reflections of their masters. If your mind is strong, if your will is unshakable, the beast will remain loyal. But if you let it feed on your darker thoughts…" He trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.

Crimson placed a hand on Morvane's shoulder. "You're not alone in this. We'll make sure it doesn't come to that."

Medas's expression softened slightly. "For now, remember this: the shadow beast is a part of you, but it doesn't define you. You decide who you are, not the whispers of the shadows."

Morvane nodded, though the sight of the frozen crow remained etched in his mind. As they left the room, the weight of Medas's words stayed with him, a reminder of the fine line he now walked between power and peril.