Chapter 5 :Rise of the Shadowbearer

Elric stood alone in the aftermath of the battle, the air in the chamber heavy with silence. The Void Echo still pulsed faintly within him, a cold reminder of the power he had just absorbed. The sharp edges of his shadow had softened, coiling around his feet like an obedient beast. His breaths came shallow, his body still trembling from the fight.

The Abyss was quiet, but it was never truly still. Faint whispers tugged at the edges of his consciousness, as if the darkness itself were alive, observing, judging.

"One step closer," the voice from the Void murmured within him again. It wasn't Sarath's voice—it was something else, something older and far more insidious.

Elric clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms. He wasn't sure what was worse: the voice or the cold comfort of the shadow that had saved him.

The chamber's walls shifted, the runes along the pillars glowing faintly. A low rumble echoed as a pathway opened ahead, leading deeper into the Abyss. Elric's gaze lingered on the path for a moment, his mind screaming at him to turn back. But he knew there was no going back. The door that had sealed behind him was gone, swallowed by the black stone.

He tightened his grip on his blade, now dull and nicked from the fight. "Keep moving," he muttered to himself. "You're not done yet."

---

The new corridor was narrow and suffocating, the air damp and thick. The ground beneath his feet was uneven, and the faint light that emanated from his shadow cast jagged shapes on the walls. As he walked, the whispers grew louder, not words but emotions—curiosity, hunger, anticipation.

The further he went, the more the environment changed. The stone gave way to strange, blackened roots that pulsed faintly, as if alive. They crawled along the walls and ceiling, emitting an eerie, violet glow. Elric could feel them watching him, their presence pressing against his mind.

His shadow rippled in response, a protective barrier that seemed to ward off the roots. For now.

---

After what felt like hours, the corridor widened into another chamber, this one smaller and more contained. At its center was a pedestal, atop which rested a black crystal, jagged and unnatural, faintly pulsing with light. Surrounding it were four figures, their forms half-submerged in the ground as if frozen in mid-motion.

Elric approached cautiously, his instincts screaming danger. The figures were humanoid but distorted—each one bore elongated limbs, hollow eyes, and mouths stretched into silent screams. Their bodies were encased in a strange, glass-like substance, and their forms seemed to shimmer with an inner darkness.

"The guardians," the voice whispered in his mind. "The crystal is a fragment of truth. To claim it, you must free them… and face their wrath."

Elric frowned. He didn't like the sound of that.

He circled the pedestal, studying the figures. There were no weapons in their hands, no immediate signs of movement. But the Abyss had taught him one thing: nothing here was what it seemed.

The black crystal called to him, its hum resonating in his chest. He could feel its pull, like an extension of the Void Echo within him. Whatever it was, it wasn't just power—it was knowledge.

"You'll kill me if I touch that, won't you?" he muttered, glancing at the frozen figures.

The shadows at his feet stirred, as if urging him forward.

With a resigned sigh, Elric stepped closer to the pedestal. His hand hovered over the crystal, the air around it icy cold. The whispers in his head grew louder, chaotic, drowning out his thoughts.

"Take it."

The moment his fingers brushed the surface of the crystal, the chamber erupted with motion.

---

The glass encasing the figures shattered, and they screamed—high, piercing wails that rattled the very stone. The creatures moved with unnatural speed, their distorted limbs bending at impossible angles as they lunged at him.

Elric jumped back, his blade already in his hand. His shadow reacted instinctively, lashing out at the nearest figure. The tendrils wrapped around its elongated arm, but the creature tore through them with a screech, its claws swiping at Elric.

He ducked and rolled, his instincts sharper than ever. His claws of shadow formed again, darker and more jagged than before. He slashed at the second figure, the impact sending it skidding across the floor.

But they didn't stay down.

One by one, the creatures recovered, their hollow eyes glowing with an unnatural light. They moved in unison, circling him like predators.

Elric's breaths came quick and shallow. This wasn't like fighting Sarath—these things were fast, erratic, and unrelenting. His shadow lashed out again and again, keeping them at bay, but the effort was draining.

"You cannot fight them all," the voice in his mind said, calm and cruel. "Use what you have claimed. Command them."

Elric hesitated. Command them? Was that even possible?

The Void Echo within him pulsed, and his shadow surged outward, coiling around the pedestal and the black crystal. The creatures froze for a moment, their hollow eyes locking onto him.

"Show them who you are," the voice urged.

Gritting his teeth, Elric focused on the power within him. The shadows responded, wrapping around the creatures like chains. They thrashed and screamed, but Elric held firm, his will bending the shadows to his command.

"You obey me now," he growled, his voice laced with the unnatural resonance of the Abyss.

The creatures stilled, their glowing eyes dimming. One by one, they bowed, their distorted forms kneeling before him.

---

The chamber fell silent once more, the oppressive weight of the Abyss pressing down on Elric. He released a shaky breath, his shadow retreating to its normal form.

The black crystal hovered before him, its glow softer now, almost gentle. He reached for it again, and this time, there was no resistance.

As he grasped the crystal, a wave of cold energy surged through him, bringing with it fragmented images—visions of the Abyss, the Wardens, and something far greater. The Lightstones, the Void, the curse—they were all connected, threads in a web he couldn't yet untangle.

But one thing was clear: he was a part of this, bound to the Abyss in ways he was only beginning to understand.

"The Abyss has claimed you, Elric," the voice said, softer now. "And you have claimed it in return. The truth lies deeper still."

Elric tightened his grip on the crystal, his resolve hardening.

"Then I'll find it," he said, his voice steady. "No matter what it takes."

End of Chapter 5