Volume 2 Chapter 4: The Veil Of Mystery Lifts

The wind was cold, and an eerie silence had settled over the forest. The usual sounds of nature had vanished, replaced by an unsettling stillness. Lorien and Eris stood before the kneeling man, whose face was pale with terror.

His eyes were wide and lifeless, his lips trembling as he barely managed to whisper:

"Run… It's here…"

Eris frowned, gripping her sword tightly. "Who is here?"

But the man had no strength left to answer. His head fell to the side, motionless.

Lorien took a deep breath. "If he didn't just faint from fear, then I think he's dead."

Eris shot him an annoyed look. "Is this normal for you?"

Lorien shrugged. "Making logical observations in tense moments is my specialty."

At that moment, the shadows in the forest moved.

But it wasn't a normal movement—it wasn't the wind rustling the branches or a creature lurking in the night. No, this was different. The shadows themselves were shifting.

And then, a cold voice seeped into their bones:

"You… annoying insects…"

Lorien's hair stood on end. His instincts screamed that this was no ordinary enemy.

Eris raised her sword, scanning the area. "Any idea what the hell that is?"

Lorien quickly went over his knowledge of spells. "If my guess is right, this thing is entirely made of shadow… Meaning physical attacks won't harm it."

Eris hesitated for a split second before resting her sword on her shoulder, rolling her eyes. "Would've been nice to know that a minute ago."

Because just seconds earlier, she had swung her sword at the creature with full force—only for it to pass right through.

The shadowy entity tilted its head slightly as if amused by the failed attack.

Lorien furrowed his brows. "I've seen something like this before. Shadow beings aren't affected by physical attacks. But light magic—"

Before he could finish, the shadow suddenly shifted and lunged at them like a bolt of darkness.

Eris barely managed to dodge at the last second. Lorien, meanwhile, had already begun chanting.

"Lux Luminis—"

But he made a mistake.

He said the wrong word.

As a result, instead of summoning a powerful light spell, only a faint glow appeared in his palm.

The shadow creature, despite having no eyes, seemed to give him a condescending look.

Eris stared at him in disbelief for a moment, then smacked her forehead. "Seriously?"

Lorien coughed awkwardly. "I'd do it right if I weren't so nervous, okay?"

Eris grumbled as she lifted her sword again. "Think you can get it right on the second try?"

But they might not get a second chance.

Because the shadow moved again.

This time, it was much faster. Lorien tried to cast a shield spell, but the shadow was quicker.

It crashed into him—passing right through his body.

For a brief moment, Lorien's entire body froze.

All his senses shut down. His breath caught in his throat, and his mind became hazy. Something dark and foreign seeped into him, a chilling sensation spreading through his core.

For a moment, he thought it was the end.

Then, he heard Eris' voice, shouting:

"LORIEN! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

And suddenly, the darkness vanished.

Lorien collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. His body was still trembling, the cold lingering in his bones. But at least… he was still conscious.

Eris crouched beside him, eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

Lorien's voice was weak as he muttered, "I think I never want to fight shadow creatures again."

But they didn't have time to rest.

Because the shadow was reforming.

This time, it rose higher, its form growing larger and more menacing.

And Lorien realized what it was doing.

It was casting a dark spell.

Eris saw it too. "It's preparing something. What do we do?"

Lorien took a deep breath. This time, he had to get it right.

He lifted his hands, closed his eyes, and this time, spoke the words perfectly:

"Lux Luminis!"

And light exploded around them.

A blinding radiance filled the forest. The brightness momentarily erased the darkness, and the shadow creature let out an agonizing shriek.

Its form trembled as its body began to disintegrate.

Eris narrowed her eyes, watching carefully. "Are we actually… winning?"

Lorien was breathless. "I think—"

But at that moment, they heard the shadow's final words:

"This is only… the beginning…"

And then, it vanished completely.

Silence fell over the forest.

For a while, Lorien and Eris didn't move.

Finally, Eris sheathed her sword and shook her head. "That was one of the weirdest things I've ever experienced."

Lorien nodded. "I completely agree."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, Lorien exhaled deeply and said, "Well, I guess the mission is complete?"

Eris looked at him. "If you ask me, this isn't over."

Lorien felt the same. The shadow's last words sent a shiver down his spine.

But for now… at least they were alive.

And that was a start.