CHAPTER 7 SUMMIT OF SILENCE

Legacy of Shadows – Chapter 7: Summit of Silence

The ascent to the Summit of Silence was grueling.

Kael, Cynthia, and Gengar trudged up the narrow mountain trail, the air thinning with each step. Towering cliffs surrounded them, veiled in mist. Snow flurries danced in the wind like whispers of forgotten memories. Mt. Coronet had always held a certain mystique—but this part of it, the summit that didn't appear on any map, felt wrong.

Silent. Still. Sacred.

"It's said that the Summit of Silence exists between worlds," Cynthia explained, pulling her coat tighter. "The closer you get to it, the further you step from reality. That's why so few ever find it—and fewer still return."

Kael didn't answer. His focus was on the pressure in his chest—the sensation that the shadows were growing heavier, coiling tighter around his heart.

As they rounded a bend, the mist suddenly cleared. Before them stood an enormous stone staircase carved into the mountain itself. At its peak loomed an obsidian archway inscribed with ancient Unown symbols. A thick aura of energy pulsed around it.

The gate to the Summit of Silence.

Kael hesitated at the first step. "Once we go through… there's no turning back, is there?"

Cynthia placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You were chosen, Kael. Not because you're perfect—but because you have the strength to choose your own path. Ready?"

He nodded.

Together, they stepped through the arch.

Inside the Summit – The Shattered Sanctuary

The world changed the moment they crossed.

The sky was no longer blue—it was a dull, endless gray, heavy with static. The air was still, but every sound echoed unnaturally. They stood in a vast stone plaza, broken pillars and crumbled ruins scattered around them. Black flame torches lined the edges, flickering with unnatural light.

And in the center was a massive stone platform, glowing faintly. A throne sat upon it—shaped from onyx and bone. It was empty.

"This place," Kael whispered. "It feels… ancient."

Cynthia nodded. "The sanctuary of the first Shadowbearer. The one who passed the original Trials."

Kael stepped forward, feeling drawn to the throne. As he neared it, the stone platform lit up beneath his feet—symbols forming a circle of energy around him. Gengar hovered protectively at his side.

Then, a voice rang out.

"Welcome, Kael of the Veiled Flame."

Kael flinched. "Who's there?"

A figure emerged from the far side of the ruins. Tall. Cloaked in white, their mask etched with the same spiral mark of Nihility.

"I am the Arbiter of Shadows," the figure said. "The Trials begin now."

Kael stood tall. "What kind of trials?"

The Arbiter extended a hand, and the air shimmered. Six portals erupted around Kael—each swirling with different energy: fire, ice, light, darkness, steel, and time.

"Six trials," the Arbiter said. "Each forged from a primal force. Each led by a chosen bearer of power. Only by passing all six will you earn the right to face your final destiny."

Kael swallowed. "What happens if I fail?"

"You vanish," the Arbiter replied simply. "As if you never existed."

Cynthia stepped forward, defiant. "He's not alone."

But the Arbiter turned its gaze toward her. "This path is his. Not yours. Step forward, Shadowbearer. Choose your first trial."

Kael looked at the portals. All of them pulsed with danger. With challenge.

But one called to him more than the others—a vortex of flickering shadows and purple light.

The Trial of Darkness.

Kael stepped toward it. The portal pulsed once, then swallowed him whole.

Trial of Darkness – Echoes of the Self

Kael landed on cold, wet stone. He stood in a mirror chamber—walls made of black glass, reflecting infinite versions of himself.

Each reflection was different—some younger, some older. Some wore smiles. Others scowled. But one stood out.

A version of Kael with red eyes, a twisted grin, and a Gengar cloaked in red flames.

Kael stepped back. "What is this?"

The reflection stepped forward, emerging from the mirror like a ghost. "This is who you could become," it said. "If you gave in."

It raised a Pokéball. "One battle. Winner stays. Loser fades."

Kael's breath caught. "You're me…"

"I'm the real you," the shadow sneered. "The one who's tired of being rejected. Betrayed. Forgotten. Let me win… and we can burn this world down."

"No," Kael said quietly, reaching for his Pokéball. "I'm not you. Not anymore."

The dark version grinned. "Then prove it."

Battle: Kael vs. Shadow Kael

Kael: Gengar

Shadow Kael: Shadow Gengar (red-flame variant)

The battle was instant chaos.

Shadow Gengar unleashed a hellish Shadow Burst, the red flames crackling through the chamber. Kael's Gengar barely phased through it, retaliating with Shadow Ball. The two forms flickered and clashed—mirror images, perfect counters.

But Kael noticed something. The Shadow Gengar moved more aggressively—faster, but reckless. Rage made it sloppy.

Kael breathed deep. "Gengar, trick it. Use Double Team—then Hypnosis."

The real Gengar split into six copies. The shadow one attacked wildly, missing each time.

Then—boom. One copy landed Hypnosis.

Shadow Gengar fell asleep mid-air.

Kael didn't hesitate. "Dream Eater!"

A glowing orb of energy was ripped from the shadow's form—and in a burst of dark light, the red-flame Gengar shattered into smoke.

The shadow version of Kael staggered. "You… really have changed."

Kael stepped forward. "I won't let darkness control me."

The reflection gave a crooked smile. "Then go. And remember… I'm always here. Watching."

Then it vanished.

Return to the Sanctuary

Kael reemerged from the portal, breath ragged, heart racing. Cynthia rushed forward. "You did it?"

He nodded slowly. "Trial of Darkness… complete."

The Arbiter bowed slightly. "One down. Five remain."

Kael looked up at the swirling portals. Each one now loomed even larger, their energies intensifying.

Cynthia placed a hand on his arm. "Rest tonight. Tomorrow… choose your next path."

Kael nodded.

And as the shadows curled around the summit once more, he knew: each trial would bring him closer to the truth.

And closer to the final decision that would shape the fate of all worlds.

End of Chapter 7

(Next: Chapter 8 – The Frozen Crown)