Chapter 34: The First Trial—Shadow of Myself

The moment I stepped through the portal, the world shifted.

My eyes flew open, and I gasped for air, my chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow breaths. Cold sweat dripped down my temples as my fists clenched involuntarily.

The air was thick, suffocating, like invisible hands wrapping tightly around my throat.

I fought the rising panic clawing at my mind. Where the hell am I? My thoughts spiraled, the oppressive silence around me louder than any screaming battlefield.

The darkness wasn't just around me—it was alive. Like a predator circling unseen, its breath brushing the back of my neck, its claws scraping faintly across the edges of my sanity.

A faint, familiar voice echoed through the void.

"Weak… pathetic… always hiding behind others."

I turned sharply.

And there he stood.

Me.

But not just any version of me—this one stood taller, his shadow wings fully formed, eyes glowing silver with untamed, dangerous power.

"This is who you could be," my shadow sneered. "So why do you keep holding back?"

He raised his hand, and in it formed a blade of pure shadow energy, sharp and humming with deadly intent.

"Fight me, Liam. Or be consumed by what you fear most… yourself."

To Be Continued…