Shadow

"You must be the shadow?" Lorian asked while the shadow simply smiled at him.

"Did you enjoy the memory?"

"Eh, there are far better ones, such as—"

"You connect with the people of Activia and learn about their needs and wants? I agree!" The shadow said in a mocking tone, making Lorian blink as the surroundings changed.

The royal hall was gone, replaced by a place filled with multicolored flowers blooming in every direction. Lorian's eyes moved ahead and, in the luscious garden, he saw his younger self sitting with several high noblewomen, their faces adorned with regal beauty.

They sat comfortably in their chairs, sporting expressions of amusement as they engaged in spirited conversation. Young Lorian, with unruly golden hair and an earnest glimmer in his eye, spoke passionately about his dreams for Activia. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, casting golden rays that danced across their faces.

"What if we created a community garden?" Young Lorian suggested, a smile breaking across his face.

"For everyone, you say?" one lady teased, tilting her head.

"Why not? It would be a good place to relax and another way to bring people together! It could even be a nice date spot!" Young Lorian replied, his hands animatedly gesturing as he laid out his vision.

Laughter rang throughout the garden.

With a flicker, the scene shifted. Young Lorian was now outside, where the brightness of the desert sun met the vibrancy of childhood joy.

In a dusty courtyard, children of all backgrounds laughed and chased one another, their joy a sweet nectar amidst the arid landscape. Young Lorian joined them, playing with them for the entire evening. He was sprawled on the ground, legs splayed, surrounded by a group of eager younger children. With infectious laughter bubbling from his lips, he taught them to draw in the sand, creating imaginary worlds decorated with hastily made castles and fantastical creatures.

The scene transitioned to a cozy office, cluttered yet inviting. Papers covered every surface, and the air was infused with the musky scent of old books. Young Lorian sat at a wooden desk, his small fingers moving deftly across parchment filled with ink-stained ideas and proposals.

The walls curled around him, adorned with notes and sketches, improvement for the desert towns. His desk was piled high with correspondence letters already finished. Each letter, Young Lorian leaned forward, brow furrowed in concentration, as he carefully wrote to his fellow councilors. "Dear Esteemed Colleagues," he inscribed.

The scene then shifted, displaying Young Lorian standing in the center of a dusty square. His small frame was dwarfed by the towering figures of Cypher, Sinu, and Kain. Their faces, contorted with rage, loomed over Young Lorian, who was trembling, head down and arms over. They were yelling and shouting, but Lorian couldn't understand them or hear them their voices muted, their mouths moving, arms shaking, and pupils dilated.

Their full-on rage and fury were directed at Young Lorian.

Then, the people of Activia surged forth. Faces twisted in fury, they emerged from the shadows of alleyways and the recesses of the marketplace. The council members, once so imposing, now appeared small and insignificant. Lorian watched silently as Young Lorian, wide-eyed, saw the crowd close in around him, their expressions fierce and protective.

The scene shifted abruptly, and the once-menacing council members were now reduced to mere shadows of their former selves. They stood in an open area, heads bowed in submission, surrounded by a throng of furious citizens who hurled insults and debris in equal measure.

And then it froze, the image remaining suspended.

The shadow's voice, sweet yet taunting, wove through the air. "Ah, yes, back then was quite the spectacle, wasn't it?" it mused, a playful lilt underscoring its words.

Lorian, still caught in the reverie of the past, felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips, innocent and untainted. "Yeah, back then it was scary," he admitted. "All of them were filled with stress from the constant problems that plagued them for three months… And I guess I was their outlet."

The shadow chuckled, a sound that reverberated through the air like distant thunder, heavy and foreboding. Its laughter rolled in waves, echoing with an unsettling harmony that chilled the very air around them. "Indeed, you were. Fortunately, the people came to your aid, and later in court, their further corruption was exposed. Leading to the end of those three extra positions and a moment when the tide of power shifted." The shadow's crimson eyes glinted with a knowing light as it leaned closer, its form flickering.

Lorian nodded, recalling that the Council went from having twelve members to only nine, two from each of the four tribes and one neutral person. Additionally, those three were imprisoned and then sent to the Fortress of Nelihali to help guard against the demon legions. That was the usual punishment for those who broke the law: being used as meat bodies against the Legions.

Which was better than being instantly executed or forced to slave away rebuilding destroyed towns.

"All part of your grand design, wouldn't you say?" The shadow purred, as it leaned in, the air between them charged with a palpable tension

Lorian tilted his head, curiosity radiating from his otherwise tranquil expression. "What are you talking about? Everything was just unfortunate coincidences of people taking their anger out on a child."

The shadow glided closer, its form momentarily merging with the half-lit images swirling around them. With a languid gesture, it pointed to a shimmering tableau frozen in the background. "That's what it looks like on the surface. But what if it was all a lie?" Its voice coiled through the air, thick with intrigue, every syllable a challenge.

Lorian's lips curled in a broad, almost innocent smile. "Don't be ridiculous," he replied, his voice light and bright. "The people of Activia aren't so easily manipulated." His laughter rang out, warm and dismissive.

"Oh, but follow with me here," the shadow murmured, its tone dipping low. The room seemed to darken, the garden and council scenes flickering behind them like a broken lantern show. "What if someone befriended the council members' wives, whispering sweet promises and planting ideas in their hearts? A word here, a favor there enough to nudging them to push forward certain ideas?" As the shadow spoke, the images changed noblewomen exchanging sly glances, ambition glinting in their eyes.

"Or perhaps," it continued, "someone decided to turn the neglected children against their own fathers, using them as pawns to dismantle reputations, to sow discord among families." The scene shifted again: children clenching their fists, looking down, eyes filled with stormy hurt.

"What if someone sent letters to all the council members, the contents cleverly crafted threats disguised as pleas, forcing nine members into silence?" The shadow's tone was laced with excitement, the backdrop now swirling with scenes of hushed conversations and furtive glances among the council.

Lorian regarded the shifting visions, his smile placid and unwavering. "That's one terrifying bedtime story," he said, golden eyes bright in amusement.

The shadow's form sharpened, its features twisted with glee. "Or perhaps someone played the frightened child with perfect timing after provoking those three councilmen. Such as letting Cypher know his sons had learned the truth of his corruption and cruelty. Telling Kain that his wife now knew his secrets, feeding Sinu's family the real story. Each of them forced to realize he was the architect of their ruin, the reason their families, their wives, and children turning against them. And doing it in an area where a festival was happening with everyone outside and close."

Lorian's voice dropped to a whisper, softly. "That would be a truly terrifying person."

"It would, wouldn't it?" The shadow's eyes glinted. "Especially if all of it. All the whispers, all the carefully orchestrated outrage was just to push those three into a public display of violence. To force the city's hand."

"Like I said, for someone to orchestrate such a thing? They would be terrifying." Lorian sighed. "Fortunately, that never happened."

A soft, knowing hum escaped the shadow. "But what if it did? All done by a child. A child who wanted to see who would spurn him, who would hold him in contempt for a role he didn't earn. A child who needed to know whom to purge from the council." The words lingered, heavy and cold.

Lorian turned, studying the shadow with a calm, almost angelic serenity. The faintest, most enigmatic smile touched his lips. "That would make for a fascinating story. But you're missing a few essential details."

"Ah, of course, my mistake. I forgot the part where the child earned the favor of the Activia people," the shadow chuckled, clapping its hands. "Winning over children, teenagers, adults, and elders by addressing their issues and striving to resolve them. Then, gaining their sympathy by pretending to be a vulnerable child nearly harmed by those in power. Did I miss anything?"

"You overlooked the councilmen's corruption and treacherous actions," Lorian replied.

The shadow's amusement deepened, a dark light flickering in its eyes. "Irrelevant details. Background noise."

Lorian's smile brightened. "I think it makes the story compelling and interesting."

"Still believe it's a make-believe story?" The shadow leaned closer, a whisper against Lorian's cheek.

Lorian looked back at the vivid, chaotic scene unfolding before them. "But of course." He tilted his head slightly. "After all, only a ruthless monster could do such a thing."

The shadow stared at Lorian, a smirk playing at its edges while Lorian smiled. "Maybe you're right," it shrugged, its tone enticing, "or maybe you just want to keep running from what lies beneath the surface." Its voice softened.

"Oh well, until next time."

The world around them began to fracture. Colors bled, scenes twisted, laughter warped into a chorus of ghostly echoes. The dream collapsed like glass, the last shards of memory falling away as darkness swept over Lorian.

"I would rather not."

…

Lorian's eyes snapped open.

His heart raced, each beat resonating in his ears as he sat up, panting slightly. One hand reached for his face, tracing the contours of his skin as he furrowed his brows.

'The shadow… It really is a disgusting feeling.' Lorian let out a small groan. He knew he wouldn't have liked what was down the steps that had an almost gravitational tug, urging him downward. There was no hesitation when he walked, to accomplish his goals, venturing deep into the Archetype was needed.

Each step downward felt like a battle against the gnawing dread whispering in the recesses of his mind: once he descended, there would be no turning back.

'And of course, that voice had to be right,' Lorian thought, a resigned sigh escaping his lips.

Lorian finally pushed himself to a standing position.

Sweat trickled down his back, a testament to both the heat of the room and the shadow. As he walked, the floorboards beneath his bare feet creaked as he approached the heavy wooden door, its surface rough and splintered.

Entering the white-brown bathroom, he headed toward the four barrels along the right side of the wall. He opened the first barrel with a practiced flick of his wrist, peering into the stillness of the water that lay within. His reflection stared back with golden eyes, shadows of grey pooling beneath them like stains.

He scooped up water, feeling the chill seep into his skin, and splashed it on his face, sending shivers cascading down his spine.

After the four doors show up and once you choose an Archetype. You must then descend down into the Archetype, which is a long walk down. Some say it gives you time to prepare, others say it's a chance to think, and still others, a chance to give up. Lorian could understand why, just the feeling of walking down had doubts emerging.

And once you descend, you would meet the existence known as the Shadow. An entity or phenomenon that an Ascendant must confront inside of Paradise in order to descend further. There is no concrete or exact description of its form, as each documentation has offered different accounts.

A century ago, Ortiva conducted an experiment to see if there were any patterns, similarities, or parallels between the shadows Ascendants saw. But none was found from the experiment all shadows of those eighty Ascendants were different.

Yet what was discovered is that all shadows had similar goals and terror. Anyone who faces it tends to always reject it at first in some way either resisting, denying, fighting, or desperately ignoring the words and images of the Shadow.

Simply to avoid confronting them.

Countless scholars have tried to figure out what exactly this shadow is and why it's a required confrontation. But that would require them to interact with and confront it.

Lorian took the barrel, lifting it up and walking toward the bowl crafted from gleaming copper, the size of two big barrels. He poured the liquid into the basin until it reached a satisfying midpoint, the surface bubbling gently beneath his ministrations.

His gaze then fell upon a wooden plate adorned with white powder accentuated by tiny black flecks. This was Naron the cleansing essence.

He swiped half of the powder into the water, leading to foams forming.

Then, with a sigh, Lorian took a bath.

…

Forty minutes later, Lorian came out of the bathroom. Wearing light beige, tunic-like garments that draped elegantly around him, the soft fabric catching the morning light. Beneath the tunic, darker leather pants, golden-toned ornaments, and pendants adorned his neck and belt, glimmering with every step.

As he walked to the bed, he kept drying his platinum blond hair with the cloth. Reaching the bed, he tossed it to the side and sat down, glancing at Sun-Moon Jin on the wooden desk. The top was almost filled with golden clouds and a shining light, letting him know it was close to eight in the morning.

[Ascendant Star Vision]

Lines of stardust began to appear in his vision, a celestial tapestry unfolding that revealed two shining red lights flickering behind the door.

A faint smile appeared. "Come on in, guys, it's fine."

The door opened, with Selene walking in, carrying a familiar wooden tray with three cups, while Uro trailed behind. He noted she was wearing a black variation of her clothing with a bone bracer on her shoulder and forearms, while Uro opted for clothes similar to his current ones but without pendants or ornaments.

"Good morning, young master. I hope you had a good—" Selene paused, a light frown appearing as she took in Lorian's appearance after coming closer. "…Did you meet your Shadow last night?"

"…Yeah." At the confirmation, Selene sighed while Uro grimaced.