Hundreds of footsteps echoed through the Whispering Forest.
Evans tightened his fists.
Darkness gathered around his hands.
Olivia stood beside him, surrounded by a golden glow.
Leon looked toward the trees.
"This isn't a small group."
Aria pulled an arrow from her quiver.
"They brought their strongest hunters."
Evans looked at her.
"Why would they send an army after us?"
Aria's eyes narrowed.
"Because they know what you're heading toward."
The first Shadow Hunter stepped out of the trees.
Then another.
Then dozens more.
At the center of them stood the silver-masked leader.
Evans recognized him immediately.
"You again."
The leader raised his sword.
"You should have stayed in the kingdom."
Evans stepped forward.
"You could have left us alone."
The leader laughed.
"You still don't understand."
His sword began glowing with dark energy.
"We aren't here to kill you."
Evans frowned.
"Then why are you here?"
The leader pointed his sword toward Olivia.
"We're here for the Lumina."
Olivia's expression hardened.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
"Then we'll take you."
The Hunters charged.
---
The Battle Begins
Aria fired three arrows in rapid succession.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Three Hunters were knocked backward.
Leon raised both hands.
"Thunder Strike!"
Lightning crashed down from the sky.
The forest lit up.
Evans disappeared into a nearby shadow.
WHOOSH!
He appeared behind a group of Hunters.
"Shadow Wave!"
A dark shockwave spread across the ground.
Several Hunters were pushed back.
Olivia raised her hands.
"Light Barrier!"
A huge golden shield appeared around the group.
Weapons struck it from every direction.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The barrier began cracking.
Olivia gritted her teeth.
"I can't hold it much longer!"
Evans looked at her.
"Move!"
He placed his hand against the barrier.
His Shadow Power flowed into it.
The golden barrier suddenly became black and gold.
The cracks disappeared.
Olivia stared at him.
"Our powers..."
"They're stronger together."
Leon smiled.
"Then let's make them pay."
He released another lightning attack.
The battlefield erupted with light.
---
The Silver-Masked Leader
The masked leader suddenly appeared in front of Evans.
Their weapons collided.
CLANG!
Evans was pushed backward.
The leader attacked again.
Evans blocked.
Again.
And again.
The leader was faster.
Evans finally used Shadow Step.
He disappeared.
The leader immediately turned.
"You think I haven't studied your ability?"
He swung his sword toward a nearby shadow.
Evans appeared directly in front of the blade.
CLANG!
The attack barely missed.
Evans jumped backward.
The leader smiled.
"Your Shadow Step has a weakness."
Evans frowned.
"What?"
"You can only travel through shadows you can sense."
The leader pointed toward the ground.
"And I can destroy them."
He slammed his sword into the earth.
A wave of dark energy spread outward.
Every shadow around Evans disappeared.
Evans's eyes widened.
He couldn't use Shadow Step.
The leader charged.
Evans raised his Shadow Blade.
Their weapons collided.
The impact sent Evans flying.
He landed heavily against a tree.
"Evans!"
Olivia tried to run toward him.
Two Hunters blocked her.
"Stay away from him!"
Olivia's eyes glowed.
"Move."
Golden energy exploded from her body.
The Hunters were thrown aside.
She ran toward Evans.
"Are you okay?"
Evans stood slowly.
"Yeah."
He looked at his hands.
His Shadow Power was becoming weaker.
Then he heard the voice.
"Stop resisting."
Evans froze.
The voice continued.
"You are trying to control the Shadow."
A dark aura appeared around him.
"You must become one with it."
Evans closed his eyes.
The darkness surrounding him grew.
The masked leader stepped backward.
"What are you doing?"
Evans opened his eyes.
They were completely black.
The shadows beneath the trees suddenly returned.
The leader's smile disappeared.
"No..."
Evans whispered:
"Shadow Step."
He vanished.
The leader looked around.
Too late.
Evans appeared behind him.
BOOM!
The leader crashed into the ground.
His sword flew from his hand.
The Hunters stopped fighting.
Their leader slowly stood.
His silver mask had cracked.
Underneath it was the face of a young man.
Evans stared at him.
"Who are you?"
The man wiped dust from his face.
"My name..."
He paused.
"...is Darius."
Olivia looked shocked.
"Darius?"
Aria suddenly lowered her bow.
"I know that name."
Darius smiled.
"Of course you do."
He looked directly at Aria.
"Your father knew me."
Aria's eyes widened.
"What did you say?"
Darius raised his hand.
"Ask him when you see him."
Aria froze.
"My father is dead."
Darius smiled.
"That's what you were told."
The forest became silent.
Aria's hands began trembling.
"What do you mean?"
Darius turned toward the northern mountains.
"Your father is alive."
Before anyone could stop him, black smoke surrounded Darius and the remaining Hunters.
When the smoke disappeared...
they were gone.
Aria stood motionless.
Evans approached her.
"Aria..."
She didn't respond.
Olivia gently touched her shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
Aria looked at them.
Her expression had completely changed.
"My father..."
She looked toward the mountains.
"If Darius is telling the truth, then everything I've been told about the Shadow Sovereign may be a lie too."
The Shadow Wolf suddenly began walking north.
Evans looked at it.
The Shadow Compass in his hand began glowing.
Its needle pointed toward the same direction.
The Forbidden Lands.
Aria picked up her bow.
"I'm coming with you."
Leon smiled.
"Looks like our group just got bigger."
Evans nodded.
"Then let's keep moving."
Far beyond the mountains, inside the ancient temple, a chain suddenly broke.
CRACK.
A pair of silver eyes opened in the darkness.
And the Shadow Sovereign whispered:
"Four have gathered."
A second chain began to crack.
"Three remain."
Then he smiled.
"The prophecy is moving faster than I expected."