The mountains trembled.
Evans stood frozen as the black pillar of energy continued rising into the sky.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
Darkness twisted around the pillar like smoke, but this darkness felt different from his Shadow Power.
It felt empty.
Hungry.
The Shadow Wolf growled.
Kael immediately turned toward the mountains.
"We have to move."
Leon looked at him. "Move where?"
Kael pointed toward the black pillar.
"The Forbidden Lands."
Olivia stared at the enormous column of darkness.
"That thing is coming from the seal, isn't it?"
Kael nodded.
"One of the seven seals has been broken."
Aria tightened her grip on her bow.
"Then the Void is getting closer."
Kael looked at Evans and Olivia.
"No. It is already awake."
A sudden wave of energy swept through the valley.
Evans dropped to one knee.
His shadow began moving on its own.
"Evans!"
Olivia rushed toward him.
Evans looked down.
His shadow was pointing toward the mountains.
Then a voice echoed inside his mind.
Come.
Evans clenched his fists.
"It's calling me again."
Olivia stepped beside him.
"I can hear something too."
Her Lumina Mark began glowing.
Kael's expression changed.
"That shouldn't be possible."
Leon frowned.
"What?"
Kael looked between Evans and Olivia.
"The seal is responding to both of you."
A second tremor shook the ground.
Cracks appeared across the stone beneath their feet.
The Shadow Wolf suddenly ran toward the northern path.
Kael shouted, "Follow it!"
The group immediately began moving.
---
The Road to the Forbidden Lands
They travelled through the mountains for hours.
The higher they climbed, the colder the air became.
No birds flew overhead.
No animals moved through the trees.
Even the wind seemed silent.
Leon looked around uneasily.
"I don't like this place."
Aria gave him a small smile.
"You finally said something sensible."
Leon glanced at her.
"Finally?"
"Yes."
Leon sighed.
"I preferred it when Evans was the only person who annoyed me."
Evans smiled.
"You still want to fight me?"
Leon looked at him.
"Obviously."
Olivia laughed quietly.
Kael shook his head.
"You three are remarkably calm considering what is happening."
Evans looked ahead.
"We're scared."
Everyone became silent.
Evans continued.
"But if we stop now, the Void wins."
Olivia nodded.
"We've come too far."
Kael studied them carefully.
Then he smiled.
"That is exactly what the prophecy described."
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A shockwave exploded from the mountains.
Everyone was thrown backward.
Evans landed on his feet.
His Shadow Cloak immediately formed around him.
Olivia raised a Light Barrier.
Leon summoned lightning around his hands.
Aria drew an arrow.
Kael stared toward the mountain.
"They're here."
Evans narrowed his eyes.
"Who?"
A group of figures appeared on the ridge above them.
Black armor.
Silver masks.
Shadow Hunters.
At the center stood Darius.
His silver mask reflected the faint light of Olivia's power.
Darius raised one hand.
"Evans."
Evans stepped forward.
"Darius."
Darius looked at Olivia.
"Lumina."
Then his gaze shifted toward Kael.
"And Kael."
Aria's expression hardened.
"You knew he was alive."
Darius said nothing.
Kael stepped forward.
"You've been following us."
Darius laughed softly.
"We never stopped."
Leon stepped beside Evans.
"How many?"
Aria counted quickly.
"Too many."
Evans looked at the mountain.
Then at Darius.
Then back at the black pillar.
Something suddenly became clear.
"They don't want to stop us."
Kael nodded.
"They want us to reach the temple."
Darius smiled.
"Now you're beginning to understand."
Evans's eyes narrowed.
"What happens when we reach it?"
Darius lifted his hand.
The Shadow Hunters stepped aside.
Behind them was a massive stone gate.
Ancient symbols covered its surface.
Kael's face went pale.
"The entrance…"
Aria whispered, "That's impossible."
Darius looked toward the gate.
"The temple has already opened."
A deep sound echoed from beneath the mountain.
BOOOOOOM.
The stone gate slowly began to move.
Darkness poured through the opening.
Olivia's Light Power immediately flared.
Evans's Shadow Power answered.
Their powers collided—
then synchronized.
A strange symbol appeared between them.
Kael stared at it.
"The prophecy…"
Evans looked at him.
"What does it say?"
Kael's voice became quiet.
"It says that when the seventh gate opens…"
He paused.
Everyone waited.
"…the Void will no longer need a door."
The ground suddenly split.
A massive shadow emerged from the darkness inside the temple.
The Shadow Wolf lowered its head.
Not in fear.
In recognition.
Evans stared into the darkness.
And then he heard the familiar voice.
Evans.
He froze.
The voice was stronger than ever.
Come inside.
Olivia stepped closer.
"Evans?"
He looked at her.
"I think…"
His eyes turned completely black.
"…he's waiting for us."
From deep inside the temple, two enormous eyes opened.
And the entire mountain fell silent.
The Shadow Sovereign was awake.
But something else had awakened with him.
Something much older.
Something that had been waiting beneath Aurelia for thousands of years.
The Void had begun to rise.
To be continued…
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