The mountain was silent.
Evans stood at the entrance of the ancient temple, his black eyes fixed on the darkness beyond.
Olivia stood beside him.
Leon, Aria, and Kael remained several steps behind.
Even Darius had stopped speaking.
Something was watching them.
Something powerful.
Then—
BOOM!
A wave of darkness burst from the temple.
Evans raised his hand.
His Shadow Power formed a barrier around the group.
The darkness struck the barrier.
CRACK!
Evans slid backward.
"Evans!" Olivia shouted.
She placed her hand against his shoulder.
Light flowed into his Shadow.
The barrier immediately strengthened.
Evans looked at her.
"Thanks."
Olivia nodded.
"Don't mention it."
Kael stared into the temple.
"The Sovereign…"
His voice trembled.
"He's truly awake."
Darius suddenly laughed.
"Not for long."
Kael turned sharply.
"What did you do?"
Darius raised his hand.
A strange black symbol appeared on his palm.
Kael's eyes widened.
"You…"
Darius smiled.
"We didn't break the seals to release the Sovereign."
He looked toward the darkness.
"We broke them to wake the Void."
The ground shook.
Aria raised her bow.
"You're insane."
Darius didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Evans.
"The Shadow Sovereign is only the key."
Evans stepped forward.
"Key to what?"
Darius pointed toward the temple.
"To the Void."
Suddenly, a deep voice echoed throughout the mountain.
ENOUGH.
Everyone froze.
The darkness inside the temple moved.
A figure slowly emerged.
He was tall and covered in ancient black armor.
A long cloak of shadow flowed behind him.
His silver-gray hair moved in the strange wind.
His eyes glowed faintly.
Evans stared at him.
The voice inside his mind became silent.
For the first time, Evans understood why the ancient world had feared the Shadow Sovereign.
The man looked at Evans.
Then at Olivia.
"You came."
Evans swallowed.
"Are you the Shadow Sovereign?"
The figure nodded.
"I am."
Olivia stepped forward.
"Why did you call us here?"
The Shadow Sovereign looked toward the sky.
"Because Aurelia has little time."
Kael stepped forward.
"My Sovereign…"
The Shadow Sovereign looked at him.
"Kael."
Aria's eyes widened.
"You know my father?"
The Sovereign looked at her.
"I knew him before you were born."
Aria lowered her bow slightly.
"Then tell me the truth."
The Shadow Sovereign remained silent.
Aria's voice became firmer.
"Why was my father involved with you?"
The Sovereign finally answered.
"Because he discovered the truth."
Kael lowered his head.
"The Void was never destroyed."
Everyone became silent.
The Sovereign continued.
"It was sealed."
Leon frowned.
"So the seven seals…"
"Were never prisons for me."
The Shadow Sovereign looked at Evans.
"They were prisons for the Void."
Evans's eyes widened.
"Then why was everyone told that you summoned it?"
The Sovereign's expression darkened.
"Because those who wanted my power needed a villain."
Kael stepped forward.
"The king feared the Sovereign. He wanted control over the Shadow Power. So he created a story."
Olivia looked at the Sovereign.
"And the first Lumina believed him."
The Sovereign nodded.
"She sealed me."
Evans looked at Olivia.
"Then Light didn't defeat Shadow."
Olivia shook her head.
"They were manipulated into fighting each other."
The Sovereign looked at them both.
"That mistake has lasted for three hundred years."
Suddenly—
BOOOOM!
The mountain shook violently.
The black pillar outside grew larger.
The Sovereign looked toward it.
"The Void has broken another seal."
Kael's expression changed.
"How many remain?"
The Sovereign answered quietly.
"Four."
Leon stared at him.
"Four?"
"Yes."
Leon looked at Evans.
"So we have to protect four seals?"
The Sovereign shook his head.
"No."
Everyone stared at him.
"You must reach the first broken seal."
Evans frowned.
"Why?"
The Sovereign's eyes turned toward the darkness.
"Because something was released when it broke."
A cold wind passed through the temple.
Aria asked, "What was released?"
The Sovereign looked directly at Evans.
"A creature created from the Void itself."
Evans tightened his fists.
"How strong?"
The Sovereign's answer was simple.
"Stronger than I was when I first awakened."
Leon looked at Evans.
"That's not comforting."
Evans smiled faintly.
"Good."
Leon raised an eyebrow.
"Good?"
Evans's Shadow Blade formed in his hand.
"If it's stronger, we'll have to become stronger too."
Olivia's Light surrounded her.
Leon summoned lightning.
Aria prepared an arrow.
Kael drew his ancient sword.
The Shadow Sovereign watched them.
Then, for the first time, he smiled.
"Perhaps the prophecy chose correctly."
Darius suddenly stepped backward.
The Shadow Sovereign's eyes turned toward him.
"You."
Darius stopped.
The Sovereign raised one hand.
Darius was suddenly lifted from the ground by an invisible force.
"You have been serving the Void."
Darius struggled.
"I serve power!"
The Sovereign's expression hardened.
"And that is why you will never possess it."
Darius was thrown outside the temple.
The Shadow Hunters immediately scattered.
But Darius disappeared into the darkness.
Evans looked at the Sovereign.
"He escaped."
"He was meant to."
Evans frowned.
"Why?"
The Sovereign turned toward the mountains.
"Because he will lead us to the next seal."
A distant roar echoed through the valley.
Everyone turned.
The Shadow Wolf began growling.
Olivia's Light flickered.
Evans felt his Shadow Power suddenly react.
Something was coming.
Something enormous.
The Sovereign stepped toward the entrance.
"Prepare yourselves."
Evans gripped his Shadow Blade.
"What is it?"
The Sovereign looked into the distance.
"The first child of the Void."
A pair of glowing eyes appeared between the mountains.
Then another.
And another.
Hundreds of them.
Leon stared.
"Those aren't one creature."
The Sovereign nodded.
"They are an army."
The mountains erupted with movement.
The Void had arrived.
And this time—
Evans, Olivia, Leon, Aria, Kael, and the Shadow Sovereign would have to fight together.
To be continued…