Elara's scream cut through the music, sharp and piercing—but no one turned. The bar pulsed with laughter and dancing, oblivious to the horror before her.
She stared at the floor. Blood spread in a dark pool at her feet, and Aldric stood over it, dagger in hand.
"You… you killed him!" she cried, her trembling finger pointing at him.
But Aldric only raised his head slowly. His emerald eyes glowed with a cold fire, locking onto hers. His voice came steady, unnervingly calm:
"You're the only one who can see it."
Her breath caught. She stumbled back a step. "No! I saw you—stabbing him! You killed him!"
But when she turned again toward the floor, the body was gone. Only a fading black stain remained, as if the corpse had dissolved into nothing.
Her heart thundered in her chest. "Impossible… no… this can't be real."
Aldric extended his hand toward her, his tone commanding.
"Come with me. Now."
She shook her head violently. "No! You're a murderer—I won't go anywhere with you!"
In an instant, his grip closed around her wrist. His gaze bore into her, voice sharp as steel:
"If you walk out of here alone, you won't live to see dawn. The shadows are watching you now. They'll strike before sunrise. Stay close to me if you want to survive."
The word shadows pierced her like a blade. The whispers from her dreams surged back into her mind. For a moment, the world tilted—noise, fear, disbelief colliding inside her. She staggered, unable to argue.
By the time she realized, she was already outside, dragged into the cold night air.
---
In the Streets
The city streets stretched endlessly, buildings casting long, eerie silhouettes under the dim lamps. Elara fought against Aldric's grip, her voice breaking.
"Let me go! I just want to go home!"
He didn't slow, his voice sharp, unyielding.
"Home won't save you. The shadows won't stop until you're gone. You'll never make it alone."
"What are you saying?" she shouted, desperate. "What does this even mean? Why me?"
He turned his piercing eyes on her, just for a second.
"You'll find out soon enough. But first, you need to reach a place of safety."
---
The Hidden Door
Minutes later, they reached an abandoned building. Its windows were shattered, its door rusted with age. Aldric knocked three times, firm and deliberate.
The door creaked open with a groan of metal. He ushered her inside before she could protest further.
Elara stumbled into a vast hall lit by dim lamps, its walls lined with shelves of maps and weapons. Men and women in black uniforms moved with discipline, their armor marked by silver insignias.
It felt like she had stepped into another world.
A commanding voice boomed across the chamber:
"Aldric!"
Elara turned. A man in his forties advanced with heavy steps. His hair was streaked with gray, his shoulders broad, and his steel gaze cut into her.
Suspicion darkened his expression. "Who is she?"
Aldric's voice was steady. "Her name is Elara. She saw a shadow. A living one."
The room fell into silence. The soldiers stared at her, wide-eyed.
A man with cold, sharp features narrowed his eyes. "That's impossible. Ordinary humans can't see shadows unless they manifest."
Elara trembled but forced herself to speak. "I… I saw them. More than once. Tonight they attacked me."
The tension in the hall thickened. Some soldiers gripped their weapons as though preparing for an emergency.
A tall man stepped closer, eyes hard with suspicion. "If you're lying, you're endangering us all."
But before the silence consumed them, another voice cut through, mocking and sly:
"Why don't we just test her?"
All eyes turned to a young soldier with ash-gray eyes and a cruel smile—Kyle. His tone dripped with challenge.
"If she really saw a shadow, then let's put her to the test. If she fails, she's nothing but a lost girl. If she succeeds… maybe she's more."
The commander hesitated, then nodded gravely. "One test. No more."
---
The Trial
Elara was led outside into a stone courtyard. The air was thick, heavy as a blade's edge. The soldiers surrounded her in a circle, their eyes sharp, their silence suffocating.
Kyle stepped forward, his voice sharp and mocking.
"Here's the deal, girl. If you can point out where a shadow appears before it shows itself, we'll believe you. If not—" he smirked, "—then you'll answer for wasting our time."
Her heart hammered in her chest. She swallowed hard, fighting the tremor in her voice.
The air chilled suddenly. Darkness gathered at the edge of the courtyard, thickening into a cloud of black smoke. Elara gasped and lifted a shaking hand.
"There! It's there!"
Before the others could react, the shadow burst forth, its form ripping into the air.
Aldric's blade flashed. With swift, merciless precision, he struck the creature down. The shadow dissolved into nothing, vanishing as if it had never been.
The soldiers exchanged stunned glances.
Even the commander's face betrayed a flicker of surprise.
Aldric turned to him, his voice sharp. "You see? She's not lying. She stays under our watch from now on."
The commander's cold eyes fixed on Elara. "Fine. But any mistake she makes will be on your head, Aldric."
---
The First Lesson
Later, Elara found herself in a small training room, its walls bare, the floor scarred by old battles.
Aldric tossed a dagger at her feet. "Pick it up."
Her hands shook as she crouched. "I… I've never held a weapon before."
He stepped behind her, his presence steady and strong. He closed his hand over hers, guiding her grip on the blade. His voice was low but firm:
"You have to learn. Shadows won't spare you just because you're afraid."
Her heart raced, caught between fear and the strange warmth of his nearness.
"Focus," he said, tightening her hold. "The weapon isn't separate from you. Treat it as part of yourself. Look forward—always forward."
For a brief moment, her hazel eyes met his green ones. Something unspoken passed between them—fear, determination, and a flicker of trust.
Elara's lips parted in a whisper. "Then… teach me."
Aldric's mouth curved in the faintest smile. "Good. This is just the beginning."