Darkness.
That was the first thing Raven Silva remembered. Not a dream, not a nightmare—just a vast, suffocating darkness that seemed alive.
They don't see it yet… but you will.
The whisper echoed in his head, cold and heavy, before the darkness shattered into blinding light.
"Raven, wake up. You'll be late for the ceremony."
The gentle voice snapped him out of the dream. Sister Mary stood by his bed, a small smile on her worn face. She had raised him in the orphanage ever since he lost his parents at the age of three. To Raven, she was the closest thing to family.
"I know, I know," Raven muttered, running a hand through his messy black hair. His reflection in the cracked mirror showed pale skin, dark circles under his eyes, and a shadow that seemed… darker than normal.
Today was supposed to be the biggest day of his life—the Awakening Ceremony. At sixteen, every student would have their talents revealed. Mage, warrior, priest… titles that determined their entire future.
For most people, it was a day of celebration. For Raven, it felt like walking into a storm.
The orphanage was in the outskirts of New York, where the clash of technology and mana was everywhere. Cars ran on mana batteries, skyscrapers were laced with barrier wards, and drones floated overhead to detect shadow walkers.
Shadow walkers—humans who had lost their shadows to the curse and turned into monsters.
Twenty years ago, a spill of energy from another dimension had merged with Earth. The Shadow Realm. Nobody knew why it happened, only that it blanketed the world with a curse. People born without shadows carried the infection, doomed to either die early or transform into abominations.
Shadows were life itself. And yet, Raven always felt his was… wrong.
"Move it, freak."
A shove almost sent him sprawling as he entered the academy gates. The other students laughed, voices dripping with mockery.
"Careful, his shadow might eat you!"
"Wait, does he even have a talent? Probably not."
Raven ignored them. He was used to this. Ever since his first mana test years ago, the machines had failed to measure him. Teachers wrote "unclassified." Students called him talentless. In a world where professions defined worth, Raven was an outcast.
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to keep walking. Just get through today. After this, maybe they'll stop caring.
The Awakening Hall was massive, glowing crystals embedded in the ceiling. A huge mana crystal stood at the center, linked to ancient arrays.
One by one, students stepped forward, placing their hands on the crystal.
"Alex Reid, Profession: Warrior. Rank: C."
"Lily Zhao, Profession: Mage. Rank: B."
"Marcus Veylan, Profession: Priest. Rank: D."
Cheers erupted each time. The crystal projected their results like a stage performance, and proud parents clapped from the audience seats.
Then came Raven's turn.
He walked forward, ignoring the whispers.
"Watch, it'll say 'error' again."
"Maybe he'll break the crystal this time."
Raven placed his hand on the crystal. Mana pulsed. Light surged… then flickered.
"—Error."
The voice of the array was mechanical, yet final.
Silence. Then, laughter.
"Talentless again!"
"Why's he even here?"
"Go back to being a shadow freak!"
Even the examiner looked uneasy. "Unmeasurable… again? That's impossible. Without classification, you can't be registered as an Awakener."
Raven felt the weight of every stare. His throat tightened, but he forced a bitter smile. "Guess I'm still nobody."
He walked out of the hall alone, the noise fading behind him. His chest felt hollow. Sixteen years of hoping, and all he got was rejection.
But then… it happened.
His shadow moved.
Not with his body, not with the light—but on its own. It stretched, twisting unnaturally, eyes opening within the darkness.
[System initializing…]
[Shadow Eater Protocol Activated.]
A voice rang inside his head, mechanical yet chilling.
[Host Detected: Raven Silva.]
[Unique Shadow Mutation Confirmed.]
[Talent Acquired: Shadow Eater.]
Raven staggered, gripping the wall. His breath came fast. "What… the hell?"
More text appeared in his vision, glowing like dark fire.
[Shadow System Bound.]
[Abilities Unlocked: Devour, Assimilate, Conceal.]
His shadow writhed, rising like black smoke before settling back into shape. Nobody around seemed to notice—the world continued on as normal.
Raven's heart pounded. For years he had been mocked as talentless, unmeasurable. But now, something inside him had awakened. Something the crystal couldn't classify.
"Shadow… Eater." He whispered the words, and the shadow beneath him shivered in response.
For the first time in his life, Raven didn't feel weak. He felt dangerous.
And somewhere deep within that darkness, the whisper from his dreams returned.
They cursed the world, but you… you were chosen.
Far above the city, in the floating towers of the Mage Council, alarms rang.
"Unstable mana spike detected near District 12."
"Shadow mutation signature confirmed."
"Deploy observers immediately."
They didn't know the name of the boy who triggered it. Not yet. But the world had already shifted.
And Raven Silva had just taken his first step into the shadows