Len moved through the dark forest, his newly acquired abilities making him as agile as a fish in water. His footsteps were as light as a cat's, his breathing almost inaudible, his eyes clearly discerning the finest details in the darkness. Occasionally, nocturnal creatures passed near him, but they all seemed to look right through him—as if he had become part of the darkness itself.
As he ventured deeper, the trees began to thin, replaced by patches of glowing moss and strangely shaped crystals. The magical energy in the air grew increasingly dense, and Len could feel the dark power within him flowing joyfully, like a parched land receiving rain.
At the base of a hidden cliff, he found a cave entrance concealed by vines. Scattered near the entrance were the bones of some unknown creatures, the marks on them suggesting they were the prey of a large feline predator.
After cautiously sensing the interior and confirming no living presence, Len carefully pushed aside the vines and entered.
The cave was more spacious than expected, with walls embedded with faintly glowing purple crystals that illuminated the space with an ethereal light. In one corner lay a pile of miscellaneous items—a few fragments of metal that shimmered with a dark glow, some dried herbs, and... several books bound in an unknown leather.
Len's heartbeat quickened slightly. Written records were extremely rare in a place like the Eternal Dusk.
He first examined the metal fragments, finding they contained pure shadow energy, several times more refined than the Shadow Core he had obtained earlier. These were clearly fragments of some magical weapon, damaged but still holding considerable energy.
Then, his gaze fell on the books. The cover of the top one was damaged, but he could still make out a few ancient words—"Theory of Shadow Resonance."
He carefully turned the pages. The text was in an ancient common tongue, interspersed with numerous obscure magical symbols. Relying on the literacy basics his mother had taught him in his early years, he could barely decipher parts of it.
"...Shadow is not emptiness, but the shadow of all things, the other side of the world...
True shadow power stems from understanding and resonating with the essence of darkness...
When the soul achieves harmony with shadow,one can touch the primordial source of creation..."
These theories felt both alien and familiar to Len. Alien because the concepts completely overturned his understanding of dark power—darkness was no longer synonymous with evil and destruction, but a neutral, fundamental force. Familiar because the "shadow resonance" described in the book was remarkably similar to how his newfound power operated.
He continued flipping through and, on the last page, found a note written in different ink:
"The Twilight Cult still seeks the whereabouts of the Night Origin. They believe that by devouring the power of the Origin, they can control life and death, transcending gods and demons.
Ridiculous.How could the Origin be consumed by mere mortals? It chooses its own vessel...
I have sensed fluctuations of the Origin in the Eternal Dusk.Perhaps the legendary 'Child of Night' has descended.
If anyone finds this book,know this: your bloodline is not a curse, but a key.
Find the Heart of Shadow.It will guide you to the truth.
—A Former Seeker"
Len's breath nearly caught.
Night Origin... Child of Night... These words echoed in his mind, faintly resonating with his mother's phrase, "a unique gift."
Could the power within him be the Night Origin mentioned in the note?
The thought both excited and terrified him. Excited because he was finally beginning to understand the anomalies in his body; terrified because it seemed an organization called the "Twilight Cult" was pursuing this power, and he might very well be their target.
He continued looking through the other books. One was a book of magic notes, recording several basic shadow spells—Shadow Bolt, Shadowmeld, Shadow Armor, etc. The principles of these spells aligned with the "shadow resonance" theory mentioned in the book, all requiring a connection to the essence of darkness to cast.
Len attempted to follow the methods described in the notes, guiding the dark power within him.
The first few attempts failed, the power clumsy and scattered under his control. But with continuous practice, he gradually found the feeling—not forcing control, but guiding it as naturally as breathing.
"Shadowmeld," he whispered the incantation, simultaneously imagining himself merging with the surrounding shadows.
Something marvelous happened. He felt his body grow light, the surrounding darkness enveloping him like flowing water. Looking down, his arms had become semi-transparent, as if truly turning into shadows.
The state lasted less than ten seconds before ending, but it was enough to prove the spells in the notes were genuinely effective.
Suppressing his excitement, Len carefully wrapped the books and metal fragments. The value of these discoveries far exceeded everything he had obtained before.
As he prepared to leave, his gaze was drawn to a peculiar rock deep within the cave. The rock was shaped like a giant heart, its surface covered in natural magical patterns. More peculiarly, the dark power within him resonated strongly with it.
He approached the rock and placed his hand on it. A gentle yet powerful energy flowed up his arm into his body, merging seamlessly with his power. Simultaneously, a vague image appeared in his mind—a ruin shrouded in mist, with an altar at its center, upon which hovered a pulsating black crystal.
The Heart of Shadow...
The vision lasted only a moment, but the location was deeply imprinted in his mind. It seemed to be deeper within the Darkwood, in an area he had never dared to venture into.
Len withdrew his hand, feeling his power had grown slightly again. This rock seemed to be a beacon, or some kind of test. Only those it acknowledged could qualify to seek the Heart of Shadow.
He bowed slightly to the rock, both in gratitude and farewell.
With his harvest in tow, Len left the cave that had changed his destiny. At the entrance, he glanced back, committing the location to memory.
When he returned to the forest, the sky was beginning to lighten—though in the Eternal Dusk, "daybreak" merely meant the gray mist thinned slightly.
Len adjusted the pack on his shoulder, containing the Shadow Wolf materials, the shadow metal fragments, and those precious books. He needed to go to Ash Town to trade these materials for practical supplies and gather more information about the Twilight Cult and the Heart of Shadow.
More importantly, he needed to find a safe place to digest today's gains and learn those shadow spells.
The road ahead was still full of unknowns, but this time, Len was no longer the confused, helpless hybrid. He had a goal, he had power, he had... hope.
Child of Night? He mulled over the title, a slight smile touching his lips.
Then let the world see just how far a so-called "half-breed" could go.