The Shadow Hunters charged.
Their footsteps echoed through the ancient chamber.
Evans stood beside Olivia.
His heart was pounding, but this time he wasn't afraid.
Darkness gathered around his hands.
"Stay behind me," Evans said.
Olivia shook her head.
"No."
She raised her hand.
Golden light surrounded her.
"We fight together."
Leon stepped forward.
"And don't forget about me."
Lightning flashed around his body.
The first Shadow Hunter reached them.
Evans disappeared.
WHOOSH!
He emerged from the shadow behind the attacker and struck the ground.
A wave of darkness pushed the Hunter backward.
Another Hunter attacked Olivia.
She raised her hand.
FLASH!
A brilliant wall of light appeared.
The attack bounced away.
Olivia stared at the wall.
"I can create barriers now."
Evans smiled.
"You're getting stronger."
"So are you."
Suddenly, the masked leader appeared in front of Evans.
Their weapons collided.
CLANG!
Evans was pushed backward.
The leader moved incredibly fast.
"You are inexperienced."
He attacked again.
Evans barely blocked the strike.
"You may possess the Shadow Power..."
Another strike.
"...but you don't know how to use it."
Evans stumbled.
The leader raised his sword.
"Your power will belong to us."
Evans looked at the shadow beneath his feet.
Then he remembered the voice.
Trust the darkness.
He closed his eyes.
The world suddenly became quiet.
He could hear every movement around him.
The footsteps of the Hunters.
Leon breathing.
Olivia's heartbeat.
Even the movement of the shadows.
Evans opened his eyes.
His pupils had turned completely black.
The leader stopped.
"What..."
Evans disappeared.
Not into one shadow.
But into all of them.
The chamber became filled with darkness.
The leader looked around.
"Where is he?"
A voice came from behind him.
"Here."
Evans appeared.
BOOM!
A powerful wave of shadow sent the leader flying across the room.
He crashed into the stone wall.
The other Hunters stopped fighting.
Their leader slowly stood.
Blood wasn't visible, but his armor was badly damaged.
He stared at Evans.
"You awakened Shadow Step..."
He paused.
"...and Shadow Cloak already?"
Evans looked confused.
"Shadow Cloak?"
The leader smiled beneath his mask.
"You don't even know what you're capable of."
He raised his sword.
"This makes you even more dangerous."
---
Olivia's Light
Three Hunters surrounded Olivia.
She raised both hands.
Golden energy gathered between her palms.
One Hunter attacked.
Olivia released the energy.
FLASH!
The chamber filled with light.
The Hunters were forced backward.
Olivia stared at her hands.
A symbol appeared on her palm.
The same symbol she had seen before.
A circle containing a small star.
The instructor immediately noticed it.
"The Lumina Mark."
Olivia looked at him.
"What does it mean?"
"Your power is evolving."
The instructor's eyes widened.
"You haven't simply awakened Light."
He looked at Evans.
"You and Evans are awakening together."
Evans turned toward Olivia.
"What does that mean?"
Before the instructor could answer—
BOOM!
The ceiling cracked.
A massive black hand broke through the stone.
Everyone froze.
The masked leader looked upward.
"No..."
A deep voice echoed through the chamber.
"The seal is weakening."
The Shadow Hunters immediately stepped back.
Their leader lowered his sword.
"We're leaving."
Evans stared at him.
"You're running?"
The leader ignored him.
"Tell the kingdom that the prophecy has begun."
He threw a black crystal onto the floor.
CRACK!
Dark smoke filled the chamber.
When it cleared, the Shadow Hunters were gone.
Evans looked at the broken ceiling.
"What prophecy?"
The instructor didn't answer.
Olivia looked at him.
"You know something."
The instructor sighed.
"Yes."
He walked toward the ancient book.
"There is one final part of the prophecy."
He opened a hidden page.
Evans and Olivia moved closer.
The page contained only one sentence:
"When the Shadow and the Light awaken together, the Void shall return—and only their chosen heirs can stop it."
Evans stared at the words.
"Chosen heirs?"
The instructor nodded.
"Evans, you are the heir of Shadow."
He turned toward Olivia.
"And Olivia..."
The room became silent.
"...you are the heir of Light."
Suddenly, Evans heard the mysterious voice again.
But this time, it sounded different.
It wasn't inside his head.
It came from far beneath them.
"Find me..."
Evans looked down.
The floor began to glow.
"Before the Void finds you."
And somewhere beneath the ancient kingdom...
something opened its eyes.