The chamber remained silent after the mysterious voice disappeared.
Evans stared at the floor.
"Find me..."
Those words continued repeating in his mind.
Olivia walked closer.
"Evans?"
He looked at her.
"I heard him again."
"The Shadow Sovereign?"
Evans nodded.
"He wants us to find him."
Leon folded his arms.
"Then we should."
Everyone looked at him.
Leon shrugged.
"What?"
The instructor frowned.
"You don't understand what you're suggesting."
Leon looked at Evans.
"Something beneath this kingdom is waking up. Those Shadow Hunters are after them. And now there's something called the Void."
He pointed toward Evans and Olivia.
"I'd rather be with them than wait here for whatever comes next."
Evans smiled.
"Didn't you say you wanted to defeat me?"
"I still do."
Leon smirked.
"But I can't defeat you if the world ends first."
Olivia laughed.
"For once, I agree with Leon."
The instructor sighed.
"You three are impossible."
---
The Map
The instructor walked toward a large wooden cabinet.
He opened it and removed an ancient map.
It showed the entire kingdom of Aurelia.
But there was something strange.
Beyond the northern mountains was a region covered in black ink.
Evans pointed at it.
"What's there?"
"The Forbidden Lands."
Olivia looked at the map.
"Why is it forbidden?"
"Because no ordinary person who enters ever returns."
Leon raised an eyebrow.
"That's encouraging."
The instructor ignored him.
"According to the ancient records, the Shadow Sovereign was sealed somewhere beyond the Forbidden Lands."
Evans stared at the map.
"So that's where we're going."
The instructor nodded.
"But there is a problem."
"What?"
"The journey will take several weeks."
Leon smiled.
"Then we should leave today."
The instructor shook his head.
"You cannot simply walk into the Forbidden Lands."
He pointed at Evans.
"Your Shadow Power is still unstable."
Then he looked at Olivia.
"Your Light Power is still awakening."
Finally, he looked at Leon.
"And you..."
Leon raised an eyebrow.
"What about me?"
"You are reckless."
Leon smiled.
"I've been told that before."
---
Three Days Later
The kingdom had begun preparing for the journey.
Evans trained every morning.
He practiced Shadow Step, learning to move between nearby shadows without losing control.
He also discovered another ability.
Shadow Cloak.
When activated, his body became almost invisible inside darkness.
But there was a weakness.
The longer he used it, the more exhausted he became.
Olivia trained with the instructors.
Her Light Power developed rapidly.
She learned to create barriers, flashes of light, and small healing waves.
But there was something strange about her power.
Whenever Evans was nearby, her abilities became stronger.
And whenever Olivia used her Light Power, Evans's Shadow Power reacted.
Neither of them understood why.
Leon trained by himself.
His lightning became faster and more powerful.
He was determined not to fall behind.
---
The Departure
Three days later, the three stood at the northern gate.
Evans carried a small bag over his shoulder.
Olivia stood beside him.
Leon held his weapon.
The instructor approached them.
"Remember what I told you."
Evans nodded.
"Don't trust strangers."
"Don't use your powers unnecessarily," Olivia added.
"Don't get yourselves killed," Leon said.
The instructor sighed.
"Yes. That too."
He handed Evans a small black crystal.
"What is this?"
"A Shadow Compass."
Evans held it.
The crystal immediately pointed north.
"It will guide you toward the source of your power."
Evans stared at it.
"Toward the Shadow Sovereign?"
"Perhaps."
The instructor looked at all three.
"If you find him, don't release him until you understand the truth."
Evans nodded.
"We will."
The gates opened.
Beyond them stretched a long road leading toward the northern mountains.
Olivia smiled.
"Ready?"
Evans looked at the road.
"Ready."
Leon walked ahead.
"Try to keep up."
Evans laughed.
"You wish."
The three began walking.
None of them noticed the figure watching them from the top of the city wall.
The figure wore a silver mask.
It was the leader of the Shadow Hunters.
He held a strange black crystal in his hand.
"They have begun the journey."
A voice answered through the crystal.
"Good."
The masked leader bowed his head.
"Should we follow them?"
There was a pause.
Then the voice replied:
"No."
The leader looked confused.
"Why?"
The voice became colder.
"Let them reach the Forbidden Lands."
The leader slowly understood.
"You want them to open the seal."
"Exactly."
Far away, beyond the northern mountains, the ground trembled.
Deep inside a forgotten temple, an enormous stone door began to crack.
And behind it...
something was waiting.
Something that had been waiting for Evans and Olivia for fifteen years.