"What did you start feeling after awakening your darkness affinity?" she asked, her tone calm but curious.
Vladislav looked down at his hands for a moment before answering.
"I felt… connected to the darkness somehow. It's faint, but it's there. Like it's watching me, waiting for me."
He paused, his voice lowering as if confessing a secret.
"Whenever I walk at night, I don't feel fear like other kids do. I feel at home. The silence, the shadows… they comfort me. Sometimes, when I pass through darker spots, the servants don't even notice me. They just walk right past, as if I'm not even there."
Lady Umbra's eyes softened. She gave a slow nod.
"Yes. That's natural. For someone with the darkness element—or esoteric darkness—the night, the shadows, the silence… that is where you belong."
She tilted her head slightly, her silver earrings catching the dim candlelight.
"The reason they couldn't see you was because you were unconsciously blending with the darkness. You coated yourself with it, erasing your presence. Let me show you."
She walked toward a shadowy corner of the library.
The wooden floor creaked under her soft steps. Then—
The instant her foot touched the shadow—she was gone.
No sound.
No presence.
Just emptiness.
The air felt heavier, colder. The shadows in the corner seemed deeper, swallowing the space whole.
Where did she go? Vladislav's heart raced, his skin prickling with goosebumps.
One second she was there, and the next—gone, as if the dark had devoured her.
Then, a voice whispered through the air, echoing from every shelf and corner.
"You see? Can you feel my presence?"
Vladislav turned in circles, his ears straining. The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.
"No… I cannot, Lady Umbra. How did you do that?"
A hand rested lightly on his shoulder.
He flinched, his heart leaping to his throat. He turned, and there she was, standing calmly behind him, her expression unreadable.
What…? She was just across the room! How—
"If you're wondering how I appeared behind you," she said with a small smile, "that was a technique called ShadowStep."
"Shadow Step?" he repeated, still wide-eyed.
"Yes. It lets you move instantly through shadows. Any shadow—whether from a living being or an object. It looks like teleportation, but you're traveling through the darkness itself but it has limits, it cannot travel through true darkness where there's no shadows. Normally, it's exclusive to shadow element users, but since shadow is a branch of darkness… certain darkness users can learn it too. Though," she added with a smirk, "I'm the only one who's truly mastered it and you'll probably be the next."
Her words hung in the air, her pride glowing as much as the faint candlelight.
"But I only reached this after years of discipline, mastering the ranks, and discovering the true essence of darkness."
Vladislav's eyes glimmered with admiration. "That's incredible… being able to vanish into shadows, to hide in someone's own shadow. Your opponent wouldn't even know what hit them."
"Exactly," she said, her voice steady, almost sharp. "It's perfect for stealth. That's why most shadow users end up as assassins—they're the best in that craft."
"I see… so fighting them would be tricky—"
"No," she cut him off with a frown, though her smile returned a moment later. "Not for you. Did you forget what I just told you? Shadow is born from darkness. And your darkness is not normal. You're above them. To the shadow, you are a father. Their abilities, their techniques—you will be able to use them as well."
Her tone carried a weight that made the library feel colder.
"Esoteric Darkness is true darkness. You can engulf them in a space where even sunlight cannot reach. Without light, there are no shadows. Their powers would be meaningless before you."
A spark of excitement ran through Vladislav. So it's that powerful… it can nullify magic, mimic shadow techniques, and erase light itself. I already love it.
Lady Umbra continued, her voice almost reverent. "At higher ranks, you'll be able to create void zones—pockets of reality where no light or magic can exist. But right now, at your level, all you can do is snuff out something small, like the flame of a candle. You can blend into darkness, but not perfectly."
"So I'm still limited," he admitted quietly.
"Yes. A master would still see you now. But if you perfect it, even a Grandmaster won't notice your presence—unless they wield light, and even then only if they've mastered it."
She hesitated, her gaze distant for a moment. "The reason I can use shadow techniques is because… I was once a shadow element user myself."
His eyes widened and then he frowned. "Wait… what?! I thought affinities were permanent!"
"Normally, yes. But affinities can evolve. It's rare—so rare it's almost a myth. But some of us have done it. I'm one of those few."
Vladislav stared in awe. "I've never heard of that…"
"Of course not," she chuckled. "You're only six years old. You haven't even entered the Academy yet. That's where such secrets are revealed but not even the academy knows all the mysteries or this world. For now, your family books and training will guide you."
The Academy… it sounds like a world of its own.
Lady Umbra's eyes sharpened again. "But that's in the future. For now, focus on growing stronger. When you finally step into that Academy, you must crush every child there. You're not the only monster born into this generation."
Her thoughts drifted to a girl with violet hair, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
So there are others like me and Athelstan out there… Vladislav thought, excitement flickering inside him.
"That makes it more fun, Lady Umbra. Competing against people like me, seeing who's better."
"I like your spirit. True strength only blossoms when tested against equals—or superiors. Remember that."
A grin tugged at Vladislav's lips. His chest thumped with anticipation.
"Now," Lady Umbra said, gesturing toward the counter, "watch closely. I'll show you how to snuff out a flame."
He leaned forward, eyes locked on her every move.
She focused on a candle. The shadows around it stirred like smoke. The flame wavered, danced, then—vanished. The corner sank into pure darkness.
"Amazing…" Vladislav whispered, eyes wide.
"Yes," she replied softly. "I commanded the darkness to silence the light. Now you try."
He nodded and fixed his eyes on the next candle. His brow furrowed with concentration, but nothing happened.
"If it's hard, try pointing. Don't force it—control it. Command it. The darkness belongs to you."
He raised his arm, pointing at the flame.
They are mine to command…
Mana stirred within him, faint but alive. The flame quivered. Its light dimmed as though an unseen hand pressed against it.
"Good," Lady Umbra encouraged, her voice firm but gentle. "Now don't just consume the flame. Use the void. Nullify it."
"The void?"
"Yes. Unlike ordinary darkness, which consumes, the void nullifies. It erases. Absolute nothingness. You may not be ready yet, but try."
He nodded, shutting his eyes.
The library grew still. Only the creak of old wood and his steady breathing remained. His heartbeat echoed in his ears.
This might sound cringe… but here goes nothing.
Wake up, oh Void.
He whispered it like a joke, expecting nothing.
But then—it answered his call.
The air shifted.
A chill slithered down his spine. His skin prickled. Even Lady Umbra stiffened, her eyes widening slightly.
Impossible… he's actually calling it?
The shadows deepened. The library's corners seemed to stretch, the dark thickening like ink.
Vladislav felt it—something awakening.
It crawled beneath his skin like a swarm of spiders. His chest hollowed. Emotions slipped away—fear, joy, hunger—gone.
Only emptiness remained.
But he remembered his task.
The flame of the candle.
He raised his hand, palm open.
His eyes snapped open—red bleeding into void purple, then into a cold, lifeless void silver.
The voice that left his lips was not his own. It was deep, twisted, inhuman.
"Disappearfromexistence."
The command was absolute. The room itself trembled under it.
Not only one but all the candles obeyed.
They didn't flicker. They didn't fade. They simply ceased to exist.
One moment the room glowed with warm light—
The next moment, absolute darkness swallowed everything.
Vladislav stared in disbelief. "I did—"
But his body gave out. He collapsed to the floor.
As his eyelids closed, a voice slithered into his mind.
Ancient.
Twisted.
[[THE VOID REMEMBERS]]
Then—silence.