The magical light from the crystal orbs suspended in the village of Sylvana shone upon Alex's exhausted face. Smoke still billowed from the ruins after the mercenary attack, but a sense of calm was gradually returning to the elf village. Elves were busy putting out fires, treating the wounds of their people, and clearing away the enemies' bodies. Alex sat on a large stone slab in the center of the village, his injuries bandaged with the elves' magical leaves, but the pain still lingered, reminding him of the fierce battle. The darkness within him still whispered, but more weakly, as if waiting for an opportunity to surge.
The Elder elf – the blind-eyed old man named Eldrin – stood before him, leaning on a staff carved with ancient runes. Beside him were Thorne and Elara, the elf siblings, their eyes mixed with suspicion and hope. "You proved yourself in battle, Alex," Eldrin said in a raspy, wise voice. "But the prophecy is no jest. The Dark Lord – the master of shadows from the abyss – is awakening. He is the source of the Shadow Sovereign curse, a power created to oppose him, yet one that can become his instrument if its wielder is weak."
Alex looked up, trying to digest the information. "The Dark Lord? Who is he? And why was I chosen? I'm just a programmer from another world, no hero at all." He recalled his old life: the days in front of the computer screen, coding bugs, and reading isekai novels to escape reality. Now, this reality was crazier than fiction. The System in his head was silent, but he knew it was watching, waiting for the next level up.
Eldrin smiled mysteriously, tapping his staff on the ground. A magical projection appeared in mid-air – an ancient book with yellowed pages and shimmering runes. "The prophecy is from the Ancient Era, recorded by the elf deities. 'The one from a distant world shall wield the darkness to defeat the darkness. But if he fails, he shall become the shadow.' The Dark Lord is an ancient entity, sealed away thousands of years ago by an alliance of races. He manipulates shadows, turns creatures into slaves, and now, his signs are spreading: attacks like the one just now, carried out by his minions to find the sealed jewel – the key to his release."
Thorne interjected, his voice full of caution: "That jewel is hidden in our village. That's why the mercenaries attacked. If you truly are the Shadow Sovereign of prophecy, you must prove it by completing a trial: retrieve the jewel from the Dark Lord's minions, who are hiding in the nearby Shadow Cave." Elara looked at her brother, then turned to Alex with a worried gaze: "Brother, he's not ready yet. His power is still unstable. I saw him almost lose control."
Alex nodded in agreement, but determination surged within him. "I'll do it. If not, the Dark Lord will come, and everything will be worse. But I need training. This power... it's like a monster inside me." Eldrin nodded: "Good. We shall train you. Elara will be your guide – she understands forest magic, which can balance your darkness."
The next morning, under the ancient canopies on the outskirts of the village, the training began. Elara stood opposite Alex, holding her bow but not drawn. "Your Shadow Dominion is strong, but lacks control. Try to combine it with my magic – like in the battle." Alex focused, raising his hand. Darkness swirled from the ground, forming black tentacles. But this time, he tried to restrain it, not letting it spread too much. Elara touched his hand; green magic spread, merging to form dark-green tentacles. "Shadow Fusion!" Alex yelled, the tentacles lashing out at a dummy tree, crushing it into dust. [Skill Upgraded: Shadow Fusion Lv.3 – Increased Control and Reduced Backlash.] The System notified him, and Alex felt the darkness whisper less.
But the training was not easy. During the third attempt, the darkness fiercely backfired. Alex lost control; the tentacles turned back and wrapped around his legs, draining his life force. "Aargh! Stop!" he yelled, collapsing. Elara quickly used forest magic to temporarily seal it, saving him. "You must learn to converse with the darkness, not fight it. It is a part of you," she said, her voice gentle, which moved Alex. In that moment, he realized Elara was not just an ally – she was the first person to believe in him in this world.
After a few hours, Alex made progress: he could summon Shadow Summon without losing control, creating small Goblin phantoms for practice. [Level up: Level 11 → Level 12.] Eldrin watched from afar, nodding with satisfaction. "It is time. The Shadow Cave lies at the border of the forest, where the Dark Lord's minions are hiding. They are corrupted humans, wielding a weaker form of your dark power." Thorne joined the group, leading the way with his elf sword. "I will go with you. I cannot let my sister venture alone."
The group of three – Alex, Elara, and Thorne – set off in the afternoon, crossing the vibrant forest. The air grew darker as they approached the Shadow Cave: trees withered, the air was cold, and strange whispers echoed. "This is the Dark Lord's influence," Elara whispered. "They stole the sealed jewel during the attack, but haven't had time to take it back to the abyss."
Inside the dark cave, the magical light from Elara illuminated the path. Suddenly, growls erupted – a group of Dark Lord minions rushed out: five gray-skinned humans with blood-red eyes, carrying black weapons. "Shadow Sovereign? The Dark Lord predicted you would come. Die!" Their leader yelled, summoning a faint shadow attack.
The battle broke out fiercely. Thorne rushed forward, his elf sword slicing off one's arm; black blood spurted. Elara shot green arrows, piercing two, which exploded and incinerated them. Alex activated Shadow Dominion, tentacles wrapping around the leader, draining his life force. But they weren't easy – one used the darkness to counter-attack, grazing Alex's shoulder, reopening the old wound. "Shadow Strike!" Alex countered, the blade slicing through the foe's neck. [Experience +500.] The darkness surged, but thanks to the training, he controlled it, using Shadow Summon to call forth a Goblin phantom for support, which tore at the enemy.
Thorne was pushed down, his sword flying from his hand. "Thorne!" Elara yelled, rushing to shield him. But Alex was faster, using Shadow Cloak to vanish, reappearing behind the enemy, and plunging the blade through his heart. The battle ended, and the group retrieved the jewel – a black crystal shimmering with sealing magic. [Quest Complete: New Skill – Shadow Barrier: Create a protective shadow shield.]
Returning to the village, Eldrin held the jewel, sighing in relief: "Well done. But this is only the beginning. The Dark Lord will send more minions. You must leave, seek allies among the other races – Dwarves, Humans, and Dragons." Alex nodded, looking at Elara: "Will you come with me?" Elara smiled: "Of course. The prophecy binds us together."
But that night, in a dream, Alex saw the Dark Lord – a colossal dark figure, whispering: "You belong to me..."