Elias awoke to a city that felt both familiar and alien. Grimwald's fog lingered in thick tendrils, curling along rooftops and alleys as though it were alive. The distant clang of machinery and the groan of rusted iron bridges formed a constant undertone to the city's waking pulse.
Shade moved silently at his feet, its form shifting fluidly with his movements. It had grown stronger since yesterday, its tendrils sharper, faster, and more responsive. Elias could feel the connection pulsing between them, a thread of intent and will binding them together. But the Codex whispered urgently, insistent and restless.
One shadow bound. One shadow growing. Seek the second. Test your resolve.
Elias clenched the book under his coat. He understood that this next step would not be easy. Unlike Shade, the second shadow would not submit so willingly. It might resist, fight, or even injure him if he faltered.
---
The Target Shadow
The Codex had revealed the location: a ruin in the Canal District, long abandoned, where shadows gathered thick and restless. The building had once been a printing house, now reduced to charred beams and broken walls. Within its confines, the shadow waited—a distinct darkness that pulsed independently of the surrounding gloom.
Elias approached cautiously. Shade followed, its tendrils flicking like liquid knives, alert to every movement. The fog inside the ruins was unnaturally thick, cold, and heavy, pressing against his skin.
The second shadow is wary, the Codex murmured. Do not underestimate it. It is not a servant, but a guardian of its own essence.
He entered the central hall, where darkness pooled like ink on the floor. The shadow took shape before him, taller than Shade, shifting constantly, its edges jagged and irregular. Its presence was hostile, almost sentient, and its "eyes"—if they could be called that—glowed a faint crimson.
Elias's pulse quickened. He swallowed. "I… I want to bind you. I want you to serve me."
The shadow recoiled, surging forward like a wave of liquid obsidian, knocking him off balance. Elias fell back, smacking against the wall.
Fear is weakness, the Codex whispered. Command is clarity. You will not survive hesitation.
---
The Ritual of Binding
Elias forced himself upright. He opened the Codex to the page of the second binding ritual. The instructions were simple, yet precise:
1. Speak the shadow's name.
2. Offer a portion of your memory as a tether.
3. Demonstrate dominance through will and intent.
Memory. The word made his stomach twist. He had never sacrificed part of himself so deliberately. Yet he understood: power demanded cost.
He closed his eyes. "I offer my first memory… the morning I left my home to seek work in Grimwald. I remember my mother's smile, the smell of bread baking. I give it to you, shadow, in exchange for your allegiance."
The shadow paused, its form quivering, as though tasting the memory before him. Elias felt a dull ache in his chest—the memory slipping from his mind, dissolving into something foreign.
Then it lunged.
Shade shot forward, intertwining with the shadow in a flurry of tendrils. The darkness collided, energy crackling, shadows writhing and screaming without sound. Elias shouted commands, his voice straining, and felt the second shadow resisting, testing him, clawing at his will.
Hours passed—or perhaps minutes. Time seemed irrelevant as he focused every ounce of concentration on the ritual. Sweat soaked his coat, his hands shook, and Shade's tendrils wrapped around him in support.
Finally, with a shuddering groan, the second shadow bowed, its form settling into a jagged, obedient shape at Elias's side. Its crimson glow softened, responding to his heartbeat.
He staggered backward, chest heaving. "You… you are mine now."
The Codex pulsed warmly, approving. Two shadows bound. Growth achieved. Ninety-eight remain.
---
The Nature of the Second Shadow
Elias studied it carefully. The second shadow, unlike Shade, had:
Offensive Power: Jagged tendrils that could pierce or slice through steel.
Sensory Ability: Could detect hostile intent within a radius, sensing lies, traps, and hidden beings.
Weakness: Independent streak—if Elias hesitated, it could act against him, requiring constant focus.
Shade coiled protectively around his legs. Together, the two shadows hummed with latent energy, a symphony of darkness, waiting for his command.
Elias realized then that each shadow would not simply obey blindly. They were extensions of his will, but also individual entities with strengths, weaknesses, and temperaments. He would need strategy, not brute force, to control them.
---
A Warning Carved in Stone
Before leaving the ruins, Elias noticed markings along the walls—scratched runes, old symbols that radiated faint energy. Corvan's voice echoed in his mind: Other bearers exist. Many seek the Codices. The city watches. And not all shadows are bound to human will willingly.
Elias touched the carvings. They hummed faintly, reacting to the Codex. He realized that the city itself was a map of shadows, waiting for those strong enough to command them.
The second shadow is only the beginning, the Codex whispered. Ninety-eight more will test your resolve, your soul, and your mind.
---
Return to the Tenement
Elias staggered back to his tenement, carrying the weight of his new power—and the loss of part of a cherished memory. Shade and the second shadow followed silently, coiling at his feet like twin guardians.
He placed the Codex on the table, and the two shadows responded to his heartbeat, pulsing in tandem. He could feel the growth, the increase in raw energy, and a subtle sharpening of his senses.
The city outside remained oblivious to his progress, but Elias knew better. Each shadow bound made him stronger, but also more visible. More dangerous. More hunted.
And somewhere in the fog, masked figures and guilds stirred, whispering the names of those who dared to claim power that was not theirs.
Elias clenched his fists. "Two down. Ninety-eight to go. And I will bind them all."
The Codex pulsed in agreement. One hundred shadows… one hundred fates. Grimwald trembles beneath your steps.
---