Chapter 7: Shadows Unleashed
The night was unnaturally still.
The full moon hung low, silver light spilling across the academy grounds, as if watching silently.
Cid stood on the roof of the tallest tower, cloak fluttering, eyes scanning the eastern district. Tonight, the Cult of Diablos was not hiding. They had grown reckless, attempting a major ritual to summon a fragment of the Demon Lord.
> "Perfect timing," Cid murmured.
"Let's see how deep the shadows can cut."
The Cult Emerges
Iris Noctra was already at the cult's site, hood pulled low, watching the dark ceremony. Cid noted her demonic energy spike she wasn't just an innocent; she was far more dangerous than she appeared.
A dozen robed cultists began chanting around a crimson sigil carved into the stone. Black mist seeped from cracks in the ground, and the air shimmered with unholy energy.
> "They really don't know who they're dealing with," Cid whispered, tightening his gloves.
From the shadows, seven figures emerged the full Shadowbane Order, silent as death itself.
Shadowbane Order Strikes
Cid moved first, almost invisible, his presence masked by a wave of magical darkness.
Kael "Nightfang" Thorne struck from above, assassinating the front-line cultists before they even realized he existed.
Raven "Voidstep" Dusk teleported between shadows, draining life from the ritual participants, leaving them drained and terrified.
Liora "Soulfire" Veylan unleashed flames that burned black and red, searing through enchanted wards meant to protect the cultists.
Selene "Moonveil" Aris distorted reality, making the cultists see duplicates of themselves being attacked from every direction.
Garrik "Ironclaw" Vorn smashed through walls and stone pillars, scattering groups of enemies in a single motion.
Nyssa "Bloodsong" Vale twisted blood and mana, immobilizing the cultists mid-ritual and siphoning their life essence to heal any Shadowbane member who was scratched.
Eryndor "Stormreaver" Kaelith summoned a lightning tempest that struck the ritual's core, breaking the sigil and scattering the cultists like leaves in a hurricane.
Cid Revealed
Through the chaos, Cid moved with terrifying precision. His blades blurred, each strike perfectly timed to dismantle enemy defenses. His shadows merged with the ground, forming tendrils that restrained cultists while his black flames consumed their magical protections.
One of the cult leaders finally raised a hand to summon a minor demon a massive, horned beast, wreathed in shadow and fire.
> "So you're serious," Cid said calmly, almost smiling.
"I like that."
He stepped into the moonlight. With a flick of his wrist, a shadow blade formed in his hand. In a heartbeat, the demon was impaled, evaporating into black smoke. The cult leader screamed only to vanish when Kael and Raven simultaneously struck from two directions.
Within minutes, the entire cult was either destroyed or fleeing in terror.
Cid turned to the Shadowbane Order, all seven of them standing silently, unscathed.
> "Excellent," he said.
"The world may praise heroes in light… but the shadows? The shadows win every time."
Back at the Academy
By morning, rumors of a hooded figure eliminating a cult spread throughout the student body. Teachers whispered of miracles, nobles exchanged worried glances. But no one knew who was responsible.
Cid returned to class, yawning and scribbling notes lazily. Beside him, Iris Noctra stared at him curiously.
> "Who… are you really?" she asked, suspicion lacing her tone.
Cid glanced at her casually, smiling faintly.
> "Just a background character," he said softly.
"Sometimes, the quiet ones are the most dangerous."
In the shadows of the academy, the Shadowbane Order waited. Their leader, Cid Valtoré, smiled the game had only just begun.
> "Let them think they are safe," he whispered.
"They have no idea how deep the shadows reach."