Chapter 15: Masters of the Abyss

The training grounds of the Apex class were silent when Lahsiv arrived, the usual noise and bustle of sparring students absent. Today’s session was clearly not a simple practice round. Something else was planned. Lahsiv could feel the tension in the air, a palpable energy that hummed just beneath the surface. As he entered the stone-floored arena, he spotted the other top students already gathered—Valen, Reya, Lira, and a few others. Each of them stood apart from one another, their expressions serious, their weapons at the ready.

Instructor Kaelor stood at the center of the arena, his imposing figure casting a long shadow. The other instructors were absent, and Lahsiv immediately sensed that this was no ordinary training session. This was something more.

Kaelor’s eyes fell on Lahsiv as he approached, a glint of interest flashing briefly across his otherwise stoic face. “Ah, Lahsiv. Just in time.”

Lahsiv said nothing, but his gaze swept over the arena, taking in every detail. He could see runes etched into the floor, faintly glowing with the same dark energy he had felt in the Abyssal Hall. Whatever was about to happen, it involved the Abyss. That much was clear.

“We’re not here for a standard training session today,” Kaelor began, his voice carrying across the arena. “The Apex class must be prepared for more than just battle. You must understand the forces at play within this world—both Light and Dark. You’ve all encountered the Abyssal Hall and survived, but that was only the first step.”

Lahsiv’s interest piqued. He had suspected that the Academy’s connection to the Abyss went deeper than simple trials, but this confirmed it. The Abyss wasn’t just a tool for testing students—it was part of something much larger.

Kaelor continued, his eyes scanning the group. “The Abyss holds great power, but that power comes with a price. Today, you will face that price. You will be tested—not just in strength, but in your ability to control the forces of Light and Dark. Those who cannot maintain balance will fail. Those who succeed… will unlock a new level of power.”

Lahsiv’s hand instinctively moved to the hilt of his sword. He could feel the Mark of the Abyss pulsing faintly within him, its dark energy stirring as if in anticipation. This was what he had been waiting for—a chance to push his abilities further, to tap into the full potential of the Abyss.

Kaelor motioned to the runes on the floor. “These runes are linked to the Abyss. When activated, they will create an arena of shadows, a place where the barriers between Light and Dark no longer exist. You will be plunged into that realm, and there you will face your greatest opponent—yourself.”

The students exchanged uneasy glances, but Lahsiv’s expression remained calm. He had faced his own darkness before. This would be no different.

“Step forward,” Kaelor commanded.

One by one, the top students moved to the center of the arena, each taking their place on one of the glowing runes. Lahsiv followed suit, stepping onto a rune that thrummed beneath his feet. The moment he stood in place, he felt the dark energy surge up through his body, connecting him to something far deeper than the runes themselves.

Kaelor raised his hand, and the runes flared to life, their light intensifying until the entire arena was bathed in a dark, pulsating glow. The air grew thick, heavy with an ancient power that seemed to press down on Lahsiv from all sides. His vision blurred for a moment, and then the world around him began to shift.

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The stone walls of the arena faded, replaced by a swirling vortex of shadows and light. Lahsiv stood alone now, the other students and even Kaelor gone, swallowed by the darkness. He was no longer in the Academy—he was somewhere else. Somewhere far deeper.

‘The Abyss,’ he realized, his heart steady as he gripped the hilt of his sword. He could feel the familiar pull of the dark energy here, stronger than ever before. It surrounded him, filled him, but it didn’t overwhelm him. Not yet.

A voice echoed through the darkness—a voice that wasn’t Kaelor’s, but one he had heard before.

“You’ve come far, child of darkness.”

Lahsiv’s eyes narrowed. It was the same voice that had spoken to him when he had touched the dark crystal in the Abyssal Hall. The presence of the Abyss had returned, watching him, testing him.

“You seek power,” the voice continued, its tone smooth and cold. “But do you understand the cost? The Abyss does not give freely. It demands control. Will you bend to it, or will it consume you?”

Lahsiv remained silent, his grip tightening on his sword. He had already made his decision. He would not be controlled by the Abyss—he would control it.

The shadows around him shifted, swirling and coalescing into a figure—a mirror image of Lahsiv himself. The figure stood before him, its eyes glowing with the same dark energy that pulsed within his own body. This wasn’t just an opponent. This was him—a reflection of the darkness he carried inside.

“Fight,” the voice commanded.

Without hesitation, Lahsiv drew the Sword of Ruin and lunged at the shadowy figure. His blade struck, but the figure mirrored his movements perfectly, blocking the attack with an identical weapon. The clash of steel echoed through the darkened realm, the two Lahsivs locked in a deadly dance of shadows.

Every strike, every move Lahsiv made was mirrored by the shadow, as if the Abyss itself was testing him, forcing him to confront the very essence of his power. He swung again, this time using Shadow Blade, but the figure responded with the same technique, their blades clashing in a burst of dark energy.

‘It’s too perfect,’ Lahsiv thought, his mind racing. The shadow wasn’t just mimicking him—it was him, down to the smallest detail. Every strength, every weakness, reflected back at him.

For the first time, Lahsiv felt a flicker of doubt. He had never faced an opponent like this—one who knew his every move, who could counter his every attack with flawless precision.

But then, he remembered what the voice had said. This wasn’t about strength. This was about control. The Abyss didn’t just test his power—it tested his ability to master the darkness within.

Lahsiv stepped back, his breathing steady as he reassessed the situation. The figure stood still, waiting for his next move, its dark eyes watching him with cold indifference.

‘It’s not about overpowering it,’ Lahsiv realized. ‘It’s about mastering it.’

He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the dark energy of the Abyss flow through him. He didn’t fight it, didn’t resist. Instead, he embraced it, allowed it to become a part of him. The darkness wasn’t his enemy—it was his ally, his weapon.

When Lahsiv opened his eyes again, the figure lunged at him, its blade aimed directly at his heart. But this time, Lahsiv didn’t block the attack. He stepped into the shadows, letting them envelop him completely. The figure’s blade passed through empty air, and for the first time, it hesitated.

Lahsiv reappeared behind the shadow, his hand outstretched as he activated his new ability—Shadow Dominion. The shadows around him surged forward, wrapping around the figure, binding it in place. The figure struggled, but it couldn’t break free. The darkness that had once mirrored Lahsiv’s every move was now under his control.

With a single, decisive strike, Lahsiv plunged his sword into the heart of the shadowy figure. The dark energy around them flared violently, and then the figure dissolved into nothingness, consumed by the very shadows it had once commanded.

The silence that followed was deafening. Lahsiv stood alone in the void, his heart pounding, his body still thrumming with the power of the Abyss. He had done it. He had mastered the darkness, bent it to his will.

The voice returned, softer now, almost… approving. “You have passed. The Abyss is yours to command. But remember this—control is fleeting. The Abyss does not forget.”

Lahsiv didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. He had already made his choice.

The dark realm around him began to fade, the shadows dissipating as the stone walls of the Academy’s arena came back into view. Lahsiv found himself standing once again on the glowing rune, the other students still locked in their own battles with the Abyss.

But Lahsiv had already won.

He sheathed his sword, his mind clear. The shadows obeyed him now. The power of the Abyss was his to wield.

As he stepped away from the rune, Kaelor’s voice rang out across the arena.

“Lahsiv Vale,” Kaelor called, his tone filled with a strange mixture of respect and wariness. “You have proven yourself today. But remember, this is only the beginning.”

Lahsiv met Kaelor’s gaze, his expression calm, but his eyes burned with quiet determination.

“I know,” he replied.

He had mastered the shadows, but the true test was yet to come.