Two weeks had passed since Nyx began her life as a hunter, and the forest had quickly become a second home to her—a place where she could both work and reflect. Today was no different. She moved carefully through the underbrush, her small herbology book open in one hand while the other gently picked at the glowing moonblossoms nestled at the roots of a gnarled tree.
Nyx was alone today, standing quietly in the clearing with her pouch in hand. Till had reluctantly let her go, after much convincing. He’d been tasked with running errands for the village chief, but not before expressing his concerns.
“You’re really going by yourself?” Till had asked, frowning as he adjusted the strap of his bag.
Nyx had smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be fine, Till. I promise I’ll be careful. Besides, it’s just herbs, right?”
Still, he hesitated, looking unconvinced. “Just… don’t go too deep into the forest. And come back if anything feels off.”
“I will,” she’d replied, her tone light but earnest.
Now, standing among the trees, Nyx exhaled softly, adjusting her Stormweaver Veil. “I’ve got this,” she muttered, more to herself than to Uriel.
“You’ve handled far greater challenges, Nyx,” Uriel chimed in, his calm voice filling her mind. “Herbs and a quiet forest are well within your abilities. But remember, remain vigilant.”
The forest was peaceful, with sunlight filtering through the canopy above, dappling the ground in patches of warm light. The chirping of birds and the rustle of leaves in the wind accompanied her work.
But in the shadows of the trees, something stirred.
Two figures glided silently, their forms melting into the darkness of the foliage. The shadow goblins were nearly invisible against the dim backdrop of the forest, their glowing eyes the only indication of their presence. They moved with an unnerving precision, weaving through the labyrinth of trees like hunters stalking prey.
Their mission was clear: gather information on the hunters encroaching on their lands. But as their glowing eyes fell upon the small figure of Nyx, their plans shifted.
She was alone, vulnerable.
The goblins crouched, their clawed hands flexing as they prepared to strike.
Uriel’s voice rang softly in Nyx’s mind, cutting through the tranquil forest sounds. “Nyx, stay calm. You are being watched.”
Nyx froze, her hand hovering over a patch of herbs. Her heart quickened, but she forced her breathing to steady. “What is it, Uriel?” she asked silently.
“Two monsters,” Uriel replied. “Shadow goblins. They are observing you from the trees. Do not let them sense your fear.”
Nyx exhaled slowly, her silver veil hiding the flicker of determination in her eyes. She placed the herb into her pouch with deliberate calmness, her fingers brushing against the cool metal of her twin blades as she adjusted her cloak.
“What are they waiting for?” she thought, scanning the shadows without turning her head.
“They are assessing you,” Uriel said. “Likely preparing to strike. You must act decisively when the time comes. I suggest using Solar Storm Rend. It will be effective against their dark nature.”
Nyx’s heart raced at the mention of her skill. It had been weeks since she last fought, and the thought of wielding her blades again sent a thrill through her. She shifted her weight subtly, her fingers twitching in anticipation.
The goblins, meanwhile, had begun their approach. Silent as death, they crept closer, their glowing eyes narrowing as they studied the girl before them.
The tension in the forest was electric, every sound seeming to fade as if the trees themselves held their breath.
Nyx stood in the clearing, her twin daggers at the ready, silver fingers of light flickering along their edges. She could feel the goblins’ intent—a suffocating weight of malice pressing against her from the shadows.
“Uriel,” Nyx whispered in her mind, her voice calm despite her quickening pulse.
“They’re preparing to strike. Focus. Use the terrain and your skill wisely,” Uriel replied, his tone even but urgent.
Her muscles coiled, her breathing steady, as she waited. Then, it happened.
The first goblin lunged from the gloom, its claws slicing through the air with deadly precision, glowing eyes locked on her like twin beacons of hatred.
“Now!” Uriel’s voice rang sharply.
In an instant, Nyx activated Solar Storm Rend, the forest around her igniting in a cascade of golden light. Her blades pulsed with energy, arcs of electricity dancing along their length as they transformed into radiant weapons of destruction.
With a sharp motion, she swung her dagger in an upward arc. The Thunderclaw Slash surged forward, crackling with energy and sending out a blinding arc of light that tore through the air toward the first goblin.
The goblin dodged, its shadowy form slipping sideways into the darkness just before the slash connected. The shockwave rippled through the clearing, carving a scorched path across the ground.
“Behind you,” Uriel warned.
Nyx spun on instinct, teleporting instantaneously to evade the goblin’s counterattack. The world blurred around her, and in the blink of an eye, she reappeared behind the creature, her blade poised to strike.
But the goblin melted into the shadows once more, its form dissolving into an inky wisp before reforming a few feet away. Its companion joined the fray, leaping toward her with a guttural snarl.
Nyx darted between them, her movements swift and precise as she teleported in and out of range, her strikes clashing against the goblins’ shadowy forms. Each time she slashed, the blades sent out shockwaves of solar energy, illuminating the battlefield in dazzling bursts of light.
The goblins were relentless, their attacks coming from all sides. They struck from the shadows, materializing in unexpected places and lunging with clawed hands and snapping jaws.
Nyx countered with a mixture of teleportation and precise strikes, her daggers leaving trails of residual energy that lingered in the air like burning embers. The forest became a battleground of light and shadow, the golden glow of her skill clashing with the darkness of the goblins’ forms.
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For a moment, the creatures managed to flank her, their claws swiping dangerously close to her cloak. But Nyx grinned—a wild, unrestrained smile that lit up her face even as she fought for her life.
“Having fun?” Uriel asked dryly.
“Maybe a little,” Nyx admitted, her voice laced with exhilaration.
The goblins hissed in frustration, their glowing eyes narrowing as they tried to adapt to her relentless movements. Nyx didn’t let up, her daggers a whirlwind of light and electricity. She unleashed another Thunderclaw Slash, the energy roaring like thunder as it arced toward her foes.
Nyx tightened her grip on her twin daggers, the silver sheen of their edges glinting faintly in the moonlight as the shadow goblins circled her. Their forms rippled like smoke, melting into the gloom of the forest and reappearing unpredictably.
“Uriel,” she murmured, her voice steady despite her racing heart. “What now? They’re too slippery to pin down.”
“You need to capture them,” Uriel’s voice advised, calm yet firm. “These creatures will make excellent first servants. Use your necromancy to bind them.”
Nyx blinked. “Necromancy? You didn’t mention that before.”
“It’s part of your skillset as Sovereign of Shadows,” Uriel explained. “You’ll need to stun them first, then command them to rise under your control.”
Nyx hesitated. “How do I stun them?”
“Activate Arcane Tempest. It will overwhelm their senses and render them vulnerable,” Uriel said. “But be quick. The commotion could alert the village guards if it lasts too long.”
Nyx took a deep breath, her determination hardening. “Alright. Let’s do this.”
The air around Nyx crackled with energy as she activated Arcane Tempest, her daggers glowing with an otherworldly blue light. A swirling vortex of arcane energy erupted from her, lashing out in relentless waves. The forest transformed into a chaotic battlefield of light and shadow, the tempest striking the shadow goblins with precision.
The creatures screeched, their fluid forms quivering under the assault. Each blast of arcane energy disrupted their shadowy essence, forcing them to reassemble sluggishly.
“They’re stunned,” Uriel said. “Now, use the command.”
Nyx stepped forward, raising one dagger high as the tempest faded. Her voice rang out, clear and commanding.
“Rise.”
A pulse of silvery necromantic energy radiated from Nyx, rippling through the air like a silent thunderclap. The shadow goblins froze, their forms flickering as though caught between worlds. The faint light of the moon dimmed, and the forest seemed to hold its breath.
The goblins’ bodies began to shift, their swirling darkness settling into solid shapes. Jagged streaks of glowing silver erupted across their shadowy forms, the markings pulsating with a faint, ghostly light.
Two figures now stood before her, their forms hauntingly beautiful and undeniably loyal.
The shadow goblins stood together, their bodies composed of pure, swirling black shadows that seemed to devour the light around them. Jagged streaks of molten silver cracked through their forms, glowing faintly as if alive.
Their elongated, clawed hands shimmered with edges of silver, and their hollow eyes burned with spectral light, glowing like ghostly lanterns in the gloom. The way their bodies moved—rippling and shifting like an unseen wind—made them appear as if they were caught between dimensions.
Nyx’s breath hitched as she studied them. They were both beautiful and terrifying, creatures of shadow and silver bound to her will.
“They’re… incredible,” she murmured, her voice tinged with awe.
“You’ve done well,” Uriel said approvingly. “They are yours now—servants bound by necromantic magic. Use them wisely.”
Nyx nodded, taking a step closer to her new allies. The goblins didn’t flinch or react, their glowing eyes fixed on her, waiting for her command.
“Can they speak?” she asked, curious.
“Only in their native tongue,” Uriel replied.
One of the goblins tilted its head, a guttural growl escaping its shadowy maw. The sound wasn’t threatening—it felt like a pledge of loyalty, deep and resonant.
“Sheshk tol,” it rasped, its voice like the echo of wind through a cave.
Nyx didn’t understand the words, but Uriel translated instantly. “It means, ‘We serve.’”
The faint ripple of energy from Nyx’s battle began to fade, leaving behind a hushed stillness in the forest. But the peace was short-lived. A sharp crack echoed through the trees—a branch snapping in the distance.
“Nyx,” Uriel’s voice warned, firm but calm, “the guards have been alerted by the disturbance. They are on their way.”
Nyx’s breath hitched. “What do I do with them?” She glanced at the shadow goblins flanking her, their glowing silver markings pulsating faintly in the gloom.
“You must hide them immediately,” Uriel instructed. “Command them to retreat into your shadow domain.”
Nyx blinked. “My… shadow domain? What does that mean?”
“There’s no time to explain. Just trust me. Command them now.”
Nyx hesitated, her pulse racing. Was this really going to work? What if they didn’t retreat? She shook the doubt away. Now wasn’t the time to falter. “Alright, Uriel,” she thought, her resolve hardening. “Let’s try it.”
A flicker of doubt rushed in her mind for only a moment before raising her hand toward the goblins. “I command you to… retreat into my shadow!”
To her astonishment, the goblins obeyed without question. Their forms rippled, the glowing silver veins across their bodies flaring brightly before dimming as their shapes began to dissolve. The darkness around her seemed to come alive, pulling at their forms like an invisible tide.
Nyx watched, her breath catching as the goblins’ forms dissolved into her shadow. It felt… strange. Like an extension of herself was stretching out to welcome them. For a moment, her shadow rippled unnaturally before returning to stillness, leaving her both awed and unsettled.
“They’re… gone,” she whispered, stepping back and watching her shadow flicker and return to normal.
“Not gone,” Uriel corrected. “They now reside within your shadow domain. They are safe there, hidden from detection. We’ll discuss this ability later.”
Nyx barely had time to process what had happened before the sound of hurried footsteps broke through the silence.
A trio of guards burst into the clearing, their armor glinting faintly under the moonlight. Their spears were raised, and their expressions were sharp with vigilance.
One of them stepped forward, his eyes scanning the area before landing on Nyx. “You there! Did you hear anything unusual just now?”
Nyx straightened, her heart racing, but she kept her expression calm. “Unusual? No, sir. I was just gathering herbs for the guild,” she said, holding up her empty pouch with an innocent tilt of her head.
The guard eyed her, his brow furrowing. “You’re far from the village, little one. Don’t you know how dangerous it is out here?” His tone softened, but his grip on his spear didn’t ease.
Nyx nodded, feigning a sheepish smile. “Yes, I wanted to finish my task before it got too late. I didn’t hear anything strange, though.”
Another guard joined in, his voice gruff. “If you hear or see anything suspicious, you need to let us know immediately. It’s dangerous out here, especially so deep in the forest.”
“Yes, sir,” Nyx replied, her tone polite but steady.
The first guard frowned but seemed to accept her answer. “Alright. You should head back to the village. We’ll search the area to make sure everything’s clear.”
Nyx clutched her pouch tighter, nodding. “Thank you. I’ll head back now.”
The guards moved past her, their sharp eyes scanning the trees and shadows as they began their search.
Nyx walked away with measured steps, her heart pounding in her chest. As soon as she was out of sight, she quickened her pace, glancing down at her shadow as she moved.
“Uriel,” she whispered. “Did that… really just happen? They’re in my shadow?”
“They are,” Uriel confirmed, his tone calm but tinged with satisfaction. “It’s a part of your skill - Sovereign of Shadows. It will serve you well when used wisely.”
Nyx swallowed hard, her thoughts racing. “That was incredible… but also terrifying.”
“Stay focused, Nyx,” Uriel said. “We need to leave the area quickly. The guards are thorough, and any lingering traces of magic may still draw their attention.”
Nyx nodded, adjusting her veil as well her dark veil over her eyes and gripping her pouch tightly as she made her way toward the village. The moonlight illuminated her path, and the sounds of the forest slowly returned—a chorus of chirping crickets and rustling leaves.
But as she disappeared into the distance, another figure emerged from the shadows.
Perched atop a gnarled tree branch, another goblin watched the scene unfold. Its yellow eyes glowed faintly as it crouched low, its sharp claws digging into the bark.
This goblin was smaller and thinner than the others, its skin a mossy green that blended with the surrounding foliage. It tilted its head, observing Nyx’s retreating form with quiet curiosity.
Its gaze shifted to the guards, who were still searching the clearing, and then back to the young girl disappearing into the trees.
The goblin’s claws scratched the bark, a low growl rumbling in its throat. It didn’t like what it had seen—this girl, this hunter, commanding shadows like one of their own. The shaman would want to know.
A guttural growl escaped its throat, and it turned, melting into the shadows as it slipped away.