The ground continued to tremble beneath their feet, though the chasm had stopped growing, its jagged edges now silent. The air was thick with the tension of what they had just witnessed, the weight of Sarlon’s confession hanging heavy in the air. The shadows had retreated, but they were not gone—not by a long shot. Reya could feel their presence, like a cold breath on the back of her neck, always lingering, always watching.

Sarlon stood shakily, supported by her staff, her face pale, her eyes unfocused as though lost in memories of a time long past. The battle between the woman in white and the shadowed man flashed through Reya’s mind again, her pulse quickening. The whispered words of the dying woman echoed relentlessly: Kail’dar, Kali’dar. And then the name—Kail’dar. Who was it? What did it mean? What was the connection?

“What’s next?” Kai’s voice broke through her thoughts. He had been quiet for a long time, his usual boisterous nature subdued in the wake of the events they had just experienced. His hands were still clenched into tight fists, his knuckles white from the tension.

Sarlon turned to face them, her eyes darkened with the weight of secrets she had kept for so long. “There is no more time for hesitation,” she said softly, her voice rough. “The shadows are awakening, and with them, the forces of destruction. The trial for each of you has been a test of your strength, but it is not enough. Not anymore.”

Reya swallowed hard. “What do you mean?”

“The trial... The trials were designed to bond you with your elements, to give you strength. But there is more to this world than just the four elements. There is a fifth force—a power that I once sought to control, but failed. It is the shadow, the force that manipulates and bends all to its will.”

“The shadow...?” Amaya repeated, her brow furrowed. “But you’ve defeated it before, haven’t you?”

Sarlon’s gaze grew distant, her fingers tightening on her staff. “I thought I had. I thought I was strong enough. I thought I could protect everyone by controlling it. But I was wrong. The shadow is not something you can control. It is not a force to be wielded—it is a force to be resisted, to be fought with every ounce of strength you have. And I failed.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Lina stepped forward, her eyes filled with concern. “But you’re not alone now. We’re here with you. We’ve trained for this.”

Sarlon’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “You do not understand. The shadow... It will not stop until it has consumed everything. It will seek to twist your bond with the elements, break you apart from within. And when it does, you will be left with nothing.”

Reya’s chest tightened. “What can we do then? If it’s too strong for us—”

“You must go to the source,” Sarlon said, her voice quiet but filled with resolve. “You must find the root of the shadow’s power, wherever it lies. Only then can you stop it.”

“Where do we even begin to look?” Kai asked. “We have no leads, no way of knowing where it’s coming from.”

Sarlon’s eyes seemed to harden, and for a brief moment, a flicker of the power that had once been hers, the power of fire, burned in her gaze. “There is one place. One place where the shadow’s presence is strongest. The Realm of Shadows. It is a place where nothing is certain, and every step you take may be your last.”

Reya’s heart raced. “The Realm of Shadows? How do we even get there?”

Sarlon lowered her head, her long white hair cascading down her back. “I once knew the way. But it is not a journey to take lightly. The Realm of Shadows is a place of corruption, a place where the mind can be broken, where even the strongest will lose themselves to fear.”

“What will we face there?” Lina asked, her voice steady but filled with unease.

“You will face yourself,” Sarlon said, her voice distant. “The shadows will twist your fears, your doubts, your weaknesses, and use them against you. But if you are strong enough—if you can resist—then you will find the truth. You will uncover the heart of the shadow.”

Reya exchanged a glance with the others. There was a moment of silence before Kai spoke, his voice grim.

“We’re not backing down. We’ve come this far. We’ll face whatever comes next.”

Amaya nodded, her fiery resolve returning. “I’m not afraid. I’ll fight until the end.”

Lina took a deep breath, her hands lightly brushing the earth beneath her feet. “We’ll do this together.”

Sarlon’s eyes softened as she looked at them, a hint of pride in her gaze. “You will need each other more than ever before. The shadow will try to turn you against each other. Do not let it. Remember, strength comes not only from the elements you wield, but from the bonds you’ve formed. That is the key.”

Reya nodded, though her heart was heavy with the weight of what lay ahead. The Realm of Shadows. The heart of the darkness that had plagued them all.

But she wasn’t going to let fear stop her. She had come too far, and she knew that this was the only way to protect the world, to protect everyone she cared about.

“Let’s do this,” Reya said, her voice filled with determination.

And with that, they began their journey toward the unknown. Toward the darkness that threatened everything.

Toward the heart of the shadow.