Umbriel woke up…

The battle with Porcelis had been won, but at a terrible cost. Umbriel had barely wrestled control of her body back from Umbra. The struggle had left her shaken, her face pale and drawn.

“I don’t know if I can fight her again,” Umbriel whispered, her voice barely audible. “If she comes back... I don’t think I can win.”

Her words hung in the air, a confession that cut through the silence. Umbra, the chaotic force that had nearly consumed her, was gone, for now… She still lingered in the darkest recesses of Umbriel’s mind, waiting for the moment to strike again.

Keno finally tore his gaze away from Uperios and looked at her. “You’re stronger than you think,” he said, though the words felt hollow even to him. How could he reassure her when he himself felt so lost, so helpless? He couldn’t even save his own brother.

Umbriel’s eyes met his, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something—hope, maybe—but it quickly faded. “Strength isn’t enough,” she said, her voice trembling. “She’s a part of me, Keno. I can feel her... every thought, every breath. And I know if she takes control again, I won’t be able to stop her.”

Before Keno could respond, a cold wind swept through the temple, a shadow stirred from the darkness and it began to take shape. It was a figure—tall, cloaked in darkness, yet familiar in a way that made Keno’s heart race.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Keno, brother of Uperios, I’m Uperèphania” said the shadow as it stepped into the light, its form wavering and ethereal, but unmistakable. The shadow looked like Uperios, but its eyes gleamed with a strange, ancient wisdom, far beyond that of Keno’s fallen brother.

“Uperèphania...” Keno’s voice was raw, torn between grief and disbelief. He stood, his fists clenched at his sides. “Why are you here? Why now?”

The shadow tilted its head, as if studying him. “I am the shadow who swore to protect the chaos device that Uperios was trusted with, but not him. I am the essence of his ambition, his pride. When someone wears the Boots of Pride, I infuse them with my power, but after the wearer passes I shall remain.”

Keno felt his chest tighten. “So, you’re... him? A part of him?”

“In a way,” Uperèphania replied, its voice low and echoing. “But what you knew as Uperios is gone, consumed by the very power of one of the Chaos Devices.

Umbriel, who had been silent, now stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the spectral figure. “Why are you here?” she asked, her voice steady despite the fear she clearly felt. “What do you want from us?”

The shadow turned its gaze to her, and for a moment, it seemed to soften. “I have come to help you. There are truths that must be revealed if you are to survive the battles ahead. Porneia, the shadow that is with Porcelis, fled from Umbra because she knew Umbra would seek to capture her Chaos Device and consume her. And indeed she did.

Umbriel’s expression darkened. “Porneia... she’s one of the Shadows of Chaos, isn’t she? Like Umbra.”

“Yes, in a way and not…” Uperèphania said. “She is the embodiment of lust, a shadow born from the chaos of desire. She knows that Umbra seeks dominion over all the other shadows, to absorb them and grow stronger. That is why she fled.”

“And what does that mean for us?” Keno asked, his voice tight with frustration. “We’ve already lost so much. My brother... he’s gone because of this chaos.”

The shadow turned its gaze back to Keno, its expression unreadable. “Uperios is not entirely gone,” it said. “As long as you possess the Boots of Chaos, a part of his soul remains within them. He is trapped in the darkness, waiting.”

Keno’s breath caught in his throat. “What are you saying? That I could... bring him back?”

Uperèphania shook its head slowly. “No. The man you knew as Uperios is beyond saving. But his soul lingers within the Boots, bound by chaos. He may not return, but his essence remains, and you may still learn from it.”

Keno felt a wave of grief wash over him, nearly overwhelming in its intensity. His brother was gone—truly gone—and there was nothing he could do to change that. But before he could respond, Uperèphania continued.

“There is more,” the shadow said, its gaze shifting to the amulet that hung around Keno’s neck. “That amulet you wear, Keno... it is also bound to one of the Shadows of Chaos. It is protected by Kenodoxia, the shadow of vanity.”

As Uperèphania spoke the name, a cold shiver ran down Keno’s spine. From the depths of the darkness around them, another shadow began to emerge. It was smaller, less imposing than Uperèphania, but its presence was no less unsettling. The air around Keno grew thick, and the shadow moved closer, its form flickering like a candle in the wind.

“Kenodoxia,” Uperèphania said, “reveal yourself.”

The shadow stopped before Keno, and as it did, it began to take shape—a mirror image of Keno himself, though distorted, twisted. Its eyes were sharp and glittering, filled with a cruel, mocking intelligence.

Keno’s reflection in the shadow grinned at him. “So,” it said, its voice a low, rasping whisper, “you finally see me.”

Keno’s heart pounded in his chest. “What... what are you?”

The shadow grinned wider. “I am Kenodoxia, the shadow of your vanity, the embodiment of your pride. Every time you looked at your brother with envy, every time you desired the power he held—those were my whispers in your mind. I’ve been with you for longer than you realize.”

Keno took a step back, his hand instinctively going to the amulet around his neck. “This... this isn’t possible.”

“Oh, but it is,” Kenodoxia purred. “You see, we shadows are not bound by the same rules as you mortals. We exist in the spaces between your thoughts, feeding on your darkest desires, your most secret ambitions.”

Umbriel, watching the exchange, stepped forward. “Why now? Why reveal yourself now?”

Kenodoxia’s gaze flicked to her, and for a moment, its eyes gleamed with amusement. “Because it’s time, of course. The pieces are falling into place. The Chaos Devices are awakening, as well as Umbra. She is rising to claim what she think it's hers. Shame on you mortals, you are all going to perish.”

Umbriel’s jaw tightened, but before she could respond, Uperèphania raised a hand. “Enough,” the shadow said, its voice commanding. “We are not here to taunt them, Kenodoxia. We are here to help them.”

Kenodoxia snorted but stepped back, its form flickering as it did. “Help, or manipulate?”

Keno, still reeling from the revelation, looked between the two shadows, his mind racing. “What do you want from us?”

Uperèphania’s expression softened, and for a moment, Keno could almost see the brother he had lost in the shadow’s face. “We want to help you unlock the truth of the Devices, to reveal the symbols and words hidden within the Prohibitum. Only by understanding their true power can you hope to control them—and stop the chaos that is coming.”

The words hung in the air like a heavy weight, and for a moment, the clearing was silent.

Keno’s hand tightened around the amulet, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions. The shadows, the Artifacts, the chaos—it was all too much. He had already lost so much, and now they were telling him that there was even more at stake.

But deep down, he knew they were right.

If they didn’t find a way to stop Umbra, she would consume everything.

Umbriel, her face pale but resolute, nodded. “Then let’s begin. Show us what we need to know.”

As the shadows began to reveal the ancient symbols and forbidden words hidden within the Prohibitum, Keno felt a sense of dread settle over him.

The air seemed to grow colder as Uperèphania and Kenodoxia began their strange, shadowy instruction. The darkness around the temple seemed to stretch, swallow, and twist, as though the shadows themselves were hungry for more than just the dim light of the flames.

Martel and Carter stood still, as paralyzed. The revelation of Uperèphania and Kenodoxia made their blood run cold. Umbriel sat cross-legged beside the fire, her face flickering between concentration and the strain of exhaustion. Her eyes never left Uperèphania as it wove the dark symbols into the air, guiding her through the hidden language of the Prohibitum, the forbidden texts that had eluded them for so long.

Kenodoxia loomed closer to Martel, like a reflection he couldn’t escape, whispering to him in a voice that seemed to echo from the deepest, most shameful corners of his mind.

“You’re now wondering if you should trust her, aren’t you?” Kenodoxia’s voice was a slithering whisper. “Umbriel. You’ve seen what she’s capable of. You saw her let Umbra take control. How long until that shadow devours her completely? And when it does… who do you think she’ll turn on next?”

Martel clenched his teeth, trying to block out the words, but they wormed into his thoughts, twisting his anxiety into something darker. He glanced at Umbriel—at the exhaustion in her face, the way her hands trembled as she traced the arcane symbols in the air. She looked fragile, vulnerable. But Kenodoxia was right, wasn’t it? There was something inside her, something that none of them fully understood. Something that could destroy them all.

“She won’t hurt us,” Martel muttered, more to himself than to the shadow. “She’s still fighting.”

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“Fighting?” Kenodoxia scoffed. “She can barely keep herself together. How long until she loses? Until you’re staring into the eyes of Umbra, and not Umbriel? Will you be able to tell the difference, Martel? Will you even know when it happens?”

Martel looked away, his heart pounding. He didn’t have an answer.

Across the temple, Uperèphania’s voice was low and steady as it instructed Umbriel, each word laden with the weight of ancient knowledge. “The symbols you see are not just words. They are the essence of the chaos that binds the Artifacts. Each one holds a key to unlocking the full potential of the power within.”

Umbriel’s brow furrowed in concentration as she traced one of the symbols in the air, her hand trembling slightly. The symbol glowed faintly, a dark light that seemed to pull the shadows around it closer.

“But these symbols… they’re alive, aren’t they?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “They change. I can feel them shifting as I try to understand them.”

Uperèphania nodded. “Yes. The chaos that created these symbols is ever-changing, ever-shifting. That is the nature of the Artifacts. They are not meant to be controlled, not truly. They are meant to bring chaos. But with the right knowledge, you can manipulate that chaos and even reality—bend it to your will.”

Martel could see the strain in Umbriel’s eyes as she struggled to focus on the symbols, her mind clearly teetering on the edge of exhaustion. And still, Kenodoxia’s voice whispered in his ear.

“She’s going to fail. You know that, don’t you? She’s not strong enough to wield the chaos. It’s only a matter of time before Umbra takes her.”

“Shut up,” Martel growled, his voice barely audible.

Kenodoxia chuckled darkly. “You can’t ignore me, Martel. I know chaos when I see it, and I see chaos within her, but you love her… and you will fall and perish for that love…” Martel’s heart pounded in his chest, a dull, aching thud that reverberated through his entire body.

Across from him, Uperèphania continued its lesson to Umbriel.

“Umbriel, Porneia is defeated now, Umbra absorbed it thru you. But the other shadows are not. Kenodoxia is one of the strongest, born from the deepest vanity, the most insidious pride. You must be careful. It will try to manipulate you.”

The shadow of Uperios regarded her with something that might have been sympathy, though it was hard to tell in the wavering darkness. “You may think you can resist it, but the Chaos Devices have a way of twisting even the strongest will. Kenodoxia will use your doubts, your fears, your pride. It will turn them against you if you let it. And never forget that she is within Keno all the time.”

“I won’t let it,” Umbriel snapped, her voice harsher than she intended.

Uperèphania spoke again. “There is one more thing you must know before we continue. The Artifacts… they are not just objects. They are living, breathing manifestations of chaos. Each one has a protector, a shadow bound to it, guarding its power.”

Umbriel looked up, her eyes narrowing. “A protector? Like Porneia?”

“Yes,” Uperèphania said, nodding. “Porneia was the protector of the Chaos Parfum. And Kenodoxia… Kenodoxia is the protector of your amulet, Keno. As long as you possess it, Kenodoxia will remain with you.”

Keno felt a chill run down his spine. “And what happens if I… give it up?”

Kenodoxia’s laughter echoed in his mind. “You won’t. You won’t give me up, Keno. You’ll keep me close, just like you’ve kept every scrap of power you’ve ever touched. You’re not like your brother—you’re stronger. And deep down, you know you’re stronger. That’s why you’ll never let go of me.”

Keno’s breath hitched in his throat. The shadow’s words struck a chord, a truth he didn’t want to acknowledge but couldn’t deny. He had always envied Uperios, resented the power his brother had wielded. And now, with Uperios gone, the power was his.

The darkness around the temple seemed to press in closer, the shadows swirling like hungry beasts. Umbriel’s face was pale, but her gaze was steady as she looked at Martel.

As the fire crackled between them, Uperèphania’s voice rang out like a final warning. “The Chaos Devices are dangerous, but so are the shadows that guard them. If you are not careful, they will consume you. All of you.”

The fire crackled softly as Uperèphania finished speaking. Its shadowy form flickered in the dim light, though the weight of its words settled heavily in the air around them. Keno remained silent, eyes cast downward, Martel was still paralyzed by Kenodoxia’s influence, Carter was so tired of the battle that he was still sleeping, while Umbriel’s gaze was fixed on the shadows that wove through the temple. She could feel their presence—Kenodoxia lingering near Keno, Porneia's absence still echoing through the space, and the others, silent and watchful.

But there was one thing that stood above all else now: the Prohibitum books that lay open before her, their ancient, forbidden pages revealing secrets she could barely comprehend. The pages were lined with symbols, ever-shifting, living things that morphed into words the moment she understood them.

"This..." Umbriel whispered, running her fingers along the edge of the ancient text, "this is not just a book. It's alive, in a way."

Uperèphania nodded, the shadowy outline of its form growing larger in the light of the fire. “The Prohibitum are more than just records of knowledge. They are imbued with chaos, with the essence of the very power they describe. These books were never meant to be read by mortal eyes—only those touched by the shadows can even begin to decipher them."

Umbriel could feel the weight of the responsibility settling on her shoulders. She had spent so long fighting Umbra, fighting the darkness that clawed at her every thought. Now, she was willingly diving into that very chaos, searching for answers in the shadows.

"Tell me," she said quietly, her voice carrying across the stillness of the night. "Tell me everything about the Chaos Devices. The legend, the truth. I want to know everything."

Uperèphania's shadowy form seemed to shift, as if drawing closer to her, though it never truly moved. "The Chaos Devices... There are seven in total. Each one holds a fragment of chaos itself, bound by ancient forces that predate even the oldest of gods. These Artifacts are not simply objects—they are alive, and they possess great power. The Amulet, the Boots, the Parfum... they are just two of the seven."

Umbriel listened intently. “Two? But they’re three.” Said Umbriel. Her heart was pounding in her chest as Uperèphania continued.

"Yes, but it is one amongst two brothers, it's the only Chaos Device that's splitted in two. The first is the Amulet of Conceit, the symbol of vanity and pride. It feeds on the wearer’s arrogance, growing stronger as they become consumed by their own sense of self-importance. And with the Boots of Pride, the embodiment of ambition and desire. They allow the wearer to render invisible, but each step is a step deeper into the hunger for power. They together are one of the seven."

Uperèphania’s voice deepened, growing darker with each word. "The second is the Parfum of Chaos, a vessel of lust and temptation. It clouds the mind, drives those around the wearer into madness, but it also destroys the soul of the one who uses it. These two Artifacts alone are dangerous, but together… they are just the beginning."

“But there are five more,” Uperèphania continued. “The Dagger of Gall, The Ring of Sloth,. The Cloak of Sadness, the Trident of Starvation and the Coin of Greed. But I don't know their whereabouts, the Chaos Devices locations, remain a secret due to our escape from Umbra’s grasp.”

Umbriel’s breath caught in her throat. Seven Artifacts. Seven devices that could tear the world apart if brought together. She had only seen a fraction of their power, yet even that had nearly broken her. How could she hope to face all seven?

"And the legend?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "What happens if they are brought together?"

Uperèphania's form seemed to darken further, the fire flickering wildly in response. "The legend states that if all seven Artifacts are united, they will grant their bearer the power to reshape reality itself, to bend the very fabric of the universe to their will. But with that power comes madness—chaos unbound. Whoever seeks to control the Artifacts risks being consumed by them, lost to the endless void of destruction."

A heavy silence followed. Keno stared into the fire, the weight of his brother's death hanging over him, while Umbriel struggled to comprehend the enormity of what she had learned.

And then Kenodoxia's voice slithered into her mind, a subtle whisper that curled around her thoughts like a vine. “You could beat her, you know. You could gather the Artifacts, all of them. Use their power to defeat Umbra once and for all. She wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Umbriel's heart quickened at the suggestion, but a cold dread followed. "Gather the Artifacts?" she murmured, glancing at Uperèphania. "Is that even possible?"

The shadow nodded slowly, its form rippling like smoke. “It is. But it is a dangerous path. The chaos that resides within each Artifact is unpredictable. It will test you, try to consume you. If you fail… you will become a vessel of chaos, just like Umbra intends.”

Umbriel felt a shiver run down her spine. The thought of losing herself to the darkness was a nightmare she had been running from since the beginning.

“Don’t listen to them,” Martel suddenly growled, his voice harsh. He stood abruptly, fists clenched. “These shadows—Uperèphania, Kenodoxia—they’re manipulating you. They want you to gather the Artifacts for them! Don’t you see? This is exactly what Umbra wants too! She’s using you, Umbriel!”

Umbriel flinched at his words, the truth in them cutting deep. She had seen the way Umbra manipulated her thoughts, how the darkness inside her whispered lies, bending her will. But what choice did she have? She had to stop Umbra, somehow.

“Umbra wants the Artifacts,” Uperèphania confirmed, “just as she wanted to take control of you. But you must understand: you are not like her. You are still fighting, still holding on to your humanity. As long as you remain vigilant, you can resist the chaos.”

“And if I gather them all?” Umbriel asked, her voice barely a whisper. “What happens then?”

Kenodoxia’s laughter echoed in her mind, cold and cruel. “You’ll become unstoppable. No one will be able to challenge you—not even Umbra. But remember, each Device has its shadowy protector. We are not easeful”

Martel stepped forward, his face contorted with anger. “And what happens when you’re no better than her? What happens when you become chaos, Umbriel? What then?”

Before she could respond, the shadows shifted. Kenodoxia and Uperèphania began to dissolve, their forms unraveling like mist.

“Our time here is done,” Uperèphania said, its voice fading. “But we leave you with the Artifacts. The Amulet, the Boots, the Parfum… they are yours now. Use them wisely.”

And with that, the shadows went back into the Chaos Devices, Umbriel sat in stunned silence, staring at the objects before her—the very Chaos Devices she had been warned against.

Martel took a step back, shaking his head. “This is wrong,” he muttered. “This is all wrong.”

Umbriel didn’t respond. She reached out slowly, her fingers brushing against the Parfum of Porneia, the cold glass bottle sending a shiver through her body. She couldn’t stop now. She had to continue, had to find a way to defeat Umbra. But how?

The answer came to her in a flash—Alura.

Umbriel’s mind raced as she remembered the mysterious invitation from Alura. Alura, who had promised answers, who had offered help. Perhaps there, in the distant reaches of Alura’s domain, she could find a way to fight the darkness inside her.

“We have to go to Alura,” she said aloud, her voice steady now. “It’s the only way.”

Martel looked at her in disbelief. “Alura? Are you insane? You’re going to trust her now? After everything we’ve been through?”

“She might have the answers,” Umbriel said, rising to her feet. She couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer. The Prohibitum books had given her knowledge, but it was incomplete. Alura might be the key to unlocking the rest.

Keno stared at them for a long moment, his expression torn between anger and fear. Then, with a resigned sigh, he turned away.

“Fine, I’ll join you guys again.” he muttered. “But don’t expect me to save you when this all goes wrong.”

Umbriel ignored the bitterness in his voice. She gathered the Artifacts, slipping them into her pack as she made her decision. Alura would help her.

“Hey guys, we won right?" Said Carter as he woke up a little bit dizzy.