The valley erupted into chaos.
The Harbinger staggered backward, black blood spilling from the glowing wound in its chest. The spear of light remained lodged deep inside its body, burning like molten steel.
Its roar shook the very sky.
The Hollowborn scattered in every direction, shrieking as though the light itself was poison.
Nyx instinctively shielded his eyes.
"What… was that?"
Kera's expression had lost all composure.
"No…"
She stared at the armored figure standing atop the cliff.
"They've already crossed into the Land of Shadows…"
The figure stepped forward.
White light gathered beneath his feet as he descended through the air, each step creating glowing platforms that dissolved behind him.
He landed several yards away.
Not a sound accompanied the impact.
He stood over six feet tall, encased in immaculate silver-white armor etched with golden runes. His helmet concealed everything but two piercing blue eyes that glowed with unwavering resolve.
A long spear rested comfortably in his hand.
Its blade shone brighter than the moon.
Nyx could barely look at it.
Every instinct inside him screamed that the weapon wasn't made for demons…
It was made to erase them.
The knight looked directly at Nyx.
"So…"
"You're alive."
Nyx frowned.
"You know me?"
"I know what you are."
The knight slowly raised his spear.
"The last shadow heir."
Kera immediately stepped between them.
"You've violated the Accord."
"There is no Accord."
"There was."
"Not anymore."
Silence.
The knight's voice never changed.
It remained cold.
Calculated.
Almost emotionless.
"The Council ordered every member of the Umbrasil bloodline exterminated centuries ago."
He pointed his spear toward Nyx.
"We simply missed one."
Nyx's stomach tightened.
They're trying to kill me…
Before I even understand what's happening.
"I haven't done anything!"
The knight didn't lower his weapon.
"You were born."
The words hit harder than any blade.
"You carry the blood of the Shadow King."
"That alone condemns you."
Nyx's anger began rising.
"You expect me to just stand here and die because of something I didn't choose?"
"No."
The knight's grip tightened.
"I expect you to fight."
The air exploded.
He vanished.
Nyx barely saw the flash of light before instinct took over.
His body moved on its own.
Darkness erupted beneath him.
The spear struck a wall of shadows instead of his chest.
The impact blasted Nyx backward anyway.
He rolled across the stone before slamming into a ruined pillar.
Pain shot through his ribs.
Fast…
Too fast…
The knight appeared again.
Already swinging.
Nyx ducked.
The spear carved effortlessly through the pillar behind him.
Stone disintegrated into dust.
Kera joined the fight.
Black chains burst from the ground, wrapping around the knight's arms and legs.
For the first time…
He stopped moving.
"You should leave," Kera shouted.
"Now!"
Nyx hesitated.
"What about you?"
"I wasn't asking."
The chains shattered.
The knight stepped free as though they had been made of glass.
Kera's eyes widened.
"Impossible…"
The knight spoke calmly.
"Darkness cannot bind light."
He thrust his spear forward.
A beam of blinding radiance erupted from its tip.
Kera barely raised a shield of shadows before the attack struck.
The explosion threw her across the battlefield.
She crashed into the cliffside.
The entire mountain trembled.
Nyx stared in horror.
"Kera!"
She didn't answer.
The knight turned back toward him.
"You're next."
Nyx slowly stood.
His entire body hurt.
His breathing was uneven.
His hands trembled.
Not from fear.
From rage.
Everyone keeps deciding who I am…
A demon.
A king.
A monster.
No one has even asked me what I want.
Something inside him snapped.
The scar on his neck burned hotter than ever before.
Darkness poured from it like smoke.
The ground beneath his feet cracked.
Every shadow within the valley rushed toward him.
The air became impossibly cold.
The knight finally stopped walking.
"…Interesting."
Nyx's silver eyes slowly changed.
The whites disappeared.
His irises became pools of complete darkness.
Thin streams of black energy curled from his body.
He no longer felt afraid.
He felt…
Power.
Raw.
Ancient.
Infinite.
Voices whispered inside his mind.
"Our king…"
"Rise…"
"Claim your throne…"
Nyx clenched his fists.
The shadows answered.
Thousands of black tendrils erupted from the earth behind him like enormous wings.
The entire valley disappeared beneath darkness.
For the first time…
The knight took a step backward.
"You've awakened…"
Nyx looked at his own hands.
What… am I becoming?