Before reaching the castle, Tenebras walked cautiously through the dense forest, leaves crunching under his feet, and the earthy, damp scent of the woods filling the air. Suddenly, he sensed a shadow slipping silently behind him, as if the forest itself were watching his every move.
His heart raced, his body trembling with tension and fear. He broke into a run, his feet pounding the ground, but behind him, someone moved faster, silent and relentless, leaving him little chance to advance safely.
Fatigue soon began to creep into Tenebras' body; his muscles quivered, and his steps faltered. At a certain point, he realized that running was no longer an option. He stopped abruptly, turning fear into determination, and decided to face his pursuer head-on.
Before him stood Gris Kars, who had abandoned his sister Lara's wedding to track Tenebras. Pride and arrogance shone in Gris' eyes, his sly smile carrying a clear challenge, and his voice was as cold as stone as he demanded Tenebras fight him directly.
The battle began. Tenebras was weak in comparison, every strike hitting him like a shockwave, his body shaking under the force, yet his eyes retained their spark and his heart held firm determination.
At first, the fight was somewhat balanced; they exchanged blows cautiously. But soon Gris unleashed a relentless barrage, each strike inflicting excruciating pain, as if every blow were a lesson in suffering and submission.
Gris' voice rang out, cold and sharp:
"This is your punishment for invading the Kars family wedding!"
The words fueled Tenebras' sorrow and rage, turning his sense of weakness into a blazing fire inside him, each heartbeat planting new resolve.
And deep within his soul, one goal crystallized: he would not settle for mere survival… Gris would pay for his actions, and one day, Tenebras would bury him alive.
Only one month remained until the competition, and Tenebras still felt weak, for the power of the noble families was truly terrifying. Fear occasionally gripped him, yet he refused to succumb to feelings of inadequacy. So he began the second stage of training, the training of the soul, after his body had grown strong enough.
Tenebras entered the corridor leading to the chamber designated for this training, located deep within an underground cave. He was excited for the new exercises, but his heart raced in anticipation of the challenges ahead.
The first exercise involved rotating his energy for six continuous hours without stopping. At first, Tenebras could only maintain his energy rotation for a few minutes, making this a daunting challenge. Each cycle drained almost all of his core power, and the pain nearly broke him, yet he clung to his willpower and perseverance.
For this reason, Uncle Silva brought him large quantities of energy pills, crafted from a mixture of herbs. These pills helped Tenebras surpass the first exercise of the second stage. The sense of triumph over exhaustion gave him an inner confidence, as if his body was beginning to adapt to the new power.
After finishing the first exercise, Tenebras did not rest; he immediately moved on to the second exercise, which focused on spiritual breathing. This stage was one of the most important for any trainee, as it revealed the type of their power.
A special crystal lay before him. When a trainee placed their hand upon it, a color would appear, indicating the nature of their power.
Red represented fire, blue water, white ice, yellow lightning, green forests, and black—extremely rare—signified the power of darkness.
Tenebras placed his hand on the crystal, and it seemed as if it might shatter from the intensity of the darkness emanating from it.
It was pure darkness… the power he had inherited from the Nofira family. A mixture of awe and pride surged through him, as if his heart knew he was on the brink of an extraordinary, unprecedented power.
Silva was stunned by the sight and realized that the ten-year-old boy standing before him was no ordinary child. He explained that the power of darkness was among the most difficult to master and extremely hard to control.
Silva demonstrated several techniques to help Tenebras adapt to the dark power. He began breathing slowly, attempting to merge his energy with the element of darkness until it formed a tangible manifestation he could wield in combat against his opponents. Tension filled the air, each breath a test of his patience and will.
After long hours of training and immense effort, Tenebras, unfortunately, had not yet penetrated the Shadow Nourishment layer. Nevertheless, he felt an overwhelming power flowing through his body and was confident he could crush all participants in the competition with his newfound strength. For the first time, he felt that his will was no longer a mere dream—it was beginning to take tangible form.
Finally, the day of the competition arrived.
Tenebras prepared himself… and launched toward the arena, his heart brimming with unwavering courage and unbreakable determination.