The underground chamber remained silent.
Evans stood before the ancient book while the Royal Awakening Guard watched him carefully.
His heart was still racing.
That voice...
It had sounded as though someone had been trapped inside him.
"Can I leave now?" Evans asked.
The guard stared at him for a moment before answering.
"Not yet."
Evans frowned.
"Why?"
"Because we need to know what your ability can do."
The guard pointed toward a large circular room.
"Go inside."
Evans walked into the room.
The walls were covered with magical symbols.
A large crystal floated above the center.
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Use your power."
Evans looked at his hands.
"I don't know how."
"Then figure it out."
Evans sighed.
He closed his eyes.
He tried to remember what had happened during the awakening ceremony.
The darkness.
The cold feeling.
The strange voice.
He slowly raised his hand.
Nothing happened.
He concentrated harder.
Still nothing.
The guard sighed.
"Perhaps the power is unstable."
Evans opened his eyes.
"I can feel it."
"Feel what?"
"The shadows."
He looked toward the corner of the room.
There was a small shadow beneath a table.
Evans reached toward it.
The shadow suddenly moved.
WHOOSH!
Evans disappeared.
The guard's eyes widened.
"What—?"
Evans appeared beside the table.
He looked around in confusion.
"I... moved."
The guard stared at him.
"No."
He looked at the shadow.
"You didn't move."
"You entered the shadow."
Evans looked down.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
"So I can teleport?"
"Not exactly."
The guard walked toward him.
"You moved from one shadow to another."
Evans looked excited.
"That's even better!"
The guard remained serious.
"Don't get excited yet."
He pointed toward the opposite side of the room.
"Try again."
Evans stepped into the shadow beneath his feet.
This time, he focused on the shadow across the room.
The darkness wrapped around his body.
WHOOSH!
He disappeared.
A second later, he appeared on the other side.
Evans laughed.
"I did it!"
The guard nodded.
"Shadow Step."
Evans looked at him.
"That's the name?"
"According to the ancient records."
Evans smiled.
"I like it."
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The chamber shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
The guard immediately grabbed his weapon.
"What was that?"
Another explosion shook the room.
Evans looked toward the entrance.
"Are we under attack?"
The guard's expression hardened.
"Stay here."
He rushed out.
Evans stood alone.
Then he heard footsteps.
Someone was approaching.
A boy entered the chamber.
He looked about sixteen years old and wore the uniform of the Royal Academy.
His hair was silver, and sparks of blue lightning danced around his fingers.
He looked at Evans.
"So you're the Shadow user."
Evans frowned.
"Who are you?"
The boy smiled.
"My name is Leon."
He raised his hand.
Lightning crackled around his arm.
"I'm the strongest first-year student at the Royal Academy."
Evans stared at him.
"Okay."
Leon blinked.
"Okay?"
"Yes."
Leon looked annoyed.
"You don't seem impressed."
"Should I be?"
Leon smiled.
"You're going to learn why."
He suddenly disappeared.
BOOM!
A flash of lightning rushed toward Evans.
Evans reacted instinctively.
He stepped backward.
The shadow beneath his feet opened.
WHOOSH!
The lightning attack passed through empty air.
Evans appeared behind Leon.
Leon turned around in shock.
"Shadow Step..."
Evans grinned.
"Looks like I figured it out."
Leon clenched his fist.
"Don't get cocky."
Lightning surrounded his entire body.
Evans's smile disappeared.
The room filled with blue light.
Then Leon charged.
---
Outside
Olivia stood in the corridor.
She could feel something strange.
Her Light Power was reacting to something.
She looked toward the underground chamber.
"Evans..."
Her palm began glowing.
The black mark appeared again.
This time, it stayed.
Olivia stared at it.
"What is happening to me?"
A voice suddenly whispered behind her.
"You shouldn't have awakened that power."
Olivia turned quickly.
Nobody was there.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Then a shadow moved across the wall.
Olivia stepped backward.
Her golden light immediately became brighter.
The shadow disappeared.
Olivia stared at her hand.
She finally understood something.
Her power wasn't simply Light.
It was connected to Evans's Shadow.
And somewhere deep beneath the kingdom, something was beginning to awaken.
Something that had been waiting for both of them.
For fifteen years.