The journey to the northern fortress was grueling. The students trekked through rugged terrain, where jagged cliffs loomed over narrow paths and icy winds cut through their cloaks. Elarya had provided them with supplies—thick furs, enchanted lanterns that burned without fuel, and a map etched on a shimmering crystal—but she did not accompany them. "This is your trial," she had said, her eyes lingering on Yasir. "Prove you are ready."
Yasir led the group, his mind racing. The Shadow King's fortress, according to Elarya, was a labyrinth of dark stone infused with corrupt magic, guarded by shadow beasts and worse. The thought of facing such a place made his stomach churn, but he hid his unease, focusing on keeping the team together. The training had strengthened their coordination, but Mazen's grudging cooperation was fragile, and Yasir knew one misstep could reignite old tensions.
Ahmed walked beside him, his fiery sword sheathed but ready, its faint glow warming the air. "This place gives me the creeps," he muttered, eyeing the twisted, leafless trees that lined the path. Lina, bundled in her cloak, checked her energy reserves, her healing and boosting abilities now vital for the group's endurance. Sara scouted ahead, her night vision piercing the gloom, while Nawaf used gentle winds to clear mist from their path. Mazen and Rami brought up the rear, Mazen's stone shield occasionally scraping against rocks, a reminder of his presence.
As night fell, they camped in a shallow cave. Yasir imagined a protective dome of faint light to conceal their fire, a trick he'd practiced to conserve energy. The group sat in a tense circle, eating dried rations. "How do we even fight a Shadow King?" Nawaf asked, his voice low. "If he's stronger than those beasts…" His words trailed off, and the others exchanged uneasy glances.
"We stick to the plan," Yasir said firmly. "Sara scouts the fortress entrance. Nawaf and Ahmed disrupt the guards. Mazen and Rami hold the line. Lina keeps us going, and I'll handle the heavy magic. Together, we're unstoppable." He tried to sound confident, but the memory of his mental fog after big spells gnawed at him. Lina caught his eye, her expression urging caution.
Mazen snorted. "Together? You mean you'll do the real work while we play support." His tone was bitter, but softer than before, as if he were testing Yasir rather than attacking. Yasir met his gaze. "Your dome saved us last time. I'm counting on it again." Mazen looked away, but didn't argue, a small victory.
At dawn, they reached the fortress. It loomed like a wound in the landscape, its black spires clawing at the gray sky. A moat of dark, viscous liquid surrounded it, bubbling with unnatural energy. Sara's eyes glowed as she scanned the entrance. "Six shadow beasts, bigger than the others, and… something else. It's not alive, but it's moving." Her voice trembled.
Yasir took a deep breath, imagining a plan. "We hit fast. Ahmed, Nawaf, draw the beasts out. Mazen, dome up if they swarm. Lina, boost Sara to track that 'something else.' I'll clear the entrance." The group nodded, and for the first time, they moved as one.
The battle erupted in chaos. Ahmed's fiery vortex, fueled by Nawaf's winds, scorched two beasts, but the others were relentless, their smoky forms dodging blows. Mazen's dome shielded Rami and Sara as claws rained down, the stone cracking but holding. Lina's boost sharpened Sara's vision, revealing the "something else"—a towering construct of shadow and bone, its limbs creaking with dark magic.
Yasir focused, imagining a wave of radiant energy to blast the entrance clear. The spell worked, vaporizing three beasts, but the recoil hit him hard—his head throbbed, and his knees buckled. Lina rushed to his side, her healing touch easing the pain. "You can't keep doing this!" she hissed. He nodded, gasping, and switched to smaller spells, conjuring light arrows to pin the remaining beasts.
The construct charged, its skeletal arms swinging. Mazen roared, expanding his dome to block it, but the impact sent him skidding. "Yasir, do something!" he shouted, desperation breaking his pride. Yasir, still dizzy, imagined a cage of molten chains to trap the construct. The chains materialized, binding it, but the effort left him swaying. Ahmed and Nawaf finished the beasts, and Lina boosted Mazen, who slammed his shield into the construct, shattering it.
The entrance was clear, but the group was battered. Yasir leaned on Ahmed, his vision swimming. "We did it," he whispered. Mazen, panting, met his eyes. "You… didn't have to save me," he muttered, but there was a grudging respect in his tone. Lina smiled faintly. "We're a team now."
As they stepped into the fortress, the air grew colder, and a deep voice echoed from within: "You dare challenge me?" The Shadow King's presence loomed, and Yasir felt his gift flicker, as if the fortress itself resisted his magic. The team tightened their formation, weapons and gifts ready. Yasir knew this was only the beginning, but with his classmates by his side—finally united—he felt a spark of hope. They would face the Shadow King together, or fall as one.