Chapter 9: Shadow
828 Words
The arena was no longer an arena.
It was collapsing.
Cracks of dark energy spread across the floating platform like veins.
The barrier around the battlefield flickered violently.
And inside—
Alex was gone.
Not physically.
But mentally.
Something else stood where he once stood.
A shadow that breathed.
That moved.
That watched.
Nyx Stands Alone
“…Alex,” Nyx whispered.
The creature tilted its head.
Slow.
Unnatural.
Then—
It moved.
Instantly.
Nyx barely dodged as the ground exploded behind her.
“Everyone back!” Kai shouted from above the arena edge.
Mira’s flames ignited.
“That’s not him anymore!”
Leo stepped forward.
“We bring him back.”
Eron grabbed his arm.
“You didn’t see what I saw in the first one.”
Leo froze slightly.
“…I did.”
Silence.
Inside the Darkness
Far away—
Inside the collapsing mind—
Alex was still there.
Floating.
Lost.
“…I’m still here,” he whispered.
No response.
Then—
The voice returned.
Deep.
Ancient.
“You always were.”
Alex looked around.
Nothing but black space.
“…What are you?”
A pause.
Then—
“What you were meant to become.”
Outside – Chaos Escalates
Nyx formed a shadow barrier.
But it cracked instantly.
“Too strong…” she muttered.
The creature moved again.
Faster.
Stronger.
Unpredictable.
Kai clenched his fists.
“…I’m stepping in.”
Mira turned.
“You can’t interfere in a semifinal match!”
Kai looked at her.
“Watch me.”
Forbidden Intervention
Kai jumped into the arena.
Gravity twisted instantly.
The monster was forced downward—
For half a second.
It turned.
Looked at him.
And Kai froze.
“…That’s not just power,” he whispered.
“That’s something else.”
The monster struck.
Kai barely blocked it.
The impact shattered the ground beneath them.
“Okay,” Kai grunted, sliding back.
“…That hurts.”
Nyx’s Decision
Nyx closed her eyes.
“…I’m going in.”
Eron grabbed her arm.
“Are you insane?!”
“I know how to reach him.”
Mira looked at her.
“…Do it.”
Leo nodded.
“Bring him back.”
Nyx stepped forward.
And entered the chaos.
Inside the Storm
Now three were inside:
Kai.
Nyx.
And the shadow form of Alex.
The creature stopped.
Slowly turning toward Nyx.
“…Alex,” she said calmly.
No reaction.
She stepped closer.
“I know you’re still there.”
A pause.
Then—
The creature hesitated.
Just slightly.
Kai noticed instantly.
“…It reacted.”
Nyx nodded.
“It’s still him.”
The monster shook violently.
As if fighting itself.
The Breaking Point
Inside the mind—
Alex struggled.
“…I don’t want this!”
The voice responded.
“You do not choose.”
Alex screamed internally.
“…Yes I do!”
A pause.
Then—
For the first time—
Something cracked.
Not the arena.
Not reality.
But the bond.
And the voice shifted.
“…Interesting.”
Return of Control
Outside—
The monster froze.
Nyx stepped forward.
“Alex. Focus on my voice.”
The creature twitched.
Kai prepared for attack.
But Nyx raised her hand.
“Don’t.”
She walked closer.
“I’m here.”
The shadows trembled.
Slowly—
They began to retract.
Not fully.
But enough.
The form shifted.
Broken.
Human.
Alex collapsed to his knees.
Breathing heavily.
“…Nyx…” he whispered.
She exhaled.
“…You’re back.”
Aftermath of the Semifinal
Silence filled the arena.
Then—
Alarm systems triggered.
“MATCH INCONCLUSIVE.”
No one cheered.
No one moved.
Because everyone understood something had changed.
Alex wasn’t just a student anymore.
Kai helped him up.
“…That was close.”
Alex looked at his hands.
Still shaking.
“…It’s getting worse.”
Nyx nodded.
“Yes.”
A pause.
“And someone is accelerating it.”
Far Above – The Professor Watches
Professor Virel stood still.
Watching everything.
His twin beside him.
“It reacted too early,” the twin said.
Virel nodded slightly.
“Yes.”
“…Should we intervene?”
Virel smiled faintly.
“No.”
A pause.
“Let it break a little more.”
The White-Haired Girl Appears Again
That night—
Alex stood alone again.
He was tired.
Mentally drained.
“…I can’t keep doing this,” he muttered.
“You will,” a voice said behind him.
He turned.
The white-haired girl.
Again.
“Stop doing that,” Alex said.
She tilted her head.
“You survived.”
“…Barely.”
She stepped closer.
“You touched it.”
“…The power?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
A pause.
“You touched what’s inside it.”
Alex frowned.
“…Explain.”
She looked at him seriously.
“You are not the source of that power.”
A pause.
“You are the prison.”
Silence.
“…What?”
She stepped back slightly.
“And it is starting to remember how to escape.”
- Writer
