SHADOW OF FATE

Chapter 4: The Crystal of Light

The temple shook as Darius raised his hand.

Dark energy rushed across the stone floor like black smoke.

Kael tightened his grip on his sword.

Mira stepped beside him, while Ren moved to the other side.

Darius laughed.

"You really believe three young warriors can stop the Shadow King's servant?"

Kael stared at him.

"We don't have to be stronger than you."

His eyes began to glow.

"We only have to stand together."

Darius disappeared.

BOOM!

A powerful strike sent Ren flying across the temple.

"Ren!" Mira shouted.

Ren quickly stood up.

"I'm fine!"

Darius attacked again, but Kael blocked the blow. The force pushed Kael backward several steps.

Something strange happened.

The symbol on Kael's hand began shining brightly.

The darkness around Darius suddenly weakened.

Darius froze.

"That mark..."

His voice changed.

"You really are the one."

Kael looked at his hand.

"What do you mean?"

Darius stepped backward.

"The Shadow King has feared your existence for centuries."

Kael's eyes widened.

"Centuries? I wasn't even alive!"

Darius smiled beneath his mask.

"That is because your story began long before your birth."

Suddenly, the Crystal of Light flashed.

A vision appeared above it.

Kael saw a massive battlefield.

Armies of light and darkness were fighting beneath a black sky.

At the center stood a mysterious warrior holding a sword that looked exactly like Kael's.

Beside the warrior was a woman.

Kael recognized her immediately.

It was his mother.

"Mother..."

The vision changed.

His mother placed the glowing symbol on the warrior's hand.

Then a voice echoed through the temple:

"When fate is broken, the chosen one shall return."

The vision vanished.

Kael stood speechless.

Mira placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Kael..."

Before he could answer, Darius charged.

Kael raised his sword.

Their weapons collided.

A wave of energy exploded through the temple.

Darius was thrown backward.

For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.

"The Crystal has chosen you."

Kael walked toward it.

Darius suddenly screamed.

"No!"

He released every bit of darkness inside him.

The temple began collapsing.

Stone fell from the ceiling.

"Get out!" Ren shouted.

But Kael refused to move.

The Crystal floated toward him.

As Kael reached for it, everything became silent.

Then he heard the mysterious voice again.

"You cannot defeat the darkness by becoming darkness."

Kael closed his eyes.

"I understand."

He touched the Crystal.

A brilliant light filled the entire temple.

Darius screamed as the darkness surrounding him disappeared.

When the light faded, the mysterious servant was gone.

Only his silver mask remained on the ground.

Ren stared at it.

"Did we win?"

Kael looked toward the entrance.

"No."

Mira frowned.

"Why?"

Kael looked at the Crystal in his hand.

"Because Darius wasn't here to defeat us."

He looked toward the distant mountains.

"He was here to find me."

Far away, beyond the mountains, a pair of crimson eyes opened inside an ancient fortress.

A deep voice echoed through the darkness.

"So... the Broken Fate has awakened."

The Shadow King slowly rose from his throne.

"Let him come."

A dark smile appeared across his face.

"The final battle has finally begun."

Kael, Mira, and Ren left the ruined temple as the sun rose over the forest.

But none of them noticed the small black mark appearing on Kael's sword.

Something inside the weapon had awakened.

And it was watching him.

To be continued in Chapter 5: The Dark Sword