The darkness in the room seemed to swallow the air, thick and oppressive. Kaelen lay on the floor, chest heaving as he tried to regain his breath, his muscles screaming from the impact. His mind raced, trying to process what had just happened. He forced himself to focus, blinking through the haze, and that’s when he saw her.

  A soft glow illuminated the room, casting long shadows against the walls. She stood near the door, her figure tall and imposing. Her hair was long, an almost unnatural shade of deep blue that shimmered faintly in the faint light. Her eyes—dark violet, almost black—gleamed with something between amusement and curiosity. She wore a long coat, covered in intricate blue and violet patterns that looked almost metallic, the fabric catching the sparse light as she shifted her weight. Massive boots and long, perfectly shaped dark purple nails completed the picture. She was striking, powerful, and utterly unbothered by the chaos that had led them here.

  Kaelen's breath caught as their eyes met, but he didn’t waver. His hand instinctively moved toward the pistol at his side.

  “Hi, handsome,” she said, her voice smooth, carrying an edge of amusement. “Let’s take a walk, shall we?”

  Kaelen’s fingers closed around the grip of his weapon, but before he could raise it, she was on him. In a blur of movement, her boot slammed down on his wrist, pinning him to the ground. The pistol clattered from his grip, spinning uselessly across the floor. Kaelen winced at the pressure on his wrist but bit down the pain, his gaze locked on hers.

  "Now, now, let’s not make this difficult,” she purred, leaning down slightly. “You wouldn’t want me to think you’re rude, would you?”

  Before Kaelen could respond, he felt a strange sensation—like the ground itself was shifting beneath him. His body tensed, and a moment later, the air around him warped, bending and twisting as if reality itself was being pulled apart. He was being dragged into something, a force pulling at him, disorienting him.

  “What the hell—” Kaelen gasped, but before he could finish, the room around him vanished. The world dissolved into shadows, and he was gone.

  Kaelen hit the ground hard, his body folding in on itself as he landed with a heavy thud. The moment his hands met the cold, hard surface beneath him, his stomach churned violently, and he vomited, bile hitting the ground with a sickening splash.

  He groaned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his vision spinning as he tried to steady himself. A chuckle echoed beside him, smooth and mocking.

  “Well, that’s quite the entrance,” the woman mused, her voice teasing but not unkind. “Most people at least make it through the first few seconds before losing their lunch. I’m flattered though—must’ve been quite the ride.”

  Kaelen pushed himself onto his hands and knees, his chest still heaving as he fought for breath. “What... where the hell...?”

  “Easy, handsome,” she cooed, stepping closer, her boots clicking against the ground softly as she moved. She crouched beside him, her long coat brushing the earth. “I’d hate for you to ruin those pretty boots of mine. Not that I mind cleaning up a mess or two, but let’s keep it civil.”

  Kaelen spat onto the ground, the taste of acid still sharp on his tongue. “What... what just happened?”

  “You got a little trip courtesy of yours truly,” she replied with a grin, her eyes flashing with mischief. She stood up, offering him a hand, but Kaelen ignored it, pushing himself shakily to his feet.

  As his head cleared, Kaelen blinked, finally taking in his surroundings. The world around him was like nothing he had ever seen. It was dark, but the shadows seemed alive, shifting subtly in the thick, dense fog that blanketed the landscape. There was a stillness in the air, broken only by the soft hum of faintly glowing lights that floated just above the ground, casting an ethereal glow across the landscape.

  Towering stone formations rose in the distance, jagged and otherworldly, their peaks lost in the mist. The ground beneath them was a deep, almost black soil, yet the subtle glimmer of translucent lights dotted the ground, giving the place a hauntingly beautiful aura. Shadows twisted and moved within the fog, but not in a menacing way—they were graceful, almost like a natural part of the land.

  It wasn’t the harsh, eerie realm of nightmares Kaelen might have expected. It was... breathtaking, in a way he hadn’t anticipated.

  “Where... where am I?” Kaelen asked, his voice still shaky, his eyes wide as he took in the alien beauty of the place.

  The woman tilted her head slightly, watching him with an amused smile. “Welcome to Shadowstorm Vale,” she said, her tone shifting to something more formal, but still holding that ever-present edge of playfulness. “Home of the Shadow Celestials. We don’t exactly get a lot of visitors—especially ones from Core and Aether.”

  Kaelen’s breath caught in his throat. Shadowstorm Vale. The place he had only heard whispered about, the place the Arcanists never spoke of openly.

  The woman gave a graceful nod, her movements fluid, almost like she was one with the mist itself. “The name’s Nyx. And you, my dear guest, have just stepped into the heart of what your friends tried to erase from existence.”

  Kaelen’s brow furrowed. "You mean the Arcanists?"

  Nyx’s lips curled into a sharp smile. “Oh, you catch on quick. Yes, the very same. This is our land now. Shadowstorm Vale... a place they’d rather you believe is nothing but a forgotten myth.”

  Kaelen looked around again, the dense fog swirling lazily at his feet, the translucent lights dancing in the distance. There was something captivating about it all—a strange, hidden beauty. But beneath it all, he could feel the weight of the history here, the tension woven into the very ground.

  "And you brought me here why?" Kaelen asked, the confusion and tension in his voice barely masked.

  Nyx sighed dramatically, her dark eyes gleaming. “Because, darling, there’s a lot more going on than what your precious Aether has told you. And I figured it’s about time you saw things from our side of the world. Plus,” she added, leaning in conspiratorially, “you seemed like the type who could use a change of scenery.”

  Kaelen stared at her, trying to read her expression. But Nyx, with her playful smirk and teasing demeanor, was unreadable.

  So,” she said, spinning around lightly, her coat twirling with her, “it seems twe’re expected.”

  Kaelen’s legs still felt weak, his body recovering from the disorienting trip through whatever portal Nyx had pulled him through. He shook off the lingering dizziness, eyes narrowing slightly as he caught her watching him with that same mischievous smirk.

  “We’re... expected?” he repeated, clearly wary. “Expected by who?”

  Nyx’s smile widened, the kind that made it impossible to tell if she was teasing or dead serious. She turned on her heel, beckoning him with a lazy flick of her hand. “Oh, you'll see. But first, we walk.”

  Kaelen hesitated, still standing in place as Nyx started to stride forward, her boots crunching against the mist-covered ground. The mist that had been thick and heavy around them was already beginning to dissipate, leaving behind only a thin, translucent veil that clung to the ground like the remnants of a forgotten dream. It felt alive, shifting with each step they took, almost as if the very land was breathing alongside them.

  Kaelen caught up to her, his hand instinctively brushing the empty spot where his pistol used to rest. A flicker of panic surged through him—whatever he was up against, he knew he was unarmed and dangerously outmatched.

  “You mind telling me where exactly we’re headed?” he asked, his tone casual but edged with suspicion.

  Nyx glanced over her shoulder, her violet eyes catching the faint glow of the distant lights that dotted the Vale. “Now, now. Where’s the fun in telling you everything up front? You’re already here, aren’t you?”

  Kaelen gave her a sideways look. “I prefer knowing where I’m going before I just follow someone into the fog.”

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Trust me, sweetheart,” Nyx said with a wink. “You’re in better company than you think.”

  Kaelen muttered something under his breath, but followed her anyway, his gaze shifting to the land around them. As they walked, the mist grew lighter, revealing more of the landscape. Shadowstorm Vale was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was dark, yes, but it wasn’t the oppressive, suffocating kind of darkness. The ground beneath them had an ethereal quality, the shadows blending with the mist in such a way that it was almost dreamlike.

  In the distance, the towering stone formations he had seen earlier came into sharper focus, jagged and imposing. But between those structures, small glowing creatures flitted about—some resembling oversized fireflies, their translucent wings shimmering in soft blues and purples. Every now and then, one of them would dart past Kaelen’s head, leaving behind a faint trail of light that quickly faded into the mist.

  “You all really lean into the whole shadow aesthetic, don’t you?” Kaelen said, trying to mask his awe with sarcasm.

  Nyx chuckled. “What can I say? We have a style.”

  Kaelen shook his head. “And this is normal for you? Walking through the Vale in the middle of the night, dragging people into secret meetings?”

  Nyx raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. “Secret meetings? Hardly. This is a simple... chat. As for walking around at night, let’s just say we don’t sleep quite as soundly as others. We’re more... nocturnal. You get used to it.”

  Kaelen smirked, his sarcasm slipping back in. “Great, so Shadow Celestials just don’t sleep, huh? That explains the night meetings. What do you do, catch up on your beauty rest during the day?”

  Nyx snorted a laugh, clearly enjoying the banter. “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far. But let’s just say we’ve found more productive ways to spend our nights than lying around in bed. Besides,” she added, glancing at him with that sly look again, “you seem like the type who could handle a little late-night adventure.”

  Kaelen rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I guess I didn’t have much choice, did I?”

  “See? You’re catching on,” she said with a wink, turning her gaze forward again.

  The mist thinned further, revealing more of Shadowstorm Vale’s haunting beauty. The towering stone formations were now looming overhead, but they weren’t just simple rock formations. Intricate carvings, faintly glowing in the darkness, lined their surfaces—symbols and patterns Kaelen couldn’t quite make sense of, but they pulsed with a soft, rhythmic light, almost like the heartbeat of the Vale itself.

  As they walked, Kaelen spotted a small creature darting across the ground in front of them. It looked like a cross between a fox and a bird, with sleek, dark fur and glowing, feathery wings. It skittered across their path, pausing briefly to look up at Kaelen with curious, glowing eyes before disappearing into the mist once more.

  “Do all your animals glow here?” Kaelen asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

  Nyx smiled, not missing a beat. “Only the ones that want to be seen.”

  He huffed. “You’ve got an answer for everything, don’t you?”

  “It’s a gift,” she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder as they continued.

  Kaelen’s stomach finally settled, and his gaze sharpened again. “Alright, enough games. You said we’re expected. Who’s expecting us? And why?”

  Nyx didn’t answer right away, her pace slowing as they reached the base of one of the massive stone formations. The carvings glowed brighter here, casting long shadows that danced on the ground around them. She finally turned to face him fully, her expression less playful now, though still holding that familiar edge of mystery.

  “Let’s just say you’ve piqued the interest of some... important people. And they don’t take kindly to outsiders wandering into our realm. But you, Kaelen... you’re not just any outsider, are you?”

  Kaelen’s eyes narrowed, his muscles tensing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Nyx smiled again, this time more cryptically. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  She gestured toward the stone structure ahead, where the faint glow of a doorway had begun to materialize, flickering softly like the rest of the Vale.

  Kaelen followed Nyx into the shadowy entrance of the massive structure, the glow from the carvings dimming as they passed beneath the archway. The air inside was cooler, more still than the mist-filled Vale outside. It had a strange, calming quality to it, like stepping into another world entirely. The walls of the corridor were etched with the same intricate patterns, glowing softly, casting faint blue light that danced along the smooth, polished floors.

  As they moved deeper into the building, Kaelen could hear the subtle hum of energy coursing through the place, an almost imperceptible pulse, like the heartbeat of the Vale itself. It was oddly peaceful—until the tension in his gut reminded him that he had no idea where this was leading.

  Nyx walked ahead, her pace slower now, more deliberate. They turned a corner, and Kaelen saw the hallway open up into a large, dimly lit room. In the center of the room, a man sat hunched over a wide stone table. The room was filled with the faint scent of parchment and old books, the soft rustle of pages as the man’s hand moved over the text before him.

  The man looked up from his book, and the second his eyes locked onto Kaelen, a flicker of shock crossed his face, only for an instant. It was gone so quickly that it could’ve been missed, replaced by something deeper, something calculating. His lips curved into a slow smile, but it wasn’t the kind of smile that put you at ease.

  The eyes that met Kaelen’s were a piercing, familiar blue, sharp and intense. Recognition slammed into him like a blow, freezing him in place. His body tensed instinctively, muscles coiling as if preparing for another fight, but he forced himself to stay still. His pulse raced, though. The man was not just anyone; there was a gravity about him, a weight in the way he carried himself. This was someone used to command, to control. Someone with a plan.

  The man’s gaze lingered on Kaelen, a mix of interest and something else—satisfaction, maybe. "Well, well," he finally said, his voice smooth, deliberate, with just a hint of amusement. "This is quite the surprise."

  Nyx stepped forward, leaning casually against the stone table as if she hadn’t just delivered an uninvited guest to one of the most powerful beings in Shadowstorm Vale. "Thought you'd appreciate it," she said with a grin. "I figured you'd want to meet him in person."

  The man's eyes never left Kaelen, even as he addressed Nyx. "You do have a talent for bringing... unexpected guests." His tone was measured, but there was no mistaking the intensity behind his gaze. "I take it this wasn't planned?"

  Nyx shrugged, unfazed by the tension in the room. "Planned? Not exactly. But when you see an opportunity, you take it, right? Besides, things got a bit messy back near Core. I had to act fast."

  Kaelen's mind raced. They knew about Core. Of course, they did. But something about the way they were talking—it felt like there was more to this than he understood. He wanted to speak, to demand answers, but the weight of the man’s presence made him pause. There was a dangerous edge to him, something that told Kaelen not to push too hard, not yet.

  The man’s expression didn’t change, but his posture shifted slightly, a subtle adjustment that spoke volumes. “Messy,” he repeated, his tone almost mocking. “Your definition of ‘messy’ often leads to... complications, Nyx. You didn’t think to inform me before acting?”

  Nyx smiled innocently, but there was a gleam of mischief in her eyes. “Where’s the fun in that? Besides, you’ll thank me later.”

  The man’s gaze flicked briefly to Nyx, but then he refocused on Kaelen. His eyes, a deep, icy blue, were penetrating, as if trying to see past Kaelen’s defenses. “So,” he began slowly, a sly smile playing on his lips, “didn’t think I’d be lucky enough to run into you again after our little forest encounter.”

  Kaelen swallowed hard. The memory of that night flashed in his mind—the raw power, the crushing grip, the feeling of being completely overpowered. But he wasn’t going to let this man see any fear. Not now.

  “What can I say?” Kaelen replied, his voice steady despite the tension. “I have a habit of being where I’m not wanted.”

  The man’s smile widened slightly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. In fact, you’re exactly where I need you to be.”

  Kaelen’s heart skipped a beat at that. There was something off about this whole situation, something that felt too... orchestrated. Was this all part of some bigger plan? He tried to keep his face neutral, but the man's words gnawed at him.

  Nyx cut in, her tone casual but carrying weight. "He's an interesting one, isn't he? Not just any outsider stumbles into Shadowstorm Vale, let alone survives the forest."

  The man’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Kaelen. “Survival... yes. But he’s more than that, isn’t he?”

  Kaelen could feel the scrutiny, the way the man was dissecting him with his gaze. He felt exposed, vulnerable in a way he hadn’t since his powers had started to manifest. Yet there was something in the man’s eyes, a glimmer of recognition. Not of Kaelen himself, but of the potential in him—something Kaelen wasn’t entirely sure he understood yet.

  The man finally straightened, breaking the silence with a quiet sigh, as though coming to a decision. “You’re not just here by accident, Kaelen. You were brought here for a reason, even if you don’t see it yet.”

  Kaelen frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  The man’s smile shifted, the tension in his eyes relaxing just a fraction. “Enough of the dramatics. Tell me, are you in the mood for a drink?”

  Kaelen, still processing the rollercoaster of emotions and the weight of the situation, raised an eyebrow. He was exhausted, confused, but there was always room for sarcasm. “Depends,” he replied, his voice steady but laced with that familiar edge of dry humor. “What’s the house specialty? Poison? Or something a little less... lethal?”

  The man chuckled, a sound that was almost genuine, though Kaelen couldn’t shake the feeling that it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No poison, at least not today. Something tells me you’d rather keep things straightforward.”

  Nyx, watching the exchange with a mix of amusement and mischief, pushed herself off the edge of the table where she had been sitting casually. “I’ll leave you two to... bond,” she said with a wink toward Kaelen. "Try not to miss me too much, handsome."

  Before Kaelen could respond with some half-baked retort, Nyx disappeared from the room with the same effortless grace she had entered with, her presence lingering like a whisper of chaos.

  The man waited until the door clicked shut behind her, the room feeling suddenly quieter. His posture straightened, and the slight smirk on his lips faded into something more serious. He took a step closer to Kaelen, his gaze sharp, but no longer hostile—more like a predator assessing the field before the hunt.

  “My name,” he said, his voice calm but heavy with meaning, “is Arcaris.”

  Kaelen felt the name hit him like a punch to the gut. Arcaris. The leader of the Shadow Celestials. A name Aria had mentioned once, but even she wasn’t sure—she’d only read it in a restricted manuscript, a relic from a time most had forgotten, or perhaps wanted to forget. He was standing right in front of him, and Kaelen had walked straight into his den.

  Arcaris’s eyes flickered with a controlled power, something ancient, something dangerous. “Now that you know who I am, Kaelen, let’s see what you really know about yourself.”