Kael woke slowly, the dull ache of his burned shoulder and twisted ribs reminding him of the fight. The room smelled faintly of herbs and ointments. He blinked against the light and found Lorian and Rachelle seated nearby, watching him carefully.

  “You’re awake,” Lorian said, relief softening his tone. “We didn’t know if you’d make it. That was… worse than anything we’ve faced before.”

  Rachelle nodded, adjusting the bandages on his right arm. “The potion stabilized you. Your body is fragile now. Take it slow.”

  Kael forced himself to sit upright. Pain lanced through his chest and ribs, but he ignored it. His mind, as always, was restless. “I want… to go back,” he said quietly. “I need to collect evidence. Make sure we’ve completed the mission.”

  Lorian’s brow furrowed. “The Dark Priest’s corpse? Kael, it’s dangerous—”

  “I’ll be careful,” Kael interrupted. “I just want to confirm everything. That’s all.”

  Rachelle glanced at Lorian, exchanging a knowing look. Both seemed hesitant but eventually nodded. “Alright,” Rachelle said. “We’ll come with you. Just don’t push yourself.”

  The three of them retraced their steps through the jagged tunnels, past shattered skeletons and the remnants of the Death Knights. The air was heavy with the faint odor of blood and burned stone. Every step reminded Kael of the narrow line between survival and death.

  Finally, the Dark Priest’s corpse came into view. Her black robes were torn, and black blood had congealed around her twisted features. Kael approached slowly, his left eye flicking at the shadows that seemed to linger unnaturally in the corners of the chamber.

  He reached out and touched her corpse with his left hand. Immediately, a wave of cold, sharp energy pulsed through his left eye. Shadows twisted faintly along his arm and shoulders, writhing as though alive. He staggered back, startled.

  What… what is this? Kael whispered.

  The energy wasn’t like her necromancy; it had changed, mutated into something unfamiliar. Shadows seemed to respond to him, flickering slightly with the movements of his heart and mind.

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  Shadow control? he thought, disbelief mixing with awe. “I can feel it… but I don’t know how to use it yet.”

  He took a cautious step back, his body shaking from exhaustion. After several moments, he bent down and lifted the corpse. M’varu, coiled around his neck, shifted to help balance the weight.

  The journey back to the guild hall was silent. Lorian and Rachelle kept pace beside him, eyes wary of every stumble. Kael didn’t speak; his mind was occupied with the strange new power coiling within him, and the weight of the mission they had completed.

  When they entered the guild hall, all heads turned, as always, drawn to the young adventurer carrying a formidable load. Whispers spread through the room immediately.

  “Who is that?” one examiner murmured.

  “Kain,” another replied. “That’s the name he used. I didn’t think they would complete the mission alone.”

  “He’s carrying… the Dark Priest?” a third voice gasped.

  Kael placed the corpse carefully on the evaluation platform. The room grew silent, all eyes fixed on him.

  One examiner stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Explain,” he said sharply. “How did you manage to defeat the Dark Priest? And… what happened in the cave?”

  Kael looked at him, eyes steady but calm. “I don’t know,” he admitted softly. “I… I fainted. When I woke up, she was dead. And the corpse was there.”

  The examiner’s brow furrowed. “You’re saying you have no knowledge of how she died?”

  Kael shook his head. “That’s correct. I just… found her.”

  Lorian and Rachelle exchanged a glance, then subtly nodded at one another. Rachelle spoke up gently: “The Dark Priest’s vessel… it ruptured. Her power couldn’t control the third Death Knight. It… it killed her.”

  The examiner blinked in surprise, then leaned back, muttering to himself. “Her vessel ruptured… I see.” He turned to Kael again. “Then the Death Knight she controlled—the last one—wasn’t a result of her direct control?”

  Kael shook his head. “No. I don’t know what happened exactly. I only know the corpse was there when I woke up.”

  The examiner exhaled slowly, nodding. “Very well. This confirms the mission. You’ve completed a C-rank task, and you’ve returned safely. Impressive… given that the Dark Priest and her constructs were formidable.”

  Kael didn’t respond. He only studied the corpse briefly, then stepped back. Shadows around his left eye flickered faintly, reacting to his heartbeat and the faint energy left by the Dark Priest. He knew that he had absorbed a part of her power, but he could not use it—not yet. The potential was there, coiled like a predator, waiting for the right moment.

  When the guild prepared to hand out the mission rewards, copper coins were offered as usual. Kael glanced at them and shook his head.

  “No,” he said simply.

  Lorian and Rachelle exchanged a surprised glance. “You… don’t want them?” Lorian asked.

  Kael shook his head. “Take these,” he said, handing them his own coins. “For helping me.”

  The two accepted the coins hesitantly, still glancing at the corpse, still noticing the faint shadowy energy flickering around Kael’s eye.

  Without another word, Kael turned and left the guild hall. He didn’t glance back at the whispering crowd or the examiners’ curious stares. His mind was focused on the path ahead, the shadows lurking inside him, and the possibilities of a power he could not yet touch.

  The journey back to Ridgehall was quiet. Kael didn’t speak; he didn’t acknowledge Lorian or Rachelle. Even the serpent, M’varu, coiled silently around his shoulder, sensing the new energy lingering in Kael’s left eye.

  When they reached Ridgehall, dusk was falling, painting the streets in orange and violet hues. Kael stopped at the gates. He glanced down at M’varu.

  he stepped into Ridgehall, carrying both the weight of the mission completed and the silent knowledge of a shadowy power awakening within him.