Chapter 0019: Blood Oath – Raiden's First Trial in the Shadow Dominion!
**The chamber was silent, except for the pulse of dark energy radiating from the black crystal.**
The hooded priests watched. The warriors stood still.
And in front of Raiden, a kneeling prisoner trembled, bound in iron chains.
"Kill him," the Shadow King commanded. **"Prove your devotion to the Dominion."**
Raiden gripped the dagger, its black crystal blade humming with unnatural power.
This was his test. A moment that would decide if he could survive inside the Shadow Dominion.
**He had to play the part.**
A Choice of Shadows
Raiden stepped closer to the prisoner, his heart steady. The man was young, no older than twenty. Bruised. Terrified.
A pawn in this dark game.
**But Raiden would not take an innocent life.**
He knelt, grabbing the man's chin, forcing him to meet his gaze.
A silent message passed between them—"Trust me."
Then, with one swift motion, Raiden slashed the dagger across the prisoner's shoulder—not fatal, but deep enough to draw blood.
**The black crystal glowed, absorbing the crimson droplets.**
The Shadow King watched, intrigued. "Clever. You obeyed my order, yet spared his life."
Raiden stood tall, meeting his gaze without fear. "A warrior is more valuable alive than dead."
**The Shadow King smiled.**
"Interesting. You think like a leader. Perhaps I was right about you."
The tension in the room eased. The hooded priests murmured approvingly.
**Raiden had passed the test.**
Welcome to the Shadows
As the prisoner was dragged away, the Shadow King gestured for Raiden to rise.
**"From this day forward, you are no longer a nameless mercenary. You are a Brother of the Shadows."**
**"You will train in our ways. Learn our secrets. And, if you survive… you will be reborn as one of us."**
The warriors around him slammed their fists to their chests in salute.
**Raiden had gained their trust.**
But in his heart, he knew: he had just walked deeper into the darkness.
A Dangerous Path
Later that night, Raiden sat in the barracks, sharpening his sword.
A whisper reached his ears.
"You are not like the others."
Raiden turned, finding a woman watching him from the shadows. Slender, dressed in black, her eyes sharp as daggers.
"Who are you?" he asked.
She smirked. "Someone who sees through your lies."
**Raiden's cover might already be in danger.**
Who was she? An ally? A threat?
One thing was certain—the deeper he went, the more dangerous the game became.
The Assassin's Warning – An Unexpected Ally?
**Raiden didn't flinch as the woman stepped closer, her piercing gaze locked onto his.**
"You're playing a dangerous game, mercenary," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I see the truth in your eyes."
Raiden set down his blade calmly. "And what truth is that?"
She smirked, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "You are no Brother of the Shadows. You are here for something else."
**His cover was slipping—too soon, too easily.**
Who was she? And how had she seen through him when others hadn't?
The Assassin's Identity
Raiden studied her carefully. She wasn't like the others.
**No blind devotion. No mindless obedience.**
Her clothes were sleek, designed for speed and stealth rather than brute force. Twin daggers rested at her sides, and a dark tattoo curled around her wrist—a sigil he didn't recognize.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice low.
She hesitated before answering. "Lyra. Assassin of the Shadow Court."
**The Shadow Court—an elite sect within the Dominion. Whispers of them had reached even Ironspire.**
They weren't mere soldiers. They were spies, killers, manipulators.
And now, one of them was standing before him, calling him out.
A Dangerous Offer
Lyra tilted her head, watching him closely. "You have two choices."
**"One—keep pretending. But you won't fool them forever. The Shadow King sees everything."**
**"Two—tell me the truth, and maybe, just maybe, I help you survive."**
Raiden's muscles tensed. This was a gamble.
Could he trust her?
**Or was this another trap?**
Raiden's Decision
He exhaled slowly, then met her gaze. "I'm here to bring this kingdom down."
**A dangerous truth. One that could cost him everything.**
Lyra didn't react immediately. Then, to his surprise—she laughed.
"Ambitious," she murmured. **"Suicidal, but ambitious."**
She leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper. "Then listen well, Ironspire warrior—if you want to survive, if you want to win… you need to learn the truth about the Shadow King."
Raiden's pulse quickened. "What truth?"
**Her smirk faded.**
"He is not human."
The Shadow King's Secret – A Power Beyond Mortals!
**Raiden had expected many things… but not this.**
"Not human?" He narrowed his eyes at Lyra. "What do you mean?"
Lyra glanced around the barracks, ensuring they were alone. Then, in a hushed voice, she said, "The Shadow King is something… older. Something unnatural."
**A force beyond mortals.**
The Origins of the Shadow King
Legends say he was once a man," Lyra whispered, "a warlord who sought immortality."
"But he found something else instead."
Raiden listened intently as she continued.
**"Deep beneath the ruins of an ancient city, he unearthed a relic—a piece of the void itself."**
**"It granted him power, but it also… changed him."**
**"Now, he is bound to it. Ageless. Undying. Feeding on the fear and blood of his enemies."**
Raiden clenched his fists. This explained the dark energy he had felt—the unnatural power pulsing through the fortress.
**The Shadow King wasn't just ruling a kingdom. He was a living conduit of something much worse.**
A Warning Too Late?
"If you're smart, you'll run," Lyra said, her voice softer now. "There's no defeating him."
"Then why are you still here?"** Raiden challenged.**
She hesitated before replying. "Because I have my own reasons."
**Secrets. Everyone in the Shadow Dominion had them.**
And now, Raiden had another question: if the Shadow King was truly immortal, how could he be stopped?
**Or was he already too deep to turn back?**
The Dark Ritual
Before he could ask more, a loud gong echoed through the fortress.
**BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.**
Lyra's expression darkened. "It's starting."
"What is?" Raiden asked.
**"The ritual."**
**"The Shadow King is about to demonstrate his power."**
**And if Raiden wanted to defeat him… he had to see it for himself.**
The Ritual of the Void – Witnessing True Darkness!
**The fortress trembled as the gong's echoes faded.**
Raiden followed Lyra through the winding corridors, the torches flickering with eerie blue flames. The air was heavier, thick with something unnatural.
**Power was gathering. Something dark. Something alive.**
They emerged onto a high balcony overlooking the grand courtyard. Below, hundreds of warriors and priests knelt before a massive altar.
And at its center…
**The Shadow King stood, arms raised, bathed in the pulsating glow of the black crystal.**
The Gathering of Shadows
"Tonight," the Shadow King's voice echoed through the courtyard, "we awaken the will of the void!"
The crowd roared in response, fists pounding against their chests.
**"The strong shall rise!"**
**"The weak shall perish!"**
Raiden's jaw clenched as hooded priests dragged prisoners onto the altar—helpless souls, bound and trembling.
**Sacrifices.**
Lyra's voice was cold. "He feeds on them."
Raiden turned to her sharply. "What?"
She didn't look away from the scene below. "Their life force. Their fear. It strengthens him."
**And Raiden was about to witness it firsthand.**
A Glimpse of True Power
The Shadow King placed his hands over the first prisoner. A whispered incantation. A low hum vibrating in the air.
Then—**the black crystal pulsed.**
**A wailing scream tore through the courtyard as the prisoner's body convulsed.**
Dark tendrils of energy seeped from his skin, twisting through the air before slamming into the Shadow King's chest.
**His body absorbed the energy, veins glowing with black fire.**
And when the prisoner fell limp, lifeless, the Shadow King exhaled with satisfaction.
**He had just consumed a soul.**
The Moment of Decision
"Now you see," Lyra whispered, her voice barely audible. **"He doesn't rule by strength alone. He rules by fear… by power no mortal should wield."**
Raiden's fists clenched. This wasn't just war. This was something far worse.
**The Shadow King had become a monster.**
And if Raiden wanted to stop him…
**He would have to kill the unkillable.**
A Plan to Kill the Immortal King!
**Raiden had faced countless enemies, but none like this.**
The Shadow King wasn't just a tyrant. He was a being fueled by dark magic, an immortal force feeding on the souls of the weak.
**And yet, he had to be stopped.**
As the ritual continued, Raiden turned to Lyra. "There has to be a way to kill him."
Lyra's expression was unreadable. "If there was, don't you think someone would have done it already?"
"Every power has a weakness," Raiden said firmly. "I just need to find his."
Lyra exhaled, glancing back at the Shadow King. "Then you need to understand what keeps him alive."
The Source of His Power
"The black crystal," Lyra whispered. "That relic isn't just a tool. It's his anchor."
Raiden's eyes narrowed. "You mean… without it, he's vulnerable?"
Lyra nodded. "Destroying it won't be easy. But if you do… he won't be immortal anymore."
**A weakness. A plan. A chance.**
But there was a problem.
**The crystal was deep within the fortress, guarded by the most elite warriors of the Dominion.**
Reaching it would be near impossible.
**And if the Shadow King even suspected betrayal, Raiden would be the next sacrifice.**
The First Step: Infiltration
"I need to get closer to the crystal," Raiden said. "Find a way inside."
Lyra smirked. "Then you're in luck. The Shadow King is choosing his next disciples soon."
**"If you're selected, you'll have access to the inner sanctum."**
Raiden exhaled. "Then I'll make sure I'm chosen."
**A dangerous plan. But it was the only way.**
To kill the Shadow King, he had to step even deeper into the darkness.
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(To be Continue...)