William leads Caelum out of the Soulforge, through a hidden passage beneath the Black City, into an ancient battleground known as the Eclipsed Wastes—a land where light and darkness constantly shift, distorting reality. Here, shadows rise on their own, remnants of ancient battles, while celestial energies cut through them in unpredictable waves.
Caelum's task?
To seize control of the battlefield.
William summons three powerful commanders, each leading an army of spectral warriors—some of pure shadow, some of blazing light. Their goal is simple: destroy Caelum before he can unite the forces under his will.
Caelum is outnumbered. Even with his new power, he must learn to command his light and shadow soldiers efficiently, using strategy rather than brute strength. He quickly discovers that he can now summon twenty soldiers at once—far more than before—but maintaining them requires intense focus.
Veyla, ever-loyal, fights beside him, launching streaks of shadowflame and lightfire across the battlefield, but the commanders are relentless.
The Test of Leadership
Caelum begins to experiment with fusing light and shadow warriors, creating hybrid creatures—Abyssal Knights infused with radiant cores, spectral beasts cloaked in twilight fire. These warriors are stronger, faster, and more adaptable, capable of shifting between forms to counter the enemy's attacks.
But William watches carefully. Raw power won't be enough. Caelum must think like a king, not just a warrior.
If he tries to fight alone, he will fail. If he cannot command his troops properly, he will be overwhelmed. This is not just a test of battle—it is a test of leadership.
As the battle rages, Caelum starts to see the battlefield not as chaos, but as a puzzle. He begins issuing clear, precise commands, learning how to direct his forces without losing control. He splits his army into three groups, outmaneuvers the commanders, and takes control of the battlefield piece by piece.
By the end of the trial, the battlefield is his. The light and shadow armies bow before him, fully under his command.
William steps forward, nodding in approval. Caelum has proven himself not just as a fighter, but as a true leader of the Dawnshadow.
But the trials are not over.
The Final Trial – The Oath of Shadows
The battlefield was silent, save for the crackling of fading embers and the whispering of shadows coiling in the air. Caelum stood in the center, his body still pulsing with the energy of his Dawnshadow transformation, his chest rising and falling in deep, steady breaths. He had proven his ability to command, to strategize, to fight, but now—now came the true test.
William lifted a hand. Shadows rippled out from him like an ocean wave, spilling across the ruined landscape, rising in a vast legion of warriors, beasts, and wraiths—every single shadow he had ever claimed in battle. From nameless foot soldiers to legendary champions, thousands of shadowed forms stood before them, waiting.
Caelum felt the weight of their presence pressing against his soul.
William's voice rang through the air, cold and sharp. "I have raised every shadow under my command. Every warrior, every beast, every specter that has ever fought under my banner." His golden eyes locked onto Caelum. "But power is not given. It is earned."
He turned to his army. "Who among you would stand beside my son? Who among you would accept Caelum as your master?"
A hushed murmur ran through the legion. The weight of William's words was clear—none would be forced, none would be punished for refusal. This was not about submission. This was about choice.
For a long moment, the shadows stood still.
As the shadows whispered and wavered, one form towered above the rest.
A great serpentine beast, its body coiling like an endless night sky, stepped forward. Scales of shadowed obsidian rippled with power, reflecting the abyss itself, while crimson streaks of ethereal energy pulsed along its frame. Its wings, vast and jagged like torn voidstone, spread wide, casting the battlefield into momentary darkness.
Asterveil.
The dragon William had forged with his own hands. The first of his kind. The shadow given will and form through William's mastery of the Orb of Dragonkind. A being meant to be his eternal weapon.
But now, Asterveil bowed.
His voice rumbled through the air like distant thunder. "I was born from your father's will. But my purpose was never set in stone." His great head lowered, molten red eyes locking onto Caelum's glowing silver ones. "I have watched you. I have seen your fire, your struggle. And now, I choose to follow you."
A ripple of power surged through the arena.
Caelum's hands clenched at his sides as his mark blazed, searing with raw energy. He felt the bond forming—strong, unbreakable. Not one of servitude, but of choice. Asterveil was not being claimed.
He was choosing.
A deep, satisfied exhale came from William as he watched the scene unfold. He had expected some shadows to follow his son. But Asterveil?
That was a statement.
This was no longer just Caelum stepping into his own. This was a passing of the torch—a declaration that Caelum was no longer just training to be a leader.
He already was one.
The arena, still shrouded in the heavy tension of the moment, began to settle. The silent weight of Asterveil's decision echoed through the space, an unspoken promise of challenges and triumphs ahead. As the dragon retracted its wings, the air grew still, heavy with the implications of the bond just forged.
Caelum stood tall, his gaze unwavering, though his heart raced with the enormity of what had just transpired. Asterveil, towering above him, loomed not as a weapon but as a companion—an ally forged in the depths of the abyss, now bound to his will by choice, not blood.
William stepped forward, his steps slow, measured, but there was a fire in his eyes, the kind that only came when he knew something significant had occurred. His voice was calm but edged with the pride only a father could feel. "You've made your choice, Caelum. But know this—what you've begun will not be easy. Asterveil is not just a tool of power. He is a force unto himself. Your relationship with him will be tested, as will your will to lead."
Caelum nodded, his eyes never leaving the massive serpent-like dragon. "I understand. But I will not falter."
Asterveil's molten red eyes flickered with a strange satisfaction. "We shall see," it rumbled, its voice a low echo that vibrated through the ground. "But know this, Caelum: I am not bound by obligation, but by conviction. And it is your conviction that I now follow."
A ripple of energy surged through Caelum's mark, binding them even further. He could feel Asterveil's presence now, not as a distant power, but as a force that ran through him—strong, solid, unwavering.
The ground beneath them began to tremble, and a flash of light illuminated the battlefield. A dark portal, woven from the fabric of shadow and flame, began to open in the distance. The air grew thick with a new presence, one that seemed to draw on the very essence of the void.
The peace of the moment was shattered, replaced by a renewed urgency. William's face hardened. "It begins. The trials ahead will test all of us."