Coker didn't sleep that night. He just stared at his shadow on the wall. He didn't even blink much. Every time he tried to sleep, he keep seeing the black figure from the demon field. That tall thing with no face but big presence. The thing that looked down on him like it was choosing something. And now his own shadow was acting funny. It moved when he didn't move. It waved back at him. Maybe it was a dream? Maybe he was just going crazy slowly like everybody always said he would?
He throw water on his face again and again. "Wake up Coker," he whispered to himself. "You already look stupid at the exam. Don't go mad too." He walked around the small house, the wind outside was loud and the sky looked red again like the day of the Carter battle. His brother Reko wasn't home. He was always out training or somewhere being special. Coker look at the photo of his parents. Two powerful heroes, standing with their weapons glowing. His mom holding her water blade and his dad with his wind wings flying behind. They looked strong. Coker just felt like dust compared to them.
Suddenly his shadow move again. But this time it didn't wait. It stand up on the wall and grow big. Coker froze and his hand dropped the water cup. "Oh no no no," he whispered. "Not again." The shadow stretch taller and the room turn dark. Coker felt cold air behind his neck. The shadow's eyes open. Red. Bright red. Then he heard the voice.
"Boy... You awake now."
The voice didn't come from the shadow. It came from inside Coker's own head. Like it was echoing from deep down where dreams go to sleep. Coker grab his chest. "Who... who are you?" he said, even tho he know the answer.
"I am the last. The last one. The forgotten power. They call me many name. Shadow. Slave. Monster. King. But I call myself... Survivor."
Coker fell back onto the floor. "I don't understand... what do you want from me?"
"I want nothing," the voice said. "You called me. Your scream brought me back. I was hiding in the dark for many years... waiting. Then you came. You with no light. No magic. You was empty... like me."
Coker was shaking but deep inside he was also feeling something strange... something warm. Like the voice knew him. Like it was part of him. He remember something. That moment in the field. When all the Captains was fighting. He stepped into the demon land alone. He screamed when he saw it. He pointed. But no one saw it. The thing entered him. Now he know for sure. He wasn't dreaming. It was real.
"Are you gonna control me?" Coker ask. "Like a demon?"
"No," the voice said calm. "I don't control. I choose. You are my vessel now. But you hold the hand. I walk with you. You walk with me. Together, we will be strong. Stronger than fire. Stronger than light. We are shadow. And shadow is not weak... shadow is hidden."
Coker stand up slowly. "Then... what can I do?"
The room go quiet. Then the floor start to shake. Coker's shadow stretch again. From the shadow, another shape rise. It look like him. Same hair. Same face. Same body. The clone smile at him. Coker's eyes went wide. "What... is that me?"
"Yes," the voice said. "Your first gift. Clone. He follow your command. Shadow soldier. Later, you make more. Thousands if you want. But now\... just one."
Coker laugh but it sound crazy. He walk to the clone. It stand still. He wave. It wave back. He jump. It jump. Then he pretend to punch and the clone do the same. "I'm dreaming for real," he said. "Or I'm a genius."
Then someone knocked the door. He panicked. "Hide!" he whisper to the shadow clone. The clone melt into the floor like water. Coker run and open the door. It was Lira. "You look like ghost," she said. "Didn't sleep?"
He nod. "Something like that."
She walk inside and look around. "I came to check on you. You was too quiet after the exam. People saying weird stuff."
Coker wanted to tell her so bad. About the voice. The shadow. The clone. But he didn't. Not yet. Maybe not now. He smiled. "I'm okay," he said. "Just waiting for my magic to show up... maybe it's late like me."
Lira chuckled. "Then I'll wait with you."
After she left, Coker look at the mirror again. The shadow behind him didn't wave this time. It stood tall and calm. He smile and said, "Thanks. For choosing me."
The voice answered soft like wind, "No... thank you. For waking me."