The deeper they walked into the Black Hollow, the quieter the world became.Even the sound of their own footsteps seemed to vanish, swallowed by the still, heavy dark. The tunnels stretched endlessly downward, their air thick with damp and rot.
Rhea's hand hovered near her blade. "I can feel something," she whispered. "An aura darker than anything I've ever sensed. It's … hideous."
Magnus didn't answer at first. His crimson eyes gleamed faintly in the dark. "Yes," he murmured. "I can feel it too."
Then it struck.
Pain tore through his chest like a burning spear. Magnus staggered, clutching his heart, his breath ragged. He dropped to one knee, his aura flaring wildly.
"Magnus!" Rhea grabbed his shoulder, panic flickering through her composure. "Prince, what's happening? Talk to me, Magnus!"
But he didn't respond. His eyes rolled back, and before she could steady him, his body went limp.
He fell into the dark.
Magnus awoke in a black void.There was no sound, no ground, no light, only an endless ocean of shadow swirling around him. He tried to move, but the air was thick like ink, pressing against his skin.
"What … is this place?" he muttered.
Then a voice echoed through the void, a low, resonant whisper that made his very bones tremble.
"It has been a long time."
The darkness shifted, forming vague, shifting faces eyes glowing like dying stars.
"Our child of dusk has awakened. The heir of shadow rises once more."
Magnus turned slowly, heart pounding. "Who are you? What are you talking about?"
"I am the one sealed in this hollow … the shadow that once ruled these depths. Long ago, I was bound here — my essence scattered … until you came."
Magnus frowned, his voice unsteady but sharp. "Bound? What do you mean, heir of shadow?"
The void pulsed, the voice growing heavier, almost reverent."You carry our mark the blood and aura of the dusk. The path before you will demand ruthlessness, cunning, and strength beyond mercy."
Magnus's breath hitched. "You think I'll follow your path?"
"You already have."
Suddenly, tendrils of darkness burst from the ground, coiling around his arms and chest. Magnus struggled, shouting, "Wait, I have questions!"
The voice thundered, shaking the void."Then learn through blood, for shadows only answer to those who dare to command them."
The tendrils pulled him down, the void swallowing him whole as he screamed And then, suddenly, he gasped awake.
"Prince!" Rhea's voice cut through the haze. Her face swam into focus — pale, sharp, and lined with worry. "Thank the gods … you're awake."
Magnus blinked, his breath uneven. His whole body trembled as he sat up, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"You were out for fifteen minutes," Rhea said, crouching beside him. "What happened?"
Magnus stared into the dark tunnel, his voice quiet. "A voice. It called me … the heir of shadow. Said my path will demand ruthlessness and cunning."
Rhea frowned. "That's cryptic."
He gave a small, bitter laugh. "Cryptic is better than dead." He stood, brushing the dust from his coat, and picked up his twin sabers. "Let's move. Whatever is sealed here … it recognized me."
They pressed deeper into the Hollow. The air grew colder, the walls slick with moisture. Soon, faint torchlight flickered ahead.
Magnus slowed, crouching. "Someone's here."
They hid behind a crumbling archway as voices echoed through the tunnels.
"… Hardard wants the next shipment ready by dawn," one man grumbled. "The prince doesn't like delays."
"Shipment?" Rhea's whisper was sharp.
Magnus's eyes narrowed. "Slaves."
He glanced at her — and she nodded once. No words were needed.
They followed the men to a wide cavern illuminated by rows of torches. The stench of sweat and decay filled the air. Dozens of rusted cages lined the walls, packed with gaunt men, women, and children.
Their eyes were hollow. Their hope long dead.
One child whispered weakly, "Wa … water …"
A guard laughed, sauntering toward the cage. "You need water?" He kicked the bars hard. "Here's your water!" He struck the boy across the face. The sound echoed — a sharp, ugly crack. The child collapsed, motionless.
The guard grinned. "Hah! Now you've got water in your eyes!"
He didn't have time to laugh again.
A blur of crimson flashed before him, and then his head was rolling across the floor, eyes still open in shock.
The other guards froze.
"What the — what was that!?"
From the shadows stepped Magnus his sabers dripping red, his eyes glowing like coals.
"Attack him!" one shouted.
They charged and Magnus moved.
He was no longer human at that moment, only motion, precision, and fury. The darkness itself seemed to bend around him, concealing each swing, each step.
Steel clashed. Blood sprayed. One guard's scream was cut short as Magnus's blade severed his arm. Another tried to flee but found his throat opened before he even reached the exit.
To the guards, it was like fighting a phantom.
"Wh — who is this demon!?" one shrieked.
Magnus smiled a dark, terrible smile. "The one your sins called."
He kicked the man into a wall, the impact breaking bone. The guard fell still.
Meanwhile, Rhea moved silently among the cages, picking the locks with a dagger. Her movements were swift, precise.
"Who … who are you?" whispered a trembling woman.
Rhea put a finger to her lips. "Quiet. I'm getting you out. Don't make a sound."
One by one, the locks snapped open. The captives looked around in disbelief as the doors swung wide.
Across the cavern, Magnus cut down the last guard with a single, clean stroke through the chest. The man's eyes glazed as he fell, blood pooling beneath him.
Magnus wiped his blades against the man's cloak, expression calm. "Done."
For a moment, only the sound of dripping blood filled the air.
Then Magnus tore a sheet of parchment from his pouch. Dipping it in a pool of crimson, he scrawled a message with a flick of his wrist.
Rhea approached, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
Magnus pinned the note to a wooden post. On it were the words, written in bold strokes:
"You are fools."
At the bottom, a small, mocking smiley face.
Rhea couldn't help the corner of her mouth twitching. "A bit dramatic, don't you think?"
Magnus sheathed his blades, smirking faintly. "Let them know the shadows aren't theirs to command."
A few minutes later, the captives began gathering near the exit tunnel — twenty-two in total: nine men, eight women, and five children. Many were weak and trembling, unable to stand without help.
An old man stepped forward, bowing low. "You … you've saved us. We owe you everything."
Magnus shook his head. "Save your thanks. Get out of here alive — that'll be enough."
He placed a steady hand on the man's shoulder, his expression softening for a heartbeat. "Go. Take the others and follow Rhea. She'll lead you up."
Rhea nodded, already scanning the tunnel ahead. "All clear, Prince. No movement yet."
Magnus fell behind, guarding the rear as they moved through the winding corridors.
The Hollow seemed to shift around them — the shadows thicker, heavier, as if alive. Magnus could feel it watching him, the same power that had called him earlier.
He whispered under his breath, "So … you're still here."
No answer came. Only the soft echo of his boots and the quiet sobs of the freed slaves.
"Magnus," Rhea called softly from ahead. "We're almost there. The surface is close."
He gave a short nod. "Then let's go."
They emerged from the tunnel just as the first light of dawn broke over Valisar. The sun painted the horizon in gold, but behind them, the entrance to the Black Hollow yawned like the mouth of a beast.
As the last of the captives stumbled out, Magnus turned back one final time — his crimson eyes reflecting both the sunrise and the darkness beneath it.
Somewhere deep below, in the Hollow's endless dark, a whisper stirred — a voice only he could hear.
"Well done … child of dusk."
Magnus said nothing. He simply tightened his grip on his sabers and followed Rhea into the light.
To be Continued in Chapter 22.....