Chapter 6 - Chapter Six: The Opponent of Shadows and Deceit in Acréon

Kyle Oren stood on the threshold of the new portal, feeling strange pulsations that resonated with the blue light surrounding him. Every step in Acrion increased his awareness of orders, but this time the challenge felt greater than any previous test. The air was saturated with a strange energy, as if the place itself was watching him and assessing his strength before letting him in. Ensu Varys is next to him, her eyes shining with caution. "Kyle," she said, "what you will face now is not a test, but a conscious opponent. It will not just be a creature interacting with you, but an entity that knows how to lure you, how to test you from the inside out." Kyle nodded, feeling nervous, but more prepared than ever. All his experiences in the arena and the floating library gave him a basic understanding of energy control, concentration, and understanding commands. But he did not yet know how mastered the dark arts of energy and mind control his opponent could be. Upon crossing the gate, he found himself in a huge palace of metal and light, in which corridors and towers floated in an uneven manner, as if the place was constantly being shaped according to the energy of those within it. Before him appeared a new opponent, half physical and half glowing energy, but this time he was more complex. Every part of it pulses with a different energy, and its every movement has an effect on the earth, air, and light around it. "Kyle Oren," the opponent's deep voice said, as if the words were echoing in his head before they reached his ears, "You have survived previous tests, but strength is not everything. Here you will learn the meaning of cunning, deception, and how the spirit can be stronger or weaker than the body." Cale felt a shiver, but he raised his hand towards the opponent, focusing on the energy within him. The ground shook beneath his feet, and the energy lines around him began to glow, transforming into a moving net protecting him from the opponent's elemental waves. But he quickly realized that this opponent was attacking him not only with force, but also with his mind. Every thought, every fear, every past experience is used against Kyle in a precise way, as if his opponent knows everything about him before he moves him. Suddenly, the opponent split into two images, one light and one dark, moving in eerie harmony. Kyle felt confused, but he remembered Ensoo's words: "Belief in yourself is more important than anything. Deception can only be overcome with full awareness of what is happening around you and within you." Gathering all his concentration, he shot a concentrated wave of light towards the dark image, trying to differentiate between deception and reality. The energy exploded, and the dark image disappeared, but the bright image quickly transformed into multiple shapes, each shape representing a part of his fear or doubt. Kyle felt tired, but he didn't back down. Focus on the inner pulsation of energy, and try to incorporate every power you have learned so far, focusing, controlling fear, and understanding commands. With every step, the environment around him began to change, the floating buildings reacting to his will, the light moving according to his directions, and the air becoming an ally in his way of defending and attacking. Suddenly, another shadow appeared, this time in the form of a human figure, but covered in dark energy, its right eye was bright and its left was dark. "Kyle," he said in a sharp voice, "every power has limits, and every order has a price. Are you willing to pay the price?" Kyle felt real danger. This time was not just a test of strength or concentration, but rather a test of the spirit, of the will, and of the heart's ability to distinguish between good and evil in the most difficult moments. He focused all his feelings on the courage, on the desire to continue, on the strength he had discovered in the Last Land and in Acreon. Suddenly, the energy lines around him began to react differently, surrounding him like a living shield, imitating the opponent's every movement and redirecting them in a countermeasure. The opponent fired a wave of dark energy towards Kyle, but it collided with the shield and was reflected, destroying part of the environment around him, but without touching Kyle. He felt power flowing within him, but he realized something important: power alone is not enough, awareness and control of emotions is what gives him true superiority. With each attack, he began to connect the command he had carried since the Last Earth with the energy in Acreon, using the inner pulse to create a more powerful counterattack. A wave of blue light exploded, destroying the attacking structures, and the opponent gradually began to retreat. But there was no time to celebrate. Suddenly, a small portal appeared at the side of the palace, emitting a mysterious light. "This portal has only opened now," Insoo said, "It is proof that you have partially succeeded, but the biggest challenge will come with the upcoming portals, and with other opponents from different worlds." Kyle approached the portal, feeling a pulse inside him that resonated with the light. Every test, every encounter, every step, increased his understanding of energy, every command, and every part of himself. He felt for the first time that Akrion was not just a world, but a school of spirit, mind, and power, and that everything he experienced here would be the foundation stone for everything he would encounter later in the other worlds. He took a deep breath and smiled to himself. Despite the difficulties, cunning, and danger, he felt for the first time that he had the ability to face any challenge, and that the true journey had only just begun. And so, facing his most cunning and powerful opponent yet, Kyle Orrin begins a new journey within Acreon, one that will reveal his true abilities, the secrets of the Order, and the greater truth about the prophecy and the Thirteenth Warden. Every step from now on will lead him to greater adventures, tougher tests, and worlds that no mortal has dared to explore before.