I woke up feeling… different. My arms ached, my head throbbed, but there was something else—a kind of buzzing in my chest, like my imagination was alive even before I opened my eyes. Kristina, of course, was already awake, standing on her bed like a tiny warrior queen surveying her kingdom.
"Morning, little brother," she said, grinning. "Did you feel it too?"
I rubbed my eyes. "Feel what?"
"That… energy. It's in the air. Something's coming."
Before I could question her, Grandma appeared in the doorway, holding a tray with stones and a small pouch of herbs. "Today will be different," she said softly. "The shadows aren't just practicing anymore. They're evolving. And so must you."
Kristina's eyes sparkled. "Evolving shadows? This is going to be awesome!"
I groaned. "Or terrifying."
Kristina smirked. "That's the same thing."
We stepped into the training room, which once again morphed into the forest and castle we had created. But something felt off. The shadows weren't hiding in the corners—they were already moving, swirling, almost waiting for us. Their shapes were sharper, darker, more aggressive.
I held my stone tight. "Okay… this is serious."
Kristina squeezed my hand. "We got this. Remember yesterday? Teamwork!"
Grandma nodded. "Yes. Today, you will test your imagination to the limit. But there's a twist: the shadows now learn from each other. They communicate. They adapt."
I swallowed. "Adapt how?"
"They will try to trick you, confuse you, and push your powers to the edge," Grandma said. "If you panic, they win."
Kristina raised her hands, summoning glowing barriers. I imagined the forest trees bending into walls, twisting into pathways to funnel shadows into traps. The first wave came fast—faster than yesterday. Shadows darted around the forest, splitting into smaller shapes, merging, and attacking from unexpected angles.
"Kristopher! Left side!" Kristina shouted.
I imagined a giant moss wall rising from the ground, but the shadows split and went around it. I yelled, "What the—?!"
Kristina laughed, "Focus, Knight Kristopher! Use your brain!"
I took a deep breath. I imagined paths that weren't just barriers but mazes, corridors of light twisting and folding into themselves. Shadows lunged and got stuck, twisted, and struggled.
Kristina's castle walls shot spikes from above, pinning multiple shadows at once. "Take that! No sneaky shadow gets past me!"
One shadow lunged straight at me. I tripped over a moss root and faceplanted. Kristina froze, then laughed so hard she nearly toppled the castle walls.
"You okay, Knight Kristopher?" she teased.
I groaned. "Yep… totally fine. Just… testing the floor's softness again."
Kristina rolled her eyes. "Right… testing. Sure."
Even Grandma chuckled softly. "Humor is a weapon too, remember. Fear doesn't thrive where laughter exists."
As we fought, Kristina discovered something new. She raised her hands, and suddenly a glowing dome surrounded the castle. The shadows recoiled, unable to touch the walls.
"Whoa!" I yelled. "Kris! That's amazing!"
Kristina smirked. "Told you I'm full of surprises. Don't blink, or you'll miss it."
The dome pulsed with energy, and the shadows shrieked as if the light burned them. I realized Kristina wasn't just defending anymore—she was repelling and redirecting.
"See that?" Grandma said. "That is the Bouie bloodline at work. Kristopher, you need to do something similar. Don't just control the environment—control the flow of the shadows."
I closed my eyes, focusing harder than ever. I imagined a wave of light flowing through the forest, guiding the shadows away from Kristina's castle. But then something unexpected happened—the shadows began to mimic my light.
I panicked. "They're copying me!"
Kristina grabbed my hand. "Relax! You control the flow—you don't fight it!"
I took a deep breath and tried something new. I imagined the shadows twisting and reforming, but instead of being destructive, they moved like water around obstacles. The forest and castle reshaped themselves dynamically, almost like they were alive, following my thoughts.
Grandma gasped. "Kristopher… you're doing it. You're not just controlling the world—you're bending it to your will."
I felt a surge of excitement. "I… I can do this?"
Kristina nodded, her eyes wide. "Yeah! You're amazing! Look at what you did!"
As the shadows dissipated, Grandma's expression darkened. "You did well today… but remember this: not all threats will obey the rules. Some forces will come that do not play fair. Some forces are… patient, cunning, and cruel."
Kristina frowned. "Like… Malachor?"
Grandma's eyes flickered. "Yes. He is patient. He is cunning. He waits for the perfect moment to strike. And one day… he will attempt something that even you two might struggle to imagine."
I felt a chill run down my spine. Malachor. The one who cursed Kristina. The one who we hadn't even seen yet. And now… I had a sinking feeling that the shadows evolving weren't random—they were his scouts, testing us, probing for weakness.
Kristina grabbed my hand. "Whatever comes… we face it together."
I nodded. "Together."
Mom walked in, carrying breakfast. "So… did you two survive your second nightmare?"
Kristina grinned. "Barely. Knight Kristopher almost became shadow food."
I shot her a glare. "I was holding my own!"
She laughed. "Sure, if falling on your face counts as defense strategy."
Grandma shook her head, smiling faintly. "You two… chaos and order combined. That is the strength of the Bouie bloodline."
I muttered, "I just hope the shadows don't file complaints."
Kristina elbowed me lightly. "They can't. You scared them too much."
I smirked. "Then they'll remember me forever."
By the end of the day, I realized training wasn't just about controlling imagination. It was about The shadows are no longer predictable—they learn, they adapt, and they are the first real taste of what Malachor can unleash.
But Kristina and I are ready. We are learning, together, and even though the darkness grows, so does our power.
And one day, when Malachor comes for us… we'll be ready.