Shadow Infusion

I sat outside shrouded in Shadow Dominion and levitating in the air like a meditating monk.

No one can bother me here, maybe a quick meditation can awakened me like a Buddha.

"What are you doing?" a voice said right in front of me.

I opened my eyes to find the demon leaning in close where his face inches from mine. I yelped and losing control of my shadows and falling to the ground.

"Ouch..."

"What kind of shadow acting like a holy entity?" he mocked and looking offended.

"Why are you here?"

"I told you I'd watch you closely," he said with a smirk.

"Does that mean you'll follow me everywhere?"

"Yep."

I groaned. "You're a demon, aren't you?"

"Yep."

Both him and Maerion are annoying, perhaps it is in the demon's blood.

"And Maerion?"

"He's a demon beast."

"And you?"

"Just…. a demon," he replied casually.

"Are you like his, supervisor?"

He paused for a while before finally nodding. "You could say that."

Suddenly I realized something. "Why don't you feel as overwhelming as before?"

"I'm not using my real entity here so you can't feel my power."

Well, at least this demon actually answers questions unlike Maerion.

"What exactly is the fragment of chaos?"

"It's exactly what its name suggests."

Okay, I take back what I just said about him.

He kept looking at me with his intense gaze unsettling but impossible to ignore. I couldn't deny that his eyes were enchanted me.

I sighed. "What's your name?"

"Kael."

"You didn't asked my name?"

"I already know. It's Kira."

"How do you know?"

"I just tortured Maerion."

…..

I slowly turned my body around and prepare to remove all my shadow.

Then Kael hold my hand.

"So you want to learn shadow infusion."

He still holding my hand.

"Yes"

"You know that other Shadow Mages learn it themselves. Why can't you?"

He still holding my hand!

"Maybe, because I'm suck at learning?"

"Let me show you how to learn it." He pulled my self towards him and his another hands reaching mine.

"Close your eyes."

I obeyed. My heart raced and I couldn't tell if it was out of fear or embarrassment.

A surge of energy flowed through me, it's dark yet comforting. It wrapped around my core and filling me with strength.

"Open your eyes," Kael said.

[Skill Unlocked : Shadow Infusion]

"I just gave you Shadow Infusion." He finally released my hand.

"Oh… thank you?" I managed to say while still in speechless.

"And that's also how you infused it on to others."

"By holding hands?"

"No!" he snapped. "Think about channeling the energy..."

"Got it!" I said quickly as I eager to end the conversation asap.

Suddenly a voice interrupted us from outside the shadows.

"Kira." It was Caleb.

"Tsk." Kael clicked his tongue. "Well then, see you tomorrow, Kira."

His fingers brushing against my chin as he disappeared.

I dispelled my shadows, my face burning.

"Why's your face red?" Caleb asked, confused. "I'll help you train."

"No need to." I shake my head.

"You're going to sleep already?"

"No." I smiled.

[Skill Activated: Shadow Infusion]

A surge of energy flowed into Caleb.

"I finally got it, Caleb!"

***

We decided to delay our trip and focus on the training with my Shadow Infusion. I infused everyone with shadow so all five of us can see and train under Shadow Dominion.

Garis erupted his roots from the ground, a grin spreading across his face as they grew thick and strong again.

"I always knew my roots belonged to shadow!" he declared with pride.

Arlen, on the other hand wasn't shooting his arrows like usual. Instead he held one in his hand, closed his eyes and murmured words as if chanting a mantra.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Arlen shook his head, too focused to respond.

"Weirdo."

I turned to watch Caleb and Tahlia sparring in a PVP match in the distance. Watching them duel reminded me of the fighter training center back in Arkanova.

I sighed, wondering how I could contribute more to the team. Light Mages could heal and do stuff. I needed to figure out what more my shadows could do.

"I DID IT!"

A loud unfamiliar voice rang out startling all of us. It was Arlen. I chuckled. His voice is so unfamiliar as he rarely spoke.

We quickly gathered around him.

"What did you do?" Tahlia asked.

"I think I've evolved my arrow skill using Kira's shadow," Arlen explained, surprising me further.

Arlen grabbed an arrow. "Garis," he signaled.

Garis understood and grew a thick root far away as a target.

The arrowhead began to glow faintly green as Arlen aimed. When he released it, the arrow flew straight into the root and make it rotted and withered away.

"It's become poisonous!" Tahlia gasped.

"Let's rest," Caleb called for a break. "So, as we've seen, Arlen skill is already evolve with shadow. I think we're ready to move forward."

"Good job, Arlen!" I couldn't hold back my excitement.

Caleb shifted gears. "Before we go, let's prepare ourselves properly," he said.

"Like what?" Garis asked.

"Like, for example, you can't keep wearing that ugly jumpsuit," Tahlia teased. "And Kira, you too."

"And don't forget to update your status," Caleb added.

I opened my [PROFILE] to check my status:

NAME: KIRA

CLASS: MAGE

ARCHETYPE: SHADOW

STATUS:

STR: 69

AGI: 59

INT: 81

VIT: 39

DEX: 39

WIS: 39

SKILLS:

Tendril Strike (Lv 4)

Veil of Darkness (Lv 3)

Shadow Summoning (Lv 2)

Shadow Dominion (Lv 1)

Shadow Resonance (Passive)

It opens a level up system once we reach this earth. Whenever we leveled up we could buy new status cards. But unlike the first purchased it's only three at a time now.

I decided to go with INT, WIS, and AGI for now.

I checked on my coin. 

[Coins: 1,850,000]

"I'm getting rich from hunting mutants," I said smugly.

"Bet you can afford a vehicle now," Garis teased.

"Uncle, they cost nearly 500 million coins! Everyone here is too broke for that!" I glared at him.

Garis just laughed.

Next I searched for a good mage outfit in the [WARDROBE] section.

"Let's see, which one that could enhance my beauty…" I mumbled while scrolling to the screen.

Garis had already changed his outfit.

"What's taking so long, Kira?" Garis poking his head in.

"Uncle! Let the girl take her time!" Tahlia scolded him.

Finally I settled on an open-shoulder suit that having purple and dark ambience.

The outfit materialized in my hands as I applied it from my storage. I quickly stepped into the changing room to try it on.

"KIRA!" Garis yelled as I coming out from changing room. "THAT'S TOO REVEALING!"

I raised my palm out to him. "Uncle Garis, I'm a mature woman!"

Caleb's eyes briefly met mine, but he quickly turned away. I smirk.

Huh. Guess men will always be men..

I continue to the [GEAR] section.

Garis still yelled in the background, Tahlia tried to calm him.

Most didn't appeal to me, I was expecting something that has special effect like The Fragmentor. I keep scrolling.

Ebonfang Blade by ShadowSmith4Hire

Eclipse Orb by DarkyMcForgeFace

Darkspike Quiver by ChaoticCraftyCat

Then one item caught my eye. "Huh, this looks interesting, Shadow Cloak by SneakySpecter99" I read aloud. "Grants invisibility to shadows detection for 50 minutes. Costs 200,000 coins."

"Careful, Kira," Tahlia warned. "There's no return policy if it's a scam. This e-commerce is suck."

"It's a hot item tho," I argued then purchased the cloak. "My suit was pricier than this."

"How much you spent for that ugly too-much-revealing suit?!" Garis growled.

He is acting like my father now.

I decided to step outside before my ears bled from his nagging.