The King of Shadows

"Hello students and I hope your day was okay." An intercom buzzes to life in the school building. "All students taking their core test after class are to report to the gymnasium for testing, other than that you are to stay safe and make sure to get your homework done. As quickly as the intercom rang out it shuts off and a loud bell rings.

"So Ghost are you taking the test?" A young man with pure white hair asked his best friend and classmate as they walked out of the classroom.

The boy the student addressed shook his head in confirmation to the question. "Of course Winter, my grandfather told me to take it no matter what, you know how he is. He always says I am special when I talk to him." The boy thought to himself. "Anyways Winter let's get to the gym."

The two boys quickly rush to the gymnasium to take the test, as they enter they see what seemed to most of their class waiting in lines. The gym was filled with tables and booths scattered about. Next to the booths seemed to be adults in suits standing ramrod stiff. The boys were quick to in line. "So are you hoping to awaken a core Ghost? I am hoping I get a beast form based on air." Winter says shaking with excitement.

"I am just doing this to appease my family, you know that dofus." Ghost couldn't help but shake his head at his friend's enthusiasm. "I just want to live a normal kids life, nothing too crazy."

The boys stood in line for what felt like hours. While their fellow students either left with happiness or utter disappointment showing on their faces. Then it was Ghost and Winter's turn at the table. On the table was a ball of clear crystal about the size of a diamond typical of a wedding ring. "Please take one of these cores and enter one of the booths behind me." A man with a lab coat and a pair of glasses.

Ghost and Winter each pick up a core. "Good luck buddy." Winter gives Ghost a fist pound before entering a booth. Ghost turns and enters his own booth.

"Welcome young one, I am to explain what is to happen before we begin the test." An old gentleman man with a suit says while he welcomes Ghost into the booth. "The test will only take a minute and is quite simple. One just focuses on the core and imagines the core as themselves. After a short time the core will change shape and adopt a color at which I will explain if you pass or fail the test and what your new form of the core means." The man then motions to the chair in front of a small table in the middle of the room."

"Okay so just set it on the table and focus on it that is all?" The man nods and Ghost places the core down in the center of the table before sitting in the chair. As Ghost started to focus he closed his eyes to not allow anything to disturb him.

Meanwhile around him the building starts to have a breeze blow through the Gymnasium and the shadows of the people and structures in the gym start to seem to move towards the booth holding Ghost, all the sudden the lights in the Gymnasium start to shake and shatter causing the remaining people to distress. At the sounds and cries of his classmates and adults Ghost opens his eyes. He rushes out of the tent without looking at the table. As he exits the tent he sees what seems like half of the gym is in chaos with the lights blown out. He rushes over to Winter who is outside his booth with what seems to be a necklace around his neck colored as white as clouds and has the shape of an eagle in an aggressive scream. "Winter are you okay? What happened to the gym?"

"I have no idea. Are you okay Ghost?" He quickly assures him before checking him over. "Did you awaken a core?"

"No, I rushed over as soon as I heard the screams outside of my booth. What could have caused such a mess?" He wonders as he looks at the chaos of the gym.

As the two survey what has happened to the gym a cough behind the two alert the two of them and they see the old man from the booth Ghost enters. "I may have the answers for your question. It seems you caused this mess." The man produces a circlet as black as onyx with what seems like tendrils wrapping around it. "Congratulations are in order young man you awakened a very unique core and rank."

Ghost takes the circlet carefully in his hands and feels the power rush to his body. It gives him the feeling of being complete and strong. "How could this do all this damage to the gym?" Ghost questions the man with uncertainty tingling his voice.

"It is because you awakened your core, I have the great honor of bestowing your new title, for you are now the King of the Shadows." The man says bowing to Ghost.