5: The End of Training

Sylas' eyes flickered with approval as he watched Niva finish absorbing the last soul. "Well done, Niva. You have proven yourself worthy of mastering the dark arts," he said with a hint of admiration.

Niva stood up, wiped her mouth, and nodded. "Thank you, Sylas. I'm ready to learn more."

Sylas grinned. "Good, but before we continue, I must warn you: the dark arts are not for the faint of heart. Are you prepared to do whatever it takes to master them?"

Niva's eyes narrowed. "I am," she said firmly.

"Very well, then let us begin. The first thing you must understand is that empathy is your enemy. Feeling pity for your opponent will rebound any spells back to you. Once you start down this path, you must have the resolve to see it through to the end."

Niva was aware that the dark arts were dangerous, and that there was no turning back from that path. However, she never asked to be in her current situation. Wanu killed her parents and forced her into this abyss. He would have to suffer the consequences, and she had no plans of feeling pity for that hypocrite. She would destroy the whole clan if she had to.

Niva nodded, her face set with determination. "I understand."

Sylas continued, "All spells in the dark arts have three stages: beginning, middle, and end. The birth of a spell is when you cast it, the life of a spell is its development, which can be torturous to your opponent, and the death of a spell is the end of its development, which could result in death to your opponent."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "I will teach you three spells: a command spell, a torture spell, and a killing spell, along with some others, but those are the main ones. The command spell will allow you to command all those souls you absorb, and you might even let them take possession of the living. We will start with that first, since you have absorbed enough souls to command a small army."

Niva's eyes widened in disbelief. "I've never heard of such dark arts..."

"Of course, you haven't. I came up with it," Sylas said with a grin.

Niva was starting to wonder about Sylas and how he ended up in the abyss, but she decided to focus on the task at hand. She looked up at Sylas and said, "I'm ready to learn."

Sylas nodded and began to teach Niva the first step towards mastering the dark arts. As Niva practiced, she could feel her power growing stronger with each passing day. However, Sylas also warned her of the dangers of the dark arts and the consequences of using too much power.

Niva listened carefully to Sylas's teachings, determined to become a powerful mage without succumbing to the darkness. However, she could not deny the pleasure she felt from using her powers. She could foresee herself getting lost in it and losing control.

As she left the chamber with him, she felt a sense of excitement and anticipation. She could also feel herself losing her humanity, but she did not care.

"Thank you, Sylas. I won't disappoint you," she said with a smile, hiding the fact that she enjoyed the powers of the dark arts.

Sylas smiled back at her. "I have no doubt that you won't."

As they continued deeper into the cave, Niva's unease grew, and she knew that something was watching them. The darkness of the cave seemed to intensify, and the sound of dripping water echoed ominously. The souls she commanded were scouting ahead, but Niva could still feel the presence of the entity lurking within.

Four years had passed since Sylas had taken Niva under his wing, teaching her the ways of the dark arts. Niva had surpassed all expectations and became incredibly powerful. She could now command an army of hundreds of thousands of souls and perform the three main spells with ease. The cries that once echoed hauntingly throughout the abyss had disappeared, leaving behind a deafening silence.

As Sylas had predicted, Niva had absorbed almost all the souls of the abyss, and her training was coming to an end.

"You have surpassed my expectations, Niva. You have learned everything I could teach you."

"Thank you, Sylas. I couldn't have done it without you."

"You will be one of the greatest dark arts archmages in history, even greater than me in my prime."

"What? You were an archmage?"

"One of the greatest. Human greed led me to the Abyss of Tormented Souls, and I have a feeling the same led you here."

Niva understood Sylas's words, her clan's greed and envy for her father's powers led to her jumping into the abyss, and the same happened to Sylas.

"It's time for you to leave now, Niva. You have surpassed my expectations, and I am proud of the person you have become. However, I must warn you, the world outside is not like the abyss. It's a dangerous place, and you must be careful."

Niva nodded, understanding the risks. She then looked at Sylas and said, "Thank you for everything, Sylas. I could not have done this without you."

Sylas smiled, his eyes twinkling with pride. "Give them your worst, child. It's time for me to rest. Go now, Niva. It's time for you to begin your journey."

Before Niva could reply, Sylas transformed into a soul and flew toward her, forcing her to absorb him. Niva was unprepared for the rush of emotions that followed. His soul was filled with sadness, grief, and overwhelming anger that caused her immense pain.

Through Sylas's soul, Niva learned the true reason for his training. He was unable to leave the Abyss of Tormented Souls, and his plan all along was for Niva to absorb him so he would no longer wander as a lost soul. Sylas knew that Niva could not absorb all the emotions and power he possessed, so he trained her for this moment.

Niva had grown attached to Sylas, and as she absorbed his soul, tears flowed down her face. It was the first time since her parents' death that she had cried. She cried for her father, her mother, Sylas, and all the souls trapped in the endless cycle of despair. Her thirst for revenge grew stronger, and she knew it was time to leave. However, she had to first face the entity that lurked deep within the cave.