Chapter 12: Shadows Rising

As Ithan continued his training, the days began to blur into one another. His skills grew sharper, his endurance tougher, and his connection with the Sigil deeper. Yet, the Hollow King’s shadow continued to haunt him in fleeting visions and whispers, each encounter feeling more real and sinister.

One morning, Kaelan approached Ithan with grave news. “There’s been an attack,” he said, his tone heavy. “The Hollow King’s forces struck just outside the city. The Network barely managed to hold them back.”

Ithan’s heart pounded. “Were there… casualties?”

Kaelan nodded. “A few. They were good people, fighters for our cause.”

A chill settled over Ithan. The attacks were coming closer, and he knew the Hollow King was testing their defenses. But it wasn’t just the city he worried about—he couldn’t stop thinking about his family’s safety and the friends who still knew nothing of the danger.

That evening, as he trained alone in the Network’s underground hall, the intensity of his strikes grew fiercer. He poured his worry, his fear, and his anger into each swing of his blade, each pulse of the Sigil’s energy.

Suddenly, he sensed someone watching him. He turned and found a young girl with a faint glow surrounding her, watching silently from the shadows.

“You must be Ithan,” she said, her voice calm but tinged with curiosity.

Ithan’s gaze hardened. “And you are?”

She stepped forward, and as the light illuminated her, he saw her striking features—silver eyes, a confident stance, and a faint aura of power radiating from her.

“My name is Lyra,” she said, meeting his gaze with a challenge. “And I’ve come to join the fight against the Hollow King.”

Ithan’s heart skipped a beat. This was the girl from his vision—the girl who would become his ally. But something in her gaze told him that she was more than just an ally. She was someone he could trust, someone whose presence felt both familiar and powerful.

“Are you ready for what lies ahead?” he asked, testing her resolve.

She smirked. “I’ve been preparing for this my whole life.”