The Awakening Of The Shadows
Chapter 40: Visions or Memories

Chapter 40: Visions or Memories

Lena was in her office at the academy, staring at a hologram in front of her.

"So, what do you want to talk about, Chaos Hunter?" Lena gave a small, sarcastic smile as she looked at Viktor through the hologram.

"Let’s cut the jokes for now, Lena. I just wanted to warn you that one of those ’beings’ attacked your disciple."

Lena’s expression immediately changed upon hearing that. She was serious now.

"How is he?" Her concern was evident, those beings were extremely dangerous.

"Don’t worry about him. Focus on the other boy. If you’re not careful, Ordo Noctis will take them from you."

With that, the hologram vanished, leaving Lena deep in thought.

"Ordo Noctis... They’ve attacked my academy before. I won’t let them take my disciples."

Lian found himself in a dark void, a place that had become familiar to him now.

"Oblivion?" he called out, but no response came.

Lian found that strange and began looking around, but as expected, there was nothing, just infinite darkness.

As he tried to move through that endless space, he suddenly appeared in the living room of his old house.

"What the hell is happening? Am I inside my subconscious again?"

Lian glanced around, searching for his logical self, but he couldn’t find him.

Unable to locate him, Lian decided to leave the house.

When he stepped outside, he saw his two versions fighting in a vast, barren rocky landscape, nothing stretched across the horizon.

His rage-filled version had a psychotic look in his eyes and was winning the fight.

Lian rushed toward them, intending to intervene.

"Enough!" he shouted and attempted to punch his hateful self, but his fist passed right through him.

Lian realized, for some reason, he couldn’t touch either of them. He was intangible.

The two hadn’t even noticed him and continued their battle.

"What is happening? He was supposed to be imprisoned in that castle, and now I can’t even touch them. What does this mean?"

As Lian tried to process it, the two versions suddenly stopped fighting and looked at him, their expressions filled with fear.

"Until now, you hadn’t noticed me, but now you s—"

Before he could finish speaking, Lian felt an overwhelming presence behind him.

His body froze. Slowly, he turned his head, and saw something he never expected.

A humanoid figure, over two meters tall, but completely black, like staring into the void of space itself.

Its presence was so crushing that Lian couldn’t move at all.

The being walked toward him and passed right through him, as if he didn’t exist.

It then placed a hand on the heads of Lian’s personalities, making them faint instantly.

Lian was drenched in sweat. He had never felt fear like this before.

Then, before his eyes, a castle began to form. It was the same castle he had seen last time.

And when Lian looked back at the creature, it was looking back at him.

There was nothing on its face, just a black void.

"Wake up!"

Lian woke up gasping, sweat pouring down his face, his heart pounding like an engine.

That had been too intense.

He tried to calm himself.

"What was that?" he muttered, struggling to catch his breath, his hands trembling.

As he steadied himself, Lian noticed that his wounds had been treated. Bandages covered various parts of his body.

Deciding he needed some air, he left the barracks only to find Argus standing right outside.

"Finally, rookie. Any longer in bed, and we’d have sent you back," he said with a smirk.

"Come on, the boss wants to see you." Without waiting for a response, Argus walked away.

Lian sighed and headed toward Viktor’s office. On his way, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Royce and Erin.

Lian gave them a confused look.

"Do you need something?"

The two hesitated slightly before speaking.

"Sorry, rook, Lian, for treating you like that. If it weren’t for you, we’d be dead. So... thanks," Erin said, clearly uncomfortable. Admitting that hurt her pride.

"Yeah... sorry for being a jerk," Royce added, looking a bit embarrassed.

"It’s fine. I don’t care," Lian replied simply. "Now, I have to go."

He really didn’t care. If he wanted respect, he knew he had to earn it through strength.

Reaching Viktor’s office, Lian was about to knock on the door when he heard Viktor’s voice from inside.

"Come in."

Stepping inside, he saw Viktor sorting through documents. The veteran seemed focused, his eyes scanning each page carefully. After a few moments, Viktor stacked the papers and finally looked up at Lian.

"Sit down."

Lian did as told, maintaining a firm posture. Viktor studied him for a moment before speaking.

"You survived."

Lian held Viktor’s gaze, saying nothing. He knew Viktor wasn’t one for small talk. The commander sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"I saw what happened on that mission. You fought, but you’re still far from good enough. If that thing had wanted to, it would have killed you effortlessly."

Lian’s fists clenched involuntarily. He knew that. He felt it.

That monster didn’t see him as a threat, just something unfinished.

Viktor continued.

"Starting tomorrow, your training will change. No more endurance drills or hand-to-hand combat. From now on, I’ll be the one training you to control your powers."

Lian’s eyes widened slightly.

"You... are going to train me?"

Viktor smirked.

"You think I’d trust just anyone with this job?"

The commander leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk, fingers intertwined.

"Your powers are dangerous. You’ve lost control before, you almost killed people who mattered to you. If you don’t learn to master them, you won’t last here."

Lian stayed silent.

Viktor was right.

"Listen carefully, kid. This training won’t be easy. I won’t treat you like an academy student. I won’t treat you like a rookie soldier. I will prepare you for what’s coming. For the monsters you will face. For the enemies that will come after you. If you want to quit, this is your chance."

Lian clenched his fists tighter.

His voice was firm, filled with determination.

"I won’t quit."

Viktor gave a small, approving nod.

"Good. Then be ready at dawn."