Shadow of the Fallen

Chapter 19: Trials of the Heart

The summit's light faded as Jin Soo stepped away from the Heart of the Light, his chest heaving with the weight of what he had seen. The others surrounded him, their eyes filled with concern.

"What did it show you?" Eun Ha asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jin Soo hesitated, the memory of the vision still vivid. "A battle… a choice. I saw a world in flames, and I was at its center."

Min Jae frowned. "And this choice? What is it?"

"To use the tether to save everything—or risk losing it all to destroy the shadows forever," Jin Soo replied, his voice trembling. "But the cost…" He looked down, unable to finish.

Hye Rin stepped forward, her expression grim. "The cost is always high, Jin Soo. The tether's power isn't free. But you're stronger than you realize. The Heart wouldn't have shown you that vision if it didn't believe in you."

As Jin Soo processed her words, the golden glow of the summit began to dim, signaling it was time to leave. The group descended carefully, but the shadows seemed to have retreated, as if respecting the sanctity of the site.

Once they reached the forest below, the calm shattered. A figure emerged from the darkness—a shadow warrior, its armor gleaming unnaturally under the faint moonlight. This one was different, its aura suffused with malice but laced with an unsettling intelligence.

"You've touched the Heart," it growled, its voice resonating like distant thunder. "The light binds you now, but it will betray you."

The group tensed, weapons drawn. "Step aside," Eun Ha demanded, her blade shimmering with anticipation.

The warrior chuckled, the sound sending chills down their spines. "You think your meager strength can stand against what's coming?"

Jin Soo stepped forward, his tether glowing brightly. "I don't care what's coming. We'll fight, no matter the cost."

The warrior lunged, its speed blinding. Eun Ha and Min Jae intercepted, their combined attacks forcing it back. Seo Jin unleashed waves of energy, each strike disrupting the shadows surrounding the creature.

But it was Jin Soo who delivered the decisive blow, his tether flaring as he drove the warrior into the ground. The shadows dissipated with an ear-piercing wail, leaving behind only silence.

Panting, Jin Soo turned to the others. "We need to prepare. If that's what they're sending now, the worst is yet to come."

Hye Rin nodded, her face set with determination. "Then we train harder. The Heart has awakened your potential, Jin Soo, but it's only the beginning."

TO BE CONTINUED...