TerraWorld~The Youngest One.. (#8)

Chapter 17

Xander stood at the center of the battlefield, his eyes burning with the intensity of a dark, swirling power. Shadows rippled around him, creeping outwards as if they had a life of their own. The team surrounded him, ready for whatever came next. Enna, Kevin, Violett, Violace, Willow, and the others watched closely, bracing themselves for the next attack.

But Xander didn't strike. Instead, a slow, menacing grin spread across his face, one that sent chills through everyone in the room.

"I think it's time you all learned the truth," Xander said, his voice low but filled with malice. "You keep calling me Xander like I'm still your brother, Kevin. But that name means nothing to me now."

Kevin, still catching his breath from their previous clash, frowned and took a step forward. "What are you talking about? You are my brother, no matter how far you've fallen. Xander, we can still save you!"

Xander—or rather, the person who used to be Xander—laughed, his voice cold and detached. "Xander? That weak fool who could never find his place in the world? He's gone. He died the moment I embraced what I truly am. Now, I am something much more... much stronger." His eyes flashed with a dark, sinister glow as shadows began to twist and warp around him.

The team watched in shock, unsure of what he meant. Violett took a step closer, her voice cautious. "What are you trying to say?"

Xander's grin widened. "I am Shadow."

The room went dead silent for a moment, the name sinking in like a weight pressing down on their chests. Enna's eyes widened, and a chill ran down her spine. She had heard stories of the shadow that lurked in the darkness, an ancient force of evil that could consume worlds.

Kevin stared at him in disbelief, anger boiling just beneath the surface. "Shadow?" he muttered. "You're lying. This isn't you, Xander. This isn't who you are."

But Shadow shook his head, amusement in his cold smile. "You never understood, Kevin. You never did. I've always been different, always been stronger, and now I've shed the last weakness that held me back—my humanity. I am Shadow, the embodiment of darkness, and soon... I will consume everything you hold dear."

Violace clenched his fists, stepping forward. "You can call yourself whatever you want, but you're not invincible. We've faced worse, and we'll stop you too."

"You really believe that?" Shadow mocked, shadows curling around him, growing thicker, darker. "You're nothing compared to what I've become. But don't worry—I'll enjoy watching each one of you fall, one by one."

Enna's fury grew, but so did her fear. "We won't let you destroy everything," she said, her voice shaking but determined. "You don't scare us."

Shadow's smirk deepened. "I should, Enna. Because none of you have the strength to stop me. You're all just grasping at a light that's already been snuffed out."

Kevin's eyes burned with frustration, disbelief still clouding his mind. "Why are you doing this? We were brothers, Xander. We fought for the same things once! How could you let this... this darkness take you over?"

"I didn't let it take me over," Shadow snapped, his voice a deadly whisper. "I became it."

Suddenly, the shadows in the room surged, crawling up the walls and closing in around the team. They shifted and twisted, forming dark tendrils that lashed out, forcing everyone to scatter. Violett and Violace dodged the attacks, unleashing blasts of energy in return, but the shadows absorbed their hits effortlessly.

"I am the darkness now," Shadow declared, raising his hand as the shadows thickened, enveloping the room in an inky blackness. "You are nothing to me anymore."

Willow, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, her voice filled with raw emotion. "You may think you've embraced this shadow, but you've forgotten who you are. You still have light in you, Xander! You don't have to go down this path."

Shadow laughed, the sound sending a shiver through her. "Light? You still don't understand, do you? I am not trapped by darkness. I am free. Free from weakness, free from guilt, free from all of you."

Kevin's fists clenched, his heart pounding. He had lost his brother—no, his brother had chosen to become this monster. "Then you've left us no choice," Kevin muttered, stepping forward with a fierce determination. "If you're Shadow, then we'll fight you like we'd fight any enemy."

Enna stood beside him, her black-furred tails and ears standing tall, her blue eyes piercing through the shadows. "We're not backing down."

Shadow smiled darkly. "Good. I wouldn't want it any other way."

The battle wasn't over. In fact, it had only just begun. Shadow's presence loomed larger than ever, and the team knew they were facing something more dangerous than they could have ever imagined.