Alina: Light & Shadows

Chapter 6

We had been fleeing all night. My muscles were on fire, each breath was a struggle.

But we couldn’t stop. Kael seemed tireless, his steps light and silent like a shadow brushing the ground.

I, on the other hand, felt like I was dragging the weight of the entire world on my shoulders.

After hours of running, we finally stopped. We had reached a small cave hidden among the trees, far from beaten paths.

Kael carefully checked the entrance, making sure that no one had followed us.

When he was finally satisfied, he gestured for me to enter.

I let myself drop to the ground, leaning against the cold rock.

The silence of the cave enveloped me like a heavy blanket, and for a moment, everything seemed distant: the fear, the escape, the shadows chasing us.

But it didn’t last long.

"We can't stay here for long," Kael said, sitting down across from me. His voice was low, almost a whisper.

"They won’t stop until they find you."

I rubbed my face, trying to shake off the stupor.

"Who are they exactly? And what do they want from me?"

Kael lowered his gaze for a moment, as if searching for the right words.

"The emissaries of the Shadow Kingdom… they’re not just hunters. They are creatures created for one purpose: to find and bring anyone with power like yours to their master. The Shadow King."

"The Shadow King…" I repeated quietly, the name my mother had always told me in her scary stories.

An ancient, powerful being who ruled a world made of darkness and secrets.

"But what do I have to do with him?"

Kael leaned forward, his dark eyes searching mine. "You are the key to opening the passage between worlds, Alina. The Shadow King wants to bring his kingdom back into our world, and to do that, he needs you. Only you can unleash the power needed to open that gate."

Those words hit me like a punch to the gut. "But I don’t even know how to use this power! And if it really is inside me, how do I awaken it?"

Kael leaned back against the cave wall, his gaze lost in the void.

"The power of shadows is not something that awakens easily. It’s dark, dangerous, and it can consume you if you don’t control it. That’s why they are looking for you: they know how to force the awakening."

The air in the cave seemed to grow heavier.

"And you? How do you know all this?"

Kael let out a long breath, as if he had been waiting for that question for a long time.

"Because I was one of them."

The world seemed to stop for a moment. I looked at him, incredulous. "What?"

"Once," he continued, his voice full of bitterness, "I was destined to serve the Shadow King. I was born from darkness, just like them. But I chose to leave, not to be a pawn in their game."

I fell silent, trying to process that revelation. Kael wasn’t just a mysterious boy helping me.

He was directly linked to those dark forces that were hunting me. But why had he chosen to help me?

"Why did you save me then?" I asked, trying to hide my suspicion. "If you’re one of them, why did you choose to fight against them?"

Kael stared at me, his eyes filled with a pain I had never seen before. "Because I know what it means to be trapped by shadows. I don’t want you to suffer the same fate. I want to give you the chance to choose."

Those words struck me deeply. It wasn’t just about power or predetermined destinies. It was about choice.

And for the first time, I felt that I had control, even if only in part.

"But how can I learn to control this power?" I asked. "If I don’t, they will use it against me."

Kael paused, then looked at me seriously. "There are ways to learn. But they are dangerous. The power of shadows can consume you, Alina. You must be sure you want it."

My heart raced. Fear was there, always present, but there was also a spark of determination.

I could no longer allow my life to be controlled by forces outside of me. I had to take control.

"I want it," I said, my voice firm. "Teach me to control it."

Kael nodded slowly, then stood up. "It won’t be easy. And it may cost you more than you imagine."

I stood up too, feeling a new fire burning inside me.

"I’m ready."