Arcane Dominion: The Rise of Shadows

"The Beast Calls"

Nerina lay on her bed in the stillness of the night, the moonlight casting soft shadows across the stone walls of her chamber. The hum of the ley lines seemed quieter than usual, as if the world was holding its breath. She had barely closed her eyes before sleep overtook her, and her dreams shifted into something strange, something far more vivid than any dream she had experienced before.

In the dream, she was standing alone in a dark, mist-filled forest. The air was thick, damp with the stench of decay. A cold wind whispered through the trees, and somewhere deep within the fog, a pair of glowing eyes pierced the darkness.

Suddenly, she was no longer alone. The massive, looming figure of the Wraith Beast materialized from the shadows, its twisted, ethereal form towering over her. Its eyes—feral and wild—stared down at her with an intensity that sent shivers running down her spine. The air crackled with a dark energy, the ground beneath her feet trembling as the creature loomed closer.

Nerina stood frozen, her heart racing, but then, to her surprise, the Wraith Beast spoke—its voice not through sound, but through the air itself, vibrating in her very mind.

“Help me.”

The words echoed through her thoughts, deep and raw, filled with an agonizing desperation that she couldn’t ignore. Nerina’s pulse quickened, confusion and fear swirling inside her. The Wraith Beast—something so deadly, so unyielding—was asking for her help?

“Why should I help you?” she thought, unable to voice the question aloud.

The Wraith Beast lowered its massive head, the fog swirling around it like a living thing. “Because you are the only one who can stop it. The one who has the power to bind me. The one who has been chosen.”

Nerina’s mind reeled, and she instinctively took a step back. “Chosen? What are you talking about?”

“The bond between us is already there, woven into the fabric of your fate. I cannot stop it. I cannot fight the one who controls me without you. You, who will wield me.”

The creature’s words hit her like a punch to the chest, and a sense of overwhelming power surged within her. Images flashed before her eyes—of a shadowy figure in the distance, a face she recognized but couldn’t place, and the feeling of something dark and ancient pulling at her soul. She felt herself being drawn closer to the Wraith Beast, her heart racing with a mix of fear and curiosity.

“The bond is your only way to save this world from destruction. If you do not, it will fall. You must choose now.”

The Wraith Beast’s eyes narrowed, waiting for her answer. It felt as though time had stretched to an unbearable length. Nerina’s mind was racing. She was terrified. She had already felt the darkness lurking inside her ever since the bond with the Wraith Beast had begun, and yet... she couldn’t deny the weight of the creature’s words. It wasn’t just a beast—it was a force of nature, a part of the very fabric of the world.

And if she was the one destined to control it, was there really a choice?

“I... I’ll do it.”

As soon as the words left her mind, the Wraith Beast’s form shifted, a ripple of energy like a storm tearing through the dream. A dark, swirling vortex opened beneath her feet, and she felt herself falling, sinking into the abyss.

She awoke with a start, gasping for breath, her heart pounding in her chest. The remnants of the dream lingered in her mind, the creature’s words echoing in her ears. Her hands trembled as she sat up, still caught in the remnants of the dream’s power.

She needed to speak to Lyriana.

---

The morning light filtered through the windows of the Obsidian Tower as Nerina hurried to Lyriana’s study, her thoughts still clouded with the weight of the dream. The decision she had made—if it could even be called a decision—felt heavy on her shoulders. She had agreed to bond with the Wraith Beast, but what did that even mean? Could she truly control such a beast? Would it consume her as it had consumed so many others?

As she reached Lyriana’s study, she hesitated at the door, taking a deep breath. Her mind was made up, but she couldn’t shake the nagging fear that something was terribly wrong.

Lyriana looked up as Nerina entered, her gaze sharp and calculating. “What is it, Nerina?” she asked, her voice still carrying the weight of their recent battle preparations.

Nerina swallowed hard, stepping forward. “I know how to stop the Wraith Beast,” she said, her voice steady but filled with a tension she couldn’t hide. “I need to bond with it.”

Lyriana’s eyes narrowed, disbelief crossing her face. “Bond with it? Are you out of your mind?” she asked, standing abruptly. “The Wraith Beast is a force of destruction. It’s uncontrollable.”

“I—” Nerina hesitated, but her voice steadied. “I’ve seen it in a dream. It asked for my help. It wants me to bond with it. It’s the only way to stop the force controlling it.”

Lyriana’s expression shifted from anger to confusion, her brow furrowing deeply. “But the Wraith Beast doesn’t bond with just anyone. It’s—”

“I know,” Nerina interrupted, her heart pounding in her chest. “But I saw it. I felt it. There’s a connection between us, and I’m the only one who can stop it.”

Lyriana looked at her for a long moment, as if weighing the truth in Nerina’s words. Finally, she sighed, her gaze softening. “Nerina, you’re not ready. You don’t understand what it means to bond with such a creature. It will change you, take something from you. Something you may not be able to return.”

“I’m willing to take that risk,” Nerina said firmly, her voice unyielding. “It’s the only way to stop the destruction.”

Lyriana’s eyes searched hers, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. “You don’t know what you’re asking, Nerina. The Wraith Beast doesn’t give its power freely. It will demand everything from you.”

“I know,” Nerina replied, her voice quiet but resolute. “But I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Lyriana took a step back, her hands trembling slightly. She wanted to stop Nerina, to protect her from what lay ahead, but the look in Nerina’s eyes told her everything she needed to know. Nerina was already beyond the point of no return.

With a sigh, Lyriana nodded. “Then we will do this together, but you must promise me something. Do not let it consume you.”

Nerina nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of determination and fear. “I promise.”

And so, they prepared to face the unknown together, the bond between Nerina and the Wraith Beast now unbreakable, for better or for worse.