Tamer of Death

The forest was quieter than it had ever been, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Dae-hyon walked cautiously, his senses sharper than before, the faint hum of the power inside him a constant reminder of his transformation. The beasts he had tamed followed closely behind, their eyes scanning the surroundings, alert to unseen dangers. The wolf-like shadow beast, which he had named Eryon, padded silently at his side, its glowing red eyes flicking between the trees.

"Where are we going now?" Dae-hyon muttered to himself, glancing at Seo-jin, who led the way. She had barely spoken since leaving the ruins, her demeanor distant, almost cold.

"You'll know when we arrive," she replied curtly, not even turning to face him.

Dae-hyon sighed. Her cryptic nature was beginning to wear on him, but he knew better than to press her. Every time he had tried, she deflected with an answer that left him with more questions than before.

The path ahead grew darker, the trees towering above like ancient sentinels, their twisted branches forming an almost impenetrable canopy. The air was thick with an unnatural stillness, and even the beasts seemed uneasy, their movements slower, their growls quieter.

"Do you feel it?" Seo-jin asked suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence.

"Feel what?" Dae-hyon asked, stopping in his tracks.

She turned to him, her eyes narrowing. "The pull. The shadows are moving."

Dae-hyon frowned, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his blade. "What does that mean?"

"It means we're being watched," she said, her gaze flicking to the trees around them. "The closer we get, the more they'll test you."

"Test me how?"

Seo-jin didn't answer. Instead, she motioned for him to follow and continued down the path.

As they moved deeper into the forest, the sense of being watched grew stronger. Dae-hyon could feel eyes on him, though he saw no one. The shadows seemed to shift and writhe, as if alive, and strange whispers began to fill the air, soft at first, then louder, more insistent.

"Dae-hyon..."

He stopped, his heart skipping a beat. The voice was faint, but unmistakable. It was his mother's voice.

"Impossible," he whispered, shaking his head.

"Dae-hyon, come back to us..."

The voice grew louder, more desperate, and he felt a tug in his chest, as if something was pulling him toward the darkness. He turned, his eyes scanning the forest, but there was nothing there.

"Stay focused," Seo-jin said sharply, grabbing his arm. "It's not real. The shadows are trying to break you."

"But it's her voice," he protested, his eyes wide.

"It's not her," she said firmly. "They'll use anything to weaken you. Don't let them."

Dae-hyon clenched his fists, forcing himself to look away from the shadows. The whispers continued, but he pushed them aside, focusing on the path ahead.

As they walked, the darkness grew deeper, the air colder. The trees seemed to close in around them, and the whispers turned to laughter—low, mocking laughter that sent chills down Dae-hyon's spine.

"We're close," Seo-jin said, her voice steady but tense.

"Close to what?" he asked, his grip tightening on his blade.

"The heart of the shadows," she replied. "If you survive this, you'll be stronger than ever. But if you fail..."

She didn't need to finish the sentence. Dae-hyon already knew what was at stake.

A sudden growl erupted from the darkness, and Eryon sprang forward, its claws digging into the ground as it faced the unseen threat. The other beasts followed suit, forming a protective circle around Dae-hyon and Seo-jin.

"Be ready," she said, drawing her own weapon—a curved blade that shimmered with an eerie blue light.

The shadows began to shift, taking shape. Figures emerged from the darkness, their forms humanoid but twisted, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light. They moved silently, their bodies gliding across the ground like smoke.

"Shadow wraiths," Seo-jin muttered. "They're not alive, but they'll kill you just the same."

Dae-hyon swallowed hard, his pulse racing. This was unlike anything he had faced before. The beasts roared, ready to attack, but he held up a hand, stopping them.

"No," he said. "This is my fight."

Seo-jin raised an eyebrow but said nothing, stepping back to let him take the lead.

The wraiths circled him, their movements fluid and unnatural. Dae-hyon took a deep breath, drawing his blade. The power inside him stirred, and he let it flow, his body glowing faintly with the light of his newfound strength.

"Come on," he said, his voice steady despite the fear clawing at him.

The wraiths attacked as one, their movements almost too fast to follow. Dae-hyon barely had time to react, his blade flashing as he parried their strikes. The energy inside him surged, and he unleashed it in a burst of light, forcing the wraiths back.

But they didn't stay back for long. They regrouped, their forms shifting and merging into a single, massive shadow that loomed over him.

Dae-hyon gritted his teeth, his grip on his blade tightening. This was the test Seo-jin had warned him about, and he knew he couldn't afford to fail.