The Rise of the Lost

The Queen had cloaked herself in her beautiful, lusterless black armor. It bore elegant shoulder and chest guards, and at her waist gleamed a striking sword.

In contrast to the rest of her dark ensemble, the sword's hilt and razor edge were stark white. Its sheath, adorned with intricate and mysterious engravings, stood out as something foreign—almost alive.

Kalm stared at it for a moment, then averted his gaze, unable to decipher the symbols.

Over her black armor—defying every known rule of combat practicality—the woman wore a long, flowing black cloak.

Its sleeves were wide and beautifully comfortable. With no clasps or buttons, it remained open, revealing what lay beneath.

Yet it granted the Queen an imposing presence—majestic, royal, and dignified.

'She must have her own story,' Kalm thought.

Of course she would. Who else but a madwoman would wear a cloak over armor into battle?

He looked at her and spoke carefully, trying to be polite:

"Your Majesty, I'm not trying to be clever or disrespectful… but isn't wearing a cloak over armor rather impractical? Won't it just get in your way?"

The Queen let out a soft laugh and ran her fingers along the cloak's edge for a moment before replying:

"It is, actually. You're right. But don't worry—I'm not wearing it for appearances.

You'll understand at the end of our journey."

With those cryptic words, she stepped closer and placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

Kalm's mind was overflowing with questions, but the Queen didn't give him time to ask a single one.

"Now, excuse me for a moment…"

Before he could process anything, darkness consumed his vision.

He was suddenly pulled into a strange place—not a place, but a void.

A pitch-black space that contained… nothing.

He panicked. No sound left his mouth.

And then he realized—he had no mouth. No vocal cords.

This realization pushed his panic further.

His body felt like it had lost its shape—no form, no beginning, no end. No center.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, he was ejected from the void.

Kalm gasped for air.

He lifted his hands and touched his face—everything was in place.

His voice, his limbs—they had all returned.

He exhaled with deep relief, finally feeling whole again.

He tried to look at the Queen, but the darkness around him was so thick, he couldn't even see his own fingers.

He called out:

"Your Majesty… are you there somewhere?"

A moment of silence passed before her familiar gentle voice replied:

"Yes, yes. Apologies, Kalm. I forgot—you can't see in the dark."

She placed her hand on his shoulder again, and a strange whisper echoed in his mind:

[You have received the Shadow Mark.]

Kalm blinked twice and rubbed his eyes.

Suddenly, and as if by magic, he could see through the surrounding darkness.

Clearly—just as though he were standing in daylight.

He gazed at the Queen with a mix of awe and admiration.

'What did that voice say...? Shadow Mark?'

Before he could speak, the graceful woman stepped forward and addressed him in a soft, balanced tone:

"I've placed my mark upon you—my personal insignia.

The shadows now recognize you.

Well… they won't exactly obey you, but you'll be able to see through natural darkness, and sense them—just a little."

Kalm smiled politely.

Indeed, he could sense them.

Dimly, fleetingly—but he could feel they were there.

And some carried more depth and presence than others.

'Oh… nice. I suppose I'm in their friend zone now. Not a bad start.'

After a few seconds, Kalm returned to his usual expression and took in the massive cavern around them.

Its walls were made of black and crimson-red stone.

It was absurdly massive—towering and wide.

Jagged rocks hung from the ceiling like the fangs of a beast, ready to strike.

Here and there, faint patches of green moss clung stubbornly between the stones.

As for the atmosphere—it wasn't as terrifying or dreadful as he'd expected.

Maybe because of the Shadow Mark.

Or perhaps it was the presence of the Queen beside him…

Whatever the reason, the pressure weighing on him had lessened.

'I'm grateful, Your Majesty.'

The Queen gazed at the cavern, then turned back to him with a soft, charming smile on her face.

"Welcome to the cave of... hmm... wait a moment, I actually can't remember its name. What *was* it called...?"

She rubbed her face slightly as she tried to recall.

Kalm barely held back a laugh. The way she acted—so graceful yet strangely comical—made it feel like a perfectly timed scene from a well-crafted comedy.

He faced her, trying hard to hide his amusement.

"Your Majesty, do we really need to name it? All we have to do is get through it."

She chuckled quietly and replied playfully:

"Yes… you're right. We are now in the giant's cave beneath my kingdom, where two weapons lie.

It's a long path, including a massive labyrinth and, worse, many kinds of monsters.

Not just the ones driven by bloodlust and madness…

There are also vile creatures that craft illusions and attack the mind of their prey—some of them have even developed intelligence and lay dangerous traps."

She paused for a moment, and then added with a tone that carried a strange nostalgia:

"And finally, there's the cave's boss—a repulsive creature of the fifth tier.

You could call it the crowned king of the cave..."

Kalm raised an eyebrow at the nostalgic note in her voice and asked:

"Your Majesty… could it be that you've been in this cave before?"

She gave him a lovely smile, and what she said next made him stare at her again.

"Oh, that? Yes. It happened back when I was still young and reckless.

I had a fight with someone, and in a fit of childish rage, I entered the cave and stayed here for over a month..."

His eyes widened and his expression froze.

'Wait… did her personality just shift? More than that… did she say "a fit of rage"? Did this graceful woman, who moves like a queen in every breath, actually have a fight with someone?'

His mind spun with all the strange new details, and for a brief moment, Kalm stood there, completely still.

Then, the Queen continued:

"Well then… now that you understand the dangers, you must prepare yourself mentally.

And stay close to me."

Kalm straightened up, trying to hide his lingering surprise, and stood just a step behind her.

The Queen glanced down the path, then snapped her fingers.

From her shadow, three black creatures emerged.

The first was a giant wolf, towering over three meters tall. Its thick black fur bristled, and its fangs and claws looked like they could tear through steel.

Three sharp, fearsome horns rose from its head, giving it a demonic and majestic appearance.

The second was a small serpent—about the length of Kalm's arm—with glossy black scales and four fangs.

Its golden-yellow eyes glowed with an eerie beauty.

It slithered toward Kalm and climbed up his leg.

Kalm struggled to remain mentally composed.

The snake curled around his neck gently, doing nothing else.

Trying to stay focused, Kalm glanced up at the final creature: a small raven with jet-black feathers and blood-red eyes.

It didn't give off any threatening aura, but there was something strangely unsettling about it.

The Queen looked at him and spoke in a calm, even voice:

"These are my personal servants. They have no names—they're just shadows, forged from fragments of my soul.

That snake will enhance your senses, and you'll be able to see through its eyes.

I created it when I once fell into a trap in the underworld.

As long as it's with you, all your senses will be heightened."

Kalm looked down at the small snake, then back up at her.

"Your Majesty… are you saying that if I lose my sight, I'll be able to see through the snake's eyes?"

She nodded:

"More or less. It'll feel strange at first—even frightening—but with time, you'll grow used to it.

Its senses are incredibly refined. I made it myself, after all."

She lifted her finger and gave him a calm smile.

"And best of all, it won't die unless its master dies.

Unfortunately, you can't fully benefit from it yet—because you're still just a normal human.

Maybe in the future..."

In that exact moment, Kalm realized that the regal, magnificent image he had built of the Queen… wasn't entirely real.

It felt more like a role she had to play—for her people.

Her *true* self was buried deep within her.

*Seems like I'm stuck with someone uniquely strange...*

Kalm glanced at the Queen and her three servants, then spoke in a low tone:

"Your Majesty, may I ask you something?"

She sent the raven and wolf ahead—they melted into the shadows and disappeared into the path beyond.

Then, she gestured for him to walk beside her.

"Let's talk as we walk."

The two began walking with calm, confident steps—not too fast.

Kalm took a breath and focused on his question.

"Your Majesty… earlier, when you gave the dagger to the warrior… did you know I would survive, even though he wouldn't?"

She nodded as she kept her eyes on the path.

"Under normal circumstances, you would have died too.

But what my dagger struck was what remained of *his* soul.

My ability to interact with shadows lets me target spirits directly.

So his soul perished… and yours was freed from his body.

It seems that was the first step in your trial..."

Kalm listened attentively, then asked:

"But… Your Majesty, how did you know I was trapped in his body?

In the past three days, no one else knew\..."

She lifted a finger and pointed to his shadow.

"It was the shadow. I sensed a strange disturbance over the last few days.

So I visited the Shadow Realm to uncover the cause.

There, I found the shadow of the *true* Queen of Shadows—resting in the eternal peace of death..."

The Queen took a breath, her ruby eyes deepening.

"It's not easy, realizing you're just a mirage—created to strengthen someone else."

Then she turned back to him with a gentle smile.

"But she gave me a chance too.

A chance to pass down my legacy to someone.

So, Kalm, ask me anything you want—about my powers, my bond with the shadows, what I can do…

Because you will be my successor.

You will become the Shadow King of your world—or at least, part of you will.

Well, it depends on your willpower and strength."

Kalm clenched his fist, then relaxed it, offering a respectful smile.

He already had an idea of what this woman could do.

He began thinking of all the questions he wanted to ask her.

She was kind, and she would show him herself what she was capable of.

And best of all... that title—*Shadow King*—wasn't it just amazing?

He imagined himself returning from the trial, carrying that title.

Wouldn't that be a beautiful feeling?