Chapter 4 - Dawn of a New Threat

The predawn silence was abruptly shattered by a soft rustling in Adrian's room. He stirred, blinking groggily as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. The silhouette of a figure standing at the foot of his bed made his heart race.

"Adrian," a familiar voice whispered urgently. "Wake up."

Adrian sat up quickly, his hand instinctively reaching for the thing he kept by his bed—a torchlight. He squinted in the gloom, his mind racing with questions and fears.

"Whoa! Elias?!" he asked, his voice rough with sleep. "What are you doing here?"

Elias stepped closer, his expression tense. "I'm sorry to startle you, but there's no time to explain. We need to move quickly. There's been an emergency."

Adrian's sleep-addled brain struggled to catch up. "An emergency? What kind of emergency?"

"The darkness is making its move," Elias said, his tone urgent. "A powerful creature has surfaced nearby. We have to stop it before it can cause any harm."

Adrian felt a surge of adrenaline, the remnants of sleep fleeing from his mind. "What? Are you serious? How am I supposed to fight anything? I barely know how to swing a sword properly!"

Elias placed a reassuring hand on Adrian's shoulder. "I understand you're scared. But you don't need to worry. I'll be there to help you every step of the way. Besides, this is a low-level Initiate enemy. It will be good training for you."

Adrian took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "Alright, give me a moment."

He quickly dressed, his mind racing. The events of the past few days had been overwhelming, but he was beginning to accept his new reality. Elias handed him a wooden training sword, and he felt its familiar weight in his hand. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He placed the sword on his back in a sheath that Elias had just given him.

Elias nodded approvingly as Adrian joined him. "Good. Let's go."

They slipped out of the apartment and into the quiet streets. The early morning air was cool, a slight mist hanging in the air. Adrian followed Elias, his mind buzzing with anticipation and anxiety.

Elias moved with a fluidity and speed that Adrian couldn't match. While Elias could have used his powers to reach the enemy instantly, Adrian hadn't reached that level yet. So, Elias chose to take the normal route, through back alleys instead of main roads. Sometimes they had to climb over fences and other obstacles. Adrian's body still ached from the training earlier that day, so his movements weren't as agile as usual.

Seeing Adrian's condition, Elias occasionally used his healing light on him. He wanted Adrian to be in better shape before facing their enemy.

As they moved through the city, Elias began to explain. "The creature we're dealing with is a shadow wraith. It's a powerful servant of the darkness, capable of siphoning life energy from its victims. If we don't stop it, it will grow stronger and more dangerous."

"How do we stop it?" Adrian asked, his grip tightening on the wooden sword on his back.

"Shadow wraiths are vulnerable to light," Elias replied. "Your powers are still developing, but with me here, we can weaken it enough to destroy it. Stay close to me and follow my lead."

They reached an abandoned industrial area on the outskirts of the city. The eerie silence was broken only by the distant hum of traffic and the occasional drip of water. Elias led Adrian into a crumbling warehouse, their footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space.

Elias raised his hand, and a soft glow illuminated the area around them. "Stay alert," he whispered. "It's here."

A chill ran down Adrian's spine as he scanned the darkness. The warehouse seemed empty, but he could feel a malevolent presence lurking in the shadows. It was something he was beginning to sense more naturally. He could now feel the presence of enemies more clearly.

"It can appear from any direction, Adrian. So you need to always be ready. Unsheathe your sword and get into a defensive position now," Elias instructed.

Suddenly, a low, guttural growl echoed through the space. Adrian's heart pounded in his chest as he turned toward the sound. A figure emerged from the darkness, its form shifting and writhing like living smoke.

The shadow wraith was a terrifying sight, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. It moved with an eerie fluidity, its shape constantly changing. Adrian felt a wave of fear wash over him, but he forced himself to stay calm.

Elias stepped forward, his hand glowing brighter. "Remember, Adrian. Focus on the light within you. Use it to fight the darkness."

Adrian nodded, trying to steady his breathing. He felt a warmth in his chest, the same light he had felt in his dreams. He raised his wooden sword, willing the light to flow through him.

The shadow wraith hissed, recoiling from the light. It lunged at Elias, its claws slashing through the air. Elias dodged gracefully, countering with a burst of light that seared the wraith's form.

"Radiant Strike!" Elias shouted, his hand glowing with intense light. He thrust his palm forward, sending a beam of light straight at the wraith. The creature screeched in pain, its form flickering.

Adrian watched in awe, then steeled himself. He focused on the light within him, feeling it surge through his veins. He then shouted, swinging his wooden sword. A beam of light shot out, striking the wraith and causing it to reel back.

"Whoa! Did you see that, Elias?! I managed to get some light out from my swing," Adrian said excitedly.

Elias smiled, very satisfied with the progress Adrian had shown despite only having trained for a day. "That was just energy in the form of light released from your body, Adrian. Without proper channeling, it can't produce the destructive power needed to defeat the enemy."

"Oh. I was just proud of what I did. Turns out it wasn't really useful," Adrian said, grinning sheepishly.

"Hahaha! Don't worry. That's actually a good sign. You have successfully released the light energy." Even though they seemed to be talking calmly, their battle situation was far from it. Everything was moving very quickly, and Adrian could be attacked by the enemy at any moment.

The wraith snarled, its eyes burning with fury. It lashed out at Adrian, its claws slicing through the air. Adrian dodged, barely avoiding the attack. He stumbled, but quickly regained his footing.

All this was thanks to the training earlier that morning, evading the beasts released by Elias. Adrian's reflexes had become much faster than usual.

"Elias, how do we destroy it?" Adrian called out, his voice strained. Even though he had managed to produce some light in his attack, he needed a better way to channel his power.

Elias had deliberately not taught him any specific techniques yet. He wanted Adrian to get used to releasing the light energy from his body first.

"We have to weaken it further," Elias replied, his expression grim. "Keep attacking. Don't let it recover."

"Even if my light power doesn't seem to affect it?"

"Don't worry. It still weakens it. I want you to get used to releasing your light energy first. Soon, I'll teach you the basic light power techniques you might be able to use," Elias explained.

Adrian nodded, determination hardening his resolve. He focused on the light, feeling it flow through him. He swung his sword again and again, each strike infused with light.

The wraith screeched, its form flickering and weakening. Elias joined in, their combined attacks driving the creature back. Elias did not use his full power. He didn't want to end the battle quickly for Adrian's sake. Adrian needed more of these experiences to grow stronger.

Elias glanced at Adrian, assessing his student's progress. "Adrian, you're doing well, but remember, you need to control and channel your light. Let me teach you a basic light attack technique."

Adrian, panting from exertion, nodded. "Alright, I'm ready."

"Focus your energy into your hand, then channel it through your weapon. This technique is called 'Luminous Blade.' It enhances your strikes with light energy, making them more powerful. Watch me."

Elias raised his hand, a bright glow forming around it. He then transferred the energy to his sword, the blade glowing with radiant light. With a swift motion, he slashed at the air, and a crescent of light shot forward, slicing through the darkness.

"Now you try," Elias instructed.

Adrian took a deep breath, concentrating on the light within him. He felt a warmth spreading from his chest to his arm, and he channeled it into his wooden sword. The blade began to glow, albeit faintly. He swung the sword, mimicking Elias's movements.

"Luminous Blade!" Adrian shouted. A weaker, yet visible crescent of light shot out, striking the wraith. The creature recoiled, screeching in pain.

"Good! Keep it up!" Elias encouraged. "Remember, this shadow wraith is a low-level enemy. It's strong enough to be dangerous but weak enough to serve as good training for you."

Adrian continued to focus, each strike becoming more confident and powerful. The wraith, now visibly weakened, struggled to maintain its form. Adrian's fear began to dissipate, replaced by determination and a growing sense of capability.

The wraith lunged at him, and this time, Adrian didn't flinch. He sidestepped the attack, channeling more light into his sword. "Luminous Blade!" he shouted again, this time with more force. The crescent of light struck the wraith head-on, causing it to screech and flicker violently.

Elias joined in, his own blade glowing brilliantly. "Radiant Strike!" he shouted, sending a powerful beam of light at the wraith.

"Now! Finish it with Luminous Blade," Elias ordered.

Adrian moved quickly. He unleashed a barrage of attacks on the wraith. The force of his attacks was too much for the creature. It let out a final, desperate cry before disintegrating into nothingness, the darkness vanishing from the warehouse.

Adrian collapsed to his knees, his body trembling with exhaustion. He looked up at Elias, who was breathing heavily but standing tall. "Is it over?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Elias nodded, a weary smile on his face. "For now. You've done well, Adrian. Your power is growing."

Adrian felt a surge of relief and pride. He had faced the darkness and survived. But he knew this was just the beginning. There would be more battles, more challenges ahead.

Additionally, based on what Elias had said, this enemy was at the weakest level. If he needed Elias's help and dozens of attacks to defeat it, he clearly understood his current strength. There was still much to be done.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. This is just the beginning for you. Trust me, soon you'll be able to defeat enemies at this level with just one attack," Elias said, bolstering Adrian's spirits.

As they made their way back to the city, Elias explained more about the shadow wraith and the hierarchy of the gods' followers. "The followers of each god are ranked from weakest to strongest. The ranks are Initiate, Acolyte, Disciple, Adept, Guardian, and finally, Champion. Most followers start at the Initiate level upon joining the god's faction or being reincarnated."

"How do they move up the ranks? Is it similar to the gods?" Adrian asked, curious.

"Almost similar. Through training, gaining experience, and mastering their powers. As they grow stronger, they'll rise through the ranks. Each level requires a certain amount of Energy Points and mastery of specific skills."

Adrian nodded, absorbing the information. "So, I'm at a similar level to that shadow wraith?"

"Yes," Elias confirmed. "And this shadow wraith was a low-level Initiate enemy. Facing such opponents will help you gain experience and increase your LEP."

Adrian took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the journey ahead. "Alright. I understand. I'll do whatever it takes to reach the top."

Elias smiled, pride shining in his eyes. "Good. Now, let's get to the warehouse. You need rest, and we need to prepare for the next phase of your training."

"Can't I get a day off? I just fought a shadowy creature this early in the morning," Adrian joked. He checked the time on his watch. Five in the morning. No wonder he felt so tired and sleepy.

"Hahaha! No rest if you want to become the God of Light again. Don't worry. After a while, all this will become routine for you."

Later that day, after getting a few hours of rest after his training session with Elias, Adrian headed to the club for another gig. His mind was still reeling from the morning's events, but he knew he had to keep up appearances.

Maya and the band were already setting up when he arrived. She greeted him with a mixture of relief and frustration. "There you are! You disappeared again this morning. What gives?"

Adrian forced a smile, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. "Sorry, Maya. I had some urgent business to take care of. It's... complicated."

Maya raised an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with his answer. "You keep saying that. What's really going on, Adrian?"

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wish I could tell you, Maya. But I can't. Not yet. Just trust me, okay? I'm handling it."

Maya's expression softened, though she still looked concerned. "Alright. But if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me."

Adrian nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thanks, Maya. I appreciate it."

The gig went smoothly, the music a welcome distraction from the turmoil in Adrian's mind. For a few hours, he was able to lose himself in the rhythm and melody, the worries of the world fading away.

After the show, the band gathered backstage, chatting and laughing. Adrian joined in, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the shadow wraith and the fight ahead. He knew he couldn't keep lying to his friends forever, but for now, he had to focus on his training and the mission at hand.

As the night wore on, Adrian made his way home, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. He knew there would be more battles, more challenges in the days to come. But with Elias by his side and the light growing stronger within him, he felt ready to face whatever came next.

The dawn of a new threat had arrived, but Adrian was determined to meet it head-on. His journey was just beginning, and he was ready to embrace his destiny as the God of Light.