Episode 4: The shadows of fate

Shadows

Veyra and Diedra walked through the dense forest, their steps quick, in the silence of the night. The air was growing colder, and the foliage above seemed to swallow every ray of moonlight, leaving them in almost total darkness. Each step they took echoed loudly in the stillness of the forest, but it wasn’t only their footsteps that thickened the atmosphere. Something unseen, an immense and silent presence, surrounded them from all sides, giving them goosebumps.
“Something is wrong…” murmured Diedra, her wide eyes unmoving as they scanned the darkness around them. The wind seemed to freeze in the air, and the forest felt deeper, more oppressive, with each passing minute.
Veyra, much more experienced, glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, sensing her growing unease. “Be careful, Diedra. There are shadows around us. They are not just trees or night.”
Diedra felt her breath becoming heavier. Looking into the depths of the forest, she sensed how the shadow of a tree detached itself and began to move, a shape that seemed to have a life of its own. Suddenly, other shadows rose from the ground, forming diffuse silhouettes that seemed to breathe.
“Veyra…” Diedra’s voice trembled, almost whispering. “What are these?”
“The shadows of Draekor,” Veyra replied, swallowing hard, her eyes scanning every corner of the forest. “The God of Shadows. He’s sending his servants after us. He wants to catch us.”
As her words echoed in the cold air, a strange sensation, like an icy grip, seized Diedra’s chest. The shadows seemed to move faster, like living beings, closing in on them as if they had a consciousness of their own.
“There are too many…” murmured Diedra, feeling an invisible force pulling her in an unknown direction. “How will we escape?”
Veyra looked at her with an impenetrable determination. “You must choose, Diedra. If you don’t control your power, Draekor will become stronger than any god. You will have to face this shadow.”
A cold breeze pierced deeply into Diedra’s chest, and the shadows around them seemed to twist, growing denser. At that moment, a sharp, resounding voice echoed, like a call from the depths of the forest. “Choose wisely, child of destiny…”
Diedra flinched, and visions began to form in her mind—confused images, fragments of an undefined past. This voice was one she had heard before, but tonight it felt stronger, as if it had penetrated deep into her being.
“Diedra…” whispered Veyra. “You must choose now. Don’t let the darkness overwhelm you. You can face this moment. Your power is greater than any shadow.”
But Diedra couldn’t understand. She was caught between two worlds: the light that burned from deep within her being and the shadow that pulled at her, like a whirlpool threatening to swallow her. She still felt the echo of the voice, but didn’t know what to choose. Every decision seemed to push her in an irreversible direction.
The lights spun around Diedra, and the shadows seemed to come to life, dancing in a strange and dangerous game. In the midst of this tumult of forces, Diedra felt her body overwhelmed by energy and unease, as if she didn’t know what to do with the power that consumed her from within. Though she appeared calm on the outside, her heart raced in a frantic rhythm, and her mind was filled with questions. How could she control this force that was tearing her apart inside? The questions merged, but no answers could be found.
Before her, Draekor and his servants, shadows of a long-forgotten reality, gradually retreated, unable to withstand the power that was unfolding within Diedra. But the eyes of the God of Shadows, burning with silent fury, shone with a terrifying intensity. “You won’t escape so easily, Diedra,” he whispered, and the echo of his voice faded into the darkness of the forest, leaving behind a profound silence. This was only the beginning.
In the midst of this chaos, Vakim remained still for a few moments. His eyes were drawn to the dance of light and shadows that surrounded Diedra. The air seemed to vibrate, and her force was palpable, almost physical. There was something magnificent about this power, but also frightening. He watched her with a mix of respect and unease. “Impressive,” he murmured, not taking his eyes off the intense aura that enveloped Diedra. “Especially for such a young being.”
Diedra, in the middle of this universe of light and darkness, seemed torn between two worlds. Her face was pale, and her eyes were clouded with unease. The fear of not knowing what she would become overwhelmed her. There was an immense force within her, but also an equally great confusion. She felt her body as though it were broken, but at the same time charged with uncontrollable energy. She didn’t know if she could master this power.

Vakim

Vakim knew, however, that this unstable balance could be dangerous. If Diedra didn’t learn to control these two contradictory forces, she could become an unpredictable weapon—one that could destroy as easily as it could save.
“Diedra…” he began, stepping closer with small steps, his penetrating gaze fixed on the aura that surrounded her. “If you don’t learn to balance the forces that are consuming you, you will never be fully in control. You can be both light and darkness. In an instant, you could become something you don’t want to be.”
Looking at him with a worried expression, Diedra bit her lip, trying to understand his words. “How… how can I learn to balance them? How can I be more than this chaos?” she asked, terrified by the inner unrest that was breaking her.
Vakim extended a hand, but stopped before touching her. His gaze was gentle but firm. “It’s a difficult path, Diedra,” he replied. “It may be easier for some, but for you... it could be a constant struggle. You must learn not only to control what’s inside you but also to understand what you truly want to be. Don’t let yourself be carried away by every impulse. You must center yourself, find a balance between light and darkness.”
Diedra closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the internal battle shaking her. “I... I don’t know what to choose,” she murmured, with deep unease.
“You don’t have to choose now,” said Vakim, his voice calm, but with an inner strength. “But you must learn to control yourself. It’s not about choosing between light and darkness, but about how you accept both. These forces are within you, Diedra. But only you will decide how to use them.”
Looking at her with increasing intensity, Vakim knew that whatever decision Diedra made would change the course of the world. If she learned to control her power, she could become a savior. If not... she could become an immense threat. Every step Diedra took was decisive, and he found himself in the midst of a battle that transcended time and gods. “This is only the beginning,” he thought, lifting his gaze toward the dark sky, dotted with stars that seemed to watch everything, witnesses to the changes to come.
“I have a role in everything that is happening,” added Vakim, looking at Diedra with a mixture of mystery and wisdom. His voice, calm and firm, betrayed no trace of uncertainty, but his words seemed to hide an untold story, a piece of a puzzle that Diedra couldn’t yet understand. “And perhaps I will show you soon. But for now, you need time. Time to learn what it means to truly be yourself.”
Diedra silently watched him, her eyes filled with unease but also with a timid hope. His words made her wonder: was he right? Perhaps, in the middle of all this chaos, she didn’t need to make any sudden decisions. Maybe, before anything else, she had to learn who she truly was before she could face the choices that awaited her.
“But… how will I know when I’m ready?” Diedra asked, her voice trembling slightly. It was clear she didn’t have all the answers, but she felt that, in some way, Vakim could show her the way. Maybe not completely, but enough to take a step forward.
Vakim smiled gently, but his smile seemed more like a memory than a true sign of warmth. “There is no precise moment, Diedra. Finding yourself has no schedule. But if you listen to your soul, if you learn to accept what you are, you will understand when you are ready.”
His words penetrated deep into Diedra’s heart. They weren’t just lessons for the moment; they carried a much deeper meaning, a silent call to a path she didn’t fully understand but which drew her in with every step she took.
Diedra turned her gaze to Veyra, who stood a few steps away, watching them closely. The two had always been close, but in moments like this, when Diedra’s confusion was so evident, Veyra felt even more lost. Together, with a mutual support hard to express in words, they would face the challenges. Though they didn’t fully trust Vakim, circumstances forced them to cooperate.

Together

“We will go together,” Veyra said, her voice firm, yet her gaze still betrayed a trace of doubt. “But don’t expect everything to be easy, Vakim. We will ensure that our path is one in which we have control, even if we have to use you as a guide.”
Vakim gave a slight nod, his penetrating eyes searching for a sign of trust in those words. “I understand,” he replied, “but on your journey, you will have to face more than we could anticipate. Divine power is not only measured by the light it can emit. It demands sacrifices. And perhaps, one day, you will have to make choices… choices that will change everything you have known until now.”
Diedra felt a weight in those words, a premonition that what lay ahead was far more complex and dangerous than she could have imagined. But she had no choice but to move forward. If these steps were the only way to understand her true role in the world, then she had no option but to accept this challenge.
As she turned her gaze toward Vakim, something subtle but powerful made her feel differently about him than about anyone else. It wasn’t just the wisdom he carried or his seemingly inexhaustible power. It was more than that. An inexplicable attraction connected her to him, a sensation she couldn’t understand, but which made her feel tied to her destiny in a way she couldn’t control.
At the same time, Vakim felt a deep unease in the face of Diedra. A connection was forming between them, something he couldn’t explain, but which disturbed him. A strange feeling, one he had never experienced before. It was a strange pull that drew him toward her, and with every exchanged glance, with every word spoken, this feeling grew. It wasn’t just about his mission. It wasn’t just about maintaining the balance between worlds. There was more to it than that.
“There is a path ahead,” Vakim said, without looking directly at Diedra, but with a tone that revealed a deeper significance. “But in order to walk it, each of us will have to face our own fears, our own uncertainties.”
Diedra looked at him more closely, realizing that, despite all the differences between them, they were bound by a common fate. A fate that promised to change their lives forever.

Chaos and the Gods

All the while, high in the celestial palace, the conflicts between the gods deepened, each harboring their own fears and aspirations. Azeron, the God of Order, called for an urgent meeting. In the Council Hall, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Vareem, the God of War, and Draekor, the God of Shadows, each sat with their own thoughts, but their gazes occasionally met, like two beasts sizing each other up in a silent battle. At the Council table were also Thalira, the Goddess of Wisdom, and Elyssara, the Goddess of Love and Duality, but the true conflict lay between these three.
“We must consult with each other and stop acting alone!” Azeron said, his voice sharp, his gaze cold but filled with authority. “Isn’t that right, Draekor and Elyssara?”
“I’ve just spoken with her, and I saw her… My gods, the power she has! She doesn’t even know the full force lying within her,” Elyssara replied, her gaze deep and troubled. “I don’t understand what she seeks, but I feel she is approaching something that will change everything.”
Draekor raised his gaze, his eyes piercing through the depths of their souls, and his words came out like a chill wind. “Not yet!” he said with a cold smile on his lips. “You know that she is searching for the sabbat of the white witches of time? An ancient power that no one has ever tried to access. If she finds it, nothing will stop her. And at that moment, it will be too late for you to intervene.”
“Enough!” Azeron shouted, slamming his fist on the table. “I know what you want, Draekor. You want the power for yourself.”
Draekor grinned coldly, a sharp smile that seemed to betray a great disdain. “You’re all the same. You think you have the right to judge me. You know what I want: power. Not just for me, but for all. Maybe you want to maintain your comfortable and cozy order, but I know something you still don’t understand: chaos is inevitable. And with Diedra, chaos is coming.”