Chapter 6: The Shadow’s Gambit

Ryn had always walked the line between light and dark. As the Shadow, it was his nature—to understand both sides, to use the enemy’s own weapons against them.

Now, he took that understanding to its logical extreme.

“I’m going in,” he announced.

“Into the Darkness?” Kael stared at him. “That’s suicide!”

“Maybe. But I’m the only one who can do it. The Shadow can walk in darkness without being consumed. It’s what we do.” Ryn’s smile was grim. “Besides, we’re all dying anyway, right? Might as well make it count.”

Before anyone could stop him, he stepped forward, letting the Darkness envelop him. The others felt his presence through the bond—still there, still fighting, but distant, muffled, as if he were calling from the bottom of a deep well.

And then, from within the Darkness itself, Ryn struck.

To be continued…