The Pars Den and the Army

  Yana hissed as her perception slid over their location—a large Pars Den. She pursed her lips, annoyed; she needed to think before just shifting locations and exposing her team.

  ‘Be ready everyone. Pars shadows are much different from the created.’

  ‘Yes, Mistress.’

  They entered the huge cave. Starlight immediately illuminated it. The shadows backed to dark corners, and Yana looked at them, assessing their value. Pars shadows were the aftermath or consequences of failed alchemical and magical rituals. They had no true sentience, only maintaining the final thought at the time of their creation.

  Her Dune Domain portal opened. It exerted force on the shadows, and they fought against the pull, elongating as the portal drew them in with great force. The shadows were torn from dark corners and deep recesses and were pulled into the Dune Domain.8

  The memory shard rose from a space in the center of the cave. It flew into the Dune Domain without resistance, and the portal closed. [Memory Shade #10 Acquired.]

  Yana looked at the cave with scrutiny. It was a vast den that branched out into a network of tunnels. The shadow energy density was staggering.

  “Jasmine, Starlight, go explore the cave and make sure it is safe.”

  “Yes, Mistress.”

  Starlight streaked away, a bright prism light. Jasmine streamed forth slowly, a darkness cold and foreboding. They went into two different directions, and Yana’s perceptions followed in a third.

  (Strategic Insight) Even as she searched, she spoke to DD. “DD, bring Amber, Tasha, Devon here. This will be an ideal location for a bunker. Devon can recover here; the shadow magic is strong, it will do him good.”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  DD disappeared and reappeared in a blink with the Shadow Cats and Dark Fae. They immediately got to work reshaping the caves to fit their needs.

  Yana found another patch of Pars Shadows. She smiled and used [Shadow Step] to move to them instantly. These Pars Shadows were more fully formed—snapshots of wizards and alchemists during a rite or ritual. They milled around the small cave like they were locked in some final task, leaving them in an unending loop.

  [Shadow Light] activated, giving the Pars a focus. Yana exerted force, causing the dark light to focus. She practiced the technique with the Pars as her test subjects.

  She moved the dark light around the cave, and the Pars followed it blindly. They moved how, where, and when she wanted. Yana honed the technique, and after some time she felt that familiar click of her magic leveling up.

  Shadow Light has leveled up one full level!

  She nodded in satisfaction. The portal to her Dune Domain opened, and the Pars Shadows were sucked away.

  ‘Mistress. My area is clear.’

  ‘Return.’ As soon as the word was produced, Starlight was back in Yana’s soul.

  Yana returned to the main cave. Amber, Tasha, and DD had completely altered it. The once dark, uninviting cave was now fully illuminated with dark pooling light and dense patches of shadow magics.

  ‘My area is clear, Mistress.’

  ‘To me, Jasmine.’

  Jasmine entered her soul, and Yana looked to DD, Amber, and Tasha. “I will be in my Dune Domain. Call me if Heli wakes before I return.”

  The three nodded in unison, and Yana was gone.

  The Dune Domain spread out before her. Shadows were beginning to cover the inky black dunes. Yana smiled and began using her magics. It was time to level up.

  Shadows rose into the air as if they were presenting themselves to her. She used [Shadow Call] to bring the exact shadows of her choosing forward. She then used [Shadow Manipulate] and began to manipulate the shadows in different ways.

  They began to move in ways unnatural; they fought each other, and they followed all of her commands over and over again. When she felt the familiar click, she began using [Shadow Unite].

  The shadows suddenly lined up as if they were all part of a vast military unit. All their movements were coordinated as they moved toward her. Then she changed the intent.

  She used [Shadow Unite] and brought shadow fragments together. Dark, shadowy stitched-together forms lined the dunes waiting for her command. Then those came together to create strong Created Shadows.

  Yana was building an army. The dunes were lined with strong, custom-made Created Shadows. She smiled as she sensed the familiar click again.

  She smiled and looked out over the black dunes. She would level the ability up more – her goal was Intermediate by the time she left the Dune Domain.