The recruitment center loomed before them, a monolithic structure of steel and glass that seemed to pierce the morning sky. Jaden stood at the base of the wide steps leading to the entrance, his heart hammering against his ribs. Around him, dozens of other candidates milled about, their nervous energy palpable in the crisp morning air."Impressive, isn't it?" Alex's voice cut through Jaden's thoughts. His friend stood beside him, hands shoved deep in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Makes you wonder what they're compensating for."Jaden snorted, grateful for the moment of levity. "Maybe they're hoping to scare off the weak-willed before we even get inside.""Well, they'll have to try harder than that," Alex grinned, bumping Jaden's shoulder with his own. "Come on, Shadow Boy. Let's go show them what we're made of."As they climbed the steps, Jaden felt a familiar tingling sensation in his fingertips. He glanced down, alarmed to see wisps of darkness curling around his

Jaden's lungs burned as he and Zoe tore through the forest, the sound of splintering trees fading behind them. His legs felt like lead, every step a monumental effort, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins kept him moving. Zoe ran beside him, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and exhilaration.Finally, after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, they slowed to a stop. Jaden doubled over, hands on his knees, gulping in air. Zoe leaned against a tree, her chest heaving."What... the hell... was that thing?" Zoe managed between breaths.Jaden shook his head, still trying to process what had happened. "I have no idea. But I don't think we've seen the last of it."[Danger Level Decreased] [Recommend Rest and Recovery]The system's notifications flickered in Jaden's vision. He was starting to appreciate these little warnings, even if they sometimes stated the obvious."We need to find shelter," Jaden said, straightening up. "Somewhere

Jaden's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding as if trying to escape his chest. The acrid taste of ash lingered on his tongue, a reminder of the chaos they'd barely survived. He blinked, adjusting to the dim light filtering through a canopy of leaves overhead. This wasn't the abandoned building they'd fought in. Where were they?"Easy there, shadow boy," Zoe's voice came from nearby, laced with equal parts concern and wariness. "You've been out for hours."Jaden pushed himself up, wincing as every muscle in his body protested the movement. He found himself in a small clearing, surrounded by dense foliage. The others were scattered around, tending to wounds or keeping watch. Eli sat with his back against a tree, his face pale as Nix wrapped a makeshift bandage around his torso.[Status: Recovered] [Shadow Merge Cooldown: 0 hours remaining] [Warning: Prolonged use may lead to corruption]"What happened?" Jaden croaked, his throat dry as sandpaper. "How did we get here?"Lyra approache

The fog crept in silently, tendrils of mist weaving between the trees. Jaden noticed it first, a faint haze that thickened with alarming speed. Within minutes, visibility dropped to mere feet."Everyone, stay close," he called out, voice muffled by the dampening mist.No response."Zoe? Lyra?" Jaden reached out, fingers grasping at damp air. The silence pressed in, oppressive.[Warning: Unknown Environmental Hazard][Recommendation: Seek Higher Ground]Jaden swallowed hard, pushing down the surge of panic. He'd been separated from the others before, but this felt different. Wrong. The shadows beneath his skin writhed, eager to be unleashed.He took a tentative step forward, then another. The fog seemed to part before him, only to close in again at his back. Distorted shapes loomed in the periphery of his vision, gone when he turned to look. The air grew colder with each breath.A twig snapped somewhere to his left. Jaden spun, shadows instinctively coiling around his fists. "Who's the

The forest seemed quieter the next morning, if that were possible. Jaden woke to the sound of hushed arguments, his muscles stiff from sleeping against the gnarled tree trunk. He blinked, taking in the scene before him.Zoe and one of Drake's team—a wiry guy with glasses Jaden vaguely remembered being called Finn—were facing off near the remnants of last night's fire. Their voices were low, but their body language spoke volumes."—don't care what your fearless leader says," Zoe was saying, flames dancing between her fingers. "We agreed to share everything equally."Finn pushed his glasses up, a nervous tic that didn't match his confrontational tone. "And we are. But Drake's right, we need to ration—""Ration what?" Jaden cut in, rising to his feet. Both Zoe and Finn startled, apparently having forgotten he was there.Zoe's eyes narrowed. "Go on, tell him."Finn sighed, running a hand through his unkempt hair. "Look, it's not a big deal. We just think it's smarter to save some of the m