---
The days after the Twin Moon Trial felt peaceful. The skies were clear, the stars sparkled, and no dark energy was felt in the air. Chirag, now the Keeper of Balance, spent time learning how to control his new power. Siya stayed close, helping him remain grounded and reminding him that love was still his strongest strength.
But even in peace, something was changing.
Something hidden.
Something watching.
---
A Cold Wind
It began with a cold wind that swept through the ancient lands at midnight. The wind didn't howl—it whispered. Strange words, in a forgotten language, drifted through the trees. Animals grew silent. Fires dimmed.
Deep inside the land once ruled by shadows, something old was waking up.
Something even the gods had feared long ago.
It had no name, only a memory.
---
Dreams of Fire
Chirag began to dream strange things. Every night, he saw flames—dark ones—not warm like his Eternal Flame, but cold and wild. In his dream, a tower of black stone rose from the ground. A voice whispered:
"Balance is not enough. Choose a side."
He woke up sweating.
"Another nightmare?" Siya asked softly, sitting up beside him.
Chirag nodded. "It's not just a dream. Something is calling. Something dark."
Kael, who was sleeping nearby, opened one eye. "I've felt it too. The magical creatures have been uneasy. The phoenixes are refusing to fly. Even the dragons stay low."
Siya frowned. "Could it be… the Forgotten One?"
They all froze.
---
The Forgotten One
Long ago, before the gods and rulers, before even the demons, there had been a being born from chaos itself. A creature that knew only destruction, not hate, not love—just the endless hunger to undo everything.
The gods had sealed it in a prison deep in the Shadow Realm, a place hidden beyond time. Over the years, its name was lost, and it became known only as "The Forgotten One."
Now, that creature was stirring.
---
A Journey to the Edge
Chirag knew what he had to do. "If this thing is waking up, we can't wait. I need to go to the Shadow Realm."
"No," Siya said firmly. "Not alone."
"I won't be alone," he replied. "I want you and Kael with me."
The next morning, the three prepared. The journey to the Shadow Realm was dangerous—it wasn't part of the normal world. They had to pass through the "Gates of Fading," a place where time moved strangely, and even memories could be stolen.
The Lightkeepers gave them three glowing crystals.
"These are Memory Stones," said Lyric. "Hold onto them. If you forget who you are, these will bring your memories back."
Chirag nodded. "Thank you."
---
Through the Gates
The Gates of Fading stood tall and crooked like they were stitched into the sky. As the trio stepped through, a strange silence surrounded them. The air was heavy, and colors dimmed.
Chirag blinked—and suddenly, he wasn't sure who he was.
He saw himself in a small village, living peacefully with his parents. No war. No powers. Just peace.
"Chirag?" Siya's voice echoed.
He turned, confused. "Who… am I?"
Kael quickly pressed the Memory Stone into his hand.
Memories came rushing back—pain, love, fire, battle, friendship. He gasped.
"I almost forgot everything."
"This place is dangerous," Kael said. "We stay close, or we're lost."
---
The Land Without Light
After crossing the Gates, they entered the Shadow Realm. The land was black and silver. Nothing grew. The sky had no stars. It felt like the world had died here.
But it wasn't empty.
Eyes watched them from cracks in the ground. Shadows moved without bodies. Voices whispered without mouths.
"This place… it's not just dark," Siya whispered. "It's hollow."
Suddenly, a shape rose in the distance—a tower made of black stone, exactly like Chirag had seen in his dream.
"That's it," Chirag said. "The tower from the visions."
As they walked closer, the whispers grew louder.
"Keeper of Balance… break the seal… let me be free."
Chirag stopped. "It knows I'm here."
---
The Tower of Shadows
At the base of the tower, an ancient door stood closed. Symbols carved into it glowed faintly—signs of the gods.
"This is a prison," Kael said. "Not just a tower."
Siya placed her hand on the stone. "There's so much energy… so much pain locked inside."
Chirag stepped forward.
The door opened on its own.
Inside was a huge, empty chamber. At the center was a floating orb of pure darkness, chained by light beams from four corners of the tower.
A whisper echoed.
"You understand balance. But balance requires both light… and shadow. Let me go, and I will restore true balance."
Chirag felt a pull.
It was offering him something.
Power beyond imagination. Knowledge beyond time. The truth of everything.
"Chirag, don't listen!" Siya shouted. "This isn't balance. It's destruction."
He stepped back. "I'm not here to free you."
The whisper changed.
"Then you are a fool. I will break free—through your shadow."
The dark orb pulsed once—then burst.
A cloud of black mist filled the chamber.
From it, a figure began to form. It looked like Chirag—but twisted. Its eyes were empty. Its hands burned with cold fire.
Kael shouted, "It created a shadow version of you!"
---
Chirag vs. His Shadow
The battle began.
The Shadow Chirag moved fast, copying every move, every skill. Every time Chirag used his Eternal Flame, the shadow used Cold Flame. Every thought was reflected.
"This is like fighting myself," Chirag said through clenched teeth.
Siya and Kael tried to help, but the shadow blocked them.
"It's feeding off you!" Kael shouted. "You have to defeat it with something it doesn't understand!"
Chirag closed his eyes.
He remembered everything that made him who he was—not just power, but love. His memories with Siya. The day she first smiled at him. The day they made a promise.
He opened his eyes, glowing with soft, golden light.
"I'm more than my power," he said.
He threw his sword down and walked toward the shadow.
It attacked—but Chirag didn't fight.
Instead, he opened his arms.
"I forgive you," he said. "You're my fear. My guilt. But I accept you."
The shadow froze.
And then, it screamed—and dissolved.
The room grew silent.
The orb was gone.
The prison was sealed again—but stronger.
---
A Warning for the Future
As they left the tower, the sky lightened slightly.
"You did it," Siya said.
"No," Chirag replied. "We did it."
But in the shadows, a small crack had appeared in the world's fabric. And far, far away, something else stirred.
Something worse.
---