The Glitched Mage

The training grounds had been repurposed. What was once a barren stretch of packed dirt at the edge of the settlement had been transformed into a makeshift training arena. Stone pillars lined the perimeter, casting jagged shadows over the worn ground where warriors gathered. The air crackled with anticipation, the scent of sweat and abyssal energy thickening as the recruits waited.

Today, the first trial for the Shadow Knights would begin.

Krux stood at the head of the gathering, his towering figure clad in dark armor, his golden eyes scanning the assembled warriors with a look of silent judgment. Next to him, Nyx leaned against a stone post, her arms crossed, expression unreadable.

And at the center, Riven sat on a raised stone platform, one leg crossed over the other, watching.

The recruits before him weren't just ordinary soldiers. Each of them carried something unique—a Mana Heart, the ability to wield magic. Some were seasoned fighters, while others were untested but filled with raw potential.

This wasn't just about recruiting soldiers.

This was about forging something greater.

The Shadow Knights would not be a typical military force. They would be the elite, trained to fight alongside him—mage warriors that could channel both abyssal energy and combat prowess. And today would determine who was worthy.

Riven rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping over the recruits. His voice carried effortlessly, cutting through the murmurs.

"You stand here because you believe you have what it takes to become more than just warriors," he began. "This is not a simple recruitment. This is a test. A trial."

His abyssal flames flickered to life at his fingertips, twisting in the air like hungry serpents.

"There will be no second chances." His voice was calm but sharp as a blade. "If you cannot hold your own, if you cannot push beyond your limits, leave now."

Silence.

No one moved.

Krux smirked. "Good." He cracked his knuckles, stepping forward. "Then let's begin. We will test your endurance, your mana control, your ability to fight as one." His golden eyes gleamed. "But first, we will test your will."

A sharp pulse of mana flared from his body, pressing down on the recruits like an invisible weight. Some staggered under the pressure, while others clenched their fists, forcing themselves to remain standing.

Nyx let out a quiet hum, amused. "At least we don't have complete cowards."

Krux scoffed but said nothing.

Riven exhaled. "Enough. We'll see what they're truly made of in combat."

His gaze flicked toward the gathered warriors. "Who will be first?"

A murmur rippled through the group. Some hesitated. Others glanced at each other, unsure.

Then, one stepped forward.

A young man, no older than twenty, his frame lean but coiled with wiry strength. His eyes burned with determination, though uncertainty lingered at the edges. He carried two short daggers, their hilts worn but well-maintained.

"I will," he declared.

Riven tilted his head, studying him. "Name?"

"Robert."

Riven smirked. "Very well, Robert. You have the honor of being the first to fight me."

The recruits stiffened. Some took a step back.

Krux arched a brow. "You're fighting them yourself?"

Riven flexed his fingers, his abyssal energy crackling through the air. "Who else would test them?"

A ripple of unease passed through the gathered recruits. They had heard of their kings power—had seen what he was capable of from a distance. But to fight him directly? That was another matter entirely.

Robert swallowed but didn't back down. He adjusted his stance, daggers raised. "I'm ready."

"Good."

Riven stepped forward. Shadows curled around his feet. The training ground grew colder, the air thick with unseen pressure.

"Begin."

Robert moved first.

He was fast. His movements were fluid, darting forward with expert footwork, his daggers flashing. A normal opponent wouldn't have been able to react in time.

But Riven was not a normal opponent.

He sidestepped with ease, his movements smooth as flowing water. Robert's daggers barely missed his ribs, slicing through air instead of flesh.

Riven countered.

His fist snapped out like a viper, striking toward Robert's exposed ribs. The young warrior twisted mid-air, barely avoiding the impact, but the sheer force sent him skidding across the dirt.

He coughed, already panting.

Riven exhaled, watching him struggle back to his feet. "You hesitate."

Robert clenched his jaw. Then—without warning—he vanished.

A flicker of movement. A surge of mana.

The crowd gasped as Robert reappeared behind Riven, daggers poised to strike.

But Riven was already gone.

He dodged to the side, and before Robert could react, Riven's foot swept under him, knocking his legs out from beneath him.

Robert crashed to the ground. Hard.

Riven loomed over him, eyes unreadable. "Speed means nothing if you can't predict your enemy."

Robert grit his teeth, pushing himself up. Blood dripped from his split lip, but he didn't surrender.

Instead—he lunged again.

Riven allowed it.

A dagger scraped past his arm, slicing through fabric but missing flesh. He felt the mana surge around the weapon—Robert had imbued it with energy.

Better.

But still not enough.

Riven caught the next strike mid-air, gripping Robert's wrist in an unbreakable hold. He twisted sharply, forcing the younger warrior to his knees.

Robert gasped in pain, his daggers clattering to the ground.

Silence filled the training grounds.

Riven's abyssal energy flared—then, just as quickly, vanished. He released Robert's wrist, allowing the young warrior to slump forward, panting.

"Not bad," Riven mused. "You have talent. But you lack control."

Robert pressed a fist against the dirt, struggling to rise. His breath was ragged, but his eyes burned with determination. "I… can learn."

Riven studied him for a moment—then nodded. "Then do so."

He turned back to the recruits. "Next."

One by one, more warriors stepped forward, each facing Riven in a test of strength, speed, and skill. Some lasted longer than others. Some fell instantly.

The tests continued, each recruit stepping forward, determined to prove themselves against their king. Some wielded magic, others raw physical skill. Riven dispatched them all with ease. Not because they were weak, but because he was simply too far beyond them. Still, he watched closely, assessing not just power, but potential.

Krux observed from the sidelines, arms crossed, his golden eyes gleaming with approval. "They're stronger than I expected," he murmured. "Some of them, at least."

Nyx nodded, her gaze fixed on the next duel. "A few might even survive a real battle."

Riven smirked at her comment but didn't respond. Instead, he adjusted his stance, preparing for the next challenger. Then—

Something shifted in his shadow.

A subtle pull, almost like a ripple in still water. A weight that hadn't been there before.

Riven frowned slightly, keeping his expression neutral as he dodged an incoming strike from his opponent. But he felt it again—this pressure. A slow, dragging sensation, like something trying to emerge from the darkness beneath him.

He exhaled, finishing the fight with a swift counter, sending the recruit tumbling backward into the dirt. The warriors watching murmured among themselves, awed by how effortlessly he subdued each challenger. But Riven's focus had already shifted elsewhere.

He turned his attention inward, into the depths of his shadow.

Something was… stirring.

And then it hit him.

Seraphis.

The Divine Serpent Beast he had subjugated in the jungle.

Riven had almost forgotten about it.

Since bringing it back as an undead, Seraphis had remained dormant, its immense presence tucked away in his shadow, seemingly content to rest. It hadn't made a single move—until now.

Why now?

Riven's fingers flexed, his abyssal energy stirring in response. His shadow felt heavier, denser than before. Almost… strained.

"Krux," he said suddenly.

Krux straightened, immediately attentive. "Yes, my liege?"

Riven rolled his shoulders, exhaling through his nose. "Take over for a moment."

The general's brows rose slightly, but he didn't question the order. "Of course." He turned toward the recruits. "Line up! We continue."

Riven stepped back from the training grounds, walking toward the edge of the field, away from prying eyes. He could feel Seraphis pressing against the barriers of his shadow, like something coiled and waiting, its presence shifting, demanding recognition.

Once he was out of sight from the recruits, he stopped, closing his eyes.

His breath steadied.

Then, in a single moment, he let go.

Shadows burst outward from beneath him, writhing like living tendrils as his mana surged, no longer holding Seraphis back.

The ground trembled.

A ripple of darkness spread outward as a massive form began to rise from the void—long, serpentine, its pearl-white scales reflecting the dim light as it coiled into existence. The air grew thick with an overwhelming pressure, a suffocating mix of abyssal and divine energy intertwining into something that made the very atmosphere shudder.

Then—golden eyes flickered open.

Seraphis was awake.

Riven lifted his gaze, meeting those gleaming, slitted pupils. For a long moment, neither of them moved.

"…You finally decided to wake up," Riven murmured.

The great serpent's head lowered slightly, its massive body shifting, coiling lazily, its forked tongue flickering out as if tasting the air. The mana in the area swirled violently, drawn instinctively toward the divine beast.

Seraphis's voice slithered into Riven's mind, deep and measured.

"You… left me to sleep for far too long, master."

A flicker of amusement crossed Riven's features. "You weren't exactly making your presence known."

Seraphis exhaled, a slow, almost rumbling sound.

"Because I was watching."

Riven's abyss-blue eyes narrowed slightly. "Watching?"

The serpent's gaze glowed, its golden depths reflecting something ancient, unreadable.

"You are unlike any master I have had before."

Riven arched a brow. "Is that so?"

Seraphis's coils shifted, its form moving with an eerie, almost fluid grace. "You are a ruler, but you do not command for the sake of domination alone. You do not hoard power for the sake of greed."

Its golden eyes narrowed. "You are building something greater."

Riven exhaled slowly. "And what of it?"

The serpent tilted its massive head, studying him. "It intrigues me."

For a moment, silence stretched between them. The weight of Seraphis's presence pressed against the air, heavy but not hostile.

Then, the divine serpent lowered its head further—until its massive form was nearly level with Riven's own.

"I wish to see more."

Riven held its gaze, considering. He hadn't called Seraphis out, yet the beast had awakened on its own, sensing something within him—within the kingdom he was building.

A slow smirk curled at the edge of Riven's lips.

"Then stay awake," he murmured.

Seraphis let out a slow, deliberate hiss. "As you command, my king."

Riven studied the massive serpent for a long moment before exhaling. "But if you're going to be moving around in the open, you'll need to make yourself… less noticeable."

Seraphis tilted her head, golden eyes narrowing slightly. "You wish for me to diminish my form?"

"I'd rather not have my people panicking over a divine serpent slithering through their streets." His lips twitched. "Make yourself smaller."

Seraphis's forked tongue flickered out, as if contemplating the request. "Very well."

A pulse of mana rippled through the air.

Her shimmering pearl-white scales darkened slightly, losing some of their luminescence. Her enormous, tree-trunk-thick coils began to shrink, her form condensing and growing more compact. The massive beast that had once filled the clearing gradually reduced itself until she was no larger than a full-grown horse. Her golden eyes still gleamed with power, but now she appeared sleek and agile, her movements more fluid than before.

Riven nodded in approval. "That'll do."

Seraphis's voice rumbled through his mind. "You are the first to command me in such a manner. It is… novel."

He smirked. "You'll find I have many novel requests."

With that, he turned on his heel and motioned for her to follow. "Come. It's time the people meet you."

—x—

The moment they stepped into the heart of the settlement, Seraphis's gaze swept over the bustling marketplace, the towering apartment complexes, and the reinforced structures that had replaced the ruins of the old Shadow Kingdom. It had watched through Riven's eyes before, but seeing it now—alive, breathing, thriving—was different.

The people noticed their king's arrival, as they always did. Heads turned, whispers rippled through the crowd. But instead of fear at the sight of Seraphis, there was something else.

Curiosity.

Warmth.

A few merchants paused in their work, eyes glimmering with interest. A child peered out from behind her mother's cloak, wide-eyed, before whispering something excitedly. An older man, missing an arm but still steady in his movements, gave a slow nod of recognition.

Seraphis's tongue flickered out, tasting the air.

It expected wariness. It expected unease.

Instead, a woman holding a basket of dark abyssal berries approached without hesitation. She extended one to the serpent, her expression calm.

"New arrival?" she asked, glancing at Riven before looking back at Seraphis.

Riven nodded. "Something like that."

The woman hummed, watching the serpent for a moment before shrugging and placing the berry on the ground before it. "Welcome to the Shadow Kingdom, then." She turned and walked off without further comment.

Seraphis's coils tightened slightly. It stared at the offering, then at the retreating woman.

"What is this?" the serpent asked, voice slithering through Riven's mind.

"Food," Riven said simply.

A few other onlookers followed the woman's example, setting down small offerings of dried meat, fruit, and mana-rich herbs before continuing about their day. None treated the serpent with fear. None questioned why it was there.

The people of the Shadow Kingdom had long since adapted to the strange and the monstrous.

A divine serpent, even one that was undead, was nothing unusual.

Seraphis remained motionless for a moment, its golden eyes narrowing slightly before it dipped its head, picking up one of the berries with the tip of its forked tongue.

Riven arched a brow. "Well?"

Seraphis swallowed the fruit, its tail flicking slightly. "…Strange."

Riven smirked. "You'll get used to it."

The serpent regarded him for a long moment, as if trying to decipher something hidden beneath his words.

Then, Riven's tone shifted.

"Enough introductions. You wanted to see more of what I'm building? Then start by patrolling the city."

Seraphis raised its head slightly. "Patrol?"

"Yes. You are now part of the Shadow Kingdom's defense," Riven said plainly. "I want you to observe everything—the streets, the people, the structures. If anything unusual happens, you report it directly to me."

The serpent flicked its tongue. "You would trust me with this?"

"I own you, Seraphis," Riven reminded it, his abyss-blue eyes gleaming with cold amusement. "I don't need to trust you. I command you."

Seraphis held his gaze for a long moment.

Then, to Riven's surprise, it let out something akin to a quiet, low chuckle.

"Very well… Master."

With that, the divine serpent uncoiled, its movements fluid and silent as it slithered deeper into the settlement, disappearing between the buildings like a ghost.

Riven watched it go, his expression unreadable.

"You think it'll behave?" Nyx's voice drifted from behind him.

Riven smirked. "If it doesn't, I'll remind it why it belongs to me."

Riven glanced toward the marketplace, where the scent of herbs and roasted meat filled the air. He could already hear the faint whispers following Seraphis's departure—speculation, amusement, casual acceptance.

Seraphis may have been divine once.

But here, it was now just another part of the Shadow Kingdom.