I froze, staring ahead of me, the sharp branch barely cutting my skin. A large grey wolf stood in front of me, ears forwards, teeth bared slightly. It was beautiful, with a shimmering coat and large amber eyes. It watched me with a piercing gaze. I didn’t move, worried that I might provoke it.
The wolf looked down at my wrist and then let out a snarl. I flinched away from the fierce noise, and my eyes widened as the wolf came towards me. It snapped it’s teeth at my hand, forcing me to drop the branch. Fear rolled up my spine as my wrist lay exposed, a trickle of warm blood running from the puncture wound.
I waited for it to bite…but it never did. Instead the wolf whined as it saw the wound, and my eyes widened in surprise. Tentatively it leant forwards and licked the blood away, cleaning the cut. It cared for the wound and I sat there, my fear going. This wolf wasn’t going to hurt me.
I looked down at my wrist when the wolf was finished and gasped as I saw my wrist clean, not cut. The wolf had healed me…I looked at it, and it looked at me with those big, honest amber eyes…and I frowned, I recognised those eyes, “Hayvan?” I whispered, almost in disbelief.
The wolf’s ears pricked up and it looked over my shoulder. With one sudden movement, the wolf turned and darted into the woods, as though it’d never been.
I watched it go breathlessly, holding my wrist in my other hand. Had that been Hayvan? Those eyes…but no…why would he heal my wound?
“Serenity?!” The call was distant and I stood up. I could run but…somehow, the meeting with the wolf had banished any thoughts of suicide from my mind.
“Here!” I replied and started to walk towards the voice, wiping any stray tears away, making myself presentable.
Ash found me, and a look of relief passed over his face as he saw me in one piece, “don’t scare me like that again…”
I raised an eyebrow at him, “what? Worried about someone apart from yourself?” I joked, but there was a tightness around my smile.
He smiled, “of course not. What do you think Shadow would say if you disappeared on the first day?”  
I gave him an evil look but he just laughed at my expression. I looked down at the ground and his smile faded, “are you ok?”
I nodded, “I’ll be fine. Just keep Dean away from me otherwise I might end up ‘accidentally’ strangling him.”
Ash smiled at that, “I’d like to see that…” he trailed off for a moment, and then said, “Shadow’s back.”
A thrill of excitement went through me at the prospect of seeing the dangerous god once more, “I guess I should get back to the cabin then.”
Ash nodded, “good idea.” And with that we made our way back through the woods, back to the cabin.
Shadow was leant against the back of the sofa when we came in. He looked up, “good. You’ve survived the first night.”
“Barely,” I muttered in reply.
Shadow smiled at that, and then stood up properly, “I’ve got four hours before I need to go back to hell…we’re going to start your training.”
My heartbeat quickened, “now?” I hadn’t expected it to start this soon.
He nodded, “we don’t want to waste any time. Hayvan has a place in the woods which is protected. We can practise our powers there without worrying about anyone sensing it.” I just watched him, trying to take it in. Shadow looked at Ash, “I hate to say it but you’re in charge whilst we’re gone.”
Ash just smiled mischievously.
“Come Serenity, we shouldn’t waste time,” Shadow walked to the door and I watched him, swallowing hard. I had a feeling this training was going to be more difficult than a few fight moves…power on power was a dangerous and complicated thing. And I’d never truly trained in it before.
Taking a deep breath I followed him, out of the house and into the woods. We walked in silence as we moved through the trees, only the sounds of nature echoing around us. My palms became sweaty and my heart was racing as I thought of the training…one on one against one of the most powerful gods to exist…shit.
It was ten minutes later when we broke into a large clearing. As I stepped onto the grass I felt myself pass through a barrier of power. Magic tingled throughout my body, reacting to the defensive field. That was strong magic…the idea that Hayvan had made it made my fear of the god increase.
Shadow walked into the centre of the clearing and stopped, taking off his long coat. I watched him as he put it on the ground, waiting, untrusting. He brushed his hair out of his face and then looked at me and smiled, “now…lets see what you’re really made of.”
My eyes widened at those words and I knew I only had seconds.
Shadow moved his hand through the air, and darkness formed around his hand. I watched as it grew, forming a shape. The darkness mimicked the shape of a gun and he pointed it straight at me, and I knew he wouldn‘t hesitate at pulling the trigger.
My hands went up quickly, creating an instant force field, the bullet of shadow hit it hard. Pain stung my mind as he shot again and again, and I knew the force field wouldn’t last.
I blinked, unsure of what to do, shocked that he’d attacked me like this. I tried to get my mind into gear, to think of something.
I felt my force field shatter and I fell to my knees, the bullet skimming the top of my head. He re-aimed and I gritted my teeth, creating a smaller more concentrated force field. I snarled, pushing all my magic behind it, making it fly at Shadow.
But he saw it coming and dodged, giving me seconds of time to use. I jumped to my feet and summoned two balls of light to my hands, throwing them hard at Shadow, turning offensive. But he summoned a wall of darkness in front of him, and the balls of light were absorbed instantly.
I stared at the wall of darkness, which hid Shadow from view…I‘d never seen anything like it before…suddenly, an idea sprung to mind and I put out my hand, palm facing the wall, and summoned the light. Light streamed from my palm, a strong beam striking the wall of shadow. I felt our magic fighting against each others, but my light had the upper hand. The wall of darkness faded, and a small triumphant smile crossed my lips. Shadow smiled, “not bad.” His left hand suddenly moved, whipping around, summoning a black ball. I watched it, uncertain of what it was. I put up my force field once more and waited.
Shadow’s smile increased and he threw it at me, and it hit my force field with such force I cried out from pain. But the ball hadn’t finished yet…it rebounded and hit my force field again, and again, getting quicker and harder with each blow. And each blow was more pain, pain routed deep in my mind. I felt myself begin to shake from effort, determined not to let the force field go…determined not to give into the pain. Sweat trickled down my face from effort…I couldn’t hold on much longer.
Gritting my teeth, my eyes focused on the ball, and I manipulated my force field in one quick motion. The ball was encased inside a force field, leaving me exposed but I sneered, my right fist clenching and with it the force field tightened. With a final grunt of effort, squeezing the ball as hard as I could, the ball burst and faded into nothing.
I had no time to think, a hand wrapped around my neck and a foot swept underneath me, forcing me to the ground. I summoned magic to me, pushing power out in a quick burst. He was forced backwards, away from me, but his hand was still secure around my neck and I fell on top of him.
Seconds passed and before he could move himself on top of me, I covered Shadow’s face with my hands, summoning the light to my hands. Shadow let out a cry, the light blinding him. His hand loosened on my neck and I jumped up, away from him.
Shadow lay on the ground for a couple of seconds, a bit disorientated but I didn’t notice the darkness seeping from his hands. I let out a scream as I looked down, feeling his darkness touch my legs. It was completely wrapped around my ankles and with one quick tug, I fell backwards.
I hit my head on the ground and I let out an ‘ouff’ as the air was knocked out of me. I gasped for breath, rolling onto my side, ready to get up…but it was then I felt the cold of metal against my neck.
I slowly turned and looked up to see Shadow holding a dark sword, the tip nicking my neck. His eyes focused on me and I knew he could see again. I had no chance of getting out of this one, one flick of his wrist and I was dead.
I’d lost.
My breaths were short and sharp as I looked up at him, angry with myself but wary of the sword pointed at me. But I needn’t of worried as the sword faded and Shadow stepped away from me, letting me up.
I stood up, wiping the sweat off of my forehead, furious, “so this is it?” I snarled angrily. “You’re just going to attack me so you can laugh at how pathetic I am?”
Shadow frowned at me, “pathetic?” He said in almost disbelief, “what you just did was amazing for someone with no training. You improvised and analysed the situation and used it to your advantage…Serenity, you’re a born fighter.”
I blinked, completely shocked at his high opinion of me, “but I lost! I would be dead in a fight.”
“Yes but you’re forgetting that you’re untrained and that I have been fighting for the best part of a million years.”
I looked at him, it was true…I couldn’t expect to beat him in the first fight, “so this was a test?”
He nodded, “I had to see how good you were before we started. And the only way to do that would be to attack you unexpectedly.”
I blinked, a test? And it seemed I’d passed with flying colours. A swell of pride went through me and I looked at him, not so angry about losing anymore. “You’re so creative with your powers…” I said, fascinated. “I want to use mine like you do.”
“The only way I can help you is by fighting you over and over…forcing you to create new ways of using your powers. But nothing will fully prepare you for your fight with Katan…”
I nodded, a shiver of fear creeping up my spine at the idea of fighting Katan. The more I thought about it the worse the fear became.
Shadow studied me for a moment, “I think your power is centred around light…you always use it, even your force field glimmers with it.”
A goddess of light? I’d never heard of anything like it before…but I guess, here I was, standing opposite the god of shadows.
“But we’ll see as you explore your powers more where your power truly lies.”
A smile of excitement crept across my lips…discovering my true power would mean discovering myself. I’d see who I really was…and then I could decide what path I’d take.
“So we’re just going to fight each other to practise?” I asked.
Shadow nodded, “yes. And when I think you’re ready I’ll let you loose on the others.”
I smiled, “including Dean?”
“Yes. Including Dean.”
My smile increased, “well…we best get started then.”