I stood in the middle of a makeshift training area we had set up. I felt a bit like a superhero, even though I was just some guy who stumbled into this strange world. There was a mixture of excitement and anxiety coursing through me. As I accessed the HUD on the mask, I tried to focus on understanding my newfound abilities.

  Shadow Grasp, Shadow Manipulation, Shadow Wall, Shadow Spike Trap, Shadow Launch, Shadow Blast… It felt like I was living in a comic book or something, with all these powers at my fingertips. I chuckled to myself, knowing full well how absurd it all sounded.

  "Alright, Connor," I muttered, cracking my knuckles. "Time to see what you're made of. Let's start with this one."

  I checked how much Mana I had.

  That's a lot...I think. Based on the cost of using my ability, it looked like I had plenty to spare. I remembered that to increase my mana, I needed to increase my Intelligence and Resilience stats.

  The description said it could ensnare an enemy by manipulating shadows into tendrils that wrapped around their limbs. It sounded useful, but I had to see it in action.

  I glanced around and spotted a nearby tree, an unfortunate volunteer for my little experiment. "Alright, tree, it's nothing personal."

  I felt a bit silly as I raised my hand towards it. "Let's see if I can get this to work."

  I focused on the shadows around the tree. "Come on, Connor, think like the shadows. Be the shadows," I whispered, gritting my teeth.

  Something inside my mind stirred as if I was recalling how to do combos in a game after having put it down for a while. To my surprise, tendrils of darkness began to snake out from the shadows at the base of the tree, wrapping around its branches.

  "WOAH!"

  The tendrils slithered around the tree, but then the shadows suddenly released their hold after a few seconds.

  "This is awesome, what's next?"

  I glanced around, looking for something to practice my Shadow Manipulation on. Spotting a nearby rock, I focused on the shadows around it, willing them to come alive and wrap around the rock.

  To my amazement, tendrils of darkness snaked out and coiled around it, holding it in place.

  "Whoa, that actually worked," I whispered, grinning like a madman. I couldn't believe I'd managed to control my powers on the first try.

  I decided to push it further, concentrating on the tendrils and trying to manipulate them. Slowly, I moved the rock from side to side, the shadows following my mental commands. I could feel the strain on my mana reserves, but it was manageable. "Not bad, Connor. Not bad at all."

  Feeling more confident, I decided to move on to Shadow Launch.

  Yeah, no. Not gonna try that on me yet.

  I focused on a small boulder this time, wrapping it in shadows as I had before. This time, however, I tried to lift it into the air. It wobbled, teetering on the edge of stability as I struggled to maintain my grip on the shadows.

  With a deep breath, I launched the boulder, sending it soaring through the air. It crashed into the ground some distance away, leaving a small crater where it landed.

  "Hell yeah!" I shouted, pumping my fist in the air. "Take that, physics!"

  As I reveled in my success, I couldn't help but think of more creative ways to use my new powers. I imagined using Shadow Grasp to grab enemies from a distance, pulling them off balance or yanking weapons from their hands. Or maybe I could combine it with Shadow Launch, sending both enemies and objects flying across the battlefield.

  I was excited to see what else I could do with Umbrakinesis, but I knew I needed to pace myself. It was a lot to take in, and I didn't want to burn myself out before I'd even started. So, with a determined nod, I moved on to my next ability…

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Shadow Wall and Shadow Spike Trap were next on my list, and I couldn't wait to see what I could do with them.

  I started with the Shadow Wall, focusing on the shadows at my feet and willing them to rise up, forming a barrier between me and an imaginary enemy.

  To my delight, a solid wall of darkness sprang up before me, standing several feet tall. I gave it a good punch, testing its durability. The wall absorbed the blow, rippling slightly but holding firm.

  "Not bad.” I nodded in approval. It wasn't perfect, but it would do for now. I couldn't help but think of different ways to use the wall, like creating a barrier to corral enemies or even as a makeshift shield.

  Just as I was about to move on to the next ability, I heard a noise nearby, like something shifting in the rubble. My heart skipped a beat, and I dropped low on the ground while scanning the area for any potential threats.

  My Interface didn't pick up anything unusual. No warning signs, no red alerts. It must've been some debris settling or maybe a small critter scurrying about. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and stood back up. Where were we?

  Next up was the Shadow Spike Trap.

  I scanned the ground, looking for a suitable spot to practice. I settled on a patch of earth littered with rocks and debris, figuring it would be a good test of the ability's versatility.

  The shadow on the ground shifted briefly before returning to normal.

  I waited for something to happen.

  A minute passed, then two.

  Oh yeah, it's a trap. I tossed a rock at the trapped shadow. Nothing happened.

  "Okay, I'm just gonna say that it'll work if an actual enemy steps through it."

  Maybe I could create a trap and then use Shadow Grasp to pull an enemy into it, or set up a trap around my Shadow Wall, adding an extra layer of defense.

  My mind raced with possibilities, but I knew I couldn't get too carried away. I had to make sure I could control my powers reliably before trying any crazy stunts. Still, it was fun to imagine what I could do with them.

  After a brief rest, I decided it was time to move on to the final power in my arsenal: Shadow Blast. I had a feeling this one would pack a serious punch, and I couldn't wait to try it out.

  Sick. Wait...what's an Umbral debuff anyways?

  Double sick!

  I squared off against an imaginary opponent, focusing my Umbrakinesis into a concentrated ball of energy in my hand.

  The shadows swirled around my hand, coalescing into a sphere that pulsed with power.

  Taking a deep breath, I raised my hand towards that imaginary foe and tried to channel the darkness within me, envisioning the energy surging through my arm and shooting out towards the target, hoping my willpower was enough to make it happen.

  A blast of dark energy erupted from my hand, covering the air in front of me in a cone of roiling darkness.

  "Whoa," I breathed, feeling a surge of adrenaline. As the blast dissipated, I felt an unnatural cold linger in the air.

  It sure looked impressive, but I wonder how it compared to using a gun. Wouldn’t it be better to just shoot a monster in the head?

  I shook my head. Everything probably had a situational use, otherwise, no one would bother using guns and powers at the same time.

  As I continued practicing with my Shadow Blast, trying to improve my accuracy and control, I heard footsteps approaching. I turned to see Aubrey walking towards me with a canteen of water at hand and a smile on her face.

  "How's the training going?" she asked, looking at the various damaged objects scattered around the area while handing over the canteen.

  "Better than I expected," I replied, deactivating my Interface so I could gulp down the cool water. “I’ve used a lot of mana already. I do get it back, right?”

  “Yeah, you’ll see your mana regeneration rate if you check on your passives screen. Also, just in case I didn’t mention it earlier, you can only replenish your mana naturally if you’re in a Ley Line or Node.”

  “Right. That makes sense.”

  I felt a small ache building behind my eyes, like a faint pulsing throb that seemed to match the rhythm of my heartbeat. I rubbed my temples, hoping to relieve some of the tension, but the headache slowly intensified, like a vise tightening around my head.

  “Do you always get a headache after you use your powers too much?” I asked, taking another big gulp of water.

  “Only for the first few weeks of you using your powers. Eventually, your brain will adjust to the stress, at least that’s a common theory.” She shrugged.

  “Man, I can’t wait for that then.”

  “Yeah, you’ll get the hang of it. Anyways, you should call it a day and get some rest. Tomorrow, I’ll start your basic combat and survival training. Look forward to it.” She headed back to the safe house.

  “I’ll be there in a bit.”

  Eventually, the headache starts to recede, leaving behind a dull ache that I know will linger for hours.

  “No pain, no gain, Connor.”