Kazaf: The upside down

The journey to Jalwa's stronghold had begun.

With the golden amulet from Suleiman, Kazaf and his companions had a way to bypass certain barriers, but the road ahead was still fraught with danger.

Each step they took toward the Valley of Shadows felt heavier, the air growing colder as the landscape around them twisted into something unnatural.

And Jalwa was waiting.

---

A Land of Darkness

Kazaf led the group through the dense, mist-filled terrain, his senses heightened. The path they followed wound through jagged cliffs and forests of twisted, gnarled trees.

Dulla gripped his spear tightly. "This place feels cursed."

Rahim nodded. "That's because it is."

The Valley of Shadows was a land claimed by Jalwa's influence, where the very air was laced with traces of dark cultivation energy. Spirits of the damned were said to roam freely, and no ordinary traveler could enter without losing themselves to madness.

Yet Kazaf pressed on.

"We don't stop until we reach the stronghold," he ordered.

Asma walked beside him, her face serious. "Are you sure we're ready for this?"

Kazaf didn't hesitate. "We have to be."

But the shadows whispered differently.

---

The First Trial – The Wraiths of Despair

As they ventured deeper, a chilling howl echoed through the valley.

Then came the figures—shapeless, formless wraiths—emerging from the mist. Their hollow eyes glowed with a sickly blue light, their movements erratic and unnatural.

Kazaf recognized them instantly.

The Wraiths of Despair.

Spirits of warriors who had perished in the valley, their souls consumed by Jalwa's power.

Harun cursed under his breath. "I was hoping we wouldn't run into these things."

One of the wraiths rushed forward, its body flickering like smoke. Kazaf reacted instinctively, drawing his sword and slashing through it. The blade met resistance, but the creature shrieked and recoiled, momentarily dispersing into mist.

"They won't go down easily!" Farhan warned. "They're drawn to fear and hesitation."

"Then let's not give them any," Kazaf growled.

He launched forward, cutting through the next wraith with precise, fluid strikes. His spiritual energy burned brightly, repelling the entities, but more kept emerging.

Asma raised her hands, chanting a spell. Golden runes flared around her, forming a protective barrier that pushed several wraiths back.

Rahim and Dulla fought back-to-back, their weapons glowing with spiritual energy as they repelled the creatures.

Samir unleashed a surge of fire energy, burning away a portion of the wraiths, but even then, the enemy persisted.

For every wraith they cut down, two more emerged from the shadows.

"This isn't working!" Dulla shouted.

Kazaf gritted his teeth. "Then we change the rules."

Closing his eyes, he focused inward, drawing on the cultivation energy within him.

Then, with a single strike, he unleashed a wave of spiritual force, dispersing the wraiths in a flash of golden light.

Silence followed.

The wraiths were gone.

Asma exhaled heavily. "That was… intense."

Kazaf sheathed his sword. "And that was only the beginning."

---

The Second Trial – The Guardian of the Valley

As they ventured further, the terrain shifted. The path narrowed between towering stone formations, each one carved with ancient markings.

Kazaf felt it before he saw it—a powerful presence lurking ahead.

Then, from the shadows, a massive stone guardian emerged.

Standing nearly twenty feet tall, the construct was forged from dark stone, its eyes glowing with red energy. Runes pulsed across its body, feeding it power.

Rahim let out a low whistle. "That looks… bad."

The guardian moved, its heavy fists crashing down toward them.

Kazaf dodged just in time, the ground shattering where he had stood moments ago.

Dulla lunged forward, driving his spear into the construct's side, but it barely flinched.

"This thing's made of reinforced spiritual stone!" Farhan shouted. "Blades won't do much!"

Kazaf cursed under his breath. Then we break it from the inside.

"Asma!" he called.

She nodded, already weaving a spell. Golden light surged around her, forming a binding sigil.

"Hold it still!"

Kazaf leaped onto the guardian's arm, using its own movement to propel himself toward its chest.

With a burst of energy, he plunged his sword into the glowing core.

The construct trembled violently.

Then, with a deafening crack, it collapsed.

Dust settled around them.

Kazaf landed on his feet, exhaling.

"One step closer," he murmured.

---

Jalwa's Watchful Eyes

Unbeknownst to them, far beyond the valley, Jalwa watched.

Seated atop his dark throne, the Dark Master observed their progress through a shimmering portal of black energy.

A twisted smile played at his lips.

"So… the boy has come."

A cloaked figure beside him bowed. "Shall we intercept?"

Jalwa's red eyes gleamed.

"No. Let them come."

His fingers drummed against the armrest.

"After all… I've been waiting for this."

---

The Final Approach

As Kazaf and the others neared the end of the valley, the air grew heavier.

Ahead, towering above them, stood Jalwa's stronghold.

A fortress of black stone, its spires piercing the storm-ridden sky.

Kazaf's grip tightened around his sword.

His father was inside.

And he was ready to tear down the gates to get him back.

---