The Shadow's Awakening: The Psychoplasm, #1

By Hassan Rizvi

In a world of individuals defined by elements, a stray, undefined Elemental had been created. However, after triggering certain events, his memory had been wiped out, twice. The novel is centred around his experience as he reincarnates as different Elementals, slowly building up his hatred, before changing his approach and being reborn in his original body. The undefined Elemental strives to remember who he was, what he did to trigger such memory swipes, and what his purpose in life is, while a body of darkness slowly takes over the world...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hassan Rizvi
• Release date: Feb 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201981853

Book preview

Chapter Zero

I struggled to stand.

You seem to want to fight more, little man, it sneered. Could I even call you a man? I responded with a smirk.

Before committing to any action, I observed his appearance. He was a beast with a human-like appearance. His skin was coloured a sinister shade of purple. His hair, if it could be called that, was erratic, his expression permanently grinning. However, his vibrant, yellow eyes stood out. They were the eyes of a hero with piercing vision who had been robbed by this vicious monster.

In comparison to myself, it was not particularly indifferent; I appeared as a savage, dark monster with a mutated body. A slime-like substance coated various areas of my dark cerulean skin with the same sinister substance that made the beast’s body. My left eye was covered by the slime. The slime slithered down my chin, covering my body. My right shoulder bore a shattered piece of shiny, golden-yellow, leather armour. This inflated and strengthened my right arm slightly. This arm was majorly liquid, with no hand. I could move and extend it as if it were an infinite rope, although I was able to split the arm into various lengths, allowing myself to appear as if the hand had fingers. I wore a cape made of tattered black fabric. I covered myself with a hood. Many people mistook me for the angel of death.

I closed our unbearable distance with a dash forward, slicing into him with my razor-sharp claws. However, he stepped forward so that my attack was miscalculated, and my motion of attack had not been completed. He blocked my unprepared arms with two swords, slicing through them. I grunted in pain as I collapsed, armless. I rolled as I fell, hopping onto my feet. If I spent any time defenceless, I was dead.

Die! it spat, smashing my back. My arms then regenerated. I threw my arms behind myself as if they were thick, flexible strands of rubber. I let them connect and block me from behind. My back was affected, but I blocked most of the impact through a backward block with my arms, which were fortified so that they were not to be shattered instantly at impact.

‘I should have applied Metawall’ I thought to myself.

I then imagined the phrase ‘Eternal Destructon’ within my mind, filling the letters with pure energy. This process was often known as a ‘spell trigger’; a trigger that summons a spell. I held out my right palm, which I often used to host spells, gathering a mass of dark, erratic energy before throwing it at the monster, who was still recoiling. Ordinarily, the monster would have recovered before any spell could hit it. However, the Eternal Destructon released at a speed of one-millionth of a nanosecond, leaving any entity entirely unable to react. It took the attack directly, causing it to cough before throwing out an arm similar to mine through the dust that had risen due to the impact of the Eternal Destructon. I imagined the word ‘teleport’, filling the letters, once again, with elemental energy. I then teleported behind him, dodging his flail. ‘Terrestrial Burst’ I imagined before infusing it with masses of elemental energy. Masses of sand slowly circled me. I then activated my Teleport spell before the monster could attack me. The sand dropped, and another portion of sand below me rose to surround me. Unfortunately, the teleport was too predictable. It grabbed my face, slamming me to the ground. However, I kept the Terrestrial Burst spell activated.

Don’t ever try to strike me pre-emptively! It hissed in my face. I retreated.

I then looked at my wrist.

Is it ready? I muttered to myself. Sand gathered in massive quantities; however, the sand could easily be mistaken for rising debris. A monitor activated, showing me a black ball of sludge slowly taking shape of a body. I smirked. I can rest assured, our- my future is secured, I finished out loud, releasing my Terrestrial Burst, which had now completed its activation sequence. The sand compressed itself above my palm, smoothly forming a palm-sized rock. However, before this, I created a false arm, throwing my right arm behind myself so that the progression of the spell was not visible.

What future? It mockingly asked.

Our reproduction system has been established, I responded. Earthen particles gathered within my palm, behind me, much like the Eternal Destructon. The sandy rock acted as an earthen magnet.

You have no allies! You have no way to reproduce! it retorted, half-sarcastically and half-confused.

You are miscalculating my wisdom.

Yeah, right. The Death Angel, the being who was betrayed by the world itself. The guy with no friends. YOU think you can beat ME? A God? It spat. I grimaced.

Game over, I finished, under the impression that I had caught the beast off-guard. I thrust my hand forward, destroying the placeholder hand. I aimed for the beast, who turned unsuspecting. The ball expanded rapidly before exploding. The beast was blinded.

However, the beast vaporised and appeared behind me, smirking; it had applied the ‘Counter’ spell, which allows an entity to survive any sort of attack. The soul of the user is moved several metres away, if attacked, due to dimensional shifting before giving the entity several seconds to react in which time is frozen: a clear punishment opportunity.

You think I’m blind? Even with that fake arm, the sand was there, it whispered.

I activated my ‘Absolute Counter’ spell just in time, which is an ancient form of counter, greatly boosting the effectiveness of Counter. Instead of dimensional shifting, Absolute Counter immediately reflects any attack with double the force. The beast slammed into me with full force, attempting to break me on the spot. However, my Absolute Counter reversed the impact with double the force. I gasped.

Too much energy, I muttered to myself. Countering an advanced spell with an even more advanced version of that spell was utterly exhausting. I then decided to make the final move, thinking of the finishing phrase ‘Suicidal Seal’. The beast emerged from behind me, overpowered by its wrath. I tripped myself, forcing the beast to re-adjust its aim.

I sincerely hope they have found peace, I muttered starting to sob.

Oh, talking about those damned traitorous children, are you? The beast spat. The ones who betrayed you at their first glance of your glorious body?

Shut up! I screamed. I slammed my right hand into the ground, summoning a blinding white circular light. I then started decomposing. The beast halted his attack in confusion. Solus, Myst, Volt, Psyche, Terra, Vyne, Steele, Aerus. Your sacrifices will not be forgotten. For as long as I can stay conscious, your history shall not perish,

What are you trying to do, little ma- thing!? He raged.

I checked my monitor one last time.

My daughter, I leave you in charge, I spluttered. I- I leave you in ch-charge, I repeated, sobbing. In charge of my descendants. As the only Shadow with female attributes, I leave you in charge of producing more of us and bringing them up, so they can live independently as masculine beings. You may- I choked. M-may use my mem-, I gasped as my vocal cords were being torn apart. I screamed in agony, cursing. Memories to spread my- our name throughout generations. I-I will return as the ninth Dar’skullk, the final D-, I hesitated. Des’bo? What is wrong with me? Why would I use such a mocking-, I spluttered before continuing. I will reincarnate as the final Dar’Skullk, or as we may be known as in times to come, the final-, I hesitated again. My mind went blank, my body was tearing apart. I finished with whatever was on my mind, finishing my speech with a stupid mistake that caused phenomenal misunderstandings made simply due to my dying brain; I finished with the cursed phrase Desbo? before completely vaporising. I bonded to the soul of the beast, with the dying wish of reincarnation with true allies.

I reincarnated many millennia later, memoryless.

Chapter One: The Last Des’bo

I enjoyed life, albeit fully aware of our isolation from the outside world. I was young and was treated with care. I had friends with whom I could play. My time was enjoyable. The last moment of calmness I remembered was that of fixing together blocks of darkness in an isolated, low-ceilinged building.

I think it goes there... a voice mumbled. One of my friends.

I don’t think so. That makes it look ugly, another friend responded.

Don’t miscla-calc- m-m... miscalutate my understandings, he responded. I blinked.

What does that mean? I asked.

It means that you guys should believe what I say he responded smugly.

O- I started, staring outside the large window ahead of us.

Did my ex-excellence get to you? he asked.

L-look, I responded.

What the-! Another friend exclaimed. Before I knew it, I was unconscious.

I awakened in a decorated room. A voice cursed.

He’s the one. I shall entrust him. the voice decided.

B-but dear! You said out childr- a female’s voice responded. ‘Female?’ I asked myself. There were no female Des’bo.

I understand, but I cannot reproduce, darling, the masculine voice responded.

D-don’t worry-,

I understand what I’m doing. Do not worry. He will take my place,. A crash was then heard. The masculine voice cursed. Get them all out! The voice screamed before another voice was heard. The new voice was a sly one. I heard running. The woman had run to ‘get them all out’. Two men now stood in the room.

Well, well. Seems you’re the trash that stole her from me, the sly voice started.

You never deserved her-

Sh! I won’t hear another word out of that- hole, king,

Why? What happened? Why would you attack?

We have mystic weapons.

What? Wh-

I want to kill you,

Could I have a reas-

I want to kill you now.

Please! I want to know wh-

You stole her. You stole my girl

I- he paused, then cursed. S-she got in the portal, didn’t she? he muttered to himself. I- I can’t believe my stupidi-

Die! the sly voice interrupted. I heard a cutting sound, and then a grunt.

Do it. End me. I was stupid. I neglected my duties. Dark Skull. You may go. Leave, now!. I then fainted, confused. Before dying, I remembered strange pink blades floating around.

Chapter Two: First Life

I have many names. I was often classified as one of the last Des’bo. However, I was no Des’bo now. I was Sparx; an electric Elemental.

I found this out after hearing a conversation between my parents and a doctor. I slightly opened my eyes, witnessing an electric glow surrounding my body. I sighed within myself. What was happening? I realised many years later, when I had grown enough, that I had reincarnated as an electric Elemental. I knew not how, but it had happened.

I was then in my reading years. This level was not too far off my educational level before death, but I still already knew how to read. Therefore, I took an approach in which I was assumed to be a reading prodigy, although I had no care for reading.

At school, we learned about many things. We learned about Elemental history, how to speak, science and many more various subjects. I had taken an interest in history, and this was how I had interpreted general history about my race: The Des’bo (shadow Elementals) are a species that supposedly destroyed the equilibrium between the Elementals, as they were formed entirely of the forbidden shadow element.

The Elementals were the ruling power over the world, having kings to rule over the planet. The kings boasted incredible strength and immortality, making them almighty powers, second to none. However, regardless of this, they often had ranks of warriors constantly surrounding and protecting them. This initially made groups of Elementals cynical, and, therefore, revolted against the kings, which contributed to causing the greatest ancient wars. However, after many years, the cynicality had been reduced to virtually nothing, creating unwavering levels of trust through the kings and Elementals. The immortality of the kings also assisted in this level of trust, as Elementals knew these kings have been leaders for countless generations. However, the shadow Elemental kings died after long-ruling periods, wavering the trust of the shadow Elementals with the king slightly. This level of trust (the level of that with the Elemental kings other than the shadow Elementals) was established three hundred thousand years after Elementals came into existence.

However, the shadow Elementals and gleaming Elementals reincarnated after death, meaning they essentially lived forever. Many other Elementals were afraid of them just due to this. The kings being able to live immortally was a privilege only for themselves; a whole species being immortal was almost unthinkable. They were also the most powerful Elemental species. As such, they were isolated and treated as beasts through a declaration stated in the year 313,014. In desperation for friendship, the shadow and gleaming Elementals ‘took sides’; they formed treaties (often one-sidedly; the Elemental kings only accepted them through the fear that they could be destroyed if they did not agree) with the element they thought was the most optimal. Due to this, certain elements had unfair advantages over others despite the fact that many of these elements may have had a natural elemental disadvantage over others. For example, the fire Elementals had control over half the Elementals in existence, including control over the earth and water Elementals, which were considered to be deadly counters to the fire Elementals. However, with the assistance of the majority of the shadow Elementals, they maintained dominance over these Elementals.

Therefore, two centuries after isolating the gleaming and shadow Elementals, a unanimous vote amongst the kings eventually led to the eradication of the shadow Elementals. The gleaming Elemental were left alone, as they did not pose much of a threat. Although the fire Elementals were reaping benefits through the shadow Elementals, they were fearful of the overwhelming power embedded within them. At the start of planning this disaster, they dubbed shadow Elementals the title ‘Des’bo’, an ancient terminology long forgotten in historical texts. A handful of kings were vaguely aware that it was a discriminatory term and so they used it accordingly, not stating the meaning of the term