The Glitched Mage-Chapter 33: His First Soldier

Riven barely made it back to his room before collapsing onto his bed. His body ached, and his mana reserves were still far from full, but at least a few hours of sleep would help him recover before tomorrow's mission.

Or so he thought.

The moment he shut his eyes, a dull throbbing flared in his chest. At first, it was just an irritation, something he could ignore. But within seconds, it built - an overwhelming, pulsing force that sent waves of discomfort coursing through his body.

"Argh!" Riven hissed, forcing himself upright. His breath came sharp and uneven as he clutched at his chest. "Can I not get one moment of fucking peace?!"

As he stood, a wave of dark energy surged through him. His shadows, usually obedient and still, trembled around him, twisting and writhing like living things. But it wasn't fear. It was anticipation. Excitement.

A presence stirred in the corner of his room.

"My King…"

Nyx's voice echoed softly as she emerged from the darkness.

But something was different.

As she stepped into the dim glow of the setting sun filtering through his window, Riven's breath hitched.

She wasn't made of shadows anymore.

She was human.

Or at least, she looked it.

Her form was identical to the visions he had seen when copying her fighting techniques - slender yet strong, her pale skin almost glowing in the fading light. Long obsidian hair cascaded down her back, framing a delicate, heart-shaped face. And her eyes - pure black, endless and unreadable - held a weight of devotion unlike anything he had seen before.

"I have fulfilled your command, my king." Nyx's voice was quieter now, reverent. She stepped closer, the soft clink of her armor filling the stillness of the room.

Then, without hesitation, she knelt before him, lowering her head, her dark hair spilling around her like ink.

Riven's chest pulsed again.

He gritted his teeth, gripping the fabric of his shirt where the sensation burned beneath his ribs. The pressure was unlike anything he had felt before - not pain, not quite, but something just as overwhelming.

Nyx's voice remained steady. "That is the Awakening Bond… I began it when we first met - when you reached your first circle," she murmured, her gaze still lowered. "Should you accept it, I will become your sword. Your shield. My life will be yours."

A notification flashed across his vision.

[[ Attempting Bond Mark with Abyss-Born Nyx ]]

[[ Do you accept this bond? ]]

Riven hesitated.

'What does the bond entail?' he asked internally.

[[ Accepting the bond will bind Abyss-Born Nyx to you as your soldier. You will have the ability to command her absolutely - and the power to unmake her should you choose. Additionally, your mana reserves will increase. ]]

Riven's eyebrows lifted slightly. That was… useful. More than useful.

The ability to control her completely and gain more mana? There was no reason to refuse.

"I accept you, Abyss-Born Nyx," he declared, the words heavy and powerful.

Nyx's entire body shuddered.

"Thank you, my king." Her voice trembled, but it wasn't fear. It was something deeper - something close to relief.

Riven's hand moved on its own.

Without thinking, he reached out, fingers grazing the crown of her head. The moment they touched, a rush of energy surged between them. He could feel her mana - deep, endless, a vast abyss mirroring his own.

His instincts guided him.

Somewhere deep inside her, he found her mana heart. It pulsed beneath his touch, wild yet waiting.

And then - he branded it.

A complex magic circle seared itself into existence, interwoven with lines so intricate they made his head ache just to comprehend them.

[[ Finalizing bond. ]]

Flashes of memories - visions, emotions not his own - poured into him.

For a moment, he wasn't just himself.

He was Nyx.

He saw through her eyes, felt what she felt, heard what she heard.

Their connection wasn't just a command.

It was something deeper.

Something absolute.

When the flood of sensation finally ebbed, Riven exhaled shakily. His grip loosened, his hand slipping from her hair as his mind adjusted to the new bond between them.

Nyx remained where she was, kneeling, her breathing uneven.

She wasn't just a shadow anymore.

She was his first soldier - the first of many that would lead him to the precipice of power.

[[ Skill Acquired: Abyss Monarch ]]

[[ Skill Description: As the rightful King of the Shadow Kingdom, it is your destiny to reclaim what was lost. Gather your soldiers, rally your followers, and rebuild the once-great dominion that fell to ruin. ]]

[[ Skills unlocked -

Power in Numbers: With each new soldier and follower gained, your mana will grow. Current capacity 1/10 (Can be upgraded.)

Mana: +10%

Undead Army:

Enhances existing skill (Puppeteer of the Undead). Can now command up to 5 undead minions and they can be hidden in your shadow. (Can be upgraded.) ]]

Riven's eyes flickered over the skill description, absorbing every detail. His surprise was brief, quickly replaced by a deep, calculating interest. The Undead Army ability caught his attention the most.

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He had hesitated to use Puppeteer of the Undead before - too many risks, too many eyes watching. But now? Now he could keep his undead soldiers hidden within his own shadow, concealed until the perfect moment.

A slow smirk tugged at his lips.

Riven clenched his fist, feeling the pulse of his increased mana reserves. He hadn't expected such a significant gain from forming a bond with Nyx, but the implications were clear. If every soldier he recruited strengthened him like this… then power was only a matter of time.

Nyx remained kneeling before him, her head bowed in unwavering loyalty. The shift from shadow to flesh had not changed her devotion - if anything, it seemed stronger now. The weight of their connection pressed against his mind, not intrusive, but present.

She was waiting for his command.

"Stand," Riven said, testing the depth of their bond with a single word.

Nyx obeyed immediately, rising in one fluid motion. Even standing still, she radiated a quiet intensity, her abyssal eyes locked onto him as if awaiting his next order.

"How does it feel?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

Nyx hesitated for the first time since appearing. "Different," she admitted. "The form I had before was only an echo of what I once was. Now…" Her hand flexed at her side. "Now, I can fight at my full strength once more."

Riven's fingers twitched at the thought. He had only seen glimpses of what Nyx was capable of when training with her shadow form. If this was her true power, then she was more than just a soldier - she was a weapon.

One that belonged to him.

"We'll test that later," Riven said, rolling his shoulders. "For now, I need to rest."

Nyx nodded. "Shall I stand guard, my king?"

Riven considered it for a moment before nodding. Another layer of security beyond the system would only benefit him.

"What about Krux?" he asked, shifting to lie back down on the bed.

Nyx remained by the window, her stance unwavering. "If he continues absorbing mana at the current rate, he should be able to form his human shell in a few days."

That was faster than Riven expected. He supposed it made sense. Krux had been starving for mana - merely a whisp of a shadow - and now that he had access to the mausoleum's reserves, he was consuming it like a man dying of thirst.

He also had a strong sense of devotion to Riven which fuelled his motivation to form a human shell.

"And the others?" Riven turned his head slightly, his gaze settling on Nyx. "Did you find them?"

"We searched the Abyss," she confirmed. "Krux and I located two of the other generals. Their forms are… fragile. They have been asleep for too long." Her gaze drifted out the window, her expression unreadable. "But the moment they learned of your return, they began rebuilding their strength. They will rise soon."

Riven absorbed that information silently. Two more generals - soon to awaken.

"And the others?" he pressed.

"They are too deep," Nyx admitted. "We could not reach them. The Abyss is vast, and those who slumber in its depths have been untouched for centuries. Pulling them back will take time."

Then, finally, she turned back to face him, her dark eyes gleaming with certainty.

"But they will come."

A slow breath escaped Riven's lips. "Good," he murmured, letting his eyes close. "It seems things are starting to get real."

A faint smile played at Nyx's lips. "It seems so, my king."

—x—

Riven woke the next morning feeling more refreshed than he had since arriving in this world. The lingering exhaustion from his mana depletion had faded, and as he stretched his limbs, he felt light on his feet once more. The increase in mana from his bond with Nyx had helped significantly - just in time for today's visit to the mana beast island.

He dressed quickly, lacing his boots while glancing at Nyx, who stood silently by the window.

"I unlocked a skill that allows me to hide undead minions in my shadow," Riven said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you able to do the same?"

Nyx stilled for a moment before her form dissolved into the floor. A thin, sinuous shadow skittered across the ground before settling seamlessly into Riven's own.

Riven smirked. "Perfect. Much less conspicuous than an armored warrior following me around."

With that, he rose and left his room, heading toward the courtyard where the rest of his class and Elder Thorne were already waiting.

Lucenya spotted him first, waving excitedly, her green eyes gleaming with anticipation. Valis stood nearby, his expression eager, while Jerrik, as usual, looked uninterested, his arms crossed over his chest.

Elder Thorne's golden gaze swept over them before he spoke.

"Now that we're all here, I'll explain the rules for today." His voice carried easily across the courtyard. "The island we're heading to is primarily jungle terrain. You will have twelve hours to scout the area and hunt as many mana beasts as possible. Collect their mana cores and return them to me when time is up." He let the words settle for a moment before continuing. "The one who brings back the most cores will earn a full day of training on a mana-dense island of their choosing."

Riven stilled.

A mana-dense island.

His thoughts immediately went to the legendary fire staff sitting dormant in his inventory. If he could secure a day on a fire dense mana island, he could finally restore it.

Elder Thorne continued, his tone firm. "So far, I've gone easy on all of you. I needed time to assess your skills, mana capacity, and combat abilities. After today's results, our training will change. I will push you to your limits, and then I will break those limits."

A faint, pleased hum stirred in Riven's chest at those words. He welcomed the challenge.

Elder Thorne smirked. "Now, let's go."

He turned and raised his hands, an intricate magic circle beginning to form. The air shimmered as the spell activated, a large teleportation gate forming in front of them.

Without hesitation, the group stepped forward, expressions set with determination.

Even Riven felt a pulse of anticipation as he walked through the gate.

A day to fight, kill, and gain exactly what I need?

What a perfect opportunity.