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As Aquarina let the shadows take over her entire body, she battled against the bloodlust and negative thoughts of war, destruction, and assassination that came with this power. She recalled the teachings of her father, which had begun teaching her these Secret Assassination Arts and Shadow Magic three years ago.

"Aquarina, I am sure you've been wondering what is the power I possess, right? It is something that goes beyond mere magic conjured by magic circles, and which goes beyond mere dagger techniques that just anybody can learn with enough dedication." Shade said, one night when the moon was shining brightly on top of the star-filled sky.

"Yeah… I've always wondering if I could… ever use the power papa has." She said while sighing. "But seeing how you never taught me any of that for years I thought I didn't had aptitude?"

"I thought the same before." Shade sighed, giving his daughter a head pat. "However, you've surprised me with your growth. The challenges you've faced with Sylph and Zack, and how rapidly you've developed. I have sensed within you that you indeed had the talent."

"H-How?" Aquarina wondered.

"It is easy… Our bloodline is special. We are more than just humans." Shade said. "We descend from an ancient, almost prehistoric lineage, almost extinct. We descend from the former servants of the Gods, they used to name our family… The Vampyr, Humans especially created by the gods to have incredible assassination abilities, and merge with shadows themselves beyond what someone with darkness magic aptitude was able to do."

"Eh? Such power… Do I really have something like that?" Aquarina felt shocked.

"You've had it for a while now, don't you remember the time your eyes turned red when you were trying to protect Sylph from the True Demons? Or when shadows emerged from your fingertips, helping you move swifter and even see the weak spots of your foes?" Shade asked with a smile.

"I… I did…" She muttered. "This power… I remember it made my mind go numb, it made me have… bad thoughts."

"Yeah, alongside such power comes a risk, darkness itself consumes our judgement, we become pure darkness, therefore, our minds fall into the abyss." Shade said. "I will teach you not only how to control this power but resist the temptations of the Abyss that tries to engulf our minds as we transform. Aquarina, this is going to be an incredibly harsh training… My daughter, I will give you a chance. Do you truly want to walk through this path?"

"The legacy of my family…" Aquarina seemed surprised that her father would ever ask her if she truly wanted or not. "Of course I want to! Papa, please teach me! I'll do my best. I've even been trained by mama; I think I am hardy enough."

"Heh, certainly. But this training might be a thousand times more excruciating… However, I can guarantee you that once you go through the starting phase, your physical capabilities will skyrocket." Shade said. "The younger you do this, the better your growth will become."

"Alright… I am prepared!" Aquarina nodded. "(For Sylphy… And for my friends… And my family… I need more power. I cannot just keep using water or ice alone. I need as much strength as I can.)"

Like that, Aquarina started her training. Her father, the Hero of Shadows was a mysterious man. Many wanted to know his secrets techniques, his hidden arts, and the powers he held, which went beyond logic.

"Unnnggh…! Aaagggh!"

Aquarina began crying, as she gritted her teeth, darkness was taking over her body as she utilized [Shadow Embodiment], the lowest tiered Transformation Ability of her lineage, yet it brought her intense agony in both body and mind.

She felt as if her body was dissolving, and her mind was being eaten by negative thoughts… by insanity itself.

"Many members of our family could never go through this training. I remember many of my siblings perish as they tried to maintain this form, only going insane and turning into Hollows, beings made of pure darkness whose souls were devoured by the abyss." Shade said, his voice was loud and domineering. "Aquarina! Fight the darkness! Think about those things you love, think about those you care! Think about what you want to do in the future… about what you have yet to achieve! Fight the darkness… but not only defend yourself, devour it back!"

"Unnggh…! AAAGGH…!" Aquarina's red eyes began bleeding as she continuously tried to fight the darkness, but then was taken completely by it.

F L A A A S H!

She became a Hollow.

"OOOOOOHHH!!!"

Her body suddenly began to distort, countless tentacles made of shadows emerged from within her body, as red eyes appeared across her formless, and ethereal body.

"I knew this would happen… Yet we took the risk. Don't worry, your father wouldn't had risked you to this point without having a plan himself." Shade smiled, as he quickly evaded Aquarina's attacks.

CLAASH! CLAASH! CLAASH! CLAAAASH!

Her amorphous body continued to shapeshift as it was consumed by the darkness and shadows, gigantic and aberrant limbs emerged from within, trying to catch Shade and crush him.

"GRAAAAAAHH!"

A furious roar echoed from within her face, as Shade evaded an enormous beam of darkness emerging from within her distorted jaws.

BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!

"Good thing we're practicing in the desolate outskirts of the city…" Sighed Shade, quickly emerging right behind Aquarina's body and grabbing her tiny head.

"[Dispel Curse], [Devour Shadows]!"

FLAAAAASH!

The curse of their bloodline was temporarily dispersed, and so did the shadows, which were devoured by Shade… and from within that, Aquarina emerged, gasping for air as she rested over the floor.

"Hahhh… Hahhh… Ngh… Damn it!" She muttered, resisting her tears. "I… what did I become?"

"That was a Hollow. I also became one in my youth…" Sighed Shade. "Every member of our family has to experience this pain before unlocking their truest potential. Aquarina… This is only the beginning."

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