The forest was unnaturally silent, the mist thick, as if the entire world had stopped moving. Raven was now only a few months away from turning ten. The weight of darkness within him grew stronger each day. His intuition had never been sharper, sending subtle signals of the power soon to be unleashed.
Emma walked beside him, holding his hand as always, her eyes shining with both concern and love. "Raven… everything will be fine. Trust yourself," she said.
Raven looked at her with his violet eyes, speaking in a low voice, "I feel something inside me wanting to come out… to see the world as I've never seen it before."
Emma squeezed his hand gently, "I am here with you. You won't be alone."
Suddenly, the darkness surrounding the forest thickened, as if night itself had fallen prematurely. The trees shifted as though alive, the air charged with strange energy. Raven felt the darkness inside him respond to this scene. His inner sense became his guide, seeing threads of energy and shadows intertwining, unleashing the power within for the first time.
A strange sensation engulfed him—not fear, but absolute power. Darkness shaped itself around him, moving according to his will. The air quivered, the mist partially dispersed, and the entire forest seemed to watch his every move. Raven realized for the first time that he was no longer the fearful child walking the halls of the temple.
Emma approached, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Focus, Raven… use what is within you wisely. This power will become part of you, but you must learn to control it."
Raven took a deep breath. The darkness inside him glimmered, transforming into tangible power. His path became clear; the trees, the mist, even the wind—all reflected his newfound abilities.
A long moment of silence passed, then Raven said softly, "I… am the darkness… now I see everything."
Emma smiled gently, her eyes shining with pride and joy. "Yes… you have reached the true beginning. But we will continue together; every step on this path will be with you."
Chapter Fifteen ends here, marking Raven's first entry into Absolute Darkness before turning ten, confirming partial control over his new power, with intense emotional support from Emma, and hinting that the journey of Absolute Darkness is still long ahead, leading him to unprecedented levels of strength.