Darkness can tempt and bewitch the unwary with its allure; yet this is not to be taken lightly. The writhing shadows can consume and corrupt those who trifle with it, killing their former selves and mangling them into something far more sinister. Throughout the roster, you may have noticed that many characters are relatively “normal” in that they look like animals you could easily recognize; but there is one MAJOR outlier. Levyne bears no resemblance to any recognizable creature, appearing almost alien in terms of her appearance. Yet, despite how abnormal she seems, Levyne possesses a rather soft and almost inviting appearance; but this was not always the case. Before her current appearance, Levyne was far more monstrous and demonic! What you see here now, was Levyne’s appearance before she became the shy ocean nymph you know today. A true demon of the sea, Levyne’s appearance was vastly different; as is the nature of all shadows. But what exactly ARE these creatures? Well, it’s time we finally learn what these monsters are!

SHADOWS: Shadows are beings characterized by their sinister and malformed appearance that can be either monstrous or purely demonic. Despite their generally ghastly appearance, Shadows were once normal people who through circumstance or choice, gave into the darkness that festered within their very soul, causing them to mutate into vile creatures that seek destruction. Shadows are the main threats Apostles must face and can be encountered at any and all points of the day; making them a constant danger at all points.

BIRTH: Shadows are born from normal people who have succumbed to the darkness within their souls, whether it be from unfortunate circumstances such as strife, sorrow, or despair or by willingly giving into the negative aspects of their being such as murderous intent, cruelty, or rage. Although one may be able to resist this side of themselves, it will inevitably consume them from the inside out and erase who they once were. When one becomes a shadow, their very body will begin to leak a black haze which is the physical manifestation of the darkness being emitted from their very soul. This miasma will then proceed to swallow the person and bathe their very being in negative energy which will mangle and twist their body to reflect the darkness within them. This change is not just physical as the person’s mental state will be forever twisted to suit their new form as if all they can think of is their negative emotions. In addition, shadows tend to have more murderous and malicious intent and will typically kill regular people and creatures with little remorse; coinciding with their dark mindsets. One of the more striking changes upon becoming a shadow would be the forcible unlocking of one’s sparra, as they will gain immediate access to their spiritual powers without the need to unlock it naturally. This allows the monsters to unleash chaos if they are of the mind and resolve to utilize the power. This is made even more problematic if the person has unlocked their sparra prior to the change, as their powers are significantly bolstered, making them even more of an immediate issue. Oblivia describes the transformation as a form of “death” as the person the unfortunate individual once was ceases to exist with only a monster in their place. Ava describes the transformation as overwhelming as if being tortured and subjected to pain as if her very blood was on fire. Understandably, as both the mind and body change, so does the very soul. Oblivia states that the soul does not behave normally when someone undergoes becoming a shadow; stating that the very soul is placed under constant stress and torment to where only negativity can be expressed or felt. As a result, the killing of a shadow and releasing of the soul allows the person to be truly at peace. Due to the Shadow’s way of being and the reason for their existence, some have come to different states of mind when referring to them. Individuals such as Relena view shadows as a plague that needs to be dealt with in order to ensure the safety of others; while some like Celestine sees the creatures as “lost souls” in need of saving


Death: When killed, Shadows will gradually fade away into dark mist and ash, their bodies effectively being completely erased after a while. Upon death, the darkness that ultimately sustained the Shadows being, is released and the souls within them are unshackled from the negative energy that binds them, allowing them to settle and find peace. This is made more evident by dying shadows being able to express more positive emotions and behaving like they once were. A shadow’s death releases not only the main soul, but also those previously consumed, freeing them from their fate and allowing them to be properly captured and judged by Oblivia. An Interesing thing to note is while stronger shadows may remember their past lives, weaker shadows recall their past life more vividly as if their life is flashing before their eyes as they die.

Appearance: Shadows come in a myriad of different shapes and sizes, but their overall appearance appears foreign, monstrous, demonic, and even alien at times. There is no way to determine what someone will look like upon becoming a shadow, but their sinister forms can represent the emotional turmoil the person suffered or be a representation of their mentality; but overall, they can be more or less random. While a person’s shadow form can be different from another’s, there are a few characteristics that can be shared such as out of place horns, claws, altered eyes, or even extra appendages. Some shadows give other obvious characteristics such as their body leaking black haze or an aura of malice and bloodlust.

Physiology: Shadows have higher stamina, strength, speed, agility, and durability than a normal person, with even lesser shadows being able to effortlessly outmatch a regular person regardless of how hard they have trained their body. Shadows can move faster than a normal person would be able to react to and strike harder than what a regular person can defend against. Complementing this, a shadow’s stamina is very difficult to deplete, with more powerful monsters being able to go on fighting for extended periods of time without showing any signs of fatigue. However, much like Apostles, Shadows have stamina that is intertwined with their sparra usage, so the utilization of stronger sparra based moves can exhaust them quicker. Furthermore, all Shadows have an innate ability to regenerate from various forms of damage such as lost limbs, impalement, cuts, and even decapitation. As such, they are completely immune to conventional weaponry and normal forms of damage; meaning that they can be reduced to virtually nothing and still heal all of the damage they received. However, this is only for normal weaponry; as any damage from weapons and abilities that are of spiritual, magical, divine, or mystical nature can harm and kill the creatures, with their natural regeneration being nullified as a result. In spite of this, some shadows can boast much higher durability, requiring successive and stronger attacks to whittle down their defenses before they are weak enough to vanquish. Due to the myriad of physical changes one suffers from when becoming a shadow, the body can be affected beyond a change in appearance. Depending on the new form, the shadow may be given more “natural” abilities that weren’t present in their normal life such as flight, the ability to breath underwater, or to breathe fire. An interesting thing to note is that if the Shadow displays an innate ability to produce some form of elemental power, it is completely independent of sparra usage and does not have the same benefits as the spiritual power nor does it consume sparra upon use. In tandem to their physical attributes, Shadows are completely immune to all forms of natural disease and sickness. In addition, Shadows are ageless and retain their age when they transformed. These qualities effectively make Shadows immortal, allowing them to further develop and hone their abilities.

Diet: A shadows’ diet consists primarily of living creatures such as animals and people. While the flesh of regular creatures is enough to sustain shadows, one of the primary things they seek out are souls. Along with the bodies of their prey, Shadows devour the being’s soul, drawing power from it and adding it to their own. In addition to souls, Shadows are capable of consuming entities such as spirits and ghosts, being able to draw further strength from the departed in order to further augment their abilities. Interestingly enough, Shadows don’t necessarily need the flesh and blood of the living to live as they won’t die from starvation, but they will become mindless and rabid if not fed for an extended period of time, regardless of the shadow’s class.

Soul Consumption: As stated, Shadows desire the souls of the living, gaining further power and sparra capacity in the process. Surprisingly, souls that are devoured by shadows are not erased, but rather contained within the creature acting as “kindling” for the monster’s sparra capacity, allowing them to use their abilities more frequently. While souls are contained within the shadow, they only add more sparra to the creature’s reserves and do not provide additional sparra types for the monster. Although consumed souls are not in danger of erasure; due to them becoming part of the shadow, they are treated to the same nightmarish ordeal as the vessel they are contained in, with them being put under constant torment and stress. Shadows will consume any wayward soul they find and will even go as far as devouring the released souls from their fallen brethren with little hesitation. There have been times in which Shadows go into a feverish frenzy if they sense strong souls nearby, hence why Oblivia gives her Apostles the soul shrouds. Interestingly enough, if a person’s soul is steeped in darkness and negativity despite not being a true shadow, the creatures will avoid the source as they will confuse it as one of their own.

EVOLUTION: Through their repeated soul consumption, Shadows have the ability to ability to evolve and grow stronger. Depending on the power of the soul eaten, Shadows will gain greater power to their various attributes in the process. More alarming however is that along with gaining more power, a Shadow is able to change its “class”, demonstrating more characteristics of their new position. Oblivia has recorded various instances in which weaker shadows have become significantly greater threats due to devouring strong souls; making a prior comparative nuisance into a legitimate danger.

CLASSES: While the form one takes upon becoming a shadow cannot be determined prior to the change, the strength of the darkness used in the creation can determine the shadows’ power. Those who lack strength of character or unstable minds become weaker shadows, while those with strong wills become stronger shadows. Having observed the creatures for many years, Oblivia has categorized various shadows based on their strength and level of danger, assigning them a class and appropriate title. These titles are meant to give Apostles appropriate information in regards to the threat of the creature they will face and convey its strength without the need for extensive elaboration. Although Shadows operate on their own, it is not uncommon to see high ranking shadows commanding weaker shadows. The following classes are:

Feral: Feral shadows are the weakest class and are thus one of the more common threats Apostles must face. Feral shadows are characterized by being very animalistic in terms of behavior and mannerisms, hence their title. These shadows act on instinct rather than rational thought and it is not uncommon to see these creatures in small packs. Due to their animalistic mindset, Feral shadows typically stay away from civilizations and operate in the wild; sometimes occupying structures like ruins or abandoned buildings. Despite Feral shadows having their sparra forcibly unlocked upon their transformation, their mentality hampers their ability to use any of their spiritual abilities; preferring to instead to use their basic physiology such as their claws, fangs, and natural shadow abilities. A result of their feral nature, lack of sparra use, and lacking intelligence; Feral shadows are inarguably the weakest monsters and are thus easy to dispatch. Despite their weak constitutions and abilities, some Feral Shadows have the ability to transmit the corruption virus (https://www.furaffinity.net/view/23626323/ ) through their bites and blood, which could force weaker willed people to become shadows if not properly taken care of, and it can even infect Apostles through prolonged exposure or gradual weakening.

Shades: Acting as the bridge between the Feral and Kindred classes of shadows, Shades share distinct characteristics of the two. Shades demonstrate a more feral like instinct, yet they also display a form of rudimentary intelligence allowing them to use tools and weapons with a basic understanding, as well as coordinate and devise simple strategies such as ambushes or pack strategies. Some Shades are even capable of primitive speech and expressions with their dialects being either broken or very simplistic. Although they have simplistic minds, Shades can somewhat access their sparra and use their spiritual energy to reinforce their attacks or provide aid to their kin. Interestingly enough, Shades can take on either a more humanoid or animal-based form, with their appearance being entirely left up to fate. However, there are some cases in which Shades bear no resemblance to any distinguishable figure, with their forms being heavily mutated or even eldritch in appearance.

Kindred: Amongst other Shadows, Kindred are one of the greater threats, both in terms of power and intelligence. One of the main differences between Kindred and their lesser counterparts, is their appearance. Kindred shadows more or less resemble the person they once were albeit with various monstrous changes including but not limited to: altered hue, distorted voice, horns, pronounced fangs, extra limbs, or discolored eyes. Kindred shadows retain the intellect and skills they possessed during their normal life, as well as the ability to effectively speak and communicate. While parts of their personalities still remain despite their evident corruption, they have become more warped and distorted by the change. Oblivia has recognized that many if not all Kindred shadows are born from particularly strong-willed people or those who have harbored a great deal of darkness and turmoil within them. Furthermore, those who have previously unlocked their sparra tend to be particularly dangerous, so much so that Oblivia considers them a great enough threat to eliminate immediately. This is further evident by Oblivia stating how she would personally eliminate Apostles who succumbed to darkness as a way to protect others and relieve their allies of having to kill a former comrade.

Elder: Inarguably the strongest of their kin, Elder class shadows are by far the most dangerous; so much so that Oblivia deems their mere presence as a grave emergency. As such, only Apostles who are sufficiently skilled are permitted to engage with them; and even then, multiple Apostles may be sent to handle the issue. Less experienced Apostles are outright forbidden in engaging with Elder shadows due to being considered liabilities with “flee on sight” orders being given to them should they encounter one. Elders share the same physiological similarities and birth conditions as their Kindred counterparts in that they closely resemble who they once were albeit with monstrous changes. The main defining characteristic of Elders is that they have lived for a significant period of time and have thus fully honed and mastered their capabilities as both a shadow and as a combatant. Oblivia has likened Elders to “battle hardened veterans “in that their battle prowess and knowledge far exceeds that of even their kindred counterparts. This experience has undoubtedly come from a combination of repeated battles and the consumption of stronger souls, thus gaining more power in the process. Further adding to this, Elder class shadows are far more durable than Kindreds and require more effort to wear down so they may be properly vanquished. Elder shadows have more acute senses and more refined sparra control, making them even more of a threat.

Restoration: While becoming a shadow seems permanent, there is a sliver of hope for them to return to normal. Shadows can revert to a relatively normal state if something is able to pierce through the darkness within them and give them “light”, a strong positive emotion that truly speaks to them. This is proven by Levyne being reminded of the ocean’s beauty and Ava being given the wedding ring she had lost years ago. However, this positive emotion must be realized by the shadow in question as emotional manipulation and deception will not work and in many case, drive the monster into a rage-fueled frenzy. Someone reverting to their normal self after becoming a shadow is exceedingly rare; so much so that there are currently only 2 recorded cases of this phenomenon, that being Levyne and Ava. Based on the information regarding the two, it seems their memories, intelligence, appearance, and abilities are solely based on their prior class. While both Ava and Levyne retain their natural shadow abilities and ability to use sparra, there are various differences between them that lend themselves to the theory that what they retain is based on their class upon returning to normal. For example, Levyne still resembles the shadow she once was, albeit with a softer appearance; whereas Ava looks more or less like her normal self with a hue reminiscent of her shadow self. Ava retains all of her memories and intelligence from her past lives, whereas Levyne has sparce hazy memories from her past lives and behaves more like a curious animal with the ability to fully speak, communicate, and understand how to utilize tools. Interestingly enough, both Ava and Levyne retain their enhanced physical gifts that Shadows have along with their passive regeneration against normal weaponry. In addition, both Ava and Levyne are able to eat normal food, with the latter still able to eat live creatures without issue; and they no longer seek the consumption of souls. Despite this, both Levyne and Ava still held the souls of those they consumed within their bodies, requiring Oblivia to carefully excise them.

Within the shadows lurks monsters and creatures of malice; and looking at Levyne now, it may be hard to imagine her as one. These dangers can appear any and everywhere, like the darkness can consume everything. It is for this reason that Apostles exist to combat this threat and restore some semblance of order. But, it raises the question of when one will be consumed by their inner darkness. Such a thought is…unnerving.

This was an amazing pic done by GrundelSmooch over on Twitter, showcasing a true shadow Levyne and her nightmarish glory! I hope you all enjoy!

*TRIVIA: Since her restoration, Levyne is able to use her sparra much more competently than she could as a true shadow.