Kael's breath came in shallow gasps as he crouched in the shadows of the alleyway, his senses stretched thin like the fine threads of a spider's web. The rain had stopped hours ago, leaving the streets slick and reflective under the dim glow of flickering lanterns. The city of Drathos was silent, save for the distant howls of the night winds and the occasional scuttling of rats through the muck.
Tonight, however, the silence was not to be trusted.
Kael had learned early that in this world, silence often heralded the most dangerous of threats. And tonight, as he lingered in the shadows, waiting for the target to appear, his instincts screamed that something far worse than mere assassins was about to make its presence known.
His eyes flickered to the ornate clock tower above. Midnight. The time had come.
From the corner of his eye, a flicker of movement. He tensed, his shadowy cloak shifting with him, blending seamlessly into the surrounding darkness. A figure cloaked in deep crimson stepped into view, a tall, gaunt man whose face was obscured by a hood, his aura carrying a subtle but unmistakable chill.
A rival assassin, Kael thought.
But as the man stepped forward, Kael saw something more—something he had not anticipated. A pulse of shadow, so dark and thick that it almost seemed alive, rippled through the alleyway, swirling around the assassin's feet like a living creature. The figure's movements were deliberate, almost too slow, as if he were savoring each step.
Kael's heart thudded in his chest, his instincts screaming to flee, but his curiosity anchored him in place. He watched as the figure paused just in front of a decrepit shopfront, lifting a hand to beckon. There was a shift in the air, a weight that seemed to settle in the very bones of the city. The night grew colder, darker. The shadows lengthened.
The figure muttered something under his breath, and the darkness responded.
Suddenly, the shadows leapt forward, coiling like serpents, extending from the cracks in the ground and the corners of the walls. Kael's eyes widened in realization as the shapes began to twist, forming an inky mass, pulling themselves together into something far more dangerous than any assassin he had ever faced. A beast. A creature from the deepest recesses of nightmares.
It was a shadow creature, one of the ancient horrors that had long been thought to be myths, locked away in forgotten corners of the world. And now, it was very real.
The creature's eyes glowed with an eerie crimson light, its form indistinct, constantly shifting, like the darkest parts of the night come to life. Kael could feel its malevolent gaze searching the alley, lingering just inches from his hiding place. His breath caught in his throat as it drew closer, drawn to the faintest sound he might make. It was as though the creature could taste his fear.
And then, the assassin spoke.
"Kael," he said, his voice a low rasp that echoed in the stillness of the alley, "I've been waiting for you."
Kael froze, his mind racing. How had the man known his name? He had been careful, so careful—no one should have known he was here. Not unless—
The figure stepped forward, the shadows parting for him like an obedient servant. Kael's hand instinctively went to the dagger at his side, his mind calculating escape routes, potential weaknesses. His heart pounded in his chest as the assassin finally lowered his hood, revealing his face.
A face Kael knew all too well.
"You," Kael whispered.
The man before him was no stranger. He had seen this man in his dreams. A visage of shadow and fire, an impossible figure that haunted the edges of his consciousness. This was no ordinary assassin. This was—
"Father," the assassin said coldly, his lips curling into a grim smile. "Time has finally come."
And with those words, the shadows surged.
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End of Chapter 1