Chapter 2 "Redemption's Edge":
Chapter 2: The Weight of Shadows
Seth walked through the city streets, the demon's words echoing in his mind. "Tick-tock, Seth. Get your bride or die." He knew the rules. He'd been given 365 days to find a woman willing to marry him, and if he failed, the curse would consume him entirely.
As he walked, the city's shadows seemed to deepen, as if they were alive and watching him. Seth felt a familiar sense of unease, a weight that pressed upon his shoulders. He'd grown accustomed to the darkness that followed him, but it didn't make it any easier to bear.
He stopped at a dingy bar, one that catered to those who preferred the shadows to the light. The bartender, a gruff old man with a scar above his eyebrow, nodded at Seth as he took a seat.
"What can I get you?" the bartender asked, his voice rough but not unfriendly.
Seth ordered a whiskey, neat. As he waited for his drink to arrive, he noticed a figure sitting in the corner, shrouded in darkness. The figure didn't seem to be drinking, just watching.
Seth's instincts prickled. He sensed a threat, or perhaps something more. He waited until his drink arrived, then took a sip, his eyes never leaving the mysterious figure.
The figure didn't move, didn't react. Yet, Seth felt a strange connection, as if they were linked by some unseen thread.
As the night wore on, the figure vanished as suddenly as it appeared. Seth was left wondering if he'd imagined the whole thing. But he knew he hadn't. The feeling lingered, a sense of anticipation, of possibility.
He finished his drink and left the bar, the city's shadows swallowing him whole once more. The demon's words echoed in his mind, "Tick-tock, Seth. Get your bride or die."
Seth knew he had to keep moving, to keep searching. But for what, exactly? A bride, a savior, or something more?