Shadow awakens

[long chapter]

"Trust me, you don't want to be around her for too long. I can barely tolerate her myself. She has this annoying habit of grinding her teeth when she gets too comfortable with someone."

The bar, which had been empty all day, suddenly had a person appear out of thin air. It was Chris.

"And besides, you have me as your friend, so I don't think you need any more friends. What do you say, Adrian?" Chris concluded his chatter, turning his head toward where Adrian was supposed to be, only to find that he wasn't there.

"Did he leave already? A little appreciation wouldn't hurt. I did help you out immensely by resolving that major issue," Chris mused, a tad perturbed by Adrian's sudden absence.

His boisterous chatter fell upon deaf ears, as there was no one present to lend an ear to his words.

********

"Hey, I've brought the little girl with me. Surprisingly, she didn't put up much resistance," the red-haired man informed as the elderly grandma opened the door.

As he entered, Alaya, who was seated in the living room, turned her gaze toward Emilie, who remained calm and composed. She gestured for Emilie to take the seat beside her, and Emilie promptly obliged, occupying the designated spot.

The red-haired man couldn't help but find it peculiar how composed the young girl appeared. "Aren't you afraid we might do something to you? You and your brother really gave us a run for our money," he remarked, alluding to their previous encounter.

Emilie's lack of reaction further irked the red-haired man, but with Alaya present, he refrained from taking any further action and instead clicked his tongue in frustration.

"How have you both been?" Alaya inquired in a remarkably polite and gentle tone, akin to speaking with a younger sister, extending a considerate gesture.

Appreciating Alaya's pleasant demeanor, Emilie responded, "Not too bad," choosing not to be impolite in return.

"That's good to hear. Where is Adrian?" Alaya inquired directly, skipping any formalities and coming straight to the point.

"I'm sure you're aware that Adrian possesses a relic I desire. I only seek that relic, and then our business will be concluded. Trust me, I never had any intention of causing harm to him," Alaya stated with reassurance.

Emilie contemplated Alaya's words and asked, "If that's the case, what about Katherine and all the strange occurrences surrounding him? Why would you be involved in those actions?"

Upon hearing Emilie's question, a genuine look of confusion crossed Alaya's face, and it seemed so authentic that it left Emilie feeling something might be awry.

"You have a point about Katharine, and I only acted that way because it wasn't the right time for me to come out. But what do you mean about coincidences?" Alaya inquired, seeking further clarification.

Detecting the uncertainty in Alaya's voice, Emilie began to sense that there was more to the situation than met the eye. While she still harbored reservations about trusting Alaya completely, her curiosity grew, and she felt a need to understand what was truly transpiring.

Alaya observed the evident inner turmoil in Emilie, discerning that she was wrestling with some unresolved matters. Alaya's own curiosity was piqued because her compass, an item of significant importance to her, was currently in the hands of the individual who had pilfered it for his personal gain.

She, too, sought to uncover the truth behind the situation, as it directly affected her own interests and well-being.

"You can place your trust in me, Emilie. I understand that my initial impression wasn't favorable, but I can be of assistance. Deep down, you know that among these ordinary humans, I'm the only one capable of providing the help you need," Alaya said, her words aimed squarely at the vulnerabilities that Emilie harbored.

Emilie might have been more inclined to believe Alaya if she hadn't encountered Adrian previously, but her experiences had sharpened her perception of people's intentions.

Choosing not to engage in further conversation, Emilie casually reached for a packet of chips on the table and began munching on them, as if she were in the comfort of her own home.

"Why are we still bothering with this charade? We can extract the information by force. You're being excessively cautious, Alaya, and it's beginning to irritate me," the red-haired man stated, his hand beginning to crackle with a crimson energy that took the shape of a solid brick.

Alaya glanced at the red-haired man and shook her head, a response that only led to another disapproving tongue click from him.

***********

The house of gentle tablet

"We received a report from our branch in Anatolica. There's a surge of core bearers emerging for some unknown reason, and they're requesting backup."

A man in a white suit entered the room and laid some documents on the table before Oswyn. As he perused the reports, a furrow formed on his brow, for the influx of core bearers in a relatively small region like Anatolica seemed significantly unusual.

Several months had passed since the relics were stolen from this particular branch, and Oswyn had yet to identify the culprits. However, he couldn't afford to dwell on that matter for long, as the present situation demanded his immediate attention and priority.

"Dispatch a team, and if the situation remains unmanageable, I'll make the trip there personally," Oswyn instructed, and with that, he dismissed the individual who had brought the news.

Uncertain of his next course of action, Oswyn turned his attention to the outside, where the sun shone as brilliantly as ever, casting its warmth and light upon the world.

"May the sun light the path within."

***********

"Where am I?"

Adrian pondered aloud, perplexed by the sudden turn of events. Just moments ago, he had been certain of returning with Chris. Placing his hand on Chris's shoulder, he observed a burst of light, just like how it happened when they were on their way to visit the runecaster.

However, this time, he discovered himself in the heart of a dense forest. He could discern that he was deeply ensconced within the woods, for as far as his eyes could see, he encountered towering trees, rendering the environment less than ideal for a leisurely picnic.

Adrian couldn't help but mutter to himself, "How could anything ever go smoothly for me? I was foolishly optimistic, thinking the mark issue would be resolved so easily. But of course... this damn fate has other plans, as always."

Observing the forest under the unforgiving gaze of the midday sun, a haunting silence prevailed. The towering trees, gnarled and twisted, cast long, skeletal shadows across the forest floor. Their branches seemed to stretch like bony fingers, clawing at the heavens in a desperate yearning for light.

The forest floor was blanketed with a thick carpet of fallen leaves, concealing whatever secrets lay beneath. The trees bore twisted, contorted faces in their bark, resembling silent sentinels guarding an ancient, foreboding secret.

As the day wore on, the oppressive atmosphere in this desolate forest only intensified, and the sense of isolation grew more profound. The very heart of the forest seemed to pulse with an unsettling energy, as if it were a living, breathing entity harboring untold horrors beneath its emerald cloak.

In the eerie silence of the daylight, with no one in sight, the forest exuded an aura of quiet malevolence, leaving a shiver down the spine of anyone who dared to venture within its dark and hidden realm.

"This is certainly not the place I'd choose to be stranded," Adrian grumbled under his breath.

"Where the hell is Chris now? I can't believe I entrusted him with such a task." As he criticized Chris inwardly, Adrian began to walk cautiously, surveying his unfamiliar surroundings.

The air was thick with an eerie stillness, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves—a soft susurrus that whispered secrets too unsettling to comprehend. The dappled sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, creating an eerie play of light and shadow that seemed to dance with an otherworldly intent.

Adrian continued to walk through the uncommon forest, remarking to himself, "Definitely not the usual sort of woods I'd find myself in. But at least I didn't forget my cane this time."

He held onto his cane, the one constant in his ever-changing circumstances, offering a semblance of solace.

Adrian pulled out his phone in an attempt to check for any available signals that would allow him to contact Chris. However, to his disappointment, there were no signals to be found in this remote forest.

Adrian couldn't help but lament, "Why would fate provide me with a means of escape from this place when it's the very reason I'm here in the first place?" He pondered the mysterious circumstances that had led him to this unfamiliar forest.

"It's quite a coincidence that this is happening as I was heading back. It could have transpired before I visited that runecaster... Wait—" Adrian began to piece together his thoughts when a sudden realization struck him.

"Coincidence?" 

*crunch crunch*

Just as Adrian was on the brink of delving deeper into this thought, he caught the unmistakable sound of leaves crunching behind him. Swiftly turning around, his gaze fell upon a man steadily approaching.

As Adrian observed the man, or, to be more precise, an elderly gentleman in a suit, a wave of memories suddenly inundated his mind.

"You have a beautiful soul."

"You don't have to go to Alan."

"Just go to the food street. Watch the troupe performing magic tricks there."

"You must accept the case from Katharine."

"She murdered her husband."

"You are being followed."

"You must go to Yilvale."

"You have to get the relic in the shape of a key."

"You have to escape from there using any means."

"Keep the key on you all the time."

"Keep doubting Alaya as the one behind the coincidences."

"You have never met me. Now forget everything about me."

The flood of memories hit Adrian with such intensity that it induced an excruciating headache, causing him to kneel and grip his head tightly. He teetered on the edge of letting out a scream, but managed to restrain himself. 

The sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning: all those perplexing coincidences and out-of-place occurrences, the actions that contradicted his typical behavior, had been orchestrated by this man.

'He was always around me.'

He was standing outside the bar when he told him not to go to Alan.

He was there in the crowd, urging him to volunteer for the troupe.

He was standing in his house when he made him accept Katharine's case.

He was there in room 2304 beside him, telling him how it was a murder.

He was sitting on his low-cost couch, telling him to go to Yilvale.

He was there outside the red door in the house of the gentle tablet, telling him to get the relic key of nothingness.

He had been present in all instances.

"What do you want from me?" Adrian inquired, his emotions spiraling out of control and his aura radiating in response to his emotional turmoil.

Adrian's anger was so intense that it not only colored his usual blue aura with a gray hue but also tainted it with a fiery red. As his aura extended, leaves scattered, and the ground beneath him scorched. His surroundings became clear, revealing the scorched earth beneath him.

However, as his aura approached the old man, it abruptly halted, refusing to progress further.

"You place a tad too much trust in that cane of yours," the old man remarked, his voice measured. "The 'gaze' was a minor issue, but I'm well aware of it. Since 'She' can't communicate with you, it wasn't much of a concern either."

Edmund took measured steps closer to Adrian, maintaining that same serene smile on his face.

"I discerned your soul that day when I entered the bar. Believe me, it was pure fate that guided me to that very bar," Edmund explained, his tone calm and unwavering.

Edmund leaned in, his eyes locking onto Adrian's with such intensity that Adrian felt the crushing weight on his very soul.

Instinctively, Adrian called back his unruly aura, forming a protective barrier around his entire body. However, it still wasn't enough to alleviate the pressure he felt.

Edmund extended his arm, and the ninefold tome materialized from Adrian's inner pocket. The tome opened, and the key of nothingness emerged from it, hovering in the air.

Edmund held the key of nothingness, his gaze never wavering from Adrian, who continued to grapple with the overwhelming pressure Edmund exerted, unable to comprehend how he was doing so.

With gritted teeth, Adrian managed to utter, "If... you are this strong, then... why didn't you do... it yourself?" He strained to speak, his voice barely audible under the immense pressure.

The question drained Adrian of what little energy remained, causing him to breathe heavily under the tremendous pressure.

"Because it wouldn't have been entertaining that way."

Edmund responded in a calm and gentle manner, as if Adrian's life were nothing more than a source of amusement to alleviate his boredom.

He toyed with the key in his hand, examining Adrian, whose eyes had turned red from anger, prompting a chuckle from Edmund.

"Don't hold it against me, young man. You are nothing but a failure. To your kind, to humans, to yourself."

Suddenly, Adrian felt an excruciating void in his chest. As he looked down, he discovered a gaping hole in his torso. He struggled to maintain his balance, but the pain overwhelmed him, causing Adrian to collapse to the ground. Blood poured from the wound, staining the earth beneath him in a deep shade of red.

"I'm doing you a favor by ending your misery."

Those were the last words Adrian heard before his consciousness slipped away into the darkness.

Edmund turned his gaze away from the lifeless body of Adrian and began to walk away, leaving the scene behind.

*********

Adrian found himself in a state of weightless suspension in a dark and unfamiliar place. He was acutely aware of his own demise and the circumstances surrounding it. 

The realization washed over him that he had been unjustly blaming Alaya for events beyond her control, driven by forces he had been oblivious to.

'Is this afterlife?'

"It's almost a relief," Adrian mused in the void, "I was weary, after all. Perhaps he was correct in setting me free from my own misery."

As Adrian contemplated his thoughts, the image of a sweet little girl's face filled his mind.

'What will Emilie do now?' 

'Will she be sad?' 

Amidst these reflections, a wave of anger and resentment surged within Adrian. He couldn't help but curse Edmund for the manipulation and harm he had caused, all for the sake of his own amusement.

'I will kill him. I will kill him. I WILL KILL HIM. I WILL KILL HIM.' 

"How are you going to do that exactly."

Adrian's thoughts ground to a halt as a melodious and enchanting voice filled the void, leaving him to question if he had descended into madness.

"The last thing I wanted," Adrian thought, "was to imagine some random voice in this void."

"You are not imagining it."

Despite the voice persisting, Adrian continued to dismiss it as a product of his imagination and remained suspended in the featureless void.

"What's your worst fear Adrian?"

The question jolted Adrian out of his reverie, and he snapped his attention to his surroundings. To his astonishment, he found himself face-to-face with a woman dressed in dark attire.

As he attempted to focus on her, an excruciating pain overtook his soul, causing Adrian to scream uncontrollably, regardless of the consequences.

"You shouldn't look at me like that," the voice continued.

Adrian made a concerted effort to regain his composure, taking a series of deep breaths to steady himself.

"It was you."

"Yes, it was me."

Getting the confirmation, a soft chuckle escaped from Adrian's mouth.

"I had a desire to see you, but not in the afterlife," Adrian uttered, his voice tinged with regret.

"Afterlife? No, Adrian, this is my realm. I fashioned it out of sheer boredom. It's quite absurd for you to assume I would simply let your soul journey to the afterlife after you delivered it to me,"

'Her' voice resonated with playful amusement, causing Adrian to feel a delightful intoxication, for it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

"I had been contemplating the punishment I should inflict upon you for having the mark removed, a mark I had placed with such fondness. But now that you are dead, I find myself uncertain about what to do." 'She' began with a stern tone, but her words quickly shifted into a tone of confusion.

"..."

"You see, you are quite extraordinary. A coreless individual born during the lunar eclipse. I believe I shall extend a modicum of assistance to you, though it may be regarded as a form of punishment, so please don't bear any resentment," she explained.

Adrian suddenly sensed a touch on his chest, and he understood that it was her. He remained passive, unable to take any action, as he was powerless in this situation.

"Adrian, you possess a beautiful gift," she began. "I understand that you've been perceiving it as a curse, but to me, it's a beautiful gift. Allow me to show you its potential." As her words trailed off, Adrian sensed a transformation occurring within his soul.

Adrian's soul, once white with a tinge of gray, began to transform into a deep black shade, mirroring the color of the woman's attire.

"Behold, one aspect of the gift bestowed upon you as one born on the lunar eclipse," she said with a sense of pride.

Adrian gazed at his newfound dark hands, which seemed like living shadows. The realm around him exuded a palpable sense of jubilation, creating an eerie yet intriguing atmosphere that left Adrian feeling unsettled. 

Adrian's contemplation of his transformation was interrupted by her voice, leaving him somewhat bewildered.

"Rouse thee, my shadow, and heed thy master's summoning."

[End of first volume: Shadow awakens]