Shadow Lord

He felt the energy pulsing, like a dark heartbeat, but before he could even do anything, the sensation vanished. The sudden absence of the energy left him feeling disoriented and curious.

"Did you notice something?" He turned and asked Muna who was looking around.

She turned her head to him and seeing the way he was serious, she furrowed her brows. "No, I didn't. What is the matter?" She asked him.

"I felt something strange the moment we came into this place but all of a sudden, it disappeared without a trace," he replied.

"What could that be then?" She mumbled.

"I don't know but whatever it was, I am interested in finding out," he said and fixed his gaze around the room.

"Can you find it out?" She asked him.

"There is nothing that can be hidden from my now heightened senses," he replied proudly.

She scoffed a little at him because of how proud he was but then, she had faith in him.

The Inn's interior was dimly lit, with flickering candles casting eerie shadows on the walls. The customers there seemed oblivious to the strange occurrence, huddled in small groups, whispering among themselves. Arsenal's eyes scanned the room a second time, searching for any sign of the energy's source. He noticed a few shady-looking characters, but none seemed to radiate the dark power he had felt.

Determined to uncover the truth, he approached the bar. The bartender, a gruff-looking man with a thick beard, eyed him warily.

"What can I get you, young man?" he growled.

"A room and information," Arsenal replied, his voice firm but polite. "I sensed a powerful dark energy when I entered. Do you know anything about it?"

The bartender's expression turned guarded. "Don't know what you're talking about," he replied almost immediately.

Arsenal's eyes narrowed. "I think you do. Tell me, who's the master of this place?"

The bartender's gaze flicked towards the stairs leading up to the rooms. "You mean the Shadow Lord? He's... not someone to be trifled with."

Arsenal clenched his fists. "Where can I find him?"

With a reluctant nod, the bartender pointed towards the abandoned windmill on the outskirts of town. "But be warned, young man, the Shadow Lord is not to be underestimated."

Arsenal's determination only grew stronger unlike what the bartender had expected. He finished his drink, and set out towards the windmill, ready to face whatever darkness lay within.

"Master, are you sure about this?" Muna asked him on their way.

"Yes. I am eager to know who the source of what I felt is. If I can make him my ally, won't that be great?" He replied.

"Sure. But I don't think whoever that person is, that they would agree," Muna muttered with an uncertain expression on her face.

"Do not worry," Arsenal assured her. "Whatever the outcome, it won't change anything." It was at this point that they arrived at their destination.

As they entered the dusty, cobweb-covered structure, the air grew thick with anticipation. They ascended the creaking stairs, Muna's heart pounding in her chest while Arsenal remained calm. At the top, they found a young boy sitting on a throne-like chair, his eyes blazing with an otherworldly intensity.

"Welcome," the boy said in a voice that sent shivers down Muna's spine. "I am the Shadow Lord, and you have entered my domain uninvited."

Arsenal stretched out his right arm, and it became engulfed in a bright purple light that shimmered in the dark room. "I mean no disrespect, young one. But I will not leave until I understand the power I felt at the Inn."

The Shadow Lord's smile was frightening. "Ah, yes. You're curious about the darkness that resides within these walls. Very well, I shall enlighten you... but be warned, the truth may be more than you can handle."

With a chuckle, Arsenal replied and said. "I don't care, let's begin!"

"I see that you are not even armed, have this for the sake of fairness," the shadow Lord said and threw a sword at Arsenal who caught it.

"Master, you are still weak. Must you engage in a fight?" Muna whispered to Arsenal. She remembered that they had earlier gone to the Inn so that he could recuperate but she didn't know why he loved engaging in fights.

"I must see how strong he is," he whispered back to her and flashed her a smile that warmed her heart. Because of the smile, she didn't know when she subconsciously backed away, giving him the go-ahead order to do as he wanted.

Soon, the battle began with the shadow Lord jumping down from his throne-like chair.

Arsenal and the Shadow Lord clashed in a flurry of strikes, their blades flashing in the dim light of the windmill. The air was thick with tension as they exchanged blow for blow, their movements swift and deadly.

Arsenal's sword sliced through the air, aimed at the Shadow Lord's chest, but the latter dodged with an eerie grace, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity. The Shadow Lord retaliated with a wave of dark energy, but Arsenal leaped back, his eyes fixed on the swirling power.

The battle raged on, the two dark Lords evenly matched, their skills honed to perfection. The windmill creaked and groaned around them, the old wooden beams shuddering under the force of their blows.

As the fight continued, Arsenal began to gain ground, his sword slicing through the Shadow Lord's defenses. The Shadow Lord stumbled back, his eyes narrowing, but a hint of curiosity flickered across his face.

"You're... different," the Shadow Lord said, his voice low and husky. "Your power is... intriguing."

Arsenal pressed his advantage without speaking, his sword flashing in the dim light. The Shadow Lord raised his hand, and a dark swirling vortex erupted around him. Arsenal leaped forward, his sword sliced through the vortex, and struck the final blow.

The Shadow Lord fell to his knees, his eyes wide with surprise. "You... you're stronger than I thought," he whispered.

Arsenal stood over him, his chest heaving with exertion. "I won't hurt you," he said, his voice firm but controlled. "But you will answer my questions. And you will become my ally."

The Shadow Lord nodded slowly, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I think... I think I'd like that."

With that Arsenal heaved a sigh and stumbled backward. He fell to the ground but supported himself with the sword, he suddenly felt so weak that he couldn't stand on his feet and Muna rushed to his side.

Letting out a forced laugh, he stood up to his feet with the help of Muna.

'Why is he so weak? During the fight, I didn't feel any signs of weakness from him,' the shadow Lord thought as he stared at Arsenal.

"What is your name?" Arsenal suddenly asked him.

"Ralph," the shadow Lord replied and squinted his eyes. "Is that your question? I mean, is that all you want to know?"

"Do you have a master?" Arsenal asked him.

"I once did but now, I belong to no one," he replied.

"I want to know who your master was," Arsenal requested but the shadow Lord narrowed his eyes, unwilling to answer the question.