2026-07-24 20:01:32The Shadow Sun–not a real sun, but a giant crystal suspended in the sky of the Shadow World that emitted a dim light at all times–had just reached its peak brightness when Aldric walked cheerfully toward the Palace of Eternal Darkness.
That day, he woke up earlier than usual. Ever since yesterday’s skills competition, he had been eager to see Elara. He wanted to hear directly from his cousin whether she had watched his performance. He wanted to know if Elara had smiled upon seeing the shadow shield and sword he had created.
Aldric wore his black ceremonial robe with silver embroidery at the cuffs. He had combed his curly hair neatly–something he rarely did. In his hand, he carried a small box of crystal candies, Elara’s favorite treat that could only be found at a specialty shop in the South Shadow Market.
He was almost at the palace gates when a voice called out to him from the side.
“Aldric!”
Aldric stopped. He turned to his left, his brow furrowing slightly. Davina stood there, smiling sweetly in a burgundy dress that fluttered lightly in the breeze. The dark-blonde girl was the daughter of one of the most influential noble clans in the Shadow World. Her face was beautiful, her eyes sharp, and she always got what she wanted.
“Aldric, where are you going?” Davina asked in a sweet tone. She stepped closer, her hands clasped behind her back. “I’m looking for someone to play with. Do you want to come along? I know a new spot in the eastern garden. I heard the shadow flowers are blooming tonight.”
Aldric offered a faint smile, but his eyes lacked enthusiasm. “Sorry, Davina. I’m planning to see Elara.”
Davina’s expression changed. Not drastically, but enough for a keen observer to notice. Her smile stiffened slightly. “Elara again? You’re always seeing her. Every single day.”
“Because she’s my cousin,” Aldric replied flatly.
“Cousin.” Davina repeated the word with a slightly mocking tone. “Just a cousin. You don’t need to see her every day.”
Aldric was about to reply, but from behind the palace gates, a cheerful voice cut into their conversation.
“Aldric!”
Aldric turned his head. Elara was jogging toward him from the palace gate. The light blue dress she wore fluttered in the breeze, her black hair flowing freely. Her face was radiant, her smile wide and bright.
“Elara!” Aldric immediately raised his hand, waving back. His previously flat expression brightened. He walked quickly away from Davina, heading toward his cousin.
“I wanted to see you!” Elara exclaimed, slightly out of breath. “I’ve been waiting since this morning. Mother said you’d definitely come.”
“I’m here. And I brought this for you.” Aldric held out the small box in his hand. “Crystal candies. The ones you like.”
Elara accepted it with sparkling eyes. “Really? Thank you, Aldric! You’re so kind.”
They both chuckled. Before them, the dark Shadow World seemed a little brighter.
But behind Aldric, Davina stood silently. Her hands were clenched at her sides. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Elara with burning intensity. She saw how Aldric smiled at the girl. She saw how Aldric brought her a gift and forgot all about her the moment Elara appeared.
Davina couldn’t take it anymore.
“Aldric,” Davina called out once more, her voice colder this time.
Aldric turned his head briefly. “What is it, Davina?”
“I asked you to play, and you said no. But the moment Elara appears, you’re ready to play with her.” Davina took a step closer. “It’s not fair.”
Aldric sighed. “Davina, I already told you ....”
Without warning, Davina raised her hand. From the palm of her hand, a burst of dense shadow shot rapidly toward Elara. It wasn’t a deadly attack, but it was enough to knock someone down, leaving them bruised and humiliated in public.
Elara didn’t have time to react. The girl simply froze, her eyes wide with fear.
But before the burst of shadow reached Elara, something else moved even faster.
The shadow beneath Aldric’s feet stretched out like a striking serpent. In an instant, it formed a circular wall that enveloped Elara’s body. The shadow shield was solid, dark, and impenetrable. Davina’s burst of power struck the shield and shattered into pieces like water hitting a rock.
Elara was stunned. She stood in the center of the shadow shield, safe and unharmed.
Davina lowered her hand, her face pale. “Aldric, you ....”
“Enough, Davina!” Aldric’s voice changed. No longer friendly. No longer patient. He glared at Davina with piercing eyes–a look he rarely showed anyone. “This is why I don’t want to play with you. You’re always trying to hurt Elara.”
Davina went quiet. Her lips trembled. She wasn’t used to being rejected, let alone in public. “I was just .…”
“I don’t care what you meant.” Aldric took a step back, moving closer to Elara. The shadow shield around Elara slowly faded, merging once more with Aldric’s shadow. “Go away, Davina. I don’t want to see you today. Or tomorrow. Not until you learn to control yourself.”
Davina bit her lip. Her eyes were glistening, but not from sadness–it was pure anger and embarrassment. She glanced at Elara one last time, her gaze filled with hatred, then turned and hurried away.
After Davina left, Aldric turned to Elara. His expression softened instantly. “Are you okay?”
Elara nodded. “I’m fine. Thank you, Aldric. You protected me again.”
“I’ll always protect you,” Aldric said firmly. “I won’t let anyone hurt you–no one!”
Elara smiled. But behind that smile, there was a small pang in her heart. Once again, she couldn’t protect herself. Once again, she had to rely on someone else.
“Aldric.”
“Hm?”
“Will I ever be able to protect myself one day?”
Aldric gazed at Elara for a long time. He reached out and clasped her fingers. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “But I promise, until you can, I’ll always be by your side.”
The two of them stood in front of the palace gates beneath the dark sky of the Shadow World. In the distance, Davina disappeared around a corner. And inside the palace, Queen Seraphina watched from her bedroom window, a bittersweet smile on her face.
Elara, no matter what, would never possess any power. She was just an ordinary human child–a fragile creature. But Seraphina loved Elara dearly.
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Whispers of the Unspoken
Kaelen shifted slightly on his ornate stone throne. His voice echoed with a low, measured resonance, bearing the weight of a ruler."Aldric," Kaelen began slowly, choosing every word with utmost care. "Your devotion to Ellara has never been in question, nor has your courage. You have stood by her side as a guardian and a friend, and for that, you have my deepest gratitude."Kaelen paused for a moment. Ellara and Aldric exchanged a brief, gentle smile."Yet Aldric, marriage is a bond that ties two souls together, and right now, the threads of our realm's destiny are frayed. With the mist advancing relentlessly and shadows gathering at our gates, my primary duty is the survival of our people. I cannot entrust Ellara to you today, yet neither do I reject the honor of your request. I ask only for your patience. Continue to stand beside her, protect Ellara as you always have, and let time unveil what lies ahead."Aldric’s sharp mind instantly caught the subtle hesitation veiled beneath Kae
The Unspoken Fate
The Human Realm — Port ValenMorning at Port Valen High School proceeded as usual. Students hurried along the corridors, teachers rushed to their respective classrooms, and the school bell chimed promptly at seven o'clock. Arven sat at his desk, staring blankly at the blackboard, his mind lingering far elsewhere.Dr. Malik.Ever since their encounter on the rooftop, Arven had been unable to purge the man from his thoughts. Not out of fear—he had confronted tsunamis, shadow entities, and portals spanning across dimensions. The man was merely human. Yet humans could prove far more dangerous than any beast. Humans possessed records. Humans operated within organizations. Humans crafted deliberate schemes."Arven." Kiana took her seat beside him, placing her books upon the desk. "You're lost in thought again.""I'm just thinking.""About that man on the roof?"Arven turned to face her. Kiana possessed an uncanny ability to read his mind."I don't know who he is," Arven said softly. "But he
The Mist That Devours
The mist from the Forbidden Forest had reached the northernmost village in the Shadow Realm.The village was called Duskhollow—a small settlement nestled at the foot of the mountains, home to stonemasons and mist hunters. That night, the villagers of Duskhollow heard an eerie sound echoing from the direction of the forest. It was not the call of a beast. Nor was it the howling of the wind. It sounded like a prolonged, layered whisper, as if thousands of souls were speaking in a single breath.Then came the mist.It did not sweep over the village like a sudden storm. It crept. Slowly. Touching every house, every tree, every well. Whatever it touched was transformed. Timber turned brittle. Water grew murky. Vegetation withered in a matter of seconds. The villagers who inhaled it collapsed immediately, their bodies shivering violently, their skin turning pale as ash.In less than an hour, Duskhollow became a dead village.The first report reached the palace via scout birds released from
The Hunt Begins
Arven leaped from rooftop to rooftop, his feet landing lightly upon concrete and corrugated iron. He did not look back. There was no need. He knew Dr. Malik remained standing there, watching him depart. Yet Arven could not stop. Not now. Too many eyes had seen. Too many cameras. Too many questions.He descended from the final building, landing in a quiet alley behind the market. Leaning his back against the wall, he caught his breath. His heart hammered rapidly—not from physical exertion, but from anger. He had been so careful for years. He had hidden his power from everyone. Yet that man—Dr. Malik—had managed to track him down."How did he know?" Arven whispered softly.No answer came. The alley remained silent, save for the puddles formed by the rain he had just summoned and the scent of damp asphalt evaporating into the air.Arven pulled out his phone. Three messages from Kiana lit up the screen.'Where are you? I heard there was a fire downtown. Arven, are you okay?'Arven typed a
The Tower of Smoke
That afternoon, downtown Port Valen was thrown into chaos. Thick black smoke billowed high from the twelfth floor of an office building. Flames leaped from glass windows, shattering panes and sending debris showering onto the streets below. Fire engines arrived from all directions—five units, then six, then seven. Sirens wailed in unison, tearing through the usually bustling city air.People scattered along the sidewalks. Police set up boundary lines. Firefighters unreeled hoses and scaled hydraulic ladders, straining to reach the flames on the upper floors. Yet the inferno was too vast. Strong gusts blowing in from the harbor drove the blaze rapidly to the eleventh floor, then the tenth.Inside the building, employees remained trapped. A few waved frantically from behind windows. Others screamed for help. Smoke began creeping into the hallways, choking anyone caught inside.Amidst the commotion, someone stood atop the roof of an adjacent building. A young man with a school bag slung
The Watcher in the Shadows
That morning, Arven woke earlier than usual. A strange sensation had plagued his sleep all night—a feeling as if something were watching him from afar, not with malice, but with an intent he could not define. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the closed bedroom window.Outside, the Valdorian sky remained shrouded in darkness. The birds had yet to sing. Only the morning breeze drifted softly through the trees.Arven rose, slipped into his school uniform, and stepped out of his room. Sarmila was already awake, preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Ajiman sat in the living room, taking slow sips of his coffee."Morning, son," Ajiman greeted."Morning, Dad." Arven took a seat, accepting a plate of fried rice from his mother."Didn't sleep well?" Sarmila asked, observing her son's weary face.Arven gave a subtle shake of his head. "Just a strange dream."Sarmila and Ajiman exchanged a quiet glance. They did not pry further. It was an unspoken rule in their household never to ask abou
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