One of the shadows leaned forward, its form flickering like a dying candle.
"…She is—"
Kael sank into his chair, his heart hammering against his ribs. "…Is she someone I know?"
The shadows nodded in a slow, synchronized motion. "You are… partially right."
"…And partially wrong."
Kael's fingers moved instinctively, spinning a pen with nervous energy. "…So you know her? You know what I am to her?"
The entities didn't answer immediately. Instead, they cast a lingering glance at Dark Smiler.
"We can only tell you this," the shadow whispered, its voice sounding like dry leaves skittering on pavement. "…You carry her bloodline."
Kael froze. The pen snapped.
"…What?"
His grip failed, and he slid right off the chair with a dull thud.
"Ouch—!"
Dark Smiler let out a heavy sigh, reaching down to hoist him back up by the collar. "…Does that mean Kael isn't human?"
The shadows let out a low, chilling rasp that might have been a laugh. "Not exactly. He is human… but also something more. Her blood flows within him."
Kael stood paralyzed, the world spinning. Before he could squeeze another word out of them, the shadows began to dissolve into the floor.
"…Wait!"
It was too late. They vanished, leaving nothing but an oppressive silence. Kael turned slowly toward Dark Smiler.
"…You know, don't you? Who is she?"
Dark Smiler avoided his gaze, looking at the floorboards. "…This isn't the right time, Kael. Even the shadows weren't entirely sure." He paused, then looked up with a piercing intensity. "So… what's your decision?"
"About what?" Kael frowned.
Dark Smiler placed a heavy hand on the boy's head. "…Training."
"Right now?" Kael's voice cracked. "I just got the biggest shock of my life!"
"Which is exactly why you need to get stronger," Dark Smiler countered, his tone turning ice-cold. "Because a war is coming."
Kael's mind flashed to the girl he'd seen before. "…A fight with that crimson-haired girl?"
Dark Smiler shook his head, his gaze shifting toward the window. "No. You will fight… for the shadows."
Kael covered his face with his hand, trying to steady his breathing. "…Then who is my enemy?"
The room seemed to grow darker as Dark Smiler's voice dropped to a near-whisper.
"…The shadows themselves."
"What?!"
Before Kael could process the paradox, the door creaked open. His father stepped inside, looking concerned. "What happened, son? I heard a noise."
Kael jerked his head away, hiding his expression. "…Nothing. I just… dropped my phone while watching a video."
His father sighed in relief. "…Don't scare us like that. Come on, it's alright. Just don't forget to have breakfast."
As his father left, the weight of the "normal" world came rushing back.
---
Kael walked into the dining hall in a daze. His mother was busy in the kitchen, humming as if the world hadn't just tilted on its axis.
"Hey, listen!" she called out without looking up. "Bring your lunch box. The school van could be here any second."
Kael blinked. He looked down and realized he was already fully dressed in his uniform. *When did I get ready?* He tried to reach out to Dark Smiler via telepathy, but his mother's voice cut through his thoughts again.
"Kael! Are you getting late? Pick up your lunch!"
Mechanically, he grabbed the box and ran to his room to grab his bag. The blare of a horn echoed from the exit. The van was here.
Kael's parents had hired the driver only a few days ago. He was punctual and safe, but there was something… off. He charged half the rate of any other driver. Dark Smiler had already warned him: *"That man has an aura like stagnant water. He might be a shadow in human skin."*
When Kael reached the school gates, his friends Shiya and Tatsuka were waiting.
"Hi, both of you…" Kael said.
For a split second, Kael saw their eyes—pitch black, devoid of pupils. He gasped, but when he blinked, they were normal again. *Just the morning stress,* he told himself, though he knew their secrets better than most.
As they entered the building, a foul, heavy energy radiated from the boarded-up club rooms—doors that had remained locked for years and were whispered to never open again.
"Principal is coming! Everyone inside!" a student yelled.
The hallway cleared instantly. The Principal appeared, looking stern, but his phone rang before he could speak. He turned on his heel and retreated to his cabin.
Kael felt a sudden chill. He looked out the corridor window and his breath hitched. Two shadows were hovering in mid-air, their heads tilted toward the sky. Kael followed their gaze and nearly choked.
A massive magic circle, pulsing a violent, visceral red, was etched into the sky directly above the school roof.
The shadows turned their heads toward Kael, their faces twisting into identical, creepy smiles. Suddenly, a flash of blinding white light tore through the air. In a heartbeat, the shadows' heads were severed, and the red circle shattered like glass.
High above, a girl appeared. She held two massive scythes, her hair glowing with an ethereal, inner radiance. She looked down at the school and gave a playful, casual wave.
*"Hey,"* Dark Smiler's voice echoed in Kael's mind. *"That 'hello' was for you. She's the one who sent the letter."*
Kael's eyes widened. He had to get stronger. If he had to fight *that*, he wasn't even close to ready.
---
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of normalcy that felt utterly fake. Then came lunch.
Kael looked out the window toward a neighboring building. There she was. The "cute girl" his mother had mentioned—crimson hair, eyes the color of fresh blood.
The entire class had stopped eating. They were staring at her, entranced. When she waved, the students—as if pulled by invisible strings—began waving back in a rhythmic, terrifying unison.
Only Kael, Shiya, and Tatsuka remained still.
Suddenly, Dark Smiler shimmered into his physical form right next to Kael's desk.
"Why are you manifesting now?!" Kael hissed.
"It doesn't matter," Dark Smiler said, watching the girl on the roof. "They are under her control. They won't notice me. Do you want to know who she is?"
Kael nodded slowly. "Yes."
"Then listen well," Dark Smiler said, his blue eyes glowing with a grim light. "She is known as the Death of a Universe. She is the First Demon Lord—the progenitor of all others across space. She created the lords for every world that exists."
Kael's heart stopped. *The First?*
A bright light flashed again, and the girl vanished from the roof. The trance broke. The students shook their heads, blinking in confusion. Then, they noticed the tall, hooded figure standing by Kael.
"Who is he?" a girl whispered. "He's so tall… and his eyes are amazing."
Kael looked at Dark Smiler, then back at his classmates, his mind racing for a lie that could cover the literal personification of a shadow. He hesitated, the weight of the universe finally beginning to settle on his shoulders.