The Shadow Lord stood on the porch of Kael's bungalow. Having cloaked his monstrous, true form behind the flawless visage of a human, he kept his eyes cast downward toward the doormat, waiting.
He raised his hand and knocked firmly.
From deep inside the house, Elara's cheerful voice rang out. "Hang on, I'm coming!"
Hearing the light footsteps approaching the door, a cruel, terrifying smirk spread across the Shadow Lord's face.
The door swung open, and Elara smiled warmly. "Yes? How can I help you?"
In response, the Shadow Lord brought his hand out from behind his back, revealing a gleaming, razor-sharp blade.
Elara's smile vanished. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs. When she looked up, she met a pair of creepy, unsettling eyes staring back at her with absolute malice.
Panic surged through her. She tried to turn and run, but fear gripped her entire body, leaving her legs completely frozen to the spot.
Taking a slow, deliberate step forward, the Shadow Lord asked in a chilling voice, "Are you Kael's mother?"
Terrified, she could only manage a frantic nod of her head.
The Shadow Lord narrowed his eyes. "Because even if you weren't, I was still going to kill you."
Before she could scream, he plunged the blade deep into her stomach, violently clapping his other hand over her mouth to muffle her cries. He leaned in close, a dark smirk playing on his lips. "This is your death."
Elara's eyes widened in sheer horror. Thick, crimson blood welled up from her throat, spilling past his fingers and staining his hand.
The Shadow Lord pulled the blade out and casually shook the excess blood from his hand. Then, looking down at his crimson-stained fingers, he brought them to his lips and tasted the blood, savoring the moment.
"Take the body inside," he commanded coldly.
With a flicker of darkness, two shadows materialized from the ground, lifting her limp form and carrying it into the bungalow.
A few hours later, the sharp screech of tires echoed at the main gates of the bungalow. The heavy, low rumble of a car engine vibrated through the front courtyard as the vehicle came to a halt.
Adrian stepped out of the car, stretching his stiff shoulders before walking up to the main gates.
Usually, Elara would always be right there at the door to greet him the moment he arrived. The only exceptions were rare occasions when she was recovering from heavy surgery or dealing with a severe illness.
But today, as he pushed the gates open and stepped forward, he was met with nothing but an eerie stillness. The corridor ahead of him was deadly silent.
Adrian stepped forward, his eyes scanning the empty hallway. Finding no one there, a logical explanation crossed his mind. *'Oh... she must still be at the hospital performing a heavy surgery,'* he thought, relaxing slightly.
Parched from the drive, he walked into the kitchen, poured himself a fresh glass of water, and walked back out. As he stepped into the living room, he reached out and flipped the light switch.
The room flooded with light, revealing a sight that made his heart stop.
The glass slipped from his numb fingers, shattering into a hundred pieces on the floor as water splashed everywhere.
"Adrian," a chilling voice echoed from the dim corner of the room. The Shadow Lord stepped into the light, his gaze locking onto him. "You are standing at death's door."
Panic seized Adrian. His voice cracked and raised in a terrified shout, "Who the hell are you?!"
The Shadow Lord only smirked, his eyes glinting with twisted amusement. "Man... your gift is waiting for you inside the bedroom."
Adrian's legs felt like lead. Shaking violently, he forced himself to take a few weak steps toward the bedroom door. He pushed it open, and the breath completely left his lungs.
Elara lay there. Her mouth was stained with dark, dried blood, and one of her eyes had been brutally gouged out. Adrian's gaze drifted down to her hand, and horror struck him like a physical blow—all of her fingers had been severed, leaving only two behind.
Adrian's knees gave out, and he collapsed heavily against the doorframe, staring in absolute shock.
The Shadow Lord walked over, standing right above him with a cruel smile. His chest heaved up and down heavily, adrenaline still pumping through his veins. "You know, your child tried to kill me," he whispered darkly. "Now, he has to pay the price."
Before Adrian could even process the words, the Shadow Lord pinned him down, placing his heavy boot firmly on Adrian's neck. With a sudden, brutal twist, a sickening crack echoed through the room.
As Adrian's body went limp, the Shadow Lord looked down at him and muttered, "I only wish I had the time to taste your blood, too."
Leaving the lifeless body on the floor, the Shadow Lord stared into the empty room and muttered, "Kael Redgrave... your beloved family is dead. Now, what are you going to do?"
He walked into the kitchen, his throat dry from the exertion. Spotting a bottle of cold water on the counter, he twisted it open and chugged the entire thing in one go, tossing the empty bottle aside without a second thought.
Walking back into the living room, he slumped onto the sofa. He sat there in the quiet house, casually staring at the two corpses. A cruel idea struck him. Raising his hand, he channeled his dark energy and ordered his shadow army to rise.
Right before his eyes, the shadows beneath Adrian and Elara began to twist and stretch. Two dark, ethereal figures emerged from the floor, taking the shapes of the deceased couple.
The Shadow Lord smirked widely at the sight. "Now, Kael... you won't ever be able to kill me."
The two shadow thralls immediately dropped to their knees, bowing their heads in absolute submission. "It is our ultimate honor that Master has chosen us," they spoke in unison, their voices eerie and hollow.
The Shadow Lord leaned back. "Then it's time to pay your debt."
"Yes, Master," they replied instantly.
Looking out the window at the dawning sky, the Shadow Lord's eyes gleamed with spite. "Your mission is to kill Kael Redgrave."
"We will eliminate him," the shadows vowed.
But the Shadow Lord's smirk only grew wider. He leaned forward and whispered, "No, not physically. You are going to break him mentally."
Hours passed as the dark entities finalized their plotting. By the time midnight rolled around again, the Shadow Lord stood up from the sofa with a heavy sigh. He walked out to the main gates, looking back at the house one last time.
"Kael... you are about to become my ultimate pawn," he murmured into the night.
With a surge of dark energy, he leapt into the air and flew away into the darkness, leaving a nightmare waiting for his enemy.