All Chapters of Shadow: Chapter 21 - Chapter 26

Helen stood before the towering obsidian gates of the Demon Realm’s royal palace, the ever-present heat pressing against her skin. The air crackled with tension as two guards clad in dark armor swung open the gates, ushering her inside. Despite the grandeur of the palace-adorned with crimson banners and gold-trimmed pillars-there was no mistaking the hostility in the air.It wasn't her first time stepping Into enemy territory, but that didn’t make it any more welcoming. The Shadow Realm and the Demon Realm had long been rivals, and while they weren’t at war, the lack of trust was palpable.She was led into the throne room, where King Valtoria sat on his massive throne, his presence alone commanding the space. His piercing golden eyes studied her with the sharpness of a blade, and his expression twisted into something unreadable. Beside him stood his daughter, Nicole Valtoria.Nicole was unlike what most imagined a royal of the Demon Realm to be. Her long white hair cascaded down her ba

The sound of gunshots echoed through the ruined safe house, each shot from Ken's handgun punctuating the tension in the room. His eyes were sharp, calculating, his every movement precise, but the smoke swirling around Shane made it difficult for the bullets to land cleanly. Ken's shots were quick, and his aim was deadly—but the smoke, it blocked them, diffused their power. Each shot that missed added more pressure on Ken, his breathing becoming shallow, his fingers tightening on the gun's grip.He hadn't seen a fight like this in years.Shane laughed, the sound eerie and unsettling. "Is this really the best you can do, Ken? Just a gunman and a brat with shadows? You don't even know what you're up against."Ken's jaw clenched. Brat with shadows? He didn't care about Shane's taunts, but they gnawed at him. His gun clicked empty again, forcing him to reload quickly, eyes never straying from Shane.Across the room, Selena was locked in her own battle—dark tendrils of shadow clashing again

Darkness. Suffocating, endless, and hungry.Ken found himself standing in a wasteland of shifting shadows, the ground beneath him cracking like dried bone. The air was thick, like tar, crawling down his throat, making every breath a struggle. A low, guttural whisper slithered through the silence, circling him. He turned, but nothing was there—only the writhing darkness stretching infinitely in every direction.Then, the whispers turned to screams.The ground beneath him erupted, and from the cracks, hands shot out—blackened, gnarled, clawing at his legs. He staggered back, only to feel something coil around his throat. His own shadow had risen, strangling him, pulling him into the abyss below.Pain. It seared through his veins, his muscles spasming violently. His own body was betraying him, the foreign Shadow raging inside like a beast trapped in a cage. His skin cracked like porcelain, dark veins pulsating underneath, threatening to consume him whole.A presence loomed ahead.A figure