The city slept, unaware. A rare calm had settled over its streets, the kind that felt almost fragile. Streetlights flickered softly, windows glowed warmly, and somewhere, faint laughter rose from a tavern. Adrian walked along the empty streets, shoulders tense, heart beating unevenly. For once, it seemed the world had paused. Peace… fleeting and fragile.
And then the red moon rose.
It appeared silently at first, a faint crimson hue, but Adrian noticed immediately. Something about it felt alive—malicious, mocking. And then the grin appeared. A devilish smile stretched impossibly across the moon's surface, jagged and cruel. Shadows warped and elongated beneath its glow, twisting familiar streets into unfamiliar corridors. The air thickened with tension, and Adrian felt the pulse of danger crawling over his skin.
Before he could react, the city erupted in horror.
The first to emerge was the Faceless Horror, a towering figure twice his height, skin smooth and blank where a face should have been. Its limbs were grotesquely elongated, fingers claw-like, reaching for him with deliberate intent. A whispering dread filled the street, and Adrian stumbled back, terror rooting him in place.
From rooftops and alleyways, Creepers skittered down, four-legged abominations with jagged teeth glinting in the crimson light. Their silent stalking made every shadow feel alive. Behind them, Mirror Fiends reflected Adrian's terrified expression over and over, mocking him, distorting his own fear back at him.
And above all, the Giant Smiler loomed, hulking, grotesque, its grin stretching impossibly wide as it lumbered toward him. The ground shook beneath each step. Adrian's chest burned, his lungs screaming, but he could not escape.
Then, a flash of white.
Kael appeared.
White hair tied in a long ponytail flowed behind him, eyes glowing pure white. He moved like a ghost—fluid, uncatchable. In his hand, a long, sleek sword shimmered faintly, reflecting the crimson moon above. With precision and grace, he struck. The Faceless Horror's limbs snapped and collapsed; the Creepers hissed as their bodies shattered under the blade; the Mirror Fiend's reflections fractured into countless shards. The Giant Smiler roared and recoiled from the sudden onslaught.
Adrian stared, wide-eyed. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
Kael's sword moved in hypnotic arcs, every strike calculated, elegant, and deadly. His aura radiated calm power, yet there was a faint, personal warmth directed at Adrian—protective, intimate.
"Baby… tell me how it feels, breaking my heart? Adrian… do you even know what you've done to me?" Kael's voice cut through the chaos, low and teasing, yet heavy with emotion.
Adrian blinked, confused. "I… I don't understand," he stammered, ducking another swipe of Kael's sword as a Creeper lunged from the shadows.
"Survive first. We'll talk later," Kael replied, his white eyes locking with Adrian's. Then something strange happened. Adrian felt a sudden heat in his chest. A crimson glow burst outward, and he noticed it: a faint, pulsing mark appearing on his forehead, shaped like the devilish smile of the red moon above. His heartbeat quickened. Something inside him had awakened.
The monsters faltered as if sensing the power radiating from Adrian. Kael's gaze flicked to the glowing mark on Adrian's forehead. "So… it's begun," he whispered, almost to himself. His protective stance remained firm, sword ready.
From the crowd, hidden among the shadows, a man watched. Violet eyes glimmered with sharp intensity, lips curved in an almost imperceptible smirk. He did not intervene, did not move—yet every motion of Adrian and Kael seemed to ignite a fire in his chest. He had seen power before, but this… this was different. A pang of envy twisted through him. Lucien "Eclipse" Ardent had seen Adrian, and jealousy—and a thirst for dominance—sparked instantly.
The monsters advanced again, but Kael was ready. Sword arcs shimmered in the crimson glow, each strike lethal and precise. Adrian felt a new surge within him as the mark on his forehead pulsed; his chest burned brighter, a strange power resonating with the moon above. He raised his hands instinctively, and for a fleeting moment, shadows recoiled before him, as if acknowledging his rising strength.
Kael's white eyes softened. "Good. That's it, Adrian. Focus. Don't let them overwhelm you."
The battle continued, monstrous figures falling one by one, each more grotesque than the last. The Creepers hissed, Mirror Fiends shattered, and the Giant Smiler finally toppled, crashing to the ground in a heap of twisted limbs. Yet through the carnage, Adrian felt something else—exhilaration, fear, and a strange sense of purpose, all mixed with awe at Kael's presence.
Then, from the shadows, movement again. Adrian barely noticed a flicker of golden robes, glimpsed at the edge of his vision—a holy aura that radiated power so profound that even the crimson moon seemed to dim slightly in comparison. Kael's jaw tightened imperceptibly, but he did not speak. Adrian sensed the presence, felt its weight pressing against the night, and understood instinctively: this was Kael's father, watching, judging, unseen.
Lucien remained distant, hidden, violet eyes tracking every movement. He saw the glowing mark on Adrian's forehead, saw the way Kael fought with deadly elegance, and felt a twisted jealousy coil in his chest. The seeds of rivalry were planted, though Adrian had no idea yet who this man was—or what he represented.
The monsters were gone, but the city still trembled under the red moon. Adrian's chest heaved, glowing faintly with the mark of the moon. Kael stepped close, placing a steadying hand on Adrian's shoulder. His voice softened, the teasing gone. "You've survived tonight. That's enough. But the world… it's only beginning. And soon, you'll see just how dangerous it can be."
Adrian looked up at Kael, then at the red moon, still smiling devilishly. Fear gripped him—but beneath it, a flicker of determination burned. He would survive. He would understand this power. And somehow… he would face whatever came next.
Kael's glowing white eyes met his, unwavering and resolute. Adrian felt a flicker of certainty, a strange reassurance amidst the chaos. "Together," Kael said. "Whatever comes, together."
Above them, the crimson moon grinned. Shadows shifted. And somewhere in the distance, Lucien watched, his envy simmering, waiting for the moment to strike.
The world had changed in a single night. And for Adrian, there was no turning back.