Part 21: Shadows in the Light

Part 21: Shadows in the Light

The night after Allister’s warning was restless. Adrian barely slept, his mind filled with visions of a faceless entity devouring everything in its path—the Hollow King. Ezra lay beside him, but even in his sleep, his brow was furrowed, as if his mind, too, was plagued by unseen horrors.

Morning came too soon. The city was still buzzing with the remnants of the festival, but beneath the joy, Adrian felt an unease settle over him. He and Ezra had faced the worst before, but this time, it was different. This wasn’t just an enemy they could defeat with a sword—it was something ancient, something beyond human understanding.

As they made their way through the castle corridors, Adrian glanced at Ezra. “We need to figure out if Allister was telling the truth.”

Ezra gave a short nod. “Agreed. If the Hollow King is real, then we need to find answers. And fast.”

Their first stop was the royal archives, a massive underground library filled with centuries of knowledge. They spent hours searching, flipping through dusty tomes and fragile scrolls, looking for any mention of the Hollow King. The more they read, the more their unease grew.

The Hollow King. The God of Entropy. The Great Devourer.

Each text described a being that did not simply seek destruction—it sought absolute nothingness. It did not hunger for power, nor did it desire rule over the world. It existed solely to erase.

Ezra placed a book on the table, his fingers gripping the worn leather cover. “If this thing is waking up, we don’t just need to stop it. We need to make sure it never rises again.”

Adrian exhaled, rubbing his temple. “Easier said than done.”

But before they could read further, a guard burst into the library, his expression pale. “Your Highness! General Ezra! There’s something you need to see.”

The urgency in his voice sent a chill down Adrian’s spine. He and Ezra exchanged a glance before following the guard through the winding halls of the castle. As they stepped outside into the courtyard, a dreadful sight greeted them.

The sky had darkened—not like the coming of night, but as if something unnatural had spread across it. And in the city below, the once-celebratory streets were now filled with whispers. People stood in clusters, staring at something in the distance.

Adrian and Ezra followed their gazes.

On the horizon, just beyond the walls of the capital, stood a figure cloaked in black. Though they were too far to see their face, the air around them seemed to ripple, distorting reality itself.

And then, the figure raised their hand.

A shockwave of energy pulsed through the city.

The torches lining the streets flickered and died. The festival banners shredded into nothing. The warm summer air turned ice-cold.

Adrian’s breath hitched. “This isn’t just magic.”

Ezra’s hand found his sword. “This is something else.”

The figure lowered their hand and turned, disappearing into the mist beyond the city’s edge. But their presence had left its mark. The people shivered, clutching at their arms as if an unseen force had brushed against their souls.

Adrian turned to the guards. “Lock down the city. No one leaves or enters until we know what we’re dealing with.”

Ezra nodded. “We need to find out who—or what—that was.”

As they hurried back into the castle, Adrian felt a weight settle in his chest.

The Hollow King wasn’t just an ancient story.

It was waking up.

And this was only the beginning.

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