Far above the streets of Blackridge…
Inside a towering stone building hidden behind iron gates…
A group of figures stood around a circular table.
The room was dimly lit by candles.
Dark cloaks concealed most of their faces.
Only their eyes were visible.
Cold.
Calculating.
One man stepped forward.
"Report."
Another cloaked figure spoke calmly.
"The artifact has awakened."
Silence filled the chamber.
Finally someone asked—
"And the vessel?"
The messenger hesitated.
"A boy."
A low murmur spread across the room.
"A child?"
The first man leaned forward slowly.
"Interesting."
He tapped the table softly.
"Did you confirm the power?"
The messenger nodded.
"Shadow authority."
For the first time…
One of the cloaked figures laughed.
A quiet, chilling sound.
"After centuries…"
"The Shadow Sovereign returns."
The leader slowly stood.
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"Then the hunt begins."
One by one…
The members of the Black Council rose from their seats.
Across the city…
The shadows moved again.
And somewhere in the dark streets of Blackridge…
Kael Draven had no idea how many hunters were already searching for him.
Far across the city…
Inside the hidden chamber of the Black Council…
The messenger had finished his report.
The room was silent.
Heavy.
The cloaked figures stood around the circular table, each lost in their own thoughts.
Finally, the leader spoke again.
"Describe the boy."
The messenger hesitated.
"Sixteen… maybe seventeen."
"Dark hair."
"Thin build."
"And the shadow energy was clearly responding to him."
Another council member leaned forward.
"And the ring?"
The messenger nodded.
"On his finger."
A low murmur spread across the chamber.
One of the members spoke with interest.
"So the artifact truly bonded with him."
Another voice sounded more annoyed.
"That artifact was meant to be delivered to us."
The leader raised a hand.
The room instantly fell silent.
"Complaining about it will not change reality."
He slowly walked around the table.
"The Shadow Sovereign power has returned."
He stopped beside a tall window overlooking the dark city.
"And it chose a vessel."
One council member asked carefully.
"Do we eliminate the vessel?"
The leader shook his head.
"No."
The others looked surprised.
"If the power awakened inside him…"
His voice grew quieter.
"Then killing him would destroy the artifact as well."
Another member spoke.
"So what do we do?"
The leader turned back toward the table.
His shadow stretched across the floor in the candlelight.
"We capture him."
The word echoed through the chamber.
"Alive."
He looked toward one of the cloaked figures.
"Send the Night Hunters."
The figure nodded immediately.
"They will arrive before dawn."
The leader's lips curved slightly.
"A frightened boy cannot hide forever."
He looked toward the dark horizon beyond the window.
"And when we find him…"
His voice became colder.
"The Shadow Sovereign will belong to us."