The Shadow King's Gambit

Prince Kael had always been an afterthought in the grand schemes of Eldrin’s royal court. As the third son of King Alaric, his days were spent in the shadow of his elder brothers—heir-apparent Darion, the warrior prince, and wise, diplomatic Alden. Kael was the overlooked son, content with quiet evenings in the castle library, far from the weight of responsibility.

But all that changed the night the Shadow King came.

It was the height of the annual Solstice Feast, the grand hall alive with music, laughter, and the warm glow of chandeliers. Nobles toasted to prosperity, oblivious to the storm brewing beyond the castle walls. Then, as the final toast was raised, the torches flickered.

Darkness surged into the room, alive and malevolent, extinguishing every light. A chilling silence descended, broken only by the sound of footsteps echoing through the gloom. From the heart of the shadows emerged a figure cloaked in black, his presence commanding and his voice like the scrape of steel on stone.

“Eldrin’s reign ends tonight,” the figure declared, his words laced with unearthly power.

Kael, seated at the far end of the hall, froze as the scene unfolded. The king’s guards rushed forward, swords drawn, but the shadows moved faster. Tendrils of darkness wrapped around them, their screams cut short as the life drained from their bodies.

The Shadow King turned his void-like gaze to the throne. “You have ruled too long, Alaric. The throne belongs to the shadows now.”

Kael’s father rose, defiant even in the face of death. “Eldrin will never bow to you.”

But his words were in vain. With a single motion, the Shadow King unleashed a wave of darkness that consumed the king and his heirs. Kael watched in horror, hidden behind a pillar, as his family fell.

Before the Shadow King vanished into the void, he left a single warning:
“This kingdom is mine. Any who resist will drown in despair.”

When Kael emerged from his hiding place, the throne room was silent. The bodies of his father and brothers were gone, leaving no trace of the royal family but him. Outside, the kingdom was shrouded in unnatural twilight, the once-bright skies now a swirling mass of gray and black.

Alone and unprepared, Kael fled the castle, the weight of survival crushing him. The once-forgotten prince was now the last hope of Eldrin.

As Kael stumbled through the darkened forest, every shadow seemed alive, every rustle a threat. Then, a voice—low, mocking, and far too close—whispered in his ear:
“Run, little prince. Run while you still can.”