1 Prologue

Blackpool, Wisconsin

A young man of mixed race walked down the sidewalk, the sounds of his polished black shoes hitting the pavement was all that could be heard in the deserted area. He was on the edge of Blackpool, where the buildings consisted only of warehouses and factories that had been vacated for the night. These buildings stood tall, blocking the stars from sight. The only source of light he had came from a flickering street lamp but he felt no fear or unease. The young man made an abrupt turn between two warehouses and stood still. In the tight space stood a pedestal with a tall, skinny crimson candle. Keeping several feet away, he raised his hand and flicked his wrist as he stared intently on the wick of the candle. A small bud of a flame appeared and gradually rose higher. It failed to sway, unaffected by the chilly autumn wind. When the flame grew to a height of about two feet, there was a sudden burst of light as it blazed and grew out of control.

A flash of movement caught the man's eye and he looked down at his shadow to see it twitching. It expanded and grew, and his shadowy limbs became curly tendrils as it lifted up from the ground, now a physical thing. He grinned before kneeling down, a few of his brown logs falling into his face. Amon was coming and the man felt honored that he was using one of his faithful disciples' shadows to do so. His shadow, no longer what it once was, moved like a smoky fog. As it moved towards the candle, he began to feel weak and a throbbing pain started in his skull. The shadowy mist covered the pedestal and in its place stood a black hooded figure. While most of the man's shadow was absorbed by the hooded figure, the rest returned to the man.

"Well done, Hikari. I knew taking you wasn't a mistake." Hikari shivered. Whenever Amon spoke, it sounded like multiple voices speaking in unison.

"I hear that you have a younger sister?" Amon asked, coming closer. He glided over, his feet never touching the ground. A shadow cloud was underneath him, keeping him a few inches in the air.

Hikari looked up at Umbra and nodded. "I've heard about her, yes." It was silent for a moment. "And this sister of yours… What if I gave you permission to kill her?" Amon asked.

Hikari smiled.