HENRY

"You have the same odor."

Mark Thompson, in his forties, was a man whose life had taken a dark turn, both literally and metaphorically.

Bald and with a haunting look in his eyes, the consequence of harrowing experiments etched into his very being, Mark's appearance mirrored the shadows that now seemed to follow him wherever he went.

The accident had endowed Mark with the ability to manifest and control shadows at will.

It was a dark gift that warped his mind and consumed him with an insatiable thirst for power and control. The shadows became an extension of his malevolent desires, allowing him to manipulate and bend the darkness to his whim.

"What are you on about?" Mark began to sweat. He was not sure what he was feeling at the moment.

He jumped back to create some distance between him and the guy he had been underestimating, his heart pounding with electrifying anticipation as he realized the true magnitude of his opponent's power. 

"You will be sorry. I could have let you live, but it is too late now."

Saying this, Mark popped a dark-colored pill with a funny smiley face on it in his mouth, unleashing a surge of electrifying energy throughout his body and filling him with an exhilarating power that steered the shadows of his surroundings as if they had a life of their own.

"Interesting, so the pills function as an external core. To think that humans have come so far. But it is pointless. You will always be merely a product."

With curious eyes on Mark, Adrian slightly flexed his wrist, and the cane tapped on the floor.

It was as if time had stopped; the erratic shadows that had been moving around strangely abruptly stopped. The shadows that had gathered around Mark began to disintegrate as well.

It didn't take long for Mark to catch up to what was going on, as he felt his courage wavering slightly.

"Who exactly are you?" Mark squinted at Adrian.

Adrian's eyes glinted with glee at his opponent's momentary confusion. "As I previously stated, you are nothing more than a product; you can never imagine yourself as the same true shadow manifestor."

"So you are the real deal? Is that what you mean?" He felt a surge of panic grip his heart as he realized the gravity of the situation.

The faith he once had in his shadow abilities appeared to be a frail illusion, shattered by this formidable opponent.

As fear began to claw at his consciousness, Mark knew he had to escape. He had neither the strength nor the desire to engage in a physical confrontation with this unknown adversary.

He glanced around, searching for an avenue of escape. Mark knew he had to make his move before it was too late. But even his shadow powers, the last vestige of his strength, seemed to turn against him in this dire moment.

In a desperate attempt to summon his shadows, Mark found his abilities betraying him.

The shadows, once obedient to his command, flickered and wavered, refusing to take on a coherent form. It was as if they had developed a mind of their own, defying him at the worst possible time.

The guy, a stranger to him, now took a step forward, a malevolent grin playing on his lips. Mark's heart raced, his mind racing for a solution.

He had to dig deep, find a way to regain control over his powers, and escape this harrowing situation. He steeled his resolve, determined to fight against the odds and salvage what remained of his abilities.

"Real deal? Are you referring to a true shadow manifestor? Do you believe this is all they are capable of? You should have asked your boss or whoever is conducting these experiments, because real ones are extremely frightening. I am nothing more than a cursed one."

"Cursed to experience pain in the midst of what should have been my greatest peace." Adrian could hear his own contempt for his fate in his voice

"You would win if you were attempting to assert dominance and demonstrate that you were stronger than me, but do you think I am stupid?"

Mark sneered, his confidence trying to mask the fear that lurked beneath the surface. He knew he was losing this battle, and his frustration grew with every passing moment.

Adrian's power was overwhelming, and Mark could feel his control slipping away. He wasn't sure what it really was, but he didn't want to find it either.

Adrian chuckled, the sound dripping with disdain. "Oh, you catch on quick, don't you? But do you truly believe you can outsmart me?"

The sound of his voice sent chills down mark's spine.

His mind raced. He was backed into a corner by his own arrogance, leading him to this moment of reckoning. His shadow powers, which had been his trump card, revealed the limits of his hostile abilities.

"Let me see how much of you are bluffing,"

Mark challenged, attempting to regain some semblance of control over the situation. He knew he had to buy time, find an opening, and exploit any weakness the stranger might have.

'Stupid.'

As Adrian advanced, his movements were calculated and deliberate. Mark could see the glint of power in his adversary's eyes—a terrifying display of superiority. He needed to devise a plan—something unexpected to tip the scales in his favor.

Summoning the remnants of his meager shadows, Mark attempted a daring gambit. He allowed a fraction of his power to manifest, feigning vulnerability while secretly preparing for a sudden counterattack.

He needed to keep the stranger guessing to expose any hint of overconfidence.

As Adrian closed in, believing Mark to be weakened and defenseless, Mark's shadows surged forth in a blaze of defiance. The unexpected eruption of power caught him off guard, giving Mark the split-second advantage he needed to escape.

He bolted through the shadows, disappearing into the darkness, leaving behind a dark smudge mark on the surrounding chipped wood of the window.

"Wow, that was a total bummer!" Adrian exclaimed, a hint of playful disappointment in his voice. "I mean, seriously, I hadn't even gotten a chance to do anything cool yet. Why are they always making a run for it so quickly? Come on, I'm just a sprightly 23-year-old. Give me a bit of a challenge, will you?"

Adrian's enthusiasm bubbled to the surface, a mixture of excitement and genuine perplexity. He had been raring for an epic showdown, an opportunity to showcase his budding skills, but his adversaries seemed to flee at the first sign of trouble.

The craving for a good old-fashioned battle buzzed within him, urging him to flaunt his powers and prove his worth.

Standing there, adrenaline coursing through his veins, he found himself grappling with the rollercoaster of emotions this encounter had stirred. The shadows swirled around him, seemingly empathetic to his yearning.

Adrian was ready for any challenge that crossed his path, ready to give it his all. He couldn't control how others perceived him, but he was determined to prove 'them' wrong.

"Next time, I guess."

he muttered, brushing aside his disappointment. Adrian was well aware that his moment would come.

He was looking for a way to demonstrate himself and overcome preconceived notions about him being cursed. The shadows' comforting presence reassured him. He was learning to master their power, ready to wield it with finesse and flair.

Adrian stared outside at the moon, its glow illuminating the dark night sky, and couldn't help but feel vexed.

He yearned for action, for a chance to prove himself to himself, for the most part, in the face of adversity. But the night had offered no such opportunity; his enthusiasm had been met with elusive shadows and fleeting adversaries.

"Is this your way of paying me back?" he mused aloud, addressing the moon.

"Time will tell whether I feel fortunate or unlucky in my own fate." A smirk played across his lips, a playful defiance against the unseen forces that dictated fate.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Adrian decided to bid the night farewell—for now. He knew tomorrow was a new day, brimming with untold possibilities. His bed called to him, a sanctuary where dreams and ambitions were nurtured.

"Time to say hello to the bed now," he declared, determined to rest and recharge, for he knew that with a new dawn, he had to get this case solved as he was intrigued now.

In the embrace of his cozy bed, Adrian pondered the shadows, the moon, and the mysteries of the night. The shadows whispered softly, promising him a destiny as vast and mysterious as the night itself. And with that, Adrian drifted into dreams.

...

01:00 pm

Mark arrived at the workshop with an unconscious girl in his hand, hanging down. The workshop was a gloomy place, its walls tainted by the echoes of sinister experiments.

Mark exuded a sinister aura, a stark reminder of the lengths he was willing to go to satisfy his own twisted desires.

His gaze was drawn to the nine containers, each containing a strange, eerie liquid that seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy. Four of the containers contained innocent female children, whose expressions were a mix of confusion and terror. They were mere pawns in a cruel game.

The children were simply stepping stones toward the ultimate goal—an unholy ascension to unparalleled power. The workshop was a tormented kingdom where this madman, posing as a scientist, molded and twisted lives to suit his evil ambitions.

He moved closer to the containers, his gaze fixed on the children, his face expressionless. He saw them as cogs in the grand machinery of his sinister plot. They were nothing more than tools to be used and discarded in his insatiable thirst for supremacy.

"What has taken you so long this time? How hard is it to handle such minor tasks?"

Mark tensed as he heard the voice of the man he despised, the only man who could make him stronger.

Henry, a strange juxtaposition of age and appearance, stood in front of us. He oozed scientific authority while dressed in a pristine white lab coat that hung loosely on his frail and pale body, emphasizing the contrast between the fabric and the ghostly hue of his skin.

His glasses perched precariously on the bridge of his nose, lending him an intellectual air.

His face was framed by strands of white hair, a stark contrast to the youthfulness that seemed to emanate from his features.

At first glance, one might assume him to be around 35 years old, yet upon closer inspection, the wear and fragility of his body revealed the passage of time.

The lines on his forehead and around his eyes whispered tales of endless hours spent in the pursuit of knowledge and discovery.

There was a fragility in his presence, a quiet vulnerability that lay beneath the surface of his intellectual facade. His movements were deliberate and cautious, as if mindful of the delicate balance within his own being.

Yet, despite the fragility, there was a determination in his gaze, a glint of relentless passion that burned within him. This was a man who had weathered storms of scientific exploration and emerged, still driven by an unquenchable thirst for understanding.

He was an enigma—a fusion of age and youth, wisdom and vulnerability—captivating all who beheld him. He was a walking testament to the paradoxes of life, where the years etched on the canvas of his body were overshadowed by the vibrant curiosity that sparkled in his eyes.

In the world of knowledge and discovery, he remained a perpetual student, always on the brink of unraveling the next mystery.

"You did bring another child. Beautiful. I was just thinking about how I wasted my own money on another failed product if you had proved me wrong."

Mark approached Henry as he requested that the child be handed over. Mark complying. 

"I ran into a guy today."

"Hm? "How come it sounds like you want to start a family with him?"

"I am straight, Henry."

"I am joking."

"...."

"....well then why is it worthy of being brought up?"