I barely had time to process the fact that the Shadow Queen was standing inches from me—warm, real, and infinitely dangerous—when the apartment lights flickered.
The air grew heavy.
The temperature dropped again, but this time… it wasn't her doing.
Her smile faded instantly, replaced by a cold, calculating look.
"Stay behind me," she ordered, her voice low and sharp like a drawn blade.
A dark mist began seeping through the cracks of the apartment walls, curling around the floor like living smoke.
[System Alert: High-Risk Threat Detected – Abyssal Sovereign's Echo Manifesting.]
The words burned red across my vision.
"What the hell is an Abyssal Sovereign?!" I yelped, backing up instinctively.
She didn't look at me.
"One of the old ones… something that should've stayed buried in the Shadow Realm," she muttered. Her aura flared to life, the shadows around her twisting into a protective barrier.
Through the swirling mist, a shape began to form—massive, humanoid, but entirely wrong. Its body was stitched together from pieces of shadow beasts, glowing purple sigils etched across its chest.
And then… it spoke.
A voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"The Final Heir has awakened… Surrender him, Shadow Queen."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You dare step into my domain and demand terms?"
"The Abyss remembers its rightful ruler. You were… a temporary inconvenience. The Heir belongs to us."
I took a step back.
Wait, me? THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ME?!
The Queen didn't hesitate.
"Liam. Stay. Down."
With a single graceful movement, she drew a blade seemingly formed from the pure essence of darkness.
The fight began in a flash of light and shadow.
I couldn't move. Could barely breathe.
Through the chaos, one terrifying truth became clear—
This wasn't just about me being her "Caretaker."
There was something inside me… something ancient.
And everyone wanted it.