“Shadows of Resonance”

The weeks after Aria's disappearance were hell. I wandered through the slums, my black hair tangled and dirty, my unusual eyes—one ice-blue, the other glowing emerald green—always alert. The scar above my left eyebrow was still fresh, a "gift" from the Bloodchain Gang.

When they cornered me this time, I knew it would end differently. Not because of me—I was just a neglected child with nothing but rage inside. But because of what happened next.

The six thugs of the Bloodchain moved closer, their tasers crackling in the rain-soaked air. I was backed against the wall, feeling the cold metal through my torn shirt. My heart was pounding, but my eyes remained hard.

Suddenly, the leader stopped. His eyes widened, as if he were seeing something that wasn't there. The others froze too, one by one.

"What the…?" one of them stammered, before the shadows of the alley came to life.

They moved like black serpents, peeling off the walls, merging into a shape. Shade materialized from pure darkness itself. His mask pulsed with a faint violet glow, while his eyes behind it shone like golden glowing coals.

He simply raised his hand, and the shadows obeyed. They coiled around the thugs like living shackles, pulling them into the darkness. No violence, no struggle—just absolute control over the shadows themselves.

When he turned toward me, I felt his eyes pierce through me. Not just my body—my soul itself. Later, I would learn that in that moment, he saw my potential: 93% inclined toward good, one of the purest souls he'd ever found. And in his visions, he saw me as the one who would restore balance.

"Interesting," he said, his voice like velvet steel. "You didn't even try to use your resonance." He tilted his head. "You don't even know you have it, do you?"

"Resonance?" I asked, confused.

A soft laugh escaped beneath the mask. "The power that lies dormant within you. The ability to shape reality itself." He extended his hand. "What's your name?"

"Kyro."