Chapter 6 : Shadows Beneath the Moonlight
Ch 6: Shadows Beneath the Moonlight
The night had settled over Everhart Castle like a velvet shroud, the sky painted in deep indigos and scattered with countless stars. A cold breeze whispered through the towering spires, rustling the banners that bore the sigil of the Grand Duke.
But **Leonhardt Valerian Everhart** paid no mind to the beauty of the night.
He moved through the castle halls like a shadow, his steps silent against the marble floor. The world saw him as the heir of the Everhart family, a young genius destined for greatness. Yet beneath the surface, he was something far more dangerous—**a god bound in mortal flesh, a warrior seeking to reclaim his lost throne.**
Tonight was no different from any other. As the castle's residents slept, unaware of the battle being fought beneath their feet, Leonhardt made his way toward his secret chamber hidden within the western wing.
With a flick of his fingers, the ancient runes embedded in the stone wall **flared to life.** The magic recognized him instantly, and the hidden passage yawned open before him. Cold air spilled forth from the darkness beyond, carrying the scent of **old magic and forgotten power.**
He stepped inside.
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### **The Forbidden Arts**
The chamber was vast, its walls lined with shelves of ancient tomes and relics that had not seen the light of day for centuries. Faint blue flames flickered in the sconces, casting eerie shadows across the room.
Leonhardt moved to the center, where an altar of polished obsidian stood. Upon it lay a book bound in **dark leather, inscribed with symbols that no mortal could decipher.** It pulsed faintly, as if alive—**a remnant of a time before gods and demons waged war.**
Placing his hands over the tome, he let his magic flow through his fingertips. The symbols **shifted, rearranging themselves into words only he could understand.** A whisper—no, a memory—unfolded in his mind.
*"Power is the will to shape the world. The weak pray for it. The strong take it."*
Leonhardt's lips curled into a faint smirk. **He had never been one to pray.**
The air trembled as he called forth his magic, the energy wrapping around his arms like chains of pure power. The shadows around him **came alive,** twisting and writhing, responding to his command. He had been testing the limits of this ancient magic, searching for a way to break the seal that still bound his love in the abyss.
But no matter how much power he wielded, **the seal remained unbroken.**
His fingers curled into fists. **Not enough. It was never enough.**
If he wanted to succeed, he needed more. More strength, more knowledge—**more power.**
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### **An Uninvited Guest**
The air shifted suddenly. A presence approached.
Leonhardt's gaze **snapped** toward the entrance of his chamber, his magic coiling around him, ready to strike. No one should have been able to find this place—**no one.**
A soft voice broke the silence.
*"Brother?"*
Leonhardt froze.
Stepping hesitantly into the dimly lit chamber was **Celeste Everhart.**
His younger sister stood there, her golden hair shimmering in the eerie blue light, her wide silver eyes filled with something between awe and fear. She clutched the edges of her nightgown, her small hands trembling slightly.
Leonhardt did not move. His mind calculated a dozen ways this could have happened. **Had she followed him? Had someone led her here? Had she—**
*"What are you doing here?"* His voice was calm, unreadable.
Celeste hesitated, glancing around at the strange markings on the walls, the ancient artifacts, the power that hung in the air like an unspoken promise.
*"I... I saw you leaving your room,"* she admitted, voice small. *"I wanted to see where you were going. I thought maybe you—"*
She swallowed, looking at the dark tome on the altar. **"What is all this?"**
Leonhardt's expression remained unreadable. **This was dangerous.** No one—**no one**—could know about his training, about his true goal.
Not even her.
*"Forget what you saw."* His words were not a request.
Celeste flinched at the coldness in his tone.
*"Brother…?"*
His gaze sharpened. **He could not allow her to be a weakness.** He could not allow anyone to be.
But she was young. She would not understand.
And for some reason, **he did not want to erase her memories.**
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
*"Go back to your room, Celeste."*
His sister hesitated but nodded slowly. She cast one last glance at the chamber, then turned and hurried away.
As the door sealed shut behind her, Leonhardt let out a slow breath.
He had made a mistake. **A mistake he could not afford to repeat.**
From now on, he would have to be even more careful.
Because the world may not have known it yet…
**But the Sealed King was preparing to rise.**
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