𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖'𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 | Jungwon

chapter 00

Chapter 00 : interlude
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The historic legends, the original Eight Warriors, have long been known for being more than just a name. Stories and statues have lived for years. Their light had never dimmed... However much light the Eight Warriors shared, they cast immense shadows. Those vast shadows drowned the original team's fallen member to suffer in–Kwon Hyunwoo, very well known as the Dyskro.

The Dyskro always lived in his team's shadow, and his name continued to rot in resentment.

"The cult's arrival at Her Majesty's birthday celebration has now raised a new anxiety within the people. The royal soldiers and investigators have yet to find more information involving the Cult of Umbra. Witnesses say the cult attacked during the Eight Warriors' performance, specifically the Shadow Wielder's solo part. Who is behind this cult? Does the Shadow Wielder have connections to the Dyskro's cult? Will we find them before more incidents like this happen again? We will need to wait for further inspections."

A man listened to the people reading their newspapers. Fear first kicked into his mind when hearing the news. He clutched a silver locket inside his pocket, which served as momentary comfort whenever he found himself stressed. Even if it offered comfort... memories would crawl back. The Dyskro, shadows, a cult.

"Baba," his child called to him. The child pointed at a glistering pond, guiding his finger with the tiny flowing fish. The fish's fins flowed like an ancient painting. "Can I touch the fish?"

The father gasped when his son leaned forward to the pond. "No, Meizhong– you don't know how to swim yet." He laughed and picked up his 5-year-old son, setting him on his shoulders. The child shrilled happily, slapping his hands onto his father's head.

While the father's son giggled joyfully, the father scanned the area for his other child.

"Baba," a girl's voice said. The father felt a shy tug on his shirt that he had memorized all too well. His hand lifted instinctively, patting his older 9-year-old daughter's head.

"I want to go home, Baba," his daughter mumbled.

"Home? Why?" The father offered a grin. "Don't be so introverted, Meiling. Learn from your younger brother! Look, he's so happy."

"YAY!" Meizhong laughed, patting his tiny hands on his father's face. The father muffled humorously as Meizhong continued touching his face. Although the father had thought his daughter's stubborn frown would fade, it enhanced.

"What's wrong, butterfly?" The father's tone lowered, tending Meiling's upset face.

"There's a lot of people here...I want to go home, color, and play with my toys," Meiling said. Her avoiding eyes exposed her concealed truth.

"Meiling." The father squatted and set his son back on the ground, leveling his eyes with Meiling. "Are you still mad at me for not being home for so long?"

Meiling stared at the ground, refusing to return a glance.

"I'm sorry, butterfly," the father rubbed her back. His daughter still seemed unsatisfied. "Baba had a lot of work at the trading company last week. Being an omnilingual specialist has been busy, especially when so many people ask for translators. How about we go to the toy store? I'll buy you something."

Meiling finally looked at her father and nodded slowly. Meiling was often hard to convince since she was stubborn. All he wanted to do was demonstrate how good of a father he was to his daughter.

"Okay. Let's wait until Mama is done in the bathroom, and we'll go."

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After visiting the toy store, the family continued exploring the central city of the Xiuling Region. Delicate red maple leaves glittered on the ground–some swimming in puddles from last night's rain. More red leaves unbound themselves from their branches, exploring the sky and complimenting the rich orange late afternoon.

The father's wife held his arm, resting her head on his shoulder while enjoying their stroll. "Thank you, Xin, for dedicating the whole day to our kids," she whispered.

"I had to," the father replied. He watched his daughter holding her little brother's hand. "You were right. Ling really did miss me."

"She asked about you every day," his wife said.

"Mama, Baba!" Meizhong sprung into the air and turned around. "I want ice cream!"

The parents chuckled together. They followed his son to the ice cream cart on the road. The mother lifted Meizhong since his short height prevented him from seeing the flavors.

"Which flavor do you want, Zhong?" The mother smiled while carrying her son in her arms. "There's red bean, durian, lychee, matcha..." Meizhong gasped at the wide variety of ice cream flavors.

Xin stole a moment to cherish the moment of his precious wife and son, gazing at their joyful faces and listening to the joy that flowed through their voices. He'd never want to lose this.

His eyes snapped when realizing his daughter wasn't in the beautiful scene. He turned to his left and saw no sign of Meiling but froze in incredulity when turning to his right. Near a tree, Meiling was speaking to a young woman. The woman's violet-purple hair juxtaposed the sea of pastel green grass and red leaves. The woman held something forbidden in her hands, which evoked a tragic and vivid evocation.

Xin's breath accelerated, and he rushed to collect his daughter. "Meiling!" He yelled anxiously, fastening his steps. He grabbed his daughter's shoulders, hauling her to his front. He furrowed his brow. "What do you think you're doing? Who...who are you?"

Up close, the young woman was undeniably beautiful. Although tranquil, her pale blue eyes could haunt anyone with a silent, petrifying statement—a language no one could understand, not even Xin. The woman didn't answer but paid his daughter one last smile. She spun on her heels and sauntered away. The woman's gaze had stained the father's mind.

"Baba, why were you so mean to her?" Meiling asked. Fascination swirled in his daughter's eyes, inspired by the purple-haired woman. "She was so pretty and nice. She showed me something cool, too!"

Xin crouched low to his daughter's height, touching her shoulders. He scrutinized Meiling's face with an uneasy weight on his chest.

"Because, Meiling...we– you shouldn't talk to strangers." As he glanced back up, the woman was nowhere to be seen.

Xin gulped away the lump in his throat. Disbelief lingered in his mind, knowing black shadows were in the woman's hands.