One could not escape it. It took up the smallest of spaces and covered the largest. It surrounded the largest embodiment of light, the celestial body known as the sun. It was in the minds of all, decaying everything in its path. Darkness. It was everywhere.

Hargeon was plunged in a darkness. Not a darkness that could decay, but a darkness that put towns to sleep. A darkness known as the night. With nightfall, the town was devoid of life and instead filled with a silent echo. The beach was no different.

The beach sang a silent song. A gentle breeze danced to the tune as the tide of sea swayed with each note. Watching this performance was Shin. He sat atop the sand, his amber gaze on the sea before him. His white t-shirt and blue denim jeans ruffled in the breeze as the sea kissed the soles of his feet ever so gingerly. He was the lonesome soul on this beautiful beach, taking in the darkness rather than avoiding it. The flame that once gave his eyes a fierce look had been doused. The light that once motivated him had been engulfed in darkness. The man that was once an embodiment of pride was no more. The phantom was drifting away.

Eyes closed, a breath escaped his lips, lingering in the air for a moment before fading into nothing. There was a darkness clawing at him. A darkness that had been long hidden. His mind was clouded with thoughts that he had been long avoiding. However, these thoughts were brought to life during the meeting at the lighthouse. These thoughts further dragged Shin into the darkness. With another breath, Shin looked to the moon as he opened his eyes. The beach served as the perfect metaphor. It was the place where Shin would wash the darkness away. The darkness that was everywhere.


These words continued to claw at his mind. The leader of Phantom Lord, the last line of defense for the guild, was no longer around. During the meeting, Shin's mind was clouded by this statement and it was no different now. The statement brought with it questions that currently had no answers. How did he die? Was his death a natural cause or was he murdered? If murdered, by who? Shin shifted his attention to the open sea before him. Phantom Lord had lost its most prominent member. The throne that he held was now vacant. A slight exhale escaped Shin's lips. The idea of being a guildmaster had never crossed his mind until the discussion at the lighthouse. Phantom Lord needed someone strong at its helm. Right now, Shin was not that person. He questioned his own decisions and was in a struggle with himself. He needed to detach himself from the darkness that he was drowning in. He needed to reignite his pride. Closing his eyes, he lay on his back and spread his arms to the side. He was a phantom. The darkness was a phantom's playground. Rather then escape the darkness, he would need to embrace it.

Sister of light, shadow to all. The light was celebrated and enjoyed. The darkness was avoided. The light received the utmost of attention, captivating the souls of all. The darkness loathed its sister. Why was it that all eyes were on light? Jealous, darkness took to the deepest corners of nature and the mind. The light could have day all to itself but night would belong to darkness. Where light took the form of dreams, darkness took the form of nightmares. Where light was hope, darkness was despair. The light claimed the sun and darkness the moon. Despite the efforts, darkness continued to be second to light.

Alone, darkness took to itself. Why was it despised? Why did people take to the streets during the light and hide during the dark? Jealous, darkness further crept into pits of nature and the deepest corners of the human mind. However, darkness realized something. Why feel jealous? The light had attention but darkness had quiet. The light had clouds and the darkness the stars. Light was beautiful but darkness mysterious. Instead of dwelling on what it lacked, darkness embraced its differences. Over time, darkness rivaled its sister. It was now a force that could not be escaped.


Shin opened his eyes to the moon. It gave off an eerie glow, grasping at everything in its path. A gentle breeze whistled in the distance while tugging at the sea. Exhaling, Shin clenched his fists. He was a phantom. Instead of running from the darkness, he needed to embrace it. Taking the negative with the positives, he needed a balance. The guildmaster was dead. That was that. Phantom lord was vulnerable to attack if news got out which was naturally inevitable. Others would attempt to grasp the throne but would fail. Raising his left arm upwards, he opened his fist released a flame that danced in the wind. In the past, he would be jumping at the chance to become guildmaster but now was different. Everything was put into perspective. He wanted to be a role model for dark mages alike but not like this. He did not want it gifted to him. Clenching his fist once more, the flame vanished. Phantom Lord had his loyalty. The next guildmaster could control the guild but not him. Shin would be an alpha male, working for the interest of the guild but according to his own rules. He would not hesitate to crush anyone that opposed him, including the members of his own guild. He was a predator but had lost that edge recently. He was beginning to become soft. As of late, he was descending down the chain of power. A former predator that was becoming prey but no longer. Soon, he would rise to the top. He would go from predator to apex. Phantom Lord was going to change it was time he did too. He was a phantom after all. It was time to give meaning to this word.

It took various forms. It terrorized the minds of many as a nightmare and kept people awake as stress. It clouded judgement as alcohol and ruined lives as jealousy. It scarred children as a monster in the closet and haunted the living as an apparition. In its complete form, darkness took the form of death. It snatched life without hesitation and left a void in the hearts of those affected by the loss of a loved one. Despite one's best efforts, darkness was inescapable. It would remain apart of ones life no matter what.


With an exhale, Shin raised himself forward. The sand shifted beneath the weight of his feet as he stepped forward. Stopping before the sea before him, he gazed down at his reflection in the water. The moonlight provided enough lighting for him to make out his own image. Staring back at him was a man clouded by darkness. His eyes lacked the fire they once had. The man in the water was weak and transparent. This was not the same person Shin thought himself to be.

Turning around, Shin turned his back to the water and his reflection. He ran his hand through his hair as he took a glance up at the moon once more. Despite its constant shift from crescent to full moon, it remained the same celestial body at its core. Similar, despite his current state of feeling powerless and lost, Shin remained the same person at heart. It was not a question of when that person would return but how. It would not be an overnight change but one that would appear overtime. The sooner he began, the sooner he would become the phantom he once was.

Walking over to the street, he grabbed his shoes and put them on. Taking to the empty streets, he placed his hands into the jeans of his pockets and held his head down as he walked, the moonlight creating a path for him. His time at the beach had left him with a better understanding of where he currently was and what was needed for him to return to his prior self or to reach the next step. It would begin by accepting that the darkness he felt would be with him from here on out. Next would be to accept that he was not in a position to lead Phantom Lord. He would work from the shadows of his own accord and for his own goals. Currently, loyalty was the reason he remained a phantom. Maybe this time around, he would gain a new motivation for remaining in the guild. Immersing himself in his magic would also be essential especially in terms of gaining power. These goals were both short and long term, giving him time to tackle each any way he deemed fit. This night at the beach was his first step into accepting the darkness.

For now, he would remain in Hargeon and see what events would unfold. He would return to Oak and the guild once he was suffice with his time here.