Notes

Prologue

Blackpool, Wisconsin
A young man walked down the sidewalk, the sounds of his polished black shoes hitting the pavement was all that could be heard in the deserted area. Abandoned warehouses stood tall, blocking the stars from sight. The only source of light he had came from a flickering street lamp. The man made an abrupt turn between two of the warehouses and stood still. In the tight space stood a pedestal with a tall, skinny crimson candle. Keeping about ten feet away, he raised his hand and flicked his wrist as he stared intently on the wick of the candle. A small bud of a flame appeared and gradually rose higher. It failed to sway, unaffected by the chilly autumn wind. When the flame grew about two feet tall, there was a sudden burst of light as it blazed and grew out of control.
A flash of movement caught the man’s eye and he looked down at his shadow to see it twitching. It expanded and grew, and his shadowy limbs became curly tendrils as it lifted up from the ground, now in 3D form. He grinned before kneeling down. The One was coming and he felt honored that he was using one of his faithful disciples’ shadow to do so. His shadow, no longer what it once was, moved like a smoky fog. As it moved towards the candle, he began to feel weak and a throbbing pain started in his skull. The shadowy mist covered the pedestal and in its place stood a black hooded figure. While most of the man’s shadow was absorbed by the hooded figure, the rest returned to the man. “Well done, Hikari. I knew taking you wasn’t a mistake.” Hikari shivered. Whenever The One talked, it sounded like multiple voices speaking in unison. “I hear that you have a younger sister?” The One asked, coming closer. He glided over, his feet never touching the ground. A shadow cloud was underneath him, keeping him a few inches in the air.
Hikari looked up at The One and nodded. “I’ve heard about her, yes.” It was silent for a moment. “We’ll have to pay her a visit.” Hikari smiled evilly.