As the days turned into weeks, Adrian found himself sinking deeper into the darkness that the shadow had introduced into his life. The guilt of his actions weighed heavily on him, but the power and the allure of the shadow's promises kept him moving forward. Each day was a struggle to maintain the facade of normalcy while he carried out the shadow's twisted commands.
Alaric and Thalia grew increasingly concerned about Adrian. His once vibrant personality had turned cold and distant. They often found him staring into space, lost in thought, or disappearing for hours at a time. Their attempts to reach out to him were met with hollow reassurances and forced smiles.
One evening, as the three of them sat around a campfire outside the mill, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension. The fire crackled and popped, casting dancing shadows on their faces.
