In the stillness of the chamber, the Counselor's lifeless form lay sprawled upon the ground, while the Shadow retreated beneath the bed's canopy, biding its time for a new host. I remained motionless in my seat, contemplating the guards and possibly the same maid beyond the door. The girl's body was almost the Shadow's domain, yet a flicker of her consciousness might still linger in this mortal coil. It warranted an attempt.
Rising, I approached the bed in silence. Without my Sword, the Shadow might disregard my presence. I extended my hand, the old scar etched with the sword's hilt marking my palm, and breached the curtain that veiled the girl from me.
The sight that greeted me was grim; her skin was nearly translucent, veins stark against the dim light, her hair unkempt, her attire disheveled—a clear sign of neglect.
Seating myself, I grasped her hand firmly, seeking any sign of life, but there was no response. Undeterred, I drew a dagger, the movement catching the Shadow's attention, its form stirring in the corner. With resolve, I plunged the blade into her palm, eliciting a faint gasp from the dormant figure.
Pain. Pain seemed, could still reach her. Yet, eyes black as the void itself stared back as I lifted her eyelids.
Turning to the Shadow, I posed my ultimatum.
"Will you serve me, in this body or the next, if I grant you form and purpose, so long as you do not hinder my commands nor harm those under my protection?"
The Shadow, once restless, now settled upon my other hand, forming a star-shaped assent.
I addressed the vessel of the Shadow's desire once more, sealing her eyelids and withdrawing the dagger. A swift incision on my arm, pressed against hers, bound us in a covenant.
"Eternity shall embrace you, granting solace among the Stars, while your body shall awaken anew, bound to a singular Master—myself. Your existence, henceforth, is mine to command, and any defiance shall cast you into the eternal inferno of Destiny."
So she was now the Shadow's to claim, and the Shadow, in turn, was mine.
I retreated to my chair, losing track of time until the first light of dawn crept through the window and touched my sight.
When I awoke, there she knelt before me, a new being wrought from Darkness itself.
"My Lord, command me," she intoned.