The dim glow of the pipes running through the underground chamber pulsed as they siphoned energy from the men in the domes.
Inside, the possessed girls were huddled around Lord Afro, who sat behind the curtain, bathed in darkness. The low hum of energy crackling through the air made the chamber feel alive, a sinister heartbeat pulsating with every breath Lord Afro took.
One of the girls, her eyes glowing with the same dark energy that flowed through the chamber, smiled as she turned to Lord Afro. "Humans release the most energy when they are at their most vulnerable. Their loss of control, their desperation...when they are engaged in sex. It's like they're offering up their very souls."
Another girl chimed in, her voice soft but filled with twisted glee. "That's why we drain them, my lord. Every ounce of energy they give you feeds your strength. They're weak and fragile, but in their lustful moments, they give you everything."
Lord Afro grinned, his long nails tapping against the armrest of his throne-like seat. "Yes... yes, their weakness fuels me. And soon, with enough of their essence, I will rise to my full power once more."
His voice was deep and commanding, filled with the weight of centuries of darkness. The girls around him swooned as he spoke, completely under his control.
"You have served me well," Lord Afro said, his eyes glowing a deeper shade of red. "And when I awaken, I will reward you all. You will remain by my side as my eternal companions, basking in the power you helped me reclaim."
The girls giggled in unison, bowing their heads in reverence to the dark lord. They were ready to do anything for him, lost in their servitude.
—But just as Lord Afro's words hung in the air, a loud, bored voice pierced through the chamber, cutting through the tension like a knife.
"Wow, that's your master plan? Gotta say, I'm not impressed."
The sound echoed through the underground lair, and every head snapped toward the entrance, where a figure was casually descending the long staircase.
The figure was me—Austin—alive, awake, and very much in control, despite everything Lord Afro and his minions had done to me.
I strolled down, hands in my pockets, wearing the same clothes I had entered the sorority house with: my favorite jacket, white t-shirt, and jeans.
"Honestly, you guys had one job," I continued, shaking my head in mock disappointment. "And thank god you didn't throw out my clothes. I hate when people mess with my stuff."
The girls gasped, stepping back in disbelief, their faces frozen in shock. Lord Afro's red eyes widened beneath the curtain. "Who... who is this?!" His voice boomed, filled with rage and confusion. "How is this man still walking?!"
I grinned, stopping at the foot of the stairs.
"Oh, come on. Supplements? Really? You think some crappy aphrodisiacs and a little hypnotism would take me down? Please." I flicked some imaginary dust off my jacket, looking completely unbothered.
"Maybe those supplements weren't strong enough. Or... maybe it's because sex doesn't make me weak like it does to all your little victims."
Lord Afro's deep voice cracked with confusion and fury. "What do you mean? How is that possible?! You should be lying motionless, completely drained!"
I laughed, my voice echoing throughout the chamber as I took a step closer. "You still don't get it, do you? When I engage in sex, it doesn't weaken me. It does the opposite, you idiot. It makes me stronger."
The silence in the room was thick with disbelief. Lord Afro's glowing red eyes blinked from behind the curtain, struggling to comprehend what I had just said. "Stronger? How... how could that be?"
I smirked, crossing my arms over my chest. "Let's just say I'm not your average human. I'm... something else."
The girls exchanged confused glances, their confident smirks faltering as they tried to process what they were hearing.
The other men with masks on side and at the corners more alert than before to attack me.
Lord Afro's fury boiled over, and with a furious roar, he leaped to his feet, his silhouette towering behind the curtain.
"Impossible! No human can defy me! No one can resist the power I command!"
I raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed by his outburst.
"Yeah, yeah, lord of nothing, power of lust, yadda yadda. Honestly, I've heard worse villains. You're just some old guy who sucks energy from little boys, huh?" I chuckled, mocking his entire existence with a casual wave of my hand.
"Kind of embarrassing for a self-proclaimed 'lord.' You're not even original."
"You dare mock me?!" Lord Afro's voice echoed like thunder, shaking the chamber.
In a fit of rage, he extended his long, jagged claws, and suddenly, the glass domes started shaking around the chamber and soon began to crack.
A loud, ear-piercing sound filled the room as the domes shattered, sending shards of glass flying everywhere.
The men inside the domes lay still, completely spent and drained of life, while the girls collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. The dark energy in the room swirled, thickening the air with tension.
Lord Afro stepped out from behind the curtain, his towering figure fully revealed. He was grotesque—an old, withered man, his body twisted and lean, muscles straining under his skin. His long claws scraped the floor as he moved, and his eyes burned with an unnatural red glow, radiating pure, malevolent energy.
"You mock me now," Lord Afro growled, his voice laced with hatred, "but it won't be long before you're nothing but an ash remaining on floor. You will be my first prey in this new world!"
I stood my ground, watching him approach with a smirk on my face. "Prey, huh? That's cute. Bring it on, you 'lord of nothing.'"
Lord Afro's eyes narrowed, glowing even brighter as he walked closer, each step radiating more power than the last.
The pipes that had been feeding him energy broke apart as he severed them from his body.
Dark energy swirled around him, and the entire chamber trembled under the weight of his power.
"Who... are you?" Lord Afro demanded, his voice shaking with a mix of curiosity and rage.
I grinned, feeling a surge of energy flood through my veins. "You really want to know?"
With that, I spread my arms wide, and a wave of blue energy shot out from me, rippling through the chamber like a storm.
The air crackled with power as my aura surged, transforming my clothes in an instant.
My jacket and t-shirt dissolved into a sleek, black robe, the edges lined with glowing blue runes. My jeans were replaced by fitted black pants, and sturdy boots materialized on my feet. A dark hood appeared over my head, casting a shadow over my eyes, but the energy radiating from me was undeniable.
I smirked, my eyes gleaming with power as I faced Lord Afro.
"My name is Zero, the leader of the Shadow Mystics. The one who lurks in the dark and protects the world from darkness."