العنوان: "مدينة الظلال"

الجزء الأول: "الشفق المظلم"

The clock struck midnight as rain fell in heavy sheets, drumming on the rooftops of the deserted city. Neon signs flickered erratically, casting distorted reflections on the wet pavement. In the heart of this eerie silence, a girl with silver hair and piercing blue eyes stood in the shadows. Her name was Kaida, and she carried a leather-bound book that seemed older than time itself.

Kaida's breath clouded in the chilly air as she stared at the horizon, where a massive tower loomed against the stormy sky. Known only as Oblivion Spire, the tower appeared in the center of the city ten years ago, along with a string of disappearances that no one could explain. People whispered that the tower was alive, feeding on the souls of those who dared to enter.

Kaida had no choice. Her younger brother, Riku, was among the missing. Gripping the ancient book tighter, she began walking toward the Spire.

Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the alley. Kaida froze, her heart racing. From the shadows emerged a creature unlike any she'd seen before—a beast with crimson eyes and smoke billowing from its body. It snarled, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

Kaida opened the book, her fingers trembling. The pages glowed faintly, as if reacting to the beast's presence.

"By the words of the ancients..." she whispered, and a surge of energy coursed through her. The creature lunged, but Kaida raised her hand, and a barrier of light erupted between them. The beast screeched, dissolving into ash.

Kaida stared at the book in awe. What are you, really? she thought.

Unbeknownst to her, eyes watched her from the shadows, and a voice murmured, "The first key has been found."