Inside the room was the darkest part of everyone's soul. A creature so dark it is almost invisible inhabited the sealed chamber. Its eyes glowed red, unblinkingly measuring your soul. A prisoner was led into the room and tossed in. The giant creature slowly stood, the light from the door barely outlining some kind of a giant dog. Its head brushed the roof as its eyes locked onto the man. Its gaze froze the condemned man in place as it slowly padded towards him. The creature dipped its head close to the petrified person and licked him from his toes to his head. Its tongue, barely illuminated, appeared to be blood-red and came away with a white soul. The man's soul dripped with a thick, inky black slime. His soul was corrupted to its core. Silently, the creature swallowed the soul and ambled back to its spot in the void like room. The prisoner's face contorted in agony as he watched himself crumble into dust, starting at his feet. Unable to scream or move, the man's head turned towards the door, mouthing a silent plea to save him.

"Father… What is this? It cannot be real. Father! What is going on? Why is there a shadow creature here?" The princess yelled, outraged, and baffled. She had never seen a creature so horrifying. She couldn't believe these monsters actually existed.

“It is real Anaphora. I want you to find a way to use your powers to control them. I have a theory that the Champion’s power can not only be used to destroy, but to control them.”

“Control them?”

“You heard me. Don’t make me repeat myself.” The King boomed. His voice too loud, too out of place. “This is the first time in recorded history that the mantle of the Champion has fallen into royalty. I believe that with our knowledge of leading people, we can use your powers to rule the shadow creatures.”

“No. no, I can’t. How can I?” Anaphora said, disbelief in her voice.

Her words fell on deaf ears as her father continued uninterrupted. "Past Champions have tried to destroy them and eliminate these creatures. No one Champion can do it. We have to find a way to tame these shadow creatures, make them do our bidding."

"You mean to make them our slaves?"

"I wouldn't put it like that. They don't have souls, after all. They are mindless creatures of destruction. They could be our greatest weapon against our enemies. The human kingdoms, the kingdom of Miral, will rule Ocora."

"No. No, I can't do that. I won't do that. No creature, soulless or not, deserves to be enslaved."

“Not even a race that kills mindlessly?”

Anaphora was speechless. The king, words on the tip of his tongue, reached out to his daughter, "this needs to be done. No Champion has succeeded in the past by trying to simply reduce their numbers, and I don't want to see my daughter torn apart for a hopeless cause."

She shook her head, breaking from her father's grip. She ran. She ran out of the damp dungeon, through the castle. Before she knew it, she was in her room, throwing clothes, weapons, anything she may need in a pack. She burst from her room, racing for the castle kitchens. Servants jumped out of the way as the doors were flung open. Anaphora stopped, eyes wide, looking at everyone who was also wide-eyed. A moment passed before she was racing again, grabbing food and stuffing it into another bag. Another moment and she was fleeing the kitchens, barreling out the castle gates, into the town.