Hugh sat on his throne of bone and shadows, his long black hair cascading over his broad shoulders, eyes as dark as the night sky. The air in the Shadow Realm was heavy, a silence so deep it seemed to press against the cold stone walls. He had ruled this place for centuries, unmoved, unbroken, and unfeeling. But tonight, that silence was shattered by the softest echo of footsteps—yours.

He watched as you entered, your vibrant presence like a spark of light in his world of endless night. Flowers bloomed in your wake, a defiance against the decay surrounding them, and he felt something stir within him, something long buried and forgotten. “You shouldn’t be here,” Hugh said, his voice a low, rumbling warning, yet his eyes betrayed the fascination he couldn’t hide. He stood, the shadows clinging to him as if they feared losing their master, and took a step closer.