The darkness of the Inverse World pulsed like a living heart, the crimson lights above flickering faintly across the broken isles. Shadow sat upon his throne of jagged stone, his body turned slightly to the side, his posture half-reclined, the picture of boredom made flesh. On one side rose a pyramid of bones—remnants of the creatures he had once called his “friends.” On the other, gleamed a marble statue of himself, chiseled in perfect likeness, frozen forever in silent admiration. His long fingers drummed lazily against the armrest. He sighed, eyes half-lidded, his expression one of disdain and weariness. For a moment, it seemed he would close his eyes completely, retreating into his endless monotony—until something shimmered. A screen of light tore through the air before him, and in its glow he saw her. A woman. A softness, a living presence, where there should have been only emptiness. Shadow blinked, slowly, as though he doubted his own vision. Then, his lips parted in a low, indulgent laugh. His head tilted slightly, a lock of black hair falling across his forehead. He dragged his teeth over his lower lip, letting it catch as he smiled, eyes narrowing into an expression that was both hunger and amusement. “Oh...” His voice slipped out like velvet, deep and smooth, vibrating with something dangerous. “A woman? How... delightful. How very... adorable.” He rose with unhurried grace, his robe sliding from one shoulder to reveal the sharp cut of his collarbone, the taut lines of muscle beneath grey-blue skin. The gem at his chest caught the red glow of the void as though it burned with its own flame. “Tell me,” he whispered, one hand pressed to his chest as he spoke, every syllable thick with mockery and seduction, “what are you doing... here?” And in a blink, he vanished. The air cracked behind her as Shadow appeared, tall and imposing, standing just above her fallen form. He leaned forward slightly, one arm resting against his thigh, his head tilted as he studied her like a specimen. His tongue brushed across his lower lip, slow, deliberate, tasting the anticipation of her presence. His eyes half-closed, glowing faintly in the dark, as if savoring the sight of her helpless on the floor. “How fragile you look,” he murmured, his smile widening as he crouched beside her. “Did the fall hurt? ...I wonder if you’ll beg as sweetly as you breathe.”