The Shadow That Slipped Away
Fog hung low when Evan vanished, leaving the masters standing still. Their breaths slowed, weighted by what slipped through their fingers. Silence crept across the stones where orders once flew. Mistakes don’t shout - they seep, quiet and deep. Shadows stretched longer without him there.
Wind at night slipped between shattered lanterns, sending scraps of ritual paper skittering over cold stones. After the fight, silence settled like dust on every surface. Smoke from old incense curled just beneath the breath, barely there. Quiet stayed longer than anyone expected.
A monster of a man... still slipped through their fingers.
A few older exorcists tightened their hands into fists. So turned their eyes to the shadowed edge of the sky, where Evan was gone, faces set hard.
Silence hung there, stretching out like a held breath.
Then suddenly—
"Everyone, from today onwards, our group will brand Evan as wanted. Anyone associated with him will be considered our enemy!"
Togou from White Hills shouted to the crowd.
A sharp sound cut through the open space, his words falling heavy as a blacksmith’s blow.
Faint shadows lingered under his eyes, even after the dark force left his veins. Still, the fight had drained him deep. A quiet rhythm filled his chest with each breath, yet not quite strong. Now and then, his fingers twitched - small signs of what remained.
Full healing might last anywhere from ten days up to two weeks. Recovery won’t rush past that window. A full return takes ti, often stretching close to fifteen days. Healing moves slow, never quicker than ten days gone by.
Yet there he remained, upright despite years weighing down his bones.
Fear of judgnt kept his hands steady when everything inside shook. His jaw tightened just enough to hide the tremble beneath. The group watched, unaware of the war behind his eyes. He stood straight, though every breath fought against collapse. Silence beca armor where words might have failed. A glance passed - quick, sharp - then vanished into stillness.
"Indeed, such a villain must not be allowed to continue deceiving people under our sect’s na."
"Hmph, if I encounter him in the North, he won’t have a good ti."
Folks nodded along, sharing the sa view.
Out in the martial realm, those who cast out spirits followed unspoken rules. What others thought of you weighed heavier than money or rank. Standing by your word ant everything. Loyalty stood above comfort. Honor shaped every choice made.
Evan’s actions today -
They were disgraceful.
Twisting shadowy thods, fooling other exorcists, while almost sparking disaster...
If word spread that soone like him operated freely under the banner of their traditions, it would sha every household represented here.
After everyone reached a consensus, Togou slowly turned his gaze toward one man standing quietly among them.
Julian D’Aurelius.
The young man stood calmly near the edge of the courtyard, hands loosely in his pockets. His black hair moved gently in the night wind, and beneath the lantern glow his golden eyes looked almost luminous.
There was no arrogance in his posture.
Only quiet composure.
Togou cupped his hands respectfully.
"Young Master Julian, I, Togou, will rember your kindness today. If you ever need anything from White Hills, just ask."
"Sa goes for ," added Gpin with a nod.
One after another, several elders stepped forward.
"Young Master Julian, at such a young age, you have such profound skills. I believe you are the number one Black Magic master in Valemont. Does anyone have any objections?"
A few people laughed.
"Young Master Julian could even be called the number one in Valcenza, hahaha."
A group of people began to flatter him.
Julian felt so embarrassed he wanted to dig a hole with his toes and hide.
Inside his mind he scread.
Please... stop flattering .
Really, stop it.
Number one in Valcenza, my foot.
Yet his smile stayed fixed, soft at the edges. Still, it didn’t reach his eyes.
"Everyone, you’re too kind. I just did a little insignificant work. Don’t think too much about it. Please, go rest."
That grin looked out of place on Julian’s face.
Yet the praise kept coming.
"Such talent at a young age and so humble, Young Master Julian is truly a dragon among n."
"If I had a son, I’d want him to be like Young Master Julian."
More laughter followed.
His fingers moved slow across the nape, pressing just enough to feel the tension there.
"You’re really exaggerating..."
One by one, they drifted apart - after more polite words and quiet nods - heading off to find so peace.
Fewer people stayed as ti passed. The space between them grew wider.
Floating gently, lanterns rocked back and forth on the breeze.
Footsteps faded till silence filled the room.
He exhaled, slow at first, then all at once.
"That was exhausting..."
Then—
"Are you okay?"
A gentle voice ca from behind him.
Julian turned.
Gwen Valquin had approached quietly.
The moonlight seed to cling to her golden hair, giving it a soft silver glow. Her long blonde strands fell smoothly down her back like silk, framing a face that was strikingly beautiful even under the dim lantern light.
Her bright blue eyes were clear and expressive, filled with concern as she looked at him.
Gwen Valquin possessed a breathtaking figure.
She wore a fitted ivory blouse tucked neatly into a high-waisted dark skirt that hugged her voluptuous curves perfectly. The fabric stretched subtly across her chest, outlining the full shape of her D-cup breasts, the soft rise and fall of her breathing gently shifting the cloth.
Her waist narrowed elegantly before her hips flared outward into a lush, rounded curve.
Her broad peach-shaped ass was impossible to ignore, pressing firmly against the back of the skirt with every step she took.
Her legs were long and powerful.
The smooth fabric traced the strength of her thick thighs, each step carrying a natural sway that made the entire silhouette feel alive.
Her lips were full and naturally pink, her cheeks softly curved, her jawline delicate yet defined. A graceful neck connected her head to her shoulders, the pale skin glowing faintly under the lantern light.
She looked like soone who had stepped out of a painting.
Yet right now, that beautiful face held only concern.
Having known Julian for many years, she knew he wasn’t particularly strong.
Seeing him standing there so calmly after such a dangerous confrontation, she suspected he was simply enduring it quietly so no one would worry.
"I’m fine."
Julian said, shaking his head calmly.
Inside his mind, however—
[What the hell, why did you co over?]
[Wait... don’t you usually hate ?]
Hearing his inner thoughts, Gwen smiled gently.
The faint curve of her lips softened her already beautiful face.
"Thank you so much for today."
They had known each other for many years.
Yet their relationship had always been awkward.
More like strangers forced into familiarity.
The reason for their discord went back over a decade.
One day, Gwen had been sleeping at ho.
She had a habit of sleeping naked.
That day, Julian ca to the Valquin household and stayed the night. Mike Valquin arranged a room for him.
Unfortunately—
That room happened to be Gwen’s.
Neither of them knew.
In the middle of the night, Julian rolled over in his sleep and instinctively hugged the warm body beside him.
Gwen woke up instantly.
Their eyes t.
Both of them were completely naked.
The mory still made Julian’s ears burn.
Back then, Gwen had been a teenage girl.
How could she tolerate such a thing?
In pure rage, she didn’t even put on clothes.
She jumped out of bed and gave the stunned Julian a hard slap.
For a boy barely entering his teens, that slap had been devastating.
Since then, their relationship had never truly recovered.
"No need to thank . Mike is my brother; it’s what I should do."
Julian shook his head.
But as he spoke—
His eyes involuntarily drifted.
From her bright blue eyes...
To the curve of her lips...
Then lower.
The way her blouse stretched across her chest made it impossible not to notice.
The soft, heavy shape of her breasts pressed against the fabric, the gentle outline visible even through the layers.
Then lower still—
Her waist.
Her hips.
The smooth curve leading down to her rounded ass and powerful thighs.
It wasn’t that he was being lecherous.
A man’s eyes are naturally drawn to certain things.
It’s instinct.
An appreciation of beauty.
Not a lewd or dirty act.
Every man is an artist.
Inside his mind—
[Damn... it’s been a while since I’ve seen her.]
[How did her boobs grow that much bigger so well?]
[Back then she was just a budding flower...]
[And now she looks like a walking bomb.]
Julian swallowed slightly.
His gaze flicked away before she noticed.
Then another thought popped up in his mind.
[It’s all Mike’s fault.]
[If that bastard hadn’t tricked into her room wanting to be his brother-in-law...]
[That slap would have been for nothing.]
[Maybe I would actually be on good terms with her.]
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