Beneath the raging summer storm, Ariels' slumber shattered as if the heavens shouted his name in a thunderous chorus.

Lightning tore through the sky, revealing itself through the closed drapes of his room. He grinned, swinging his legs off the bed. Thunder rolled above as he slid off with care, hoping that the darkness within the room would remain undisturbed.

Stepping over to the drapes, he peered. Large evergreen trees whipped in the wind, their branches leaning as if bowing to a wild dance. Rain pattered against the glass, leaving meandering streams that his eyes followed. 

Suddenly, a single bolt of lightning jolted nearby, its ethereal shade of violet lighting up the night sky, casting a gentle glow onto his young face.

Its power shook the ground, sending vibrant energy into him. Ariel pressed his head against the cool glass, whispering, “It happened...A life has been taken by the Gods.”

His eyes fixated on the spot where the lightning struck, deep within the forest surrounding his family’s mansion. Ariel eagerly anticipated seeing a life claimed by the divine hands every monsoon.

It was the highlight of his summer, a macabre fascination that stirred his imagination. He’d fantasized about why that particular life and how the surroundings would transform.

He’s been told by Marriot that the scene is quite beautiful. Everything that the lightning touched will radiate with a film of blue light. 

It is like stepping into heaven, Marriott continued A heaven that I would surely not want to be a part of. 

His heart fluttered with the possibility of a dream finally coming true. 

The door to his bedroom creaked open, and he swiftly turned, the drapes falling closed in his haste.

He stepped back from the window, his cool green eyes locked onto the figure standing in the doorway—the silhouette of a man’s form, imposing in stature. 

The air morphed into something heavy and colder as if the shadows had grown denser, more tangible. Ariel's breath caught in his throat, and his body seized.

He didnt think he woke the darkness, but he did. And it ordered him to return to bed and sleep…to obey. 

With lips pressed tightly, Ariel moved forward, his gaze never leaving the figure. It was a dance of submission that his defiance would only lead to trouble in the morning. The figure remained motionless, its form impenetrable. 

As Ariel met the edge of his bed, he sighed heavily before sinking onto the mattress. The door creaked softly as it began to close, sealing him in the four walls of his room until morning.