: The chapter introduces this central world-building mechanic—a "disease" that forces people into a deadly trial. Failure means turning into a monster, creating immediate, high-stakes tension. Protagonist Introduction
The chapter does exactly what a first chapter should do: It introduces a character you pity, places him in a world you fear, and ends on a cliffhanger that forces you to click "Next." Shadow Slave Chapter 1
: He is taken to a secure, armored room and restrained in a specialized chair designed to contain him should he fail his trial and transform into a monster. Shadow Slave Chapter 1
Before the darkness.
"Sunless" reflects his status—someone forgotten by light and luck. Shadow Slave Chapter 1