Waiter from Nowhere

Jay's body was numb, his consciousness slipping as the ritual neared its completion. The darkness pressed in on him, suffocating him from all sides. He could feel his power, his light, slipping away, consumed by the shadows that now engulfed him.

His eyes fluttered open, but all he could see was the face of the waiter—the demon—watching him with cold satisfaction. "It's over, Jay. You'll live forever. But you'll never be the same."

The words seemed distant, muffled, as if coming from a far-off place. Jay felt detached, as if he were no longer a part of his own body. The shadows had taken everything from him—his will, his strength, his very essence.

And then, the world went black.