The Prince of Shadows

Prologue

Once upon a time, there lived a boy. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about him, just merely the fact that he was rather peculiar. He had a peculiar face, a peculiar way of speaking, and a peculiar aura of misery about him that just made your insides curl and freeze. He was a downright odd boy who grew up to become an even odder man. No one, not even his family, knew what happened to him after December 24 at exactly 11:59 pm. 

Once upon a time, there was a girl with hair as white as snow and lips as red as flame, and a passion burning within her for knowledge and power. She was a charismatic little thing, with big blue eyes that could charm the mickey out of you and a way with words that simply blew your head from your shoulders. She was beloved, the gem of her family; but no one knew where she went after December 24 at exactly 11:59 pm. 

Once upon a time, there was boy with eyes so intense that your legs would shake and your lips would go numb, a boy with troubled thoughts and a more troubled backstory. A boy kicked out of every school he ever attended and thrown out of all the towns he lived in. A boy who only wanted to be loved, and yet scorned the very idea of it. Yet all those who frowned upon him never saw him again after December 24 at exactly 11:59 pm. 

Once upon a time, there was a girl. She was nothing out of the ordinary; just a simple girl leading a simple life of laughter and mirth. A girl who was shy and empathetic, a girl who knew how to treat others the right way. And yet she fell off the face of the earth on December 24 at exactly 11:59 pm. 

And in the chaos of life there was a man. A man with whom the shadows danced and played with and with whom the demons of the night worshiped and honored. A man whom time itself bent to and space gave up to. The man of many names, many faces, and many worlds. The Prince of Shadows.