Kenneth's eyes widened a fraction. The man then changed back to his standard form. "As you can see, I have a shadow affinity. That means I can manipulate shadows of all kinds, not just my own. I can hide my presence, hide within shadows, and become one. Anyone living being that has one, I can control."
He said it in such a casual, manner-of-fact way, like he was talking about the weather or a book. Xander then turned to Barnes, who looked like he could watch the man show off his abilities all day. Barnes cleared his throat when he felt his eyes on him.
He stepped forward, rolling his shoulders once, as if shaking off the last remnants of being caught staring.
"Alright," he said, voice low but steady, "now that you've seen what a shadow affinity looks like… let's move on to something a little louder."
A faint crackle pulsed in the air around him—soft at first, like static brushing over skin. Then it sharpened. The lights above them flickered.
