Through the amulet, Alex had begun to understand the broader picture—how his mother and grandmother had both died because of the ancient enemies who sought the power contained within the amulet.

It wasn’t just Victor or a few bullies Alex needed to worry about. There was a shadow that loomed larger, a group that had been chasing his family for years. The enemies who had killed Alex’s mother and grandmother weren’t ordinary people. They were part of an ancient order known as *The Shadow Circle*, a secretive cult with roots stretching back centuries. Their only goal was to harness the immense power of the amulet to control the balance of magical forces in the world.

To truly understand the danger Alex now faced, we have to go back centuries—to the origins of the people responsible for his mother’s death, and now, those after him. These weren’t just ordinary killers. They belonged to a secret order called **The Shadow Circle**, a cult that had been chasing Alex's bloodline for generations, each generation more desperate than the last to claim the power locked within the amulet.

---

### The Shadow Circle: Masters of Darkness

The Shadow Circle wasn’t just a group of criminals. They were an ancient, clandestine order that worshipped the darker forces of magic. Their sole purpose was to gather objects of immense power, and the amulet, passed down through Alex's family, was one of the most powerful artifacts in existence. Its ability to control the elements, grant immense martial prowess, heal, and even alter reality was unmatched.

But the amulet wasn’t just a source of power—it also acted as a key. When combined with other ancient relics that The Shadow Circle had collected, the amulet could open a gateway to an ancient dimension, said to house unimaginable forces capable of reshaping the world as we know it.

**Silas**, the leader of the Shadow Circle, was obsessed with this idea. His ultimate goal was not just to possess the amulet but to use it to unlock these forces and become a god among men. Silas was a master of dark magic, having lived for centuries through forbidden rituals that kept his body young and his mind sharp. Over the years, he had become a master manipulator, orchestrating wars, betrayals, and assassinations from the shadows, all to achieve his twisted dream.

---

### The Black Fangs: Silas’s Elite Assassins

While Silas was the puppet master behind The Shadow Circle, he had an elite force that carried out his will—the **Black Fangs**. These were his most trusted and dangerous enforcers, individuals who had sacrificed their humanity in exchange for unspeakable power. They were responsible for hunting down those who possessed the amulet, killing Alex’s mother and grandmother in their relentless pursuit of the artifact.

Each member of the Black Fangs was a master of dark magic, martial arts, and deadly combat, making them nearly unstoppable. They had faced Alex's ancestors in the past, but Alex’s family had always managed to escape—until now.

#### 1. **Raven: The Phantom Assassin**

Raven was the most feared member of the Black Fangs, known for her ability to phase through solid objects and disappear into the shadows. She had once been a warrior from a distant land, but after making a pact with Silas, she had gained the power of intangibility, becoming almost impossible to catch or hurt. Raven relished in the hunt, taking pleasure in the fear she instilled in her victims before killing them.

Raven had been the one to kill Alex’s mother. On the night of the attack, she had slipped through walls, bypassing all defenses, and caught Alex’s mother off-guard in her final moments. Alex had inherited the same strength and abilities from his mother, but Raven’s stealth and precision had made her unstoppable that night.

#### 2. **Malachai: The Illusionist**

Malachai was another key figure in the death of Alex’s mother, though his role had been more insidious. A master of illusion and manipulation, Malachai was known for creating false realities, trapping his victims in their worst nightmares. He could twist perceptions, making his enemies see and feel things that weren’t real.

It was Malachai who had disoriented Alex’s mother, making her think she was safe when, in fact, Raven was moments away from delivering the killing blow. He had been present in Alex’s grandmother’s last moments as well, bending reality to confuse her and trap her in a nightmare of endless regret. Malachai’s hatred for Alex’s family went back generations—he had been humiliated by one of Alex’s ancestors, and now, he saw the chance to finally erase their bloodline.

#### 3. **Astra: The Shadow Binder**

Astra, the Shadow Binder, was a master of controlling shadows. With a mere thought, she could turn any shadow into a weapon—wrapping it around her enemies like a suffocating noose, or using it to bind them, draining their life force in the process. Cold and emotionless, Astra saw humans as mere tools to be used and discarded.

She had played a key role in torturing Grandma Chen before her death. Astra had been relentless, using shadows to trap Grandma Chen, tormenting her with visions of her failures, and demanding to know the location of Alex. When Grandma Chen had refused to speak, Astra had killed her without a second thought, believing that eventually, the amulet would lead them to Alex.

---

The deaths of Alex’s mother and grandmother were all part of The Shadow Circle’s grand design. Silas had known for years that Alex’s family was one of the last bloodlines capable of controlling the amulet, but he underestimated their strength. Alex’s mother had hidden the amulet before her death, and despite their best efforts, The Shadow Circle had never been able to locate it.

After her death, Grandma Chen had taken Alex into hiding, severing all ties to the magical world to protect Alex. For years, she had succeeded in keeping Alex safe, but the arrival of The Shadow Circle had been inevitable. When they finally tracked Grandma Chen down, she had fought bravely but had been outnumbered and overpowered by Raven, Malachai, and Astra.

It was Astra who had delivered the killing blow, suffocating Grandma Chen with shadows after she refused to reveal Alex’s location. But before dying, Grandma Chen had activated powerful wards to protect Alex, and The Shadow Circle had been forced to retreat, empty-handed.

---

Now that Alex had unlocked the amulet’s powers, Silas and The Shadow Circle had begun to stir once again. Silas could sense the amulet’s activation, and he knew that the time had come to reclaim it. He would stop at nothing to get his hands on it and would gladly destroy anyone who stood in his way.

With the full force of the Black Fangs behind him, Silas was preparing for a final confrontation. He knew that Alex was the last of the Chen family, and he intended to finish what had begun generations ago. But what he didn’t realize was that Alex was different—stronger, more determined, and now connected to the full extent of the amulet’s power.

---

Alex now faced an enemy far more dangerous than Victor and his gang. The Black Fangs had already killed his mother and grandmother, and they wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to him. But Alex was ready. With the powers of the amulet fully awakened, Alex wasn’t going to let The Shadow Circle destroy everything his family had fought to protect.

However, the challenge ahead was greater than anything Alex could imagine. Silas and his assassins were closing in, and soon, Alex would have to face them in a battle not just for his life, but for the future of the entire world. The amulet was more than just a weapon—it was the key to everything, and Alex knew that if it fell into the wrong hands, it would mean the end of everything.