INT. CASTLE HALL - NIGHT We focus on a grand, ornately decorated castle hall, lit by flickering torches and an oversized Gothic chandelier, casting long shadows that seem to dance along the stone walls. The PRINCE OF DARKNESS, a figure of quiet menace, is hosting an evening soiree. The room is filled with a curious assortment of aristocratic vampires, demon nobles in stylish attire, and other supernatural beings mingling amidst the eerie ambiance. PRINCE OF DARKNESS (quietly, almost a whisper) Welcome to my domain, brave one. I trust your journey here was... as dark as the eternal night. His GUEST, a swashbuckling adventurer with a devil-may-care attitude named JACK, grins broadly as he sips a glass of suspiciously red wine. JACK Nah, it was pretty lit, actually--your ghouls make excellent pathfinders. And this punch! What's in it? Tang with a hint of... iron? Everyone pauses as an uncomfortable silence falls over the hall. A demon with six eyes rolls four of them while sipping from a goblet, utterly unimpressed. PRINCE OF DARKNESS (not amused) You joke in the presence of darkness itself. But be warned, not all here have a... taste for humor. Jack raises his glass to the Prince, still unphased. JACK Here's to the Prince of Darkness, then! May his shadows never grow less... spooky. The guests exchange wary glances, unsure what this madcap mortal might do next. The Prince rises slowly from his throne, moving towards Jack with a predatory grace. The room grows colder as he approaches. PRINCE OF DARKNESS You wish to see the true darkness?\ Jack nods, feigning a shiver of excitement. JACK Lay it on me, Your Shadowy Highness. I've seen things that'd turn your hair white--assuming it can get any paler, that is. The Prince tilts his head up slightly, the shadows of his peaked cap finally receding to reveal his eyes. They're... normal eyes but red, just a vibrant, crimson hue. No unearthly flames, no abyssal depths--just red. JACK (containing laughter) Oh wow, they're... red. I was expecting, I don't know, soul-sucking vortexes or something. But red's neat too! A murmur of suppressed laughter ripples through some of the less intimidated guests. A vampire in the back chokes on his drink, and a werewolf snorts audibly. PRINCE OF DARKNESS (deeply sarcastic) Yes, 'neat.' The crimson gaze of your inevitable doom, so casually dismissed. I'm positively wounded. Jack slaps his knee, letting out a hearty guffaw. JACK Oh, lighten up! Look, folks, he's got a sense of humor after all! The Prince's lips curl into a reluctant half-smile, his typically sadistic aura faltering just a bit. There's a collective gasp. PRINCE OF DARKNESS (slightly bemused) Perhaps there's more to you, Mortal. You have dared to mock the dark... and yet, here you are, untouched. Jack winks and tips his hat at the Prince. JACK I aim to please! So, about this castle... got any secret passages? Haunted libraries? A cursed mirror, maybe? The Prince rolls his eyes beneath their red lids and sighs. PRINCE OF DARKNESS This way to the dungeon gift shop, then. You simply must have a skull keychain as a memento of this... delightful banter. JACK Lead on! But do the skulls come in red? The Prince smirks, shaking his head in mock resignation. As they walk away, the guests resume their murmuring, pondering this unusual interaction, while some still try to stifle their chuckles. FADE OUT.