Pop star Maria De Mornay had just finished her latest concert, which had been a resounding success, and her fans—the De Mornay Army—had the time of their lives. Maria was promoting her new album, which had gone diamond in record time. In the dressing room, the atmosphere was quiet as Maria retouched her makeup before facing the press. Suddenly, the lights dimmed slightly, and the temperature felt uncharacteristically cold for summer. Maria crossed her arms and rubbed them to warm herself while continuing with her makeup.

After finishing up, she wrote something in the mirror before leaving the dressing room to join her manager in the press room. “Welcome, members of the press and the rest of the De Mornay Army. Maria is ready for your questions,” her manager greeted the reporters. The press conference was going smoothly, but towards the end of the session, the manager asked if there was one last question before wrapping up. A thin man, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, raised his hand. “Hello, I’m Lucious Knight from Obsidian Magazine, and I have some questions.”

The manager’s confident smirk turned to subtle fear as he recognized the man. “Please, what’s your question?” Maria asked.

“First, congratulations on the new album, Maria. It’s your best work yet,” the man replied. “In the past ten years, you came from nothing and became the biggest star in the world. Was it worth it? Did you accomplish everything you wanted?”

“I’ve accomplished more than I ever dreamed, so yes, I did,” Maria responded. The room dimmed slightly as Lucious held everyone’s attention.

“Maria, now that you’ve reached the tenth anniversary of your first hit, what’s next for your career?”

Maria felt a chill run down her spine. She struggled to come up with an answer, his gaze piercing through her carefully crafted facade. Finally, she replied, “I intend to keep creating music that speaks to my fans, pushing the boundaries, and redefining what it means to be a global superstar.”

Lucious nodded, his eyes twinkling with unsettling delight. “Indeed, you’ve certainly accomplished that,” he said steadily. “And now that your ten-year journey is complete, are you ready for the next step?”

“The next step?” Maria asked, frowning.

Lucious leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper that filled the room. “The final payment for your success.”

The room seemed to hold its breath. Maria’s manager paled, shifting uneasily as he tried to signal for the press to wrap up. But Lucious remained locked on Maria. Her smile faltered, replaced by a dawning realization. She had worked so hard and sacrificed so much for her dream—believing she could handle any cost. But she had forgotten about the shadowy promise made in desperation a decade ago.

Lucious stood, his smile unwavering. “It’s time, Maria. Ten years, as agreed.”

The lights flickered and dimmed further until they finally went out, plunging the room into darkness. Reporters stumbled over each other, trying to find the exit, their camera flashes briefly illuminating the room. But when the lights returned, the press found themselves alone in an empty conference room.

Maria De Mornay and Lucious Knight had vanished.

Backstage, the dressing room mirror held a single message scrawled in lipstick: “Goodbye, My Army.”