The streets of Solrune were alive with anticipation as the Day of Awakening began. Market stalls stood abandoned, save for the occasional hurried merchant trying to make last-minute sales. Children laughed and ran, their voices ringing through the cold morning air.But Ash Revenhart sat alone on the worn stone steps of the orphanage, his head bent low, eyes locked on the slick cobblestones. The weight of the world pressed against his chest, and he couldn’t bring himself to look up, not yet.“Today’s the day,” he whispered to himself, almost in disbelief. Today was supposed to be different. He had hoped for so long that he might finally receive the mark, like the other children. The mark that would grant him a place in the world. A Mark of Origin.But as he glanced up, he saw them—the others. Children from all over the city, running, laughing, their bodies glowing with the fresh, radiant symbols newly etched into their skin. The marks were as varied as the colors of the sky. Red, blue,

Ash couldn’t shake the image of the twisted figures, their faces contorted by the power of the Veil. It was like a shadow was creeping into his very soul, pulling him deeper into its dark embrace. As much as he tried to push the thought away, it lingered, gnawing at him like a festering wound.The morning after the vision, Ash found himself standing at the edge of the village clearing, staring down at the dark symbol etched into the stone. It had a pulsing energy, like a heartbeat—alive and patient. His hand still tingled from where he had touched it.He glanced around. The Matron was with the other survivors, organizing the rebuilding efforts, while the elder who had discovered the stone had left to fetch more villagers to help with the excavation. For a moment, Ash was alone. His heart thundered in his chest as he stepped closer to the symbol again.The air around him seemed to hum with the presence of the Veil, like it was waiting for him to make his move. He reached out tentativel

The wind howled through the trees as Ash trekked through the dense forest, the moonlight barely breaking through the canopy above. His heart pounded in his chest as he pressed forward, his mind focused on the task ahead.He had no choice but to seek out the ancient temple—the one that was said to hold the answers to the Veil’s origins. If he was going to have any hope of controlling the darkness that had taken root within him, he needed to understand it, to learn how to harness its power before it consumed him completely.The whispers of the Veil were growing louder in his mind, its voice slipping through the cracks of his thoughts like a serpent slithering through the grass. You cannot escape me, Ash. I am with you always.He gritted his teeth, pushing the voice aside. The last thing he needed was to lose his focus now.As he moved deeper into the forest, the trees seemed to close in around him, their twisted branches reaching out like skeletal hands. It was as if the very forest its

The first light of dawn broke over the valley, casting long shadows across the stone structures that dotted the Whisperers' sanctuary. Ash stood at the entrance of the sacred grounds, his body tense with anticipation. The Veil within him seemed to stir, as if it knew the trials were about to begin.Cael, standing beside him, gave him a sharp look. "Remember, Ash. The trials are not just physical. They’ll test your mind, your heart, and most importantly, your soul. Stay focused. You must prove that you can control the Veil, not let it control you."Ash nodded, trying to steady his racing thoughts. The weight of the Veil in him had been growing ever since he stepped foot in the sanctuary. He couldn’t explain why, but the very air around him felt charged with an energy that resonated with the darkness inside him.A figure appeared at the entrance of the valley, a woman draped in dark robes, her eyes gleaming beneath her hood. "The trials begin now," she announced, her voice like the rust

Ash stood in the heart of the Whisperers’ sanctuary, his mind still reeling from the Trial of Spirit. The weight of the Veil had lifted somewhat, but a new sense of urgency had settled in its place. He could feel the power of the Veil coursing through him, yet there was something else—a shadow lurking at the edges of his awareness, waiting for the moment to strike.Cael stood beside him, her expression tense. "You’ve done well, Ash. But the trials were just the beginning. Now that you’ve passed, the Veil will draw attention. There are those who seek to control it. And you."Ash’s brow furrowed. "Who are they? Why would anyone want the Veil?""The Veil is a source of unimaginable power," Cael replied, her voice low, almost grim. "To control the Veil means to control the very fabric of reality. It’s a force that can reshape the world, bend time, and twist fate. There are those who would do anything to harness that power—for their own purposes."Ash felt a chill run down his spine. "And