“Your Father has every right to be hesitant about your joining the Shadow Corp.” An old man with scars on his face tells the tales of a young man who served in the military years ago and finally settled down after years of service, said behind the counter as he rinsed a glass cup.“But it's my decision, and I'm mature enough to know what I want now.” A tall and lean young man with short dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes argued back.The old man who goes by the name Fred, popularly called Sir Fred, turned around, stacking the glass cup onto the racks before he turned to address the young man in front of him. “Yes indeed, you are mature enough to make your own decision, but the Shadow Corp is surrounded by an air of mystery that even I with my years in service could not decipher. All I know about them is that they protect the royal families, and that's just it.” Sir Fred tried to explain to him.“How hard can protecting the royal family be.” The young man asked. Kael Draven, the s

Morning came all too soon for Kael, who had barely caught a wink of sleep. The excitement coursing through him had kept him awake, his mind racing with anticipation. Today was the day he had dreamed of for as long as he could remember—the day his life would change forever. The thought of it sent a surge of adrenaline through his veins, fueling his every move. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the chance to turn his lifelong dream into reality. He could feel the weight of destiny pressing down on him, but instead of fear, it filled him with an overwhelming sense of purpose. Today, he would prove himself worthy of everything he had ever hoped to become.“Kael, are you awake?” His dad knocked on his bedroom door.“Yes dad, just packing.” Kael replied as he packed some clothes into his traveling bag. He had bath early in the morning and done all his chores, it might be the last time he ever does anymore in the house if he manages to pass the tests he would face at the choosing

“Well, what?” The lady asked.“I can control time to some extent,” Kael said causing the lady's eyebrow to raise. His ability was a very rare own and raised questions whenever he talked about them.“That's one crazy ability.” She reached for a wristband in a box beside her and handed it over to him. “Here take this, you'll need it.”“Thank you ma'am.” Kael teased and before the lady could react, he walked away briskly smirking.After few minutes when everyone had been checked in, a booming voice echoed through the air, all eyes turned to the towering figure stepping onto the stage. The man was massive, a wall of muscle with a long scar slashing across his nose and several smaller ones crisscrossing his rugged face. Resting on his shoulder was an enormous sword, a weapon that looked more like a slab of metal than a blade. The sight of him alone was enough to command attention, but the crowd’s excitement hit a fever pitch when they realized who he was."Welcome, Rookies," the man growle

A light suddenly surrounded Kael, covering him completely. It stayed that way for a few seconds. While it was around him, his body started to feel better. His cuts disappeared, and the pain faded.The glow was soft at first. It pulsed faintly, wrapping around Kael like a protective cocoon. The air around him shifted. His torn shirt fluttered slightly in the breeze it created, though no wind blew in the chamber.Kael felt it immediately. The sharp sting in his shoulder dulled, and then vanished. The bruising on his ribs began to melt away. He watched, awestruck, as the gash on his forearm sealed itself in seconds, the skin knitting back together without a trace of the wound. The dull ache in his bones evaporated. His chest, once heaving, now rose and fell evenly.Once the light was gone, Kael stood up straighter. He didn’t feel tired anymore. His breathing was calm, and his injuries had healed.“That was because of the wristband,” Ember said. “It has a healing rune,” she continued, pac

The courtyard had filled slowly with groups of new trainees arriving in silence. Kael stood near the side wall, arms folded, watching as more recruits filed in under the overcast sky. No one spoke a word. The mood was heavy but not tense—more like people waiting for something inevitable.The banners above the courtyard flapped slightly in the wind. Most of them bore the crest of the Academy—two wings crossed over a blade. Kael stared at it without really thinking, his mind blank. He felt rested, but not ready.A chime echoed across the yard. Archon appeared on the upper platform, flanked as usual by Ember and Drax. There was no announcement beforehand. His voice simply filled the space.“You’ve completed your entry trials. Now begins operational training.”Still no one spoke.“You will be deployed,” Archon continued. “You will work in squads. Your task is simple: infiltrate the simulated city, track your target, and extract information. You must not be identified or caught.”Kael lis