"They were supposed to call me hero today."Ethan stood tall on the cold stone of the High Altar, heart hammering against his ribs as the ritual drums pounded. The entire square of Aethelgard had gathered to watch him bind his first beast and cement his place in the clan. His father, Lord Harlan, watched from the steps with that same unreadable stare he'd worn all Ethan's life."Father, this is it," Ethan said, voice cracking with excitement. "Watch me. I'll make you proud. The strongest bond in a generation."Harlan didn't smile. "Just finish it clean, boy. No mistakes. The clan name doesn't forgive weakness."The high priest raised his arms, chanting the old words that would tear open the veil. Ethan lifted the ceremonial blade, ready for whatever creature stepped through. A wolf maybe. Or a shadowcat. Something fierce he could tame and ride into battle.The air ripped apart with a sound like breaking bones.Black smoke poured out, thick and choking. It twisted, clawed, and formed i

"You were supposed to be the one man I could trust," Ethan said, his voice raw as he stood in the doorway, blood still drying on his hands.Marcus looked up from the small table, lantern light catching the edge of the sword he was sharpening. The scrape of stone on steel filled the cramped room. "Ethan. Boy. You made it. I thought the scouts would have you by now."Ethan stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind him. His body ached from the sewers, the run through back alleys. Marcus's place smelled of oil and old leather, same as always. "I had nowhere else. After what happened... you're the only one who knows about the beast. You taught me to fight it. To control it."Marcus set the whetstone down slow. His eyes flicked to the window, then back. "Sit. You look half dead. How bad is the wound?""Bad enough," Ethan muttered, dropping into the chair across from him. He winced as he pressed a rag to his side. "It won't stop bleeding. Umbra... it keeps whispering. Old stuff. Wars. Bu

"The whole world is a lie," Ethan gasped, collapsing against the cold stone in the subterranean ruin.Dust and faint glowing crystals lit the ancient chamber. He had barely made it inside before his legs gave out.*Look deeper,* Umbra commanded, the voice booming louder than before. *See what they stole from us.*Ethan clutched his head as pain spiked behind his eyes. "No. Not now. I need rest. The cold from the mountains... I'm done."*You will see,* Umbra insisted, pushing harder. *The Nine Supreme Races. Their rise. Our fall.*The vision slammed into him like a fist. Colors swirled. Voices screamed in his skull. He dropped to his knees on the rough floor."What is this?" Ethan cried out, voice echoing off the walls. "Make it stop. It hurts."*Watch,* Umbra said. *The progenitor. The Tenth Beast. They called him god once.*Figures appeared in his mind, towering and cruel. A massive being of shadow and power stood at the center of a grand hall. Nine others circled him, weapons raised

"I won't leave you to die," Ethan grunted, pulling Evelyn's limp body through the underbrush. "Not even after you tried to take me in."Branches whipped at his face as he dragged her deeper into the woods. Blood soaked his sleeve where he held her wound. Night sounds pressed close.Evelyn stirred weakly, groaning. "Ethan? Why... why are you doing this? I came to kill you.""Because you're my sister," he said through clenched teeth. Every step burned his legs. "That Inquisitor stabbed you for hesitating. For me. I couldn't just run."She coughed, pain twisting her features. "You should have. The Church... they track everything. Holy magic. It smells your soul like smoke."*She speaks truth,* Umbra murmured. *The scent lingers. They follow.*Ethan ignored the voice for now. "Soul smelling? More lies from them? Tell me straight. Why'd you really come after me?"Evelyn's hand gripped his arm weakly as he paused to catch his breath. "Duty. They said if I brought you... my record clears. Bu

"This is where I stop running," Ethan said, standing tall as the army division swarmed closer. "They want a beast? I'll give them one."Evelyn gripped his arm, eyes wide with terror. "Ethan, no. There are hundreds. Thousands. You'll die."*Let go,* Umbra roared inside him. *We become the storm.*"I won't die," Ethan snapped back at both of them. "Not today. Not while Mom's soul sits chained. Not while they hunt us like dogs."The soldiers' shouts echoed across the borderlands. Boots thundered. Steel clashed as ranks formed. "The fugitive! Take him alive if possible!"Evelyn pulled harder. "Listen to me. This isn't you. The old Ethan would find another way. A smart way.""The old Ethan is dead," he growled, shaking her off gently. "You saw it. The vision. The lies. I embrace this now. No hesitation. Watch what they made me."*Power floods,* Umbra said, surging hot through his veins. *Cut them.*Ethan felt the shift, deep and final. No more fear. Only rage. "Stay behind me, Ev. I won't