The rain had been falling since sunrise.Cold drops hammered the stone roads, spilled from the rooftops, and streamed down the wide marble steps of Ashcroft Manor like countless tiny rivers. Thick storm clouds stretched endlessly across the sky, swallowing every trace of sunlight until the world seemed trapped beneath a blanket of gray.Inside the great mansion, warm golden lights glowed through every window. Music drifted through the halls, blending with cheerful laughter as members of the Ashcroft family celebrated another prosperous year of wealth and influence.Outside, however, a young man knelt alone.His thin shirt clung to his body, soaked through by the relentless rain. Wet strands of black hair hung over his eyes, sending droplets onto the polished marble beneath him. His hands were raw and split open, and fresh blood mixed with the rainwater as he pushed an old brush across the stone.Every stroke sent a burning ache through his fingers, yet he never slowed. He already knew

Morning arrived beneath clear skies.The heavy rain from the previous night had vanished, leaving the Ashcroft estate bright and refreshed. Golden sunlight washed over the marble towers, sparkling fountains, and colorful flower gardens, while birds sang from the trees as though the world itself had already forgotten yesterday's storm.For Lucien Ashcroft, however, nothing had changed.He woke before dawn, just as he always did. His morning began with two heavy buckets of water hauled from the well behind the servants' quarters. Every step sent a sharp sting through his sore hands as the rough rope scraped against the fresh cuts he had earned the day before, but he clenched his teeth and continued without complaint.No one offered to help him. No one ever did.After filling the kitchen's water barrels, he spent the next hour chopping firewood until his shoulders burned with exhaustion. When that task was finished, he swept the front courtyard before moving on to clean the horse stables

The first light of dawn had barely touched the mountains when the roads leading to the Royal Ascension Grounds became crowded. Carriages decorated with noble crests rolled along the wide stone roads one after another, while horses clad in polished silver armor pulled wealthy families toward the capital. Merchants eagerly opened colorful stalls beside the streets, calling out to passing travelers as they displayed charms, food, and lucky trinkets for the thousands of visitors expected to attend.Today was unlike any other day.Today was the Soul Familiar Ascension Ceremony. It was the day that decided a young person's future.A single awakening could raise a common child to greatness, while a single failure could shatter generations of noble pride.For every eighteen-year-old across the kingdom, this ceremony was far more than a celebration. It was a judgment that would shape the rest of their lives.Lucien rode in the last carriage belonging to the Ashcroft family. Not inside. Outsi

The world fell silent.Only a heartbeat earlier, the Royal Ascension Grounds had been alive with laughter, applause, and excited conversations. Now, an eerie stillness settled over the arena as if the world itself had stopped breathing. Thousands of people stood frozen in place, unable to understand what they were witnessing.The brilliant morning sun suddenly began to fade.Darkness spread across the sky with unnatural speed, swallowing the warm golden light that had bathed the marble arena only moments before. It was not the slow arrival of storm clouds. Instead, it felt as though an invisible hand had reached across the heavens and covered the sun itself.People instinctively lifted their eyes toward the sky.The sun was still there. But an enormous black shadow was slowly passing in front of it.A wave of frightened gasps rippled through the crowd."The moon..." someone whispered, their voice trembling with fear."The moon is covering the sun!""It... it shouldn't happen this fas

The figure stepped out of the celestial gate, and time itself seemed to stop.The wind vanished. No birds crossed the sky, and no one dared to speak above a whisper. High above the kingdom, the enormous celestial gate continued to shine with a cold silver light while thick waves of mist poured from its opening, spreading across the heavens like an endless sea.The mysterious figure descended without making a single sound. It did not flap its wings or cast a shadow upon the ground. Instead, it drifted downward with an effortless grace that defied every law of nature.Its body was wrapped in flowing black robes that looked as though they had been woven from the night itself. Long streams of silver light drifted across the fabric like living rivers. Six dark wings spread behind it, but they were unlike the wings of any bird. Tiny stars shimmered between the feathers, as though fragments of the night sky had become trapped within them.Its face remained hidden beneath a deep hood, making