Rise of the Forgotten

Episode 2: The Veil Unleashed

Ash’s heart was still racing. His chest heaved with every breath as he tried to come to terms with what had just happened. He had faced the flames, saved the children, and now stood before a man cloaked in shadow. The weight of his actions felt heavy, and yet, the power coursing through him felt alive—almost intoxicating.

The hooded figure before him stepped closer, his movements slow but purposeful. The darkness that surrounded him seemed to cling to the air, warping reality around them.

Ash instinctively took a step back. “Who are you?” His voice shook, but his gaze never wavered.

The man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he raised a hand, his fingers glowing faintly with the same shadowy energy that had surged through Ash earlier. “I see you’ve already begun to feel the effects of the Veil. It’s a power few ever understand, but one that changes everything.”

Ash didn’t like the sound of that. “The Veil? What does that even mean? You said it’s the power of the forgotten. Forgotten by who?”

The man chuckled darkly, the sound sending a chill down Ash’s spine. “The Veil is a force that existed long before this world was created. It was sealed away by those who feared it. But you... you are Veilborn. That power flows through you now. There is no turning back.”

Ash clenched his fists, a strange sensation rising in his chest. He had felt the power when he saved the children, but now, hearing these words, it was like a dam had broken within him. He could feel it again—the darkness, calling to him, urging him to embrace it. But at what cost?

“I didn’t ask for this,” Ash muttered, glancing at the others around him—the Matron, the children—his resolve wavering.

“You did,” the man replied. “Whether you know it or not, you’ve chosen this path. The Veil has chosen you. The world is changing, Ash. The Veil is awakening, and with it, powers long forgotten. You’re just the first of many.”

Ash's mind raced. “What do you mean, the first? Who else?”

The hooded man tilted his head. “Others like you, Veilborns. People who will rise and fall as the Veil’s influence spreads. But you…” He looked Ash over, a curious glint in his eyes. “You are different. You have something the others do not.”

Before Ash could ask what that meant, the man stepped back, fading into the shadow as if he were part of it. The air grew colder, and Ash shivered, his body instinctively wanting to pull away from the unnatural presence.

“The choice is yours,” the man’s voice echoed from the depths of the shadow. “Will you rise as the Veil’s chosen, or will you fall like the others before you? The future awaits.”

Ash felt a chill creep down his spine. As the man vanished completely into the darkness, Ash’s mind began to race.

The Matron, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, her voice soft but filled with awe. “Ash... What did he mean? The Veil’s chosen?”

Ash shook his head, still reeling from the encounter. “I don’t know, Matron. But I feel it. This power—it’s not something I can just ignore.”

She stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’re not alone in this, Ash. We’ve all been through hell today. But you... you saved us. No one else could’ve done that.”

Ash looked down at his hands. The veins that had spread across his arms were slowly fading, but the power, the pull of it, remained within him, always just beneath the surface.

“Yeah,” Ash murmured, more to himself than to her. “But at what cost?”

---

Later That Night

As night fell over the ruined village, Ash found himself standing alone by the riverbank, staring at the reflection of the moon on the dark waters. The world felt different now—he felt different. The power of the Veil still lingered in his chest, a constant, throbbing reminder of the choices he had made.

He hadn’t asked for this, hadn’t asked for the dark power that now coursed through his veins. And yet, he couldn’t ignore it. It was a part of him now, like it or not.

His mind wandered back to the hooded figure. He had called himself an “agent of the Veil,” whatever that meant. But Ash couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The power of the Veil wasn’t something that could be controlled so easily. And what if, in the end, it consumed him? He had already felt it tugging at him, like a storm just waiting to break.

His thoughts were interrupted by the soft sound of footsteps behind him. Ash turned, and his gaze softened as he saw the Matron approaching, her face weary but kind.

“Hey,” she said softly, standing beside him. “You okay?”

Ash nodded, though the unease in his chest was far from gone. “I don’t know. I mean, I don’t even understand all of this. I just… I don’t want to lose control.”

The Matron smiled gently, her eyes filled with understanding. “You won’t lose control. You’ve always had control, Ash. This power, whatever it is, won’t change who you are.”

Ash wasn’t so sure about that, but he didn’t voice his doubts. For now, the warmth of her words was enough. “Thanks, Matron,” he said quietly.

For a moment, they stood in silence, watching the moon’s reflection on the river. The world felt still, but Ash knew better than to think everything was truly calm. His journey had just begun, and the Veil was not something that would let him go so easily.

---

The Next Morning

The village had already begun to rebuild. The orphanage was gone, but the survivors were beginning to set up makeshift shelters. The children were still scared, but they had the Matron to guide them, and Ash—strangely—felt a responsibility for them now.

But there was still much he didn’t understand. As he watched the others work, his thoughts drifted back to the mysterious figure—the agent of the Veil. He had spoken of others like him, Veilborns, people who had accepted the power of the Veil. And Ash couldn’t help but wonder—what happened to those who had come before him? Were they as lost as he feared he might become?

Suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Ash!” It was one of the village elders, a tall, wiry man who had helped guide the survivors after the fire. “We’ve found something. You need to see this.”

Ash followed the man to a nearby clearing, his heart already pounding in his chest. What could they have found?

When he arrived, the elder gestured toward a stone structure half-buried beneath the ruins of the old village square. Ash’s eyes widened as he saw what lay atop the stone slab.

It was a symbol—a dark, intricate marking that glowed faintly, just like the Veil’s power had. It was the same symbol the hooded man had shown him.

Ash stepped forward, his hand instinctively reaching toward it. The moment his fingers brushed the stone, the symbol pulsed, sending a shockwave of energy through his body. For a brief moment, the world around him seemed to warp and twist, and a vision flashed before his eyes.

He saw shadows—figures cloaked in darkness—standing in a circle, chanting in an ancient tongue. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the Veil’s power surged through them, turning their bodies into grotesque, twisted versions of themselves. The vision was brief, but it left Ash feeling sick, as if he had witnessed something forbidden.

The elder took a step back, fear flickering in his eyes. “What… what was that?”

Ash’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I don’t know. But I think it’s a warning.”