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Eldernoot was a quiet town once. Nestled between silver-leaved woods and a winding, glimmering river, it had been a haven of peace far from the politics of kings and the blood-soaked ambitions of empires. Its people lived simple lives—farmers rising with the dawn, merchants haggling in the cobbled square, and children chasing each other through wildflower fields as the bells of the old chapel rang gently in the breeze.
The scent of bread once drifted from stone ovens. Music and laughter echoed during spring festivals. Even the stars seemed brighter here.
But that was before the Conclave came.
Now, the town reeked of damp ash and iron. Eldernoot's proud wooden houses were patched with rot and moss. The once-vibrant market lay quiet, stalls empty, shutters closed. Soldiers in black-and-silver armor patrolled every corner, their boots grinding against gravel and old bloodstains. The river still flowed, but its banks were silent—no fishermen cast nets, no children played.
Fear ruled Eldernoot now.
Kael Dravion stood still as the soldiers stomped through the muddy street, their iron boots splashing rot-stained water onto his worn leather shoes.
Again.
They had come again.
He gritted his teeth as Captain Verno shouted, "You've got until sundown to pay tribute to the Conclave—or the Imperium's hand won't be so gentle next time."
The crowd kept their heads down. Silent. Broken.
Kael's fists clenched. Why is everyone just watching?
He knew why.
Because no one could fight the Imperium.
Not the six families that ruled the kingdoms from the shadows.
Not the conclaves that enforced their will.
And certainly not a scrawny blacksmith's apprentice with callused hands and too many scars from beatings he hadn't earned.
But still—
"Leave them alone!" Kael shouted, before he could stop himself.
The world fell silent.
Captain Verno turned slowly. His eyes were pale and cold—like dying coals.
"Boy. Do you want to die?"
Kael's legs trembled. His heart pounded like a war drum. Fear clawed at him, cold and primal.
"I... I just want you to leave."
The captain laughed—a dry, cruel sound.
"Brave. Stupid. But brave." He raised his gauntleted hand. "Break his legs."
The soldiers moved.
Kael couldn't move. But something inside him cracked.
Not fear. Not rage. Something deeper.
A scream of will.
Then—
It happened.
The air shimmered around him. His skin burned.
A wave of invisible force exploded outward, hurling the soldiers like leaves in a storm.
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
Kael stared at his hands. A faint aura—smoke wrapped in lightning—danced around them.
Captain Verno rose to his feet, blood trickling from his mouth.
"You… You've awakened…"
"Awakened what?" Kael asked, voice trembling.
Verno's expression twisted. "You've got a Blessing. Only those pushed to the brink earn that right."
Kael didn't understand. But he moved—fast. Faster than he ever had.
He ducked Verno's swing, slammed his palm into the man's chest, and sent him crashing through a fruit stand.
Silence.
Then—cheering.
For the first time, Kael smiled.
But it didn't last.
The next day, another unit arrived.
Twice the number. Heavier armor. One had fire dancing in his palms.
Another wielded a glaive etched with the mark of the Sixth Family.
Kael stood in the village square, alone. His aura flickered weakly.
I can't fight them all…
Just as they charged, a blur tore through them.
A figure in black—one hand wielding a curved blade, the other a fist that cracked like thunder.
In seconds, the squad was down, groaning in the dirt.
Kael stared, wide-eyed.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The man didn't answer.
That night, Kael sat by the river, thoughts racing.
Is this what power feels like?
Is this the first step toward change?
The man appeared beside him, stepping from the shadows.
"You fought bravely," he said.
Kael didn't speak.
The man's eyes narrowed. "Have you ever heard of the Spectre?"
Kael blinked. "The myth?"
"It's no myth," the man said quietly. "It's power beyond the Imperium. The truth behind this world.
And you, Kael Dravion, might be closer to it than you think."
Then, he vanished.
Leaving Kael with the stars—and a thousand new questions.
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