The sky over the Sanctum was turning gray.
Ash floated down like snow as I sat on the steps, breathing hard. Rin crouched beside me, holding a healing flask to my lips.
"You need to hide," she whispered. "You're too weak. If they see you like this—"
"I know," I said.
But I didn't move.
Because I could feel it now.
That pressure.
That silence.
That stillness before a storm.
The Empire had arrived—but it wasn't a normal squad.
These soldiers moved like ghosts.
Not a sound, not a word.
And at the center of them stood a tall man in black armor, his face hidden behind a silver mask.
Even from this distance, I could sense it—he was different.
System Alert:
New Entity Detected
Name: [Unknown]
Title: Whisperblade of the Silver Order
Threat Level: Classified
Classified?
That was a first.
The masked man stepped into the Sanctum with twelve soldiers behind him. They moved like machines, spreading into a perfect formation. Some checked the bodies outside. Others scanned the ruins.
One of them raised a hand.
"He's here," the soldier said. "Residual sin aura. Fresh."
The masked man looked at me.
He didn't say anything.
He just walked forward… calm, casual… like he already knew how this would end.
I stood up slowly, shadows flickering around my arms.
Rin tried to pull me back. "Kael—"
"I'll talk first."
He stopped ten feet away.
Then spoke, his voice smooth and strange, like it was coming through layers of silk.
"Kael Varian," he said. "Half-demon. Rogue execution subject. Current sin type: dual-affinity Wrath and Pride."
He tilted his head. "You've caused quite a bit of trouble."
"I could say the same," I replied. "Spying on people, sending holy knights to execute a wounded kid. Kind of rude."
One of the soldiers raised a rifle.
The masked man lifted a hand. "Not yet."
I narrowed my eyes. "You don't work for the Church, do you?"
"No. We are something… older."
He pulled a silver emblem from his cloak.
It looked like a sun with a single eye in the center.
System Alert:
Warning: You are being observed by a Forbidden Order
— Access to full status temporarily blocked
— System interference detected
I cursed under my breath.
"What do you want?"
He stepped closer.
"I'm not here to kill you, Kael," he said. "Not yet."
That "yet" wasn't comforting.
"I came with an offer. One you may want to consider."
He pulled something from his pouch and tossed it toward me.
It landed at my feet with a soft clink.
A ring.
Old. Silver. Marked with the same eye symbol.
"What is this?"
"A seal of passage. With that ring, you can cross certain territories untouched. Even enter cities under imperial watch. Wear it, and the Silver Order will not interfere."
"Why would you give that to me?"
"Because I want to see what you become," he said simply. "The Emberlord has already taken an interest in you. But you chose your own path. That's rare. Dangerous. But rare."
"And you… what, you're just watching?"
"For now."
He leaned slightly forward.
"But know this. You've touched powers older than sin. The Grave King doesn't just wake up for anyone. And the Sovereign Path? That's been locked for over a thousand years."
"So?"
"So don't disappoint me," he said. "Because next time, I won't be here to talk."
He turned and walked away.
The soldiers followed without question.
No fight. No battle.
But I didn't feel relief.
I felt like I'd just been marked.
Watched.
Tested.
System Notification:
Special Status Added – "Watched by the Silver Order"
Effect: Unknown
Bonus: Unlocks unique exploration routes, secret dialogue options
Rin picked up the ring.
"You're not really going to wear this, are you?"
I took it from her and slipped it into my pocket.
"Not yet."
She sighed. "You're impossible."
I smiled a little. "Still here though."
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling too.
Then a new window appeared.
System Alert:
Territory Control Stabilized
Sanctum of Ash is now your Core Domain
— Upgradable
— Can produce resources and defend itself
— First Building Unlocked: Throneforge (Lv. 1)
"What the—?" I stepped into the ruins.
Inside, where the altar had been, now stood a strange device made of obsidian and gold. It looked like a throne crossed with a forge—burning silently with dark fire.
System Message:
Throneforge allows the creation of unique items tied to your Domain
Items gain Sin Power and can grow with you
First Blueprint Discovered: Shadowbrand Ring
Item Created:
Shadowbrand Ring (Rare)
— Boosts Shadow Affinity
— Conceals alignment
— Allows teleportation to core Sanctum (cooldown: 24h)
I slipped it on.
And the Sanctum shimmered slightly.
More than a ruin now.
It was becoming mine.
Not just a hiding place…
A base.
A throne.
Rin explored the side rooms, cheering when she found old scrolls and even a half-working kitchen.
"I can fix this," she said, excited. "Give me a few days, and we can live here!"
"You really want to stay?" I asked.
She looked at me. "Kael, this is the first place I've seen in years that wasn't trying to kill me."
Fair enough.
But even as she smiled…
I felt it.
Another tremor in the air.
The flame at the center of the Throneforge shifted.
And I heard a whisper.
Not words.
Just hunger.
System Alert:
A demonic echo has noticed your Domain
Warning: Event Incoming — "Trial of the Lesser Prince"
Time Remaining: 48 Hours
I clenched my fists.
Another test.
Another enemy.
Another being drawn by my rising power.
"Bring it on," I muttered.
Then paused.
Because Rin was standing at the doorway again.
But she wasn't looking at me.
She was staring into the shadows.
"Kael," she whispered. "Someone else is here."
I turned.
And saw him.
A boy.
About my age.
Pale skin. Golden eyes. A sword made of bone on his back.
But it wasn't the blade that worried me.
It was the two shadows standing behind him.
Not following him.
Not copying him.
Attached to him.
Like servants.
Like curses.
"Who are you?" I asked.
The boy smiled.
"I'm your brother," he said.
Then everything went dark.