The city of Eldros slept uneasily.
Lanterns swayed in the wind, their dim glow struggling against the heavy darkness. Even the guards patrolling the streets moved with a subtle hesitation, the memory of the failed execution lingering like a ghost. Whispers of the Watcher had not faded—they had grown.
Arin Vale observed from a hidden balcony, his eyes scanning the streets below. His presence was unnoticed, yet every step, every glance, every action of the city's inhabitants fed the invisible threads of his authority.
Riven approached, carrying fresh notes from Kael's work in the market. "The people are talking more than ever," he said. "The temple is growing restless. And Kael… he's learning quickly. He's already guiding conversations without being seen."
Arin nodded. "Good. Influence is not given—it is nurtured. Kael will be the first seed of the Veiled Doctrine. Soon, we will need more."
By nightfall, Kael returned, exhausted but eager. He had already begun to map the subtle fears and desires of the city, reporting back patterns that even Arin had not fully anticipated.
"You see," Arin said, "authority is not control over swords or armies. It is the ability to bend perception, to shape thought. And every thought shaped is a step toward inevitability."
Kael listened, eyes wide, absorbing every word. "And… this will be enough? Just influence, whispers, rumors?"
Arin smiled faintly. "Influence is stronger than fear when wielded correctly. Fear without understanding fades. Rumors without direction die. But when combined… belief becomes unstoppable."
Authority +22
The first night of training began. Kael learned the art of subtlety—how to observe without being seen, how to plant ideas without being noticed, how to move in silence while the city unknowingly followed his guidance.
Meanwhile, in the temple, the elders' panic intensified.
"He's shaping the city from the shadows," one whispered, pale-faced. "We cannot find him, and the people… they are already starting to obey him, even unknowingly."
"Then we must strike," another said. "We cannot allow this heretic to gain power."
Arin did not fear them. He had time. He had patience. And now, he had the first true follower to begin weaving his doctrine.
By midnight, the city had settled, but nothing would ever be the same. The Watcher existed not as a man, but as an idea, a force that moved silently, shaping the hearts and minds of Eldros.
And in that silence, authority grew stronger.
The Veiled Doctrine has begun.