📍 City Gate – Orvale
Rain fell in slow, heavy drops as a lone figure approached the southern gate of Orvale.
The guards moved to intercept, but paused as they took in his appearance — ragged black cloak, wide-brimmed hat soaked with rain, and a metallic arm with runes faintly glowing crimson.
He raised one hand calmly.
"I seek an audience," he said, voice low. "Not with your king. Not with your gods. With the one who commands the crown."
The guards looked at each other.
No name was spoken.
But they both knew who he meant.
📍 Elsewhere in Orvale – Abandoned Chapel
Kaelira dropped soundlessly from a wooden beam, cloak blending into the dark. Her eyes scanned the stained-glass windows, the worn benches, the single hooded man standing at the altar.
No guards. No priests. No wards.
Too easy.
She circled him in silence, her steps leaving no trace.
He didn't turn around.
"I was told you'd come," he said softly. "The Sovereign's shadow."
She froze.
"How do you know that name?"
"I listened," he replied. "I watched the market burn. I saw the soldiers fall. I heard the system panic."
He turned.
His eyes glowed faintly — not system blue, but a dull gold, like dying embers.
"I want to meet him."
Kaelira tilted her head.
"Anyone can want that. Most of them are dead."
"Then test me."
📍 Moments later – Rooftop nearby
The stranger landed hard on his back, coughing.
Kaelira stepped forward, one blade at his throat, the other still dripping from a slash in his coat.
"You're fast," he said.
"You're slow," she replied, flicking blood off her knife.
He chuckled. "Still alive though."
"Barely."
[Kaelira's Passive Activated: Shadow Affinity]Her form flickered. She vanished into the shadows and reappeared behind him as he stood.
"Final chance," she whispered. "Name. Reason. Or I end it."
He exhaled.
"My name is Veyne. Former agent of the Cathedral's internal division."
Kaelira frowned. "A system rat."
"Was. I defected the moment I saw his power."
She didn't sheath her blades.
"I don't follow cowards."
"I'm not a coward," Veyne said. "I'm a witness. And I want to serve the man who made the system flinch."
📍 An Hour Later – The Cellar
He stood in front of me, drenched and silent.
Kaelira crossed her arms beside me, expression unreadable.
"So," I said. "Another lost dog seeking a new leash."
"No," Veyne replied. "I want to burn the kennel."
Interesting answer.
"You're system-trained," I said.
He nodded. "Exorcist class. Specialized in relic control and null-magic suppression."
"And yet, you knelt?"
He knelt now.
"Because I saw the truth. The system doesn't want balance. It wants control. You? You want something purer."
"Power?"
"Freedom," he corrected.
I liked him already.
System Warning: Tier Black Entity recruiting corrupted units.[Exorcist-Class: Veyne] has defected. Loyalty unregistered.Admin Response Pending…
New Follower Added: VeyneTitle: RelicbreakerRole: Anti-system tacticianBond: In Testing Phase
Kaelira watched him leave the room and then looked at me.
"You're really building an empire."
"No," I said.
"I'm building a rebellion."
📍 Later That Night – A Mission of Silence
I stood on the rooftop again. The rain had stopped. The city below glowed soft and unaware.
Kaelira approached, already hooded and armed.
"The merchant you asked about — the one who leaks intel to the Church?"
I nodded. "He still breathing?"
"Not for long."
I looked at her.
"Leave a message."
She smirked. "You want blood or fear?"
"Both."
[Kaelira POV – First Mission for the Crown]
I moved through shadows like they were silk. The path was memorized, scouted, reinforced by instinct.
No guards. No wards. No prayers.
He was in his study. Surrounded by paper, gold, and lies.
I didn't knock.
He turned too late.
The dagger kissed his throat.
"W-wait—!"
"You sold names," I said. "You sold ours."
"I had no choice! The Church—"
"You had a choice," I whispered. "You just chose the wrong side."
The blade moved.
He gurgled.
Then silence.
Passive Triggered: Ghost Veins – No trace left.Skill Used: Blade of Silence – No sound emitted.
I dipped my finger in his spilled ink and scrawled a single word on the wall:
"He is watching."
đź“Ť Back at the Hideout
She returned silent and clean.
I looked at her. "Message delivered?"
She nodded. "They'll feel it."
Good.
The system used fear to chain people.I'd use fear to free them — by making them tremble under the right king.
📍 Final Scene – Unknown Location
A table of twelve.Hooded. Silent.
The system's inner council reviewed a glowing orb.
It showed me. My crown. My followers. My power.
"He cannot be calibrated," one said.
"He grows faster than our models allowed," another whispered.
A third finally spoke.
"Then we'll stop modeling."
They stood.
"We'll start intervening."