The two boys worked on the outskirts of Zul'vharra, at the farthest corner by the southern gate, surrounded by humble homes and dusty paths leading to the heart of the city.
In front of the gate, stood the rows of commoner houses, small, ramshackle structures that seemed to be made of whatever scraps could be salvaged, a stark contrast to the grandeur of the city beyond.
Zul'vharra's nobles resided within its towering walls, living lives of luxury and privilege, untouched by the grime and struggle of the lower districts.
Every day, commoners, men and women from all walks of life, traveled through the Aethergate Station, heading into the city to work, to serve, to survive.
And every day, the two boys labored on the outskirts, their world confined to the margins, never stepping into the gleaming heart of Zul'vharra.
It wasn't that they didn't want to go to Zul'vharra, it was simply that they didn't have the means. Their lack of identity, their absence from the world that mattered, kept them forever on the outside looking in.
Still, Emil, the older of the two, held on to a belief deep within him. He didn't belong here, not in the slums, not in this life.
His dreams were bigger than the grime beneath his feet, bigger than the sweat that soaked his skin every day. He wanted something more.
He wanted to do something, something grand, something that would make the world remember his name. But even Emil didn't know what that something was, nor how he would ever get there. His dreams felt like distant stars, far beyond his reach but burning brightly in his heart.
In the dream realm, a quiet urgency hung in the air as Elrya spoke, her eyes clouded with concern. "Should we move before the others reached the campsite?" She was already thinking ahead, her mind focused on the path leading to her sister.
Dorian's voice, as serious as always, cut through the silence. "Yes, we should head for Ashenveil Woods now." He paused, scanning the dreamscape around them. "But we must be cautious. There are only four of us. If even two of us allow our thoughts to wander, our collective consciousness will weaken, and we risk being invaded by the Dream Realm."
Anderson nodded, his resolve firm. "You're right. We must stay focused on Ashenveil Woods. Your big brother may already have returned from his business and is waiting for us. Young master."
Dorian gave a reassuring nod. "In my presence, you need not fear the Dream Realm." As he spoke, he transformed before their eyes. His body shifted, turning into the marked form of a sovereign. His face melted into pure blackness, with glowing white eyes that pierced the dim expanse.
Above this abyssal form, a brilliant white aura ignited, shaping into a smooth, featureless polygonal mask, save for the three sharp, triangular protrusions, one at the center of his forehead and two along his cheekbones.
This was his sovereign form.
The Dream Realm responded to him as if it recognized him, acknowledging his dominion over it. In an instant, they arrived at Ashenveil Woods.
This was the power of a sovereign who could command the Dream Realm with mere thought.
However, levi was still only a marked sovereign, not one who could move freely from one dream realm to another, nor command all the creatures of the Dream Realm to his will. He could only navigate this realm, and for greater control, he needed to ascend through other gates of life, one by one.
The three of them fell silent as they moved toward the campsite. They had just experienced the raw power of a sovereign, and they knew better than to speak carelessly in his presence.
They all shared a single thought in their minds, one that lingered in the air like an unspoken truth:
"No matter what, even a Marked Sovereign is an enigma, mysterious, untouchable, and undeniably powerful."
Levi, despite his cold expression, carried the weight of unimaginable power with him, and they were starting to get used to this unnerving side of him after witnessing his strange abilities.
In the southern continent, Levi no longer had to fear wandering through the Dream Realm. As a marked sovereign, he could travel effortlessly with just a thought in it. No creature would dare harm him, he was recognized as a part of the Dream Realm itself.
The Dream Realm, by its nature, bent time as it pleased. While the trials for other students might have progressed rapidly, time moved at a slower pace for Levi and his companions. Despite this, it seemed the others had already completed their trials long before them.
As night fell, they reached the campsite. Dorian moved toward his camp after exchanging brief words with Levi, but Elrya lingered.
"Now that you're a sovereign... what happens next?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Are you going to reveal this to the world?"
Levi shook his head firmly. "No. Not yet. The domains are opening, and we will have to fight to claim them. Revealing myself now would be foolish. Remaining in the shadows and waiting for the right moment to strike is the best strategy."
Elrya raised an eyebrow in surprise. "you might give me a heart attack, Levi."
Then her expression softened, and she spoke quietly, a rare vulnerability in her tone. "You gave me a chance to stand on equal footing with others. I'll never forget that, no matter what happens."
Levi nodded, his gaze unwavering. "What you can do for me now is simple: stay hidden as an anchor. Don't expose yourself too much. Give me time, and then I'll teach you how to use the red crimson aura for protection and combat."
He paused, his tone hardening. "But if trouble finds you, don't worry about me of exposing yourself. Don't hesitate. Kill your target without mercy. A moment of hesitation can be the difference between life and death."
Elrya remained silent, contemplating his words. Levi turned and moved quickly toward his camp, Anderson trailing behind him like a shadow, no longer a mere servant but an ever-present companion.
As they approached the campsite, Levi turned to Anderson, his voice calm yet laced with authority.
"The boy who duplicated my form is inside. Tell him to come out."
Anderson nodded and silently made his way forward, disappearing into the dimly lit encampment.
The night hung heavy over the Ashenveil Woods, its darkness thickened by towering, gnarled trees that strangled most of the moonlight. Only faint silver beams pierced through the dense canopy, casting eerie, shifting patterns on the forest floor.
After a short while, a boy identical to Levi emerged from the camp. His movements were measured, deliberate. He stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"I bow to the Honorable for granting me this chance to prove my worth."
As he spoke, his form shifted, the illusion peeling away like a fading mirage. In an instant, his true appearance was revealed:
Golden-amber, fox-like eyes gleamed under the dim light. His auburn hair, neatly combed, reflected his noble heritage. A pointed chin, a constant smirk, and an athletic yet agile frame, all features unmistakably noble, yet distinct from Levi's own presence.
This was his original form, Kael.
Levi studied him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slow nod, he spoke.
"You did well."
Without another word, he turned and made his way back to the campsite.
The moment Levi stepped inside, figures in black materialized from the shadows, their presence like a silent storm. They knelt before kael, their voices hushed but weighted with urgency.
"Young Master, we risked exposing ourselves, taking the shape of a noble youth, of a scion from a wealthy family… yet he gave us nothing. Nothing but a cold, indifferent gaze."
A silent tension hung in the air. The black-cloaked figures, all of them, questioned the respect their young master showed toward such a person. After all, kael himself was a noble-blooded heir, his lineage tracing back to a Sovereign's own bloodline. Why, then, did he acknowledge this man?
"If no one stops him now… he's going to become the most powerful man of this era."He said.
Silence followed. Then, laughter.
A low chuckle at first, then a full, deep laugh echoed through the night.
He grinned, his golden-amber eyes glinting with amusement.
"I am keep thinking about the Veyrathis family," he said, his voice laced with something between amusement and calculation.
"They're busy massacring every noble house they believe could threaten them… yet the greatest danger was within their own household all along."
A Sovereign was born.
Ordinarily, this would be a blessing for the era. But for the Veyrathis family? It was a cruel joke of fate.
Nature, it seemed, had its own way of playing games with mortals.
His smirk deepened. The power struggles he had always known, the whispers, the betrayals, the blood-soaked politics of noble houses, were about to take an unexpected turn.