The torchlight flickered against the stone walls as footsteps echoed down the long corridor. Thomel, a frail old man with silver hair and a gentle smile, followed behind the king's guards, his heart swelling with pride. He clutched the letter from his son, Joren, tight in his hands. His boy had finally awakened something. A rare gift. Not fire or wind, but something more delicate, more beautiful.
Joren could create music from thin air, weaving sound into harmony that could soothe pain, calm anger, and even stir courage in the hearts of the fearful. Thomel had served in the palace for decades before retiring to the Commons, but his loyalty had never faded. So when his son sent word that he now worked in the palace kitchens and had awakened a power, Thomel saw only opportunity.
He had come here hoping King Malrik would recognize Joren's gift.
He had no idea what kind of king Malrik had become.
The heavy iron doors groaned as they opened. Thomel's steps slowed.
"Majesty?" he called softly, unsure why they had brought him here of all places.
Cassius Veldane stood by the altar in the center of the dungeon, his long black coat lined with dark runes. Malrik stood beside him, hands behind his back, eyes sharp and cold as frost.
Joren was already there, his wrists shackled, face bloodied, but his gaze proud.
"Papa!" he shouted. "You shouldn't have come!"
Thomel's smile faltered. "Joren? What… what is this?"
Malrik's voice was low and mocking. "You raised a very bold child, Thomel. He forgot his place."
"I only wanted to help," Thomel stepped forward, shaking. "He has a gift, Majesty. A power that could serve Velmora."
"And it will," Cassius replied smoothly. "But not through him."
With a flick of his fingers, Cassius raised his hand. A circle of violet runes flared beneath Joren. He screamed, sound bursting from his chest in chaotic melodies that bounced off the dungeon walls. The sound twisted, changed, and then… collapsed into silence.
Cassius pulled a crystal orb from his cloak and whispered into it. A soft, humming light poured from Joren's chest and floated into the orb, where it pulsed like a living heartbeat.
Joren collapsed, gasping.
Thomel rushed forward. "Stop this! Please! That's my son!"
Malrik drew his blade.
And without pause, he ran it through Thomel's back.
The old man fell beside his son, eyes wide with betrayal and pain.
"NO!" Joren screamed.
He fought, even without his powers. His fists flew. He caught a guard in the throat and ducked another's blade. But he was no warrior. Just a boy with a kind heart.
Malrik struck him across the face, knocking him to the floor. Cassius stood silent, holding the orb like it was nothing more than a souvenir.
"Your father begged for your future," Malrik whispered, kneeling beside Joren. "You should've stayed a servant."
And then, he slit Joren's throat.
The dungeon fell into silence. Only the dripping of water from the ceiling remained.
Cassius turned away, slipping the crystal into his cloak.
Malrik looked at the two bodies, father and son, and sneered. "Loyalty means nothing if it comes from weakness."
He walked out, leaving the dead behind. The guards followed, silent and shaken.
The kingdom above danced in golden sunlight. But deep below, the darkness grew.
The heavy doors of the king's chambers closed with a soft thud. Thick curtains kept out the sunlight, and the room was dim, lit only by the blue glow of the enchanted crystal Cassius held in his hand.
Malrik stood by the window, hands clasped behind his back, staring out over the city as if it belonged to him alone.
Cassius set the orb on the table and sat down, his brows furrowed. "That boy… Joren. His power was rare. Not combat-driven, but still potent. Soundweaving that could alter emotion, it's not something we've seen in years."
Malrik didn't turn. "And yet you stripped it from him like any other."
Cassius glanced at the orb, which still pulsed faintly, echoing a silent melody only magic could hear. "That's not what troubles me."
Malrik turned now, slowly, his eyes narrowed. "Then what does?"
Cassius leaned forward, lowering his voice. "It's happening more often. Manifestations. When I first served you, we saw one Hollow-born in what, five years? Two if we were unlucky."
Malrik's gaze darkened.
Cassius continued, "Now it's been seven in two months. That's not a coincidence. Something is shifting. And we can't keep covering it up forever."
Malrik walked to the table, his fingers brushing over the crystal orb as if it were nothing more than a pebble. "Perhaps it's fate. Or perhaps the gods are foolish enough to think they can challenge me again."
He looked up, his expression cold and sharp.
"It's time," he said slowly, deliberately, "to wipe the Hollow-born from the face of the earth. All of them. Every last one."
Cassius blinked. "Even the ones who haven't manifested?"
"Especially them," Malrik said, voice like iron. "The power sleeps inside them. And when it wakes, it always chooses rebellion."
He picked up the orb. "I will not wait for one of them to grow strong enough to threaten my throne."
Cassius was silent for a long time.
Then he nodded.
The fate of Velmora had already begun to shift, and blood was the price of Malrik's rule.
.
.
The fire inside Master Theron's strange little house crackled, filling the room with flickering shadows. Solene sat near the window, her heart still uneasy after the vision. She didn't say much, but her hands were shaking slightly.
Theron moved quietly toward Kain, who was standing near a shelf filled with old bottles and glowing stones.
"Kain," Theron said in a low voice, "come with me."
Kain gave him a puzzled look but followed. Theron led him to a quiet corner, far from where Solene was sitting. She glanced back but didn't hear what they were saying.
Theron looked at Kain with a strange smile. "Why are you hiding things from her?"
Kain's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Theron's smile grew wider. "You know what I mean. Secrets. You're not telling her everything."
"I don't know what you mean," Kain said, trying to sound calm.
But Theron leaned closer, his eyes shining oddly. "Be careful. She's not as weak as you think. One day, she'll find out everything."
He turned away, humming a strange tune to himself as he disappeared behind a curtain of vines.
Kain stood still for a moment, staring at the ground. Then slowly, his eyes darkened.
He looked toward Solene.
She didn't notice.
But something in the room felt colder. Heavier.
The council chamber was quiet. The elders of Velmora sat in their seats, dressed in deep red and gray robes. There was a heavy silence in the air. Everyone waited.
At the end of the long hall, King Malrik sat on his dark throne, staring ahead. His cold eyes didn't blink, his fingers tapping slowly on the armrest.
Then, the large doors opened.
Dain stepped inside. His head was slightly bowed, his steps firm but tense. He looked tired and bruise. A small cut ran down his cheek.
He walked straight to the middle of the room and dropped to one knee.
Malrik didn't speak at first. He just watched.
"You look like someone who lost something," he finally said, his voice calm and sharp like a blade.
Dain clenched his jaw. "She got away. Solene."
The room stayed silent.
Malrik raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"She wasn't alone," Dain said. "There is someone with her. It is Kain… He helped her escape."
Malrik stood up slowly, a twisted smile forming on his face. "Kain? Oh my...."
He laughed once, dark and amused.
"So… the little spark is hiding with snakes now."
He stepped down from the throne and paced around the room.
"She thinks she can run from me. That she can build a rebellion from the shadows."
He stopped beside Dain, his voice turning cold.
"She's not the first to try… but she will be the last."
He turned to the elders, his face full of warning.
"She's dangerous. Not just because of her power, but because she's starting to believe she matters."
He looked at Dain again.
"You failed," he said simply. "But I will give you one more chance. Bring her to me… or don't bother returning."
Dain nodded stiffly, stood up, and left.
When the doors closed behind him, one of the elders leaned forward.
"She's getting stronger," the man said.
Malrik's eyes darkened. "Then it's time to remind her who owns this kingdom."
" Cassius. I want her found. I want her broken."
Cassius bowed slightly. "Yes my King."
The rest the elders bowed to the King.