The sky cracked like a shattered mirror, jagged bolts of crimson lightning ripping through the bruised clouds. Thunder roared a second after each strike, shaking the very foundations of the Impregnable Fortress. Beneath the storm, the abyssal gate vomited a tide of demons skin of flame, eyes like molten irons clawing their way toward the walls where the Legion had taken refuge.
Raven staggered forward, his left arm slick with blood, the rune on his chest burning violet beneath his torn shirt. The demons surged, a wave of nightmarish flesh, teeth snapping at his heels. He thrust the rusted blade his mother had kept know an extension of his will slicing through a demon's throat. The creature exploded in a burst of ash and smoke, coating his face in black soot.
"Fall back!" Victor's voice cut through the din, incorporeal and cold. He vanished, then reappeared a heartbeat later, a silver dagger flashing as he drove it through a demon's heart. The creature dissolved into a scream of wind.
Raven's breath hitched. A guttural roar tore from his throat as he slashed again, the blade humming with a faint, unfamiliar power. A demon lunged, claws raking his ribs. Pain flared, and he fell to one knee, the world tilting. He heard his mother's voice, soft as a lullaby, "Stay strong, my heart. "
Victor grabbed his shoulder, yanking him to his feet. "Pathetic. You bleed like a wounded animal. If you can't even stand, get out of the Legion!" His grin was a razor, eyes flickering with contempt.
Raven's vision blurred. The storm above cracked, a bolt striking the courtyard, illuminating Victor's smirk and the sea of demons beyond. With a surge of desperation, Raven twisted his wrist. A pulse of violet light erupted from the rune, sending a shockwave that knocked Victor off balance and forced the demons to stumble back.
"Enough!" Victor snarled, his invisibility flickering. "You think that flash of light saves you? It'll only make them come faster!"
Raven's chest heaved. He stared at Victor, then at the broken bodies of his comrades, the ash drifting like mournful snow. He turned his back, the pain in his side a reminder of his failure, but the fire in his gut refused to die.
*Flash of Memory*
The world fell away, replaced by a sun drilled kitchen. His mother, hair tied with a simple cloth, humming as she pulled a tray of steaming pies from the oven. The scent of cinnamon and honey filled the air. Little Raven, eyes bright and unafraid, reached with sticky fingers, grabbing a golden slice. His father laughed, the sound warm as hearth fire, and patted his head.
"Eat, my brave one," his mother whispered, wiping a crumb from his cheek. "One day you'll protect what we love. "
The memory shattered with a scream, the present crashing back. The taste of ash replaced the sweetness of pie. Raven clenched his fists, the rune flaring brighter.
*Inside the Fortress – Commander's Chamber*
Commander Salem Drew stood before a map of the realm, his scarred jaw set. Mira, her hair a cascade of midnight, stared at the same parchment, her eyes stormy.
"Raven is a liability," Mira said, voice low. "He barely survived today. If we push him"
Salem cut her off, his voice a gravelly echo. "He is the only one who felt the rune's fire. You saw what he did those demons retreated. We cannot afford to dismiss that"
Mira's hand trembled. "He's a child, Salem. A child with a death wish. We're sending him to his grave"
A faint smile crept across Salem's weathered face. "My wife…my son… died because I could not lift a finger. I watched the abyss swallow them while I stood frozen. Raven…he fights for the same pain I could not avenge. I will not let that fire die. "
Mira's eyes widened. "You're using him"
"Perhaps," Salem whispered. "But if he rises, the abyss falls"
*Next Dawn – The Academy Hall*
Raven entered the Hall of Elements, his body bruised, his spirit bruised deeper. The room buzzed with the murmurs of fellow recruits. At the front stood Professor Prosper, her red hair a flame, eyes sharp as a hawk's. She smiled when she saw Raven, a flicker of intrigue.
"Welcome, Raven Cold," she said, voice melodic. "I see the fire within you already burns."
A hush fell. Some students sneered, others whispered. Victor, perched by the window, watched with narrowed eyes. A girl with golden hair and sky blue eyes,Natasha brights slid into the seat beside him.
"Don't mind them," she whispered. "We all have darkness we're trying to outrun"
Prosper lifted a hand, and a sphere of water hovered, shimmering. "The Nine Ranks of Ability: Wood, Metal, Iron, Bronze, Platinum, Silver, Gold, Mystic, Empyrean. No one has reached Mystic yet. Basic skills are the foundation. I'll demonstrate. "
She snapped her fingers; the water twisted, forming a dragon that roared silently before dissolving. She called Victor. With a smirk, he vanished, his form becoming incorporeal, a whisper of air. Gasps rose.
A boy with ebony hair and brown eyes summoned toxins, melting the edge of his desk. The room erupted in awe.
Then lightning cracked above the academy walls, a jagged bolt slamming into the courtyard. The hall fell silent. All eyes turned to Raven. Victor's smile faded; he alone seemed unsurprised.
" Did…did you do that?" Natasha whispered.
Raven's hand trembled. The rune on his chest pulsed faintly, a violet heartbeat.
*Command Room – Dignitaries Gathered*
Inside a chamber of stone and iron, Colonel Jaxx Evans stood, his armor clinking. "We need the Sorcerers' Guild. Their dark arts could turn the tide."
A chorus of curses rose. "Madness! They'll consume us all!"
Mira slammed a fist on the table. "Yesterday's battles something a strange energy signature rose from the fortress. Salem, what is that?"
Salem's gaze hardened. "I do not know, but it came from within our walls."
Commander Aetos, eyes milky with visions, stepped forward. "I saw… a chained hero. A young warrior, bearing a rune, rising to fight the abyss. An ability beyond mortal limits."
Mira's voice trembled. "What rune?"
Aetos' mouth opened, terror flashing across his face. He swallowed, then—
Silence
Raven's Dormitory – Night
Raven lay on a hard cot, his body wracked with pain. The rune burned like ember against his skin. He clutched his mother's shawl, tears mixing with ash.
"Why… why am I this?" he croaked, voice raw. "My power… it's evil."
The floor beneath him cracked, a dark char spreading like ink. A foul, metallic scent filled the room, and an unseen force pressed against his chest, threatening to burst.
A knock echoed, sharp and deliberate.
Raven's heart hammered. He forced himself to sit, every muscle screaming. "Who… who's there?"
A pause. A cold voice, barely audible, whispered, "Open the door, Raven. We need to talk."
His mind raced. Victor? An assassin? The shadows seemed to lean closer, the rune flaring brighter. He pressed his back against the wall, fear and fury intertwining.
The knock came again, relentless