Whispers of the veil
The golden sun kissed Kairos's smooth skin, a melodic chorus of birds weaving a tapestry of sound around him. He lay sprawled on a sun-warmed rock, his long, white hair a silken spill against the stone, a living painting bathed in light. His eyes, shining like miniature suns themselves, were fixed on the veil – a thick, impenetrable mist that shrouded the continent, a barrier against the walking abominations that lurked beyond. A beautiful headset rested upon his ears, a silent counterpoint to the natural beauty surrounding him.
His sister, Lysander, broke the tranquil scene. "Come on, Kairos. Are you going to stare at the veil all day again?"
He sighed, a sound barely audible above the birdsong. "Why? It's not like it'll swallow me whole."
Lysander, her expression softening, playfully tugged at his cheeks. "Aww, my baby brother is all grown up. How cute."
Kairos swatted her hand away, his irritation evident. "Stop it. What do you want? You're disrupting my peace."
Lysander's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. "Father wants to see us."
A flicker of resentment crossed Kairos's face. "Interesting. That old bastard. Nothing good ever comes from him."
Lysander's eyes narrowed. "Hold your tongue. He's the King, and your father."
Kairos shrugged, his defiance barely masked. "Whatever. Let's get this over with."
His dislike for his father, Owen, was a deep-seated, inexplicable thing. Perhaps it stemmed from the king's often cruel and capricious nature. The throne room itself seemed to reflect this duality: magnificent in its scale, yet cold and imposing, with massive pillars flanking the throne, more for show than structural necessity.
King Owen sat upon his throne, a monolithic slab of ash-colored stone, smooth and cool beneath his hands. Two smaller seats flanked his, underscoring his position of absolute power.
The four heirs – the four Aces of death, as they were collectively known – stood at the foot of the dais.
First, Lysander, elegant and beautiful, her blonde hair a halo around her face, she was also known as Nova Spes, meaning the New Hope.
Next, Zephyrus, radiating charisma with his striking blue hair and eyes, was known as Vox Populi, meaning the Voice of the People.
Then Kairos, his usual air of nonchalant irritation palpable, given Erosive White, a moniker earned through his abrasive personality.
Lastly, Illumi, the quietest of the siblings, whose power remained somewhat enigmatic.
The king's voice, strong and resonant, filled the throne room. "The veil is weakening. The abominations around the forbidden zone are growing restless, their numbers increasing. For the safety of my kingdom, I charge you with this quest: eliminate them. But under no circumstances are you to breach the forbidden zone itself."
Kairos muttered under his breath, "Tsk, I should have known."
The siblings journeyed towards the forbidden zone, a place shrouded in an oppressive atmosphere. The air itself seemed to hum with a palpable sense of dread, a silent warning against trespass. The very thought of the veil falling, unleashing the horrors beyond, sent a shiver down their spines.
Zephyrus, ever the strategist, spoke first. "We should split into two teams and attack from both sides. It's safer."
Kairos scoffed. "They're level two abominations. I can handle it alone." He started to walk away.
Lysander's hand fell on his shoulder, halting his departure. "Come on, don't you want to pair up with your big sis? I'll protect you."
Kairos, though internally displeased for the offer, wasn't in the mood for a debate. He just wanted to get this over with and leave the oppressive vicinity of the forbidden zone. Abominations were ranked by level, their strength escalating exponentially with each level; a level two abomination was three times stronger than a level one, and so on. They were twisted, mutated creatures, barely recognizable as their original forms.
Despite their differences, the siblings fought with a terrifying synergy, honed by years of training. Lysander, with her light-based abilities, was a whirlwind of motion, her spear a blur as she sliced through the horde of level two abominations, her movements graceful, elegant and precise. Kairos, wielding the power of wind, provided support, his attacks precise and devastating.
The four Aces of Death, as they were known, were each uniquely powerful, their combined strength feared throughout the land. Illumi, whose power remained largely mysterious, watched from a safe distance, her observation acute and insightful, or she was just being lazy. Zephyrus, with his water and ice manipulation, moved with an almost balletic grace, his three swords practically extensions of his body; though, he used his bare hands that day.
"Well, that was surprisingly fast," Lysander commented, wiping a bit of blood from her spear. "Guess these were unusually weak level twos."
"Regardless," Kairos cautioned, "we need to remain vigilant. There's always a chance of something stronger lurking nearby."
"If you're scared, I'll protect you, Kay," Lysander teased, but her words held a genuine concern.
Kairos ignored her playful jab and surveyed the battlefield. Illumi remained under a tree, seemingly unconcerned, while Zephyrus finished dispatching the last few stragglers. Then, sensing the presence of a level three abomination nearby, they decided to hunt the beast before it could cause more havoc.
Entering the forbidden zone was like stepping into another world. The air was colder, heavier, and utterly still. The plants were pale, sickly, devoid of the vibrant colors found beyond the veil. The oppressive darkness made them feel uneasy.
"Are you sure about this?" Illumi's voice, barely a whisper, broke the unsettling silence. "Dad said we should never enter the forbidden zone."
Zephyrus, ever confident and collected, answered, "It's fine. We'll be in and out before you know it. An abomination of this level can't be left unchecked."
Lysander started to voice her reservations, but before she could finish, a mutated gorilla, a grotesque parody of its former self, smashed Kairos through a wall, sending Kairos flying into the depths of a long corridor within a strange citadel within the forbidden zone.
"KAIROS!" their collective scream echoed, but the sound was swallowed by the ominous silence that followed.
How could they not have sensed it?
Kairos staggered to his feet, disoriented. He was alone. The hole through which he'd been thrown was gone, sealed shut as if it had never existed. A chilling presence filled the air, palpable and malevolent.
Something cold and wet touched his face. He wiped it away, his blood. He was bleeding from his nose, and ears.
"Well, this sucks," he muttered, attempting a brave façade against the rising tide of fear.
A voice, a mere whisper, slithered into his mind. "You've entered the forbidden zone, Kairos."
Kairos swallowed, his bravado wavering. "Who are you?"
The voice chuckled, a sound that chilled him to the bone. "I am but the whispers of the veil."