A bright light floods my dark and gloomy room.

"What's that light?"

I push myself up from bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The room is still except for the soft hum of the wind outside. Stepping toward the window, I squint into the night. A faint shimmer dances across the sky, its glow pulsing like a slow heartbeat.

"Must be the Veil glistening again."

I exhale, rubbing the back of my neck. The sight should be comforting-proof that the barrier still holds-but something about it feels different tonight. Unsettling.

I shake the thought away and turn back toward my bed. I should be asleep-I'm on the morning team for monitoring the Veil.

I close my eyes, but sleep doesn't come easily. My mind drifts to the Veil, the almighty shield separating our world from the realm of the gods. If it were to break-no, when it breaks-humanity will fall, crushed beneath the feet of ancient, powerful beings.

The thought lingers as I finally drift into restless sleep.

Morning arrives too quickly.

Golden sunlight spills through my window, dragging me from uneasy dreams. I groan, stretching the stiffness from my limbs. The vague unease from the night before still lingers, clinging to me like a shadow.

"Time for work."

I gather my essentials and step out into the streets of VeilWatch. The city is already stirring-merchants setting up shop, workers hurrying to their posts, the distant murmur of morning conversations filling the crisp air.

As I approach the Moderation Office, a familiar pair of eyes meet mine.

"Good morning, Liora."

"Good morning, Kael."

Liora Seth-the head of the Moderation Team, one of the sharpest minds in the city. Her usual confidence is absent today. Worry tugs at the edges of her features, her jaw tight, her gaze flickering toward the sky.

"There are signs of damage to the Veil," she says, voice low, careful. "We think a dangerous creature is responsible."

A chill runs through me.

"How bad is it?" I ask.

"We're not sure yet. But the readings are unstable."

That sends my heart pounding. Unstable Veil readings are never a good sign. I nod, forcing myself to stay calm. "Let's get to the lab."

The moment we step inside, I know something is wrong.

The usual hum of machinery is erratic-sharp beeps, blinking warning lights, screens filled with numbers fluctuating wildly. The air feels thick, charged with unseen energy.

Liora moves to the control panel, scanning the data. Her brow furrows.

"This... this isn't normal."

Before I can ask what she means, the lab shakes.

A deafening impact rattles the walls, sending tools and documents crashing to the floor. Lights flicker, and for one terrifying moment, everything tilts-like the entire world is shifting.

Then-

Darkness.

I wake to the sound of screams.

Agonized, desperate cries that pierce through the heavy fog in my mind. My vision is blurred, my head pounding. Pain shoots through my left arm, sharp and relentless.

Broken... probably.

I force myself upright, biting back a groan. The lab is in ruins-glass shattered, smoke curling from the control panels, walls scorched black. The flickering emergency lights cast eerie shadows over the devastation.

My heart pounds.

Beside me, Liora is still.

"Liora." My voice is hoarse. I shake her gently, then harder. "Liora, wake up!"

A small groan escapes her lips. Slowly, her eyes flutter open. She looks at me, dazed. "Kael...?"

"Yeah. I'm here." Relief floods through me, but it's fleeting. "We need to move."

I help her to her feet, and together we stumble outside.

And that's when the breath is stolen from my lungs.

The Veil is torn.

A massive, gaping wound splits the sky, pulsing with unnatural energy. The once-impenetrable barrier now bleeds light and shadow, shifting, writhing.

And through it, they come.

Twisted creatures pour through the breach, their bodies shifting unnaturally as they move. Some crawl, some slither, others move on too many legs-or not enough. Eyes glow with unnatural hunger. Mouths filled with jagged teeth twist into unnatural shapes.

Terror coils deep in my gut.

This can't be happening.

A deep, resounding voice echoes in my mind, each word dripping with malice.

"Do you want to save Liora... and yourself?"

The air thickens, pressing down on me. The world warps, my thoughts feel slow, sluggish.

I should question it. I should fight back.

But I don't.

"Yes."

Everything changes.

The weight in my chest disappears. My pain vanishes. My left arm-previously shattered-feels whole.

My body is light. Too light.

Then, the voice returns, rich with amusement.

"It's been a long time since I last fought."

A cold shiver runs through me. Before I can react, my body moves.

Too fast. Too precise.

My limbs lash out with inhuman speed, my strikes impossibly strong. Every creature that enters my vision is torn apart-ripped, shattered, eviscerated before they can react.

I am not in control.

Something else is.

The battle is over in moments.

A heavy silence blankets the city. The bodies of the creatures lay scattered, motionless. The blood on my hands isn't mine.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it ends.

Pain crashes over me, sharp, overwhelming. My body locks up, muscles screaming in agony. I stagger, vision blurring.

Through the haze, I see Liora.

She isn't moving. Not toward me. Not away. She just stands there-staring. Her wide eyes filled with shock. Fear.

I open my mouth, but no words come.

Darkness takes me once more.

Sunlight warms my face.

I wake slowly, my body aching, my limbs wrapped in fresh bandages. My head pounds, my memories fragmented-scattered images of blood, battle, power beyond my comprehension.

And a voice.

That voice.

Cold. Sinister. Amused.

It lingers in my mind, whispering from the shadows.

And I know.

This isn't over.