ReadOff

In this newly fractured world, power is everything. The strong thrive, the weak endure, and the Deva family stands above all—untouchable, unquestionable. Dion, an outcast without status or strength, watches as others ascend while he struggles to survive. He has no grand ambitions, no illusions of destiny. But in a world where the gifted rule and the forsaken fall, survival itself is a battle.

Veiled falls

Dion let his cloak slip from his shoulders, the fabric pooling onto the rough floor. The weight was gone, but his body still felt burdened. Exhaustion clung to him, seeping into his limbs, yet his mind remained alert.

The small pouch at his waist held what little he had gained. He unfastened it, kneeling in the dim room as he reached for the loose floorboards in the corner. The hidden space wasn't much—just a makeshift storage area, padded with old cloth—but it was safe. Carefully, he placed the Nyx Crystals inside, covering them before pushing the boards back into place.

Not much. Not enough to change anything.

His room was barely more than a hollow space. A bed against the wall, a rickety table with a chair, and a single window that let in the faint glow of RidgeFort's outer lights. It wasn't luxurious, but it was his.

Dion let himself fall onto the mattress. His body ached, his mind sluggish, yet sleep remained distant. His gaze drifted to the ceiling, and his thoughts wandered.

It had been three years since integration. Three years since the Oracle had embedded itself within him, its presence as natural as breathing. Like all others, he had received it at fourteen, his mind flooded with knowledge that changed humanity forever.

The Oracle was no god, no external force watching over them. It was a system, a law woven into existence itself, guiding those who could grasp its power. But the truth was simple—not everyone could.

Some awakened with monstrous potential, their abilities carving paths to power instantly. Others, like him, clawed for every inch. The Oracle didn't grant strength—it revealed it. And for three years, Dion's strength had remained stagnant.

The world had not always been like this. Eighty years ago, everything changed.

It began with the shockwave—an event that reshaped Earth in an instant. No one understood where it came from, only that its impact was absolute. The Northeast was lost, swallowed by something far worse than destruction. And in its wake, a new force emerged.

The energy that flowed through all living things, giving birth to abilities never before seen. At first, it was chaos. Societies collapsed, monsters roamed, and humanity stood on the brink.

It took a decade for order to return, and when it did, it came through power. The Deva Family rose from the strongest of the awakened, uniting the fractured remains of civilization under one rule. RidgeFort was one of their greatest cities, a fortress built to withstand the horrors outside.

They ruled absolutely, their strength unquestioned. But while they stood at the top, others still thrived. Power determined everything—whether one lived in wealth within the heart of the city or struggled in the outskirts, scavenging for scraps.

For three years, he had fought to carve out even the smallest place for himself.

Most moved beyond it within months, their talents pushing them forward. Dion had remained stagnant for three years. No grand abilities, no instant rise to power. Just struggle.

The weight of exhaustion finally pressed him down, pulling him toward sleep. His last thought before sleep drag him to it's dark embrace.

Restless