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In a world where gods have abandoned mortals, an ancient prophecy foretells the rise of a warrior who will either save or destroy the empire.

Riven Kael, once the exiled prince of Astra, now walks as a cursed warrior feared across the land. Branded with the Eclipse Seal, his fate is intertwined with a power so great it could reshape the world. Hunted by the empire that once betrayed him, he roams the battlefields as both legend and nightmare.

But when he crosses paths with Lyria Vale, the empire’s deadliest assassin, everything changes. Sent to kill him, she instead finds herself drawn to the truth hidden behind his cursed eyes. Torn between duty and a growing forbidden bond, Lyria must decide: betray her kingdom or fight alongside the very man she was sent to kill.

As war looms, dark forces rise, ancient secrets unravel, and the crimson eclipse signals the beginning of the end. The world watches as Riven and Lyria stand at the center of a storm that will either forge a new destiny—or burn everything to ash.

The prophecy has awakened. The Eclipse has begun.

ECLIPSE: LOVE & WAR

The city of Eldoria was drowning in whispers. The lost prince had returned. The child of the Eclipse lived. Fear spread like wildfire, and the streets were alive with speculation. Some called him a demon. Others a savior. But one thing was certain—the empire was no longer at peace.

The Emperor had doubled the patrols, sending elite knights to every corner of the kingdom. The Blackthorn Assassins had been deployed, each tasked with one mission—find Riven Kael and end him before his destiny awakened.

Beneath the city, deep in the labyrinthine tunnels of the Undermarket, Riven sat across from a cloaked figure. The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows against the damp stone walls.

"You're asking for a death wish, Kael," the figure murmured, his voice thick with amusement. "Do you know what the Emperor would do if he knew you were here?"

Riven smirked. "Probably send another ten assassins after me. But that's why I need information. Who else is hunting me?"

The figure—Malik Varis, an information broker with ties to every underground guild—leaned forward, tapping his fingers against the table. "Word is, the Emperor is desperate. He's offering a bounty so high that even the royal guards are considering turning on each other."

Riven remained silent. He had expected this. But then Malik's grin widened.

"And here's the interesting part… The one leading the hunt?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "Your dear old friend, Lyria Vale."

The name sent a chill down Riven's spine.

Lyria Vale. The assassin who had spared his life. The woman who had once stood over him, dagger poised, yet unable to strike.

Riven clenched his fists. He had no time for sentiment. If she was coming for him, he would be ready.

Night fell over Eldoria. In a narrow alleyway, hidden between towering buildings, Riven waited. His heartbeat was steady, his mind sharp.

Then he heard it—a whisper of movement.

He spun just in time to block a strike aimed at his throat. Steel met steel. Sparks flew.

Lyria Vale stood before him, clad in midnight armor, her silver hair reflecting the moonlight. Her violet eyes were unreadable as she pressed forward, her twin daggers a blur of motion.

"You've improved," she murmured, driving him back with a series of rapid strikes.

Riven deflected each attack, his blade moving instinctively. "And you hesitated, just like last time."

Lyria's expression darkened. "Not this time."

She lunged—but instead of striking, she twisted at the last moment, her dagger slicing just past his cheek. A test. A warning.

Riven's grip tightened on his sword. "Why are you here, Lyria? Why hunt me now?"

She exhaled slowly. "Because I need to know if the prophecy is true."

Lyria's eyes met his. "Then I might have to kill you after all."

The tension between them crackled like a storm waiting to break.

But before either could make another move, a horn echoed through the city—an alarm.

The Emperor's forces were closing in.

"Looks like we don't have time for games," Riven muttered.

Lyria sheathed her daggers. "Then run, Riven. If you want to live, run."

He turned toward the approaching soldiers, his sword burning under the eclipse's light.

Chapter 5 – Shadows of the Past