Chapter 3 – The Lightbound Order

Ariel drifted in silence.

Not the silence of peace, but the silence of absence. Of something missing, something torn away.

His body moved through the grand halls of the Lightbound Order, guided by figures in pristine white and gold, yet his mind felt far away. He followed because they expected him to. He listened because they wanted him to. But inside, something was unraveling.

He didn't know who he was. He didn't know where he had come from. And the worst part was that no one seemed to think that mattered.

The Lightbound Order had not treated him as a lost soul. They had not questioned him about his past, nor pitied his blank slate. Instead, they had welcomed him with reverence, speaking of fate and destiny as though they were undeniable truths. To them, he was not just Ariel—he was the Champion of the Lightbound Order.

The title felt hollow on his tongue.

He kept walking, his bare feet brushing against polished marble as he followed the woman who had greeted him—the one whose name he had yet to learn. She walked with an air of absolute certainty, her posture straight, her movements deliberate.

"You must understand," she said as they moved past towering pillars bathed in golden sunlight, "the world is not a single force, but a balance between three powers. To rule over all would be to break that balance—to defy the natural order."

Ariel said nothing.

She did not seem to mind. She merely continued, gesturing to the towering murals etched into the cathedral-like walls.

The first depicted warriors clad in radiant armor, their weapons gleaming under the divine light of the heavens.

"The Lightbound Order," she said, "founded to uphold balance. We stand at the center, keeping the peace, ensuring that neither corruption nor recklessness overtakes the world."

The second mural was darker, more twisted. Figures shrouded in shadows danced like specters, their forms blurring at the edges as though they barely belonged in this world.

"The Shadow Veil," she murmured. "Masters of deception, misdirection, and the unseen. They are a necessary evil, a force that ensures balance, yet one that would tip the scales if allowed to grow unchecked."

Finally, the third mural was the most brutal. Warriors cloaked in crimson, wreathed in raw, unbridled energy, their bodies radiating power beyond human limits. The very stone seemed to crack beneath their feet.

"The Astral Vanguard. Strength incarnate. They seek to surpass mortal limitations, to break barriers, to dominate through sheer force."

Ariel's gaze lingered on the murals, the images pulling at something deep inside him. Not memories. Feelings.

Light. Shadow. Strength. A fragile balance between forces that should not exist without one another.

"You will meet their champions soon," the woman continued, "the ones who stand at the forefront of each faction."

Ariel tensed, though he didn't know why.

He turned to her then, finally breaking his silence. "And what am I?"

She tilted her head slightly, as though pleased that he had finally asked.

"You," she said, "are the one who will bring balance."

Ariel wasn't sure whether the words comforted him or unsettled him further.

They led him through a city of ivory and gold.

The Lightbound Order was not merely a faction—it was a civilization.

Towering structures of polished stone and celestial glass stretched toward the sky, reflecting the midday sun in brilliant arcs. Wide streets were paved with intricate patterns of gold and white, their designs shifting subtly as though alive. Floating orbs of light hovered in the air, drifting like fireflies, illuminating every path.

Ariel walked in a daze, his bare feet pressing against the cool stone as he tried to take in the sheer grandeur of it all. The people—knights, scholars, and mages alike—moved with purpose, their garments flowing with the grace of divine beings. It felt… otherworldly.

And yet, it did not feel like his world.

As they passed through the grand plaza, his guide gestured toward the towering spires at the heart of the city.

"The Grand Assembly," she said. "Where the High Council convenes. Where history is written."

Ariel barely heard her. His head pounded, the weight in his chest growing heavier with every step. Something felt wrong.

He shouldn't be here.

This place—this golden utopia—felt too clean. Too perfect. As if something had been carefully carved away, leaving only the illusion of peace.

His fingers twitched. His breath quickened. A pressure built inside him, clawing at the edges of his mind.

Something was missing.

Something had been taken.

"Ariel."

The woman's voice pulled him back. He blinked, realizing he had stopped walking. He swallowed hard, shaking his head.

She studied him carefully. Then, for the first time, her gaze softened.

"You are still adjusting," she said. "That is to be expected."

Expected.

Ariel wanted to laugh. How could one expect to feel like their very soul had been hollowed out? How could one expect to wake up and realize they had nothing left to hold onto?

But he said nothing. Instead, he exhaled slowly and nodded.

She watched him for a long moment before turning forward once more.

"There is still much for you to learn."

Ariel followed.

And the emptiness followed him.