DarkIN74

In a universe where power is determined by a mark, Caius Dren is born without one. In order to earn his place, he enters a deadly competition where only the strongest survive. As alliances are formed and brutal challenges unfold, Caius must navigate a world of danger, betrayal, and unforeseen twists. Alongside a group of unlikely allies, he will face trials that push them to their limits, all while uncovering a greater mystery that could change the fate of the galaxy forever. With everything on the line, Caius must decide what he's willing to sacrifice for power—and whether the cost is worth it.

Bloodmarked

The morning sun cast a pale glow over the assembly hall as the initiates gathered, the weight of anticipation settling over them. The room was filled with hushed whispers and the occasional nervous glance toward the far end, where the officiants stood, waiting. Today was the day they would receive their powers—a moment that would define their place in the trials ahead.

Caius exhaled slowly, his fingers curling into fists. His gaze flickered to the inscription above the grand doors: "Trial will start soon… enough." The phrasing unsettled him. Something about it felt off, but he pushed the thought aside. Now wasn't the time for doubt.

A ripple of energy swept through the room as the first names were called. One by one, initiates stepped forward, their bodies stiff with tension as the officiants bestowed upon them the gifts of their designated Houses. Flames danced at fingertips, shadows coiled like living entities, and the air thrummed with arcane power.

Luca nudged Caius. "So? What did you get?" he asked, voice edged with curiosity.

Caius flexed his fingers, feeling the unfamiliar energy coursing through him. "Something from the House of Shadows. It's… hard to describe. Feels like my presence is thinning, like I can fade if I focus."

Luca grinned. "Sounds useful. I got something from the Stormborn House. Watch this."

He raised a hand, and a faint static charge crackled in the air around his fingertips. It wasn't overwhelming, but there was potential, the beginnings of something powerful.

"Not bad," Caius admitted. "But how does it feel?"

"Like my blood's humming," Luca said. "Like there's something coiled inside me, waiting to be unleashed."

Before Caius could reply, a shift in the room's atmosphere caught his attention. At the edge of the crowd, near the shadows cast by the great pillars, something lurked. A shape—distorted, wrong. Even in the daylight, it remained cloaked in darkness, its features blurred as though reality itself refused to acknowledge it.

Caius narrowed his eyes, unease curling in his stomach. He forced himself to look away, but the sensation of being watched never faded.

His gaze drifted back to the inscription above the door. The wording gnawed at him, quiet but insistent. "Trial will start soon… enough." A strange choice of words. Not a clear announcement, not a definitive moment of beginning—just a lingering promise. Or was it a warning?

The Awakening