The Mark of Shadows

The air in the orphanage basement was damp, carrying the scent of old wood and candle wax. Shadows danced along the stone walls, flickering as the single torch burned low. Kalen huddled in the corner, his cloak wrapped tightly around his frail body. His fingers absentmindedly traced the black sigil on his wrist—a serpent coiling around a crescent moon, pulsing with an eerie glow.

It had been this way since birth.

The mark had been his curse, the reason he was cast aside like trash. Even now, after eighteen years, the whispers never stopped.

"Demon child."

"That cursed mark… he will bring ruin upon us all."

"If he touches you, you'll die!"

Kalen clenched his jaw. He had learned to ignore them. To endure. But tonight, something was different.

The sigil burned hotter than ever before, a searing pain spreading through his veins. He gritted his teeth, gripping his wrist as a sudden voice echoed inside his mind.

[System Activation Detected.]

[Welcome to the Shadowbound Codex.]

[Initializing... Rank: Zero]

His eyes widened in shock.

"What…?"

A translucent screen flickered before him, hovering in the air like a ghostly apparition. Words appeared in glowing letters.

Host: Kalen Veyne

Title: The Shadowbound Heir

Level: 0

Abilities: None

Status: Unawakened

Kalen's breath hitched. He had heard of magic relics and divine blessings, but a Codex System? This was beyond anything he had ever known.

The mark on his wrist pulsed again, and new words appeared:

[Mission: The First Awakening]

Task: Accept the Shadowbound Codex's power.

Reward: Shadow Veil (Basic), Level +1

Penalty for Rejection: Death.

His heartbeat pounded in his chest.

"Death?!"

He barely had time to process it before agony shot through his body. His vision blurred, the world spinning as darkness wrapped around him like living tendrils.

Then—everything shattered.

Kalen gasped as he found himself standing in a vast, endless void. Stars flickered in the distance, and the ground beneath him was like polished obsidian, reflecting his own uncertain face.

Before him, a figure emerged from the darkness—a tall, shadowy entity with glowing violet eyes. Its voice was a whisper, yet it rumbled like thunder.

"You have been chosen, Kalen Veyne."

He swallowed hard. "Chosen… for what?"

The entity extended a hand, and swirling black mist coiled around its fingers.

"To embrace the power that was stolen from you."

Kalen hesitated. Power. The very thing that had eluded him all his life. The thing that separated the weak from the strong.

He clenched his fists. If this was a trick, it was a cruel one. But… if it was real…

"What happens if I refuse?"

The shadow's lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Then your story ends here."

The words sent a chill down his spine. He had spent his entire life hiding in the dark, powerless against the world that had abandoned him. If this was his only chance to fight back…

He took a deep breath and stepped forward. "I accept."

The moment the words left his lips, the void exploded with energy.

[Mission Complete: The First Awakening]

[Shadow Veil (Basic) Unlocked]

[Level Up: 1 → 2]

A surge of power coursed through him. The pain was gone, replaced by a sensation so intoxicating it left him breathless. His limbs felt lighter, stronger. His senses sharpened, attuned to the darkness around him.

When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the void.

He was back in the orphanage basement. But the air was different—alive.

He flexed his fingers, and the shadows around him responded. The torchlight flickered, dimming as if retreating from his presence. A thin layer of darkness coiled around his body like a protective cloak.

[Shadow Veil (Basic) Activated]

- Conceals the user's presence in low-light environments.

- Reduces detection chance by 30%.

Kalen's heart raced.

For the first time in his life… he wasn't powerless.

A slow smirk crept onto his lips.

"Let's see what else this power can do."

End of Chapter 1.