The Noble’s Mask

The name burned in Kael's mind like a brand: Lord Veylan Drosin.

Eva had spoken it with certainty, her voice laced with bitter truth.

He was the noble who gave the order.

The man who had condemned Kael before his first breath.

Kael stood at the edge of a quiet hill overlooking the city below, his fists clenched, his thoughts storming. The revelation still echoed in him, reverberating through every broken piece of memory and fury.

Eva sat on a fallen log behind him, arms folded, eyes fixed on the moonlit horizon. "He still lives," she said quietly. "Hiding behind his influence and the favor of the Council."

Kael turned to her. "He was possessed?"

"Still is, most likely," Eva replied. "A fragment of the Demon Lord's essence clings to him. It speaks through him, whispers in his thoughts, warps his purpose. And because of that, he's done unspeakable things… starting with you."

Kael looked away, his voice low. "He made the world believe I was nothing. He made my own parents cast me out."

"Exactly." Eva stood. "Your sealing wasn't just about survival. It was strategic. The Demon Lord knew the world would never accept a powerless heir. All he had to do was ensure your magic never woke."

A bitter silence fell between them.

Then Kael said, "I want to see him."

Eva nodded, unsurprised. "He's in the High Court of Velinar. Protected. Feared. Worshipped by fools who have no idea what he's become."

Kael looked toward the horizon. "Then we'll rip the mask from his face."

The Journey to Velinar

They traveled in silence at first through forests where light barely touched the ground, across rivers that glowed faintly with residual magic, and past stone obelisks etched with forgotten runes.

Each step toward Velinar felt like a return to the past Kael never had.

Every town they passed whispered about the growing tension in the world—the rising darkness, the flickering stars, and strange beasts appearing near the borders. The Demon Lord's shadow was spreading again. And the world had no idea the very cause of their decay sat upon a golden throne.

When they arrived at Velinar, Kael paused at the city gates. The towering walls, marble spires, and runic lamps felt like a distant dream. He had never seen it before, yet a strange sense of loss gripped him.

Eva watched him. "You were born here. In the upper ring of the noble quarter. The court celebrated your birth… before it turned into silence."

Kael's eyes narrowed. "Let's see what silence sounds like when it screams."

Within the Court

Disguised beneath illusionary cloaks woven by Eva's magic, they entered the heart of Velinar unnoticed.

The High Court was a monolith of magic and marble, surrounded by crystalline barriers and patrolled by golden-armored guards. But Kael didn't flinch. With each step closer to the main chamber, his presence pressed against the air—an unshakable force beginning to pulse beneath his skin.

Inside, the chamber buzzed with voices, noble lords and ladies bickering over politics, magical borders, and trade disputes.

Until Kael stepped forward, shedding his cloak.

Silence fell.

Gasps. Then whispers. Then panic.

Kael's blue eyes locked onto the man seated upon the ivory throne.

Lord Veylan Drosin. Regal. Composed. Eyes like polished obsidian. Too polished.

Kael's voice rang across the chamber. "Do you remember me?"

The noble stared. And for a brief moment just a flash his expression twitched.

Recognition.

Then a smile curled on his lips, too cold to be human.

"I had wondered when the Forsaken would crawl back."

Kael didn't blink. "You tried to erase me. You failed."

Veylan stood slowly, his voice dripping with venom. "You should have stayed in the forest, child. Now… I'll finish what should have been done years ago."

Dark magic surged around the noble, warping the runes on the walls.

Eva stepped forward. "He's activating the seal's anchor!"

Kael's body tensed. The magic in the room the same suppressive force from his birth was returning.

But this time, he was awake.

This time, he would fight it.