Chapter 11: Veiled Paths and Vows

The road stretched forward in silence, flanked by jagged hills and fading trees. A chill wind stirred the dust at their feet as Reve, Eiran, Arel, and Mina pushed forward. Though the morning light warmed their backs, the path ahead felt anything but welcoming.

Reve's grip tightened on the sword at his side. He wasn't the same boy who had wandered into Kareth Woods. Not anymore.

"Old man," Reve said, voice steady. "Tell me more about the Kaizan Clan."

Eiran glanced his way. "They're strong. Feared. Influential. But not noble, not just. Their ideals are carved in stone—strict bloodlines, cold traditions, and a rigid view of worth. Power and pedigree mean everything to them."

"So they're arrogant," Reve muttered.

Eiran chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Worse. They're proud to be exclusive. They don't care about what's right—only about what benefits them."

Reve's gaze darkened. Deep inside, something twisted. He remembered the days after his father died—his mother disappearing, Eiran raising them alone. He had always believed she'd chosen to leave them behind. And yet... something unspoken hovered around the Kaizan name. He didn't know why, but it felt personal.

Eiran's eyes lingered on the horizon. "You still sure about choosing them?"

Reve didn't hesitate. "They may be twisted, but I'll use them to grow stronger. I'll carve my path, no matter where I start."

"Good," Eiran nodded. "Because to even be recognized as a vessel clan, we need four core members. And we have just enough—me, you, and your siblings. Arel and Mina may be young, but they have potential. And more importantly, heart."

Behind them, the children walked in tired silence, their steps growing more confident by the day. Even they could sense the shift in the air—a gathering of something grand and dangerous.

"Once we reach the outer edges of the Kaizan territory, things will change," Eiran continued. "You'll see how the clans treat outsiders... especially those without a name."

Reve nodded, the wind tugging at his cloak. "Let them treat me however they want. They'll see me one day. All of them."

Eiran smiled to himself, silently proud. The boy was walking forward, not just into the clan's domain—but into the storm of destiny.

And the deeper they went, the heavier the silence grew—as if the shadows themselves were waiting to see what

this boy would become.

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