RISING STARS AND VEILS

The morning sun filtered softly over the Mythic Base, its light glinting off the smooth stone tiles of the courtyard. The previous days had been a whirlwind of battle, politics, revelations—and now, uneasy silence. But Arslan, sharper than ever, understood something: they couldn't waste time. He had new knowledge to pass on, and the Mythic-ranked members needed to grow fast.

As the Mythics gathered in the training grounds, still bruised from recent events but determined, Arslan stood at the center in his dark combat attire, eyes filled with purpose.

"Alright," he began, his voice firm but calm, "We've focused on our powers, our emotions, our energy—now it's time for something different."

The others leaned in slightly.

"We're moving into Combat Synchronization Training. It's a method I designed during the last battle—how to combine not just our powers, but our instincts, our tempo, our fight rhythm."

Vaelith raised an eyebrow. "You mean... joint attacks?"

"More than that," Arslan said. "Think of it like tuning our minds to the same frequency. Not just fighting together—but thinking together, moving as one."

Tharion chuckled. "Sounds like war-dancing."

Arslan nodded. "Exactly. And today... we choreograph our first rhythm."

Arslan set up a large circular arena using dark-energy markers. "This circle represents your zone. Within it, only synchronized strikes, counter-steps, and protection zones matter. Any wrong move will disrupt your partner's technique."

He paired them into groups of two.

Yuna & Seris — Support + Debuff

Elyra & Caelis — Freeze Control + Frostbind

Nirela & Tarric — Moonlight and Thunderstep

Ismere & Tharion — Blood Echo and Earthshock

"You've all trained your skills. Now use your minds. Observe, listen, feel each other's timing."

He stood back and gave the signal.

At first, it was chaos—energy bursts clashing, skills interrupting each other, misaligned dodges. Tarric nearly shocked Nirela mid-step. Elyra froze Caelis's leg accidentally. Ismere's blood spikes nearly clipped Tharion's shoulder.

"Stop!"

Arslan's voice cut through the courtyard like a blade. "You're not fighting the enemy. You're fighting your own habits."

He walked between them. "Tarric—listen to Nirela's breathing before you move. Caelis—Elyra needs rhythm, not force. She sets the pace, you follow it."

Orien stepped forward. "What about the rest of us?"

Arslan smiled slightly. "You'll join phase two. Group fights. Triangles. Quads. I'll rotate you after lunch."

___________

At the Royal capital

That afternoon, a sharp horn echoed through the gates of Royal Capital.

Guards at the main gates saluted as a cloaked man stepped in, bearing a golden insignia of the Northern Capital of ThornVale. His hair was ash-grey, eyes wind-bitten, face carved with urgency.

He was led directly to King Farhan's council chamber, where Julius and Council leaders had already gathered.

"I am Herald Nomar from the court of King Vange Cob of ThornVale," the man bowed. "I bring news that may shift the tide of this continent."

King Farhan gestured. "Speak, friend."

Nomar opened a scroll, but instead of reading, he spoke with controlled anxiety.

"There are… Demonic Sites forming in our mountains. Not gates. Not Vaults. These look like natural caves at first. But as our lower-rank Knights entered… none returned."

Julius tensed. "What do you mean… not Vaults?"

Nomar nodded. "We investigated. These are different. They pull life inward. Trees around them wither. Shadows don't cast properly. The people are scared."

A Council member asked, "Could these be corrupted lands?"

Nomar shook his head. "No. Our scholars think… they're anchor points. Physical anchors for something not yet arrived."

Silence fell.

Nomar added, "King Vange Cob believes there are two types of entries for demons. One, we already know—Vaults of Sundusk and Messenger Gates. But these 'Sites'... they may be a third method."

He further said "King Vange wants to meet you"

Murmurs spread.

Farhan finally spoke to Julius. "Have any appeared in Lumisgrave?"

Julius replied. "None that we know of."

King Farhan turned toward Parche. "Call for a Summit. All known capitals. We'll not wait for these shadows to reach our doors."

As Nomar left , King said to Julius "It may be the result of that late night Gate open "

Julius said"May be "...

The night was deep, cloaked in a silence that even the moonlight dared not disturb. Beneath the Mythic Base, hidden behind a sealed arch etched in ancient runes, Arslan descended into a long-forgotten forging chamber — its heart pulsating with dormant energy.

Kar'Thael whispered in his mind with a low growl,

> "This place remembers... It remembers creators, war, and ash. Are you ready to give your memory a blade?"

Arslan stepped forward, cradling the remains of his old shadow blades in one hand — broken, burnt, and splintered from his clash with Zarelle. In the other hand, he held a shard from the Bound Threshold, still glowing faintly with bluish-white light. Between them sat a cracked demon core, taken from a beast slain in darkness.

He laid the items onto the obsidian anvil, which hissed to life. The chamber's dormant runes ignited around him — glowing red, like breath awakening from centuries of silence.

Arslan looked at the raw pieces of what he had lost and what he had earned. "I won't carry broken blades anymore. I'll craft something that carries me instead."

Kar'Thael's voice rumbled,

> "You forge not just metal, but identity."

---

🔨 The Forging Process:

Arslan raised his right hand, dark energy coiling around his fingers, and began to chant:

> "Veth'Raal Norak... Sen'darith Vaurin..."

(Let darkness take form. Let light tremble.)

As his aura surged, the forge lit with an unnatural flame — blue-black fire, not burning with heat, but consuming essence. The Bound Threshold shard hovered in midair, drawn to the aura. The shattered demon core pulsed violently, as if resisting. But Arslan closed his eyes and poured every emotion — pain, betrayal, resolve, and longing — into the fire.

The demon core cracked further and melted into the Threshold shard, runes trailing up its surface like veins. Then, piece by piece, the remnants of his old weapons twisted around it, reshaping like molten steel — guided by will, not hammer.

Kar'Thael whispered slowly, reverently:

> "It's coming alive."

The flames exploded once more — then vanished.

Floating above the anvil was the newly forged weapon.

---

🗡️ Weapon Revealed: Requiem Shard

The room dimmed around the weapon as it slowly descended into Arslan's open hand.

A skeletal black hilt, wrapped in dark obsidian leather.

A runed core, pulsing like a living heart.

A crimson-veined blade, sharpened into a spear's edge when extended... or compressed into a single-bladed longsword for rapid combat.

Aura: A low hum resonated from the blade. The moment Arslan gripped it, the room warped slightly — light bent toward it, as if reality itself recognized the weapon's authority.

Kar'Thael muttered with satisfaction,

> "Requiem Shard… Born of the threshold. Forged in darkness. That's not just a weapon — that's a voice."

---

✨ Abilities Observed (Initial Test):

Arslan stepped forward and spun the blade once in a wide arc.

As the blade cut the air, a faint void pulse shattered the torches nearby.

When Arslan extended his will into it, the weapon shifted seamlessly from sword to spear.

A chain of runes flickered up its spine — signaling dormant abilities.

Kar'Thael said,

> "In battle, it will unlock more... but only when the moment demands. And only if your mind is clear."

Arslan raised it before his eyes and murmured,

> "Requiem Shard. I don't know what awaits... but with you, I'll carve a path through hell if I must."

_____________NOTE______________

*******WEAPON FORGE***********

Name: Requiem Shard

Modes:

Collapsed Blade: Fast, agile melee weapon.

Extended Spear: Ranged and power-focused form.

Abilities:

Void Pulse: Pushes back magic attacks.

Phase Strike: Bypasses defenses briefly.

Requiem Bind: Chains enemies in combat.

Veilfire Mode: One-time burst of fused aura.

Resonance Link: Reacts to Kar'Thael in real-time.

Energy Type:

Fused from Bound Threshold aura, Demon Core pulse, and Dark Energy.