Chapter 9: Shadows Over Velaria
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The night hung heavy over the capital city of Velaria.
Gone were the tranquil evenings when oil lamps cast golden halos over cobbled streets and laughter spilled from taverns like overflowing ale. In their place now stood a quiet suffocation—an eerie stillness that blanketed the alleys, masking whispers that slithered beneath doorways and disappeared into the fog.
Rael Verenth stood atop one of the Academy's high towers, his cloak flapping behind him as the wind howled through the spires. Below him, the sprawling city looked like a breathing creature—alive, yet restless. Unsettled.
His eyes weren't on the city, though.
They were locked on a message that hovered before him in glowing runes:
> [System Notice: Shadow Mark Detected — Hidden Presence Within Velaria] [Threat Level: Unknown] [Category: ??? – Not Classified Within Known Beast or Demon Indexes]
Rael's brow furrowed.
> "Another anomaly..."
Ever since awakening as a Spirit Contractor, strange notifications had begun appearing—glitches in the system that no instructor could see, hidden warnings that even the Academy's most advanced mages had missed.
And now... something had entered Velaria. Something the system couldn't categorize.
He felt it in his bones.
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Earlier That Day – Dawnbreaker Guild Hall
The Dawnbreaker Guild's main hall was nothing short of majestic. Ancient oak beams supported the ceiling, polished crystal chandeliers illuminated the banners of past guildmasters, and artifact weapons lined the walls—each a relic from an era of conquest and sacrifice.
But even amidst the grandeur, Rael felt something off.
"Eyes are on you," whispered Elara, the white-haired Vice Captain of the Guild. She leaned casually against a pillar, her sharp blue eyes scanning the room.
"I noticed," Rael murmured, not turning his head. "Half of them are watching out of curiosity. The other half... suspicion."
"Natural," she replied. "A first-year, recruited into Dawnbreakers after only two duels, and you've already defeated a C-rank beast in your first practical mission."
Rael frowned. "The beast wasn't natural either. It had that same corruption I encountered in the forest... like something was altering its mind."
Elara's playful smirk vanished.
"You think it was demonic?"
"No. I think it was something worse."
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Later – Infirmary Ward, Lower Academy Grounds
Rael visited Dren, the wounded third-year who had nearly lost his life in the forest during the last mission. His body still trembled from the venom that had laced the beast's claws.
"Rael..." Dren rasped. "It's not... just monsters anymore. I heard them... whispers... in the dark."
Rael leaned closer. "Whispers?"
"They called me by name... told me to submit... to The Hollow."
His pulse quickened.
He'd seen this name before—deep within the bestiary's hidden entries after unlocking his third spirit slot. The Hollow. A forgotten sub-realm of the Demon Abyss, sealed centuries ago.
But it was supposed to be extinct.
Rael stood, eyes hard. "Rest. I'll find out what's happening."
Dren clutched his arm. "They're already here... walking in human skin."
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That Night – Shadows Move
Deep within the noble district of Velaria, masked figures gathered in an underground hall beneath the estate of House Varethus, a name Rael had only recently seen on a list of sponsors funding Academy trials.
Their voices were cold, stripped of humanity.
"The Spirit Sovereign has awakened," said one, his robe etched in blood runes. "The Empire's Hounds failed to intercept the anomaly."
Another responded, tone sharp: "Then the fault lies with us. Dispatch the Shadowbinders. The vessel must not be allowed to develop further."
"And if he resists?"
"Then the city burns."
A final voice, ancient and cracked, rasped from the shadows, "Begin the Rite of Hollowing."
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Academy Grounds – Rael's Dormitory
Rael awoke gasping.
Dreams twisted into nightmares—shadows chasing him through corridors made of bone, spirits screaming from cracked soulstones. He opened his system interface again.
> [Warning: Unclassified Corruption Detected – Radius: 1.6km] [Affected Zone: Southern Velaria]
His breath slowed. The corruption was spreading.
And he was the only one seeing it.
He clenched his fist.
> "I need to grow stronger. Fast."
A small pulse answered him.
> [New Spirit Integration Option Available: Ghostfang Sentinel – F-Rank+] Temporary Skill Gained: Veil Step (★☆☆☆) – Grants 2 seconds of near-invisibility.
Rael's lips curved slightly.
He had new tools. New power.
And someone needed to find the source of the Hollow's whispers before the capital turned into a graveyard.
He grabbed his blade, slipped on his cloak, and disappeared into the night.
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