Elena looked down at the boy, her heart tightening at the sight of the mark.
"He cannot have a name that people will remember… he cannot have a title or a rank."
Her fingers gently brushed his cheek.
"From now on… you are Shadow. You will live in the dark. You will stay out of sight. That is the only way you stay alive."
.
.
.
Seven years passed.
And life… moved on.
Or at least, it pretended to.
---
Inside a vast library filled with scrolls, ancient books, and records of countless topics, a young boy sat quietly on a wooden chair.
He looked no older than seven.
His black hair fell to his shoulders in soft, untamed waves—refusing any attempt to be controlled. Pale skin contrasted sharply with the dark strands, giving him an almost unnatural appearance under the dim library light.
A black mask covered two-thirds of his face.
The boy was Shadow.
He was reading.
A thick book rested in his hands, detailing the Riverend Kingdom—specifically the branch his family was tied to.
The Riverend Kingdom was one of the major territories under the protection of the Vael Empire.
And the Vael Empire was only one among many on the Zora Continent.
The continent itself was divided into four major kingdoms under imperial rule:
Riverend Kingdom, located in the north, where vast rivers carved through the land like veins of the world.
Silverlake Kingdom, a peaceful region built around a massive, shimmering lake that reflected the sky like glass.
Woodpeak Kingdom, rising to the east—mountainous, dense, and filled with forests that climbed toward the clouds.
Greenwood Kingdom, stretching across the west—endless plains and deep forests, home to countless magical beasts.
Each kingdom had its own power structure.
Its own wars.
Its own secrets.
But among them all, one name stood above ordinary nobility.
House Stormgard.
A family known across the continent.
Every member born into it carried the lightning attribute.
One of the most destructive and dominant mana elements in existence.
But what truly made Stormgard dangerous was not just their element.
It was their techniques.
Their spells.
Their control.
Lightning was already powerful.
But in their hands, it became something far more precise… and far more lethal.
Even mentioning the Stormgard name was enough to make lesser families hesitate.
And Shadow belonged to that household.
His parents were considered pillars within the family—figures of influence and authority.
Yet that status did not change one simple truth:
Shadow spent most of his days alone.
Reading.
Learning.
Observing.
When the light outside the library began to fade, he closed the book carefully and stood up.
Another day finished.
Another stack of knowledge absorbed.
As he walked through the halls, the silence of the library slowly gave way to distant noise.
Metal clashing.
Shouting.
Controlled bursts of energy.
Shadow followed the sound.
It led him to the training arena.
The space was enormous—an open field of stone and packed earth shaped into a perfect square.
The air carried the scent of sweat, metal, and dust.
Wooden training dummies lined one side, many of them cracked or shattered from repeated strikes.
Weapons racks stood neatly along the edges—swords, spears, shields—ready for endless repetition.
The center of the arena was marked with faded circular scars.
Evidence of countless duels.
Every sound echoed sharply through the space.
Every movement carried discipline.
Dozens of children trained inside, all around Shadow's age.
Some practiced sword swings.
Others focused on mana sensing.
Others repeated basic stances over and over again under strict supervision.
And in the center of it all…
stood a girl.
She was seven.
Skin pale like untouched snow, glowing faintly under the light.
Long black hair flowed down her back like ink spilled perfectly into place.
Her face was delicate—almost unreal in its symmetry.
Beautiful in a way that didn't feel ordinary.
But her expression carried something different.
Distance.
A quiet aloofness, as if she existed slightly apart from everyone else in the world.
She was Mia.
Shadow's twin sister.
And the Stormgard family's newest "expected prodigy."
She wasn't alone.
Other children surrounded her, all focused on the same exercise—trying to feel the flow of mana around them.
Normally, children awaken their elemental attributes at the age of nine, when their souls stabilize enough to handle the transformation of mana within their bodies.
But noble families like Stormgard did not wait for "normal."
They trained early.
Hard.
Relentlessly.
Failure was not an option they tolerated.
And success… was expected.
Shadow stood at the edge of the arena, watching silently.
"Mia."
His voice cut through the noise.
The girl blinked and turned.
"Brother."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Are you done training?" Shadow asked. "It's getting late. You know mother is not very kind when it comes to dinner time."
Mia shivered slightly.
"Believe me, brother… I don't think I can forget that even if I wanted to," she said. "Last time still haunts me."
Shadow didn't react much, but a faint hint of amusement passed through his eyes.
Their conversation drew attention.
The other children noticed him.
A boy with green hair spoke first.
"Were you at the library again? Don't you ever get bored of that?"
A girl beside him crossed her arms.
"At least he gets to skip this torture. If I were him, I'd sleep all day."
Murmurs of agreement followed.
Shadow glanced at them briefly.
'Lucky… huh.'
He thought it quietly.
But his expression didn't change.
Instead, he spoke calmly.
"You might not understand why you're training now," he said. "But in a few years… you'll be glad you didn't waste this time."
The children groaned, unconvinced.
Shadow turned away.
Mia followed him immediately.
Together, they walked out of the arena, leaving behind the noise, the metal, and the training shouts.