Chapter 2: The Sigil's Awakening

Ithan’s eyes fluttered open, his vision spinning. The world around him seemed distorted, like a shattered mirror reflecting multiple realities at once.

"Where… am I?" His voice cracked, the words foreign even to him.

A soft hum vibrated through the air, causing his body to tremble. He tried to move, but his limbs felt too heavy, almost as if they didn’t belong to him.

"The mission," he thought. "The Eclipse Syndicate… we were ambushed." His memories were fragmented, a maze of confusion. But there was something else—a strange pull within him, an energy he couldn’t comprehend.

Suddenly, the hum grew louder. A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the flickering light.

It was Kaelan, his figure draped in an aura of calm and mystery. He wore a sleek black suit adorned with strange, glowing runes—symbols Ithan didn’t recognize.

“Ithan," Kaelan’s voice cut through the haze. “You’ve been chosen.”

Ithan blinked, his thoughts struggling to piece together the meaning of Kaelan’s words. “Chosen for what?”

Kaelan’s gaze deepened, almost as though he could see into Ithan’s very soul. “The Sigil,” he said softly. “It has marked you. The Veil has chosen you.”

The words were like a blow to the chest. The Sigil. Ithan had heard whispers about it—ancient, powerful, and chosen only when the world was on the brink of ruin. But he was just a mercenary. There was no way he could be one of the chosen.

“You're lying,” Ithan muttered, pushing himself to his feet with effort. “I’m no one special. Just a soldier.”

Kaelan’s lips twitched with the barest hint of a smile. “No one is wrong when the Veil calls.”

Ithan felt a sudden sharp pain in his chest. He gasped, staggering back, clutching at his ribs as a force coursed through him—a deep, burning power unlike anything he’d ever felt. His breath came in ragged gasps as he doubled over, every inch of his body screaming in agony.

The pain intensified, and Ithan’s eyes widened as a glowing light erupted from his chest. He fell to his knees, the world around him warping, flickering like an unstable hologram. Reality itself seemed to twist, bending under the weight of the energy surging within him.

“It’s… it’s happening.” Kaelan’s voice was calm, as though he had seen this before. “The Sigil is awakening.”

Ithan cried out, his body convulsing with the power now coursing through him. He could feel it—a force beyond comprehension, binding him to something ancient and dangerous. It felt like the very fabric of reality was unraveling.

Suddenly, just as quickly as it began, the surge of energy stopped. Ithan collapsed, gasping for air, his body drenched in sweat.

Kaelan knelt beside him, his presence almost soothing amidst the chaos. “The Sigil,” he said softly, “binds you to the Veil. It is a part of you now.”

Ithan could barely breathe, the weight of Kaelan’s words sinking into his chest. “The Veil?”

Kaelan’s gaze darkened. “A force older than the world itself. And the Hollow King…” His voice trailed off, his eyes clouding with something darker. “It has awoken.”

Ithan swallowed hard, his throat dry. The Hollow King. The stories, the whispers from his past—of an ancient, forgotten force that could tear apart the very fabric of reality. But these were just stories. Legends.

Except now, they felt all too real.

“It’s not just a story,” Kaelan whispered, as if reading his mind. “And neither are you.”

Ithan stood, shaky but determined, wiping the sweat from his brow. “So what now? What am I supposed to do?”

Kaelan stood as well, his expression still unreadable. “Now, you begin your journey. The Sigil has marked you. You must learn to control its power.”

Ithan stared at him, the enormity of the situation sinking in. “Control it?” He had no idea how to control a power like that. He wasn’t prepared for this. But one thing was certain: his world had just changed forever.

Kaelan nodded, his eyes narrowing. “The world is on the brink. And it is you who must stop the Hollow King from tearing it all apart.”

With those words hanging in the air, Ithan looked around at the strange, shimmering city. There was no turning back now.