Eclipsed monarch

Watching from the Shadows

The city of Dravenhold was bustling with life, unaware of the horrors hidden beneath its streets. Merchants shouted their prices, nobles rode in elegant carriages, and mercenaries patrolled the roads. Yet, in the shadows of an abandoned bell tower, two figures watched a particular estate with unblinking eyes.

Kael and Selene had spent three days monitoring the facility. Unlike the previous hideout, this one was deeply embedded within the city, disguised as the residence of a noble family. Guards patrolled in disciplined formations, and all supplies were delivered under the pretense of medical shipments.

Selene exhaled sharply. "They're careful. No mistakes in their routine. The guards aren't ordinary mercenaries—they're trained knights."

Kael's gaze remained locked on the estate. "That means the experiments here are even more important."

Selene crossed her arms. "How do you want to do this?"

He turned to her, his voice calm but decisive. "Tonight, we go inside. No killing unless necessary. We need information first."

Selene nodded. They had learned from the last raid—not to act recklessly. This required precision.

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Descending into the Abyss

Moving under the cover of darkness, Kael and Selene slipped past patrolling guards, scaling the outer walls with practiced ease. Inside, the halls were silent, the faint scent of alchemical potions lingering in the air.

They avoided detection, listening in on hushed conversations.

"Subject 017 is stable, but his mind still resists control."

"Increase the dosage. He will obey."

Selene's fists clenched, but Kael signaled her to remain calm.

They moved deeper, reaching the underground section of the estate, where the true horrors awaited.

Cells lined the walls.

Inside them were failures.

One man sat twitching uncontrollably, his veins glowing with corrupted mana, his fingers fused into grotesque claws.

Another cell held a woman whose half-scaled body convulsed violently, her empty eyes staring at nothing.

Further down, a child barely alive, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles, a grotesque reminder of the experiments' failures.

Selene's breath hitched. "They did this… to people?"

Kael's voice was cold. "They're trying to make weapons. And they're not stopping."

A low groan echoed from a nearby cell. A failed experiment thrashed violently against the bars, letting out a guttural, inhuman sound.

The noise traveled.

Footsteps.

Kael reacted instantly, pulling Selene into the shadows.

A guard rushed past, gripping his spear, eyes scanning the hallway.

"Damn creatures making a fuss again…" the man muttered before walking away.

Kael waited. The silence returned. Then he signaled Selene to move.

They reached a locked chamber at the heart of the facility. Kael picked the lock with ease, and as the door creaked open, they stepped inside—only to come face to face with something different.

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The Perfect Experiment

A boy—no older than fourteen—stood in the center of the room.

His dark blue hair was unkempt, falling just above his golden eyes, which flickered with something unnatural. Wolf-like ears twitched at their presence, his dark blue tail barely moving.

His body was lean but defined, shaped by unnatural conditioning. His pale skin bore faint scars, remnants of endless experiments.

Chains had once bound his wrists, but now only a metal collar gleamed around his neck, runes pulsing with a faint glow.

Kael and Selene barely had a second to process what they were seeing before a voice spoke.

"Well, well… I see we have uninvited guests."

A scientist stepped forward. Unlike the guards, his expression wasn't one of fear—but of curiosity.

Kael's eyes narrowed. "You bastards have gone too far."

The first scientist smirked. "Have we? Humanity has always sought power beyond its limits. We simply gave it a push."

He gestured at the boy.

"Subject 017 is proof of that. A true merging of man and beast—a perfect weapon. You should feel honored to witness his existence before his full potential is realized."

Selene's voice was sharp. "You're monsters."

The scientist only tilted his head, amused. "Monsters? No, no, pioneers. Do you know how many failures we had before him? Do you know how many screamed?"

Kael's expression remained unreadable, but his fingers twitched slightly.

The scientist smiled. "This one resisted for a long time, you know. At first, we broke his bones. When he kept fighting, we flayed his skin to test his regeneration. When he still refused, we carved into his nerves to see how much pain a human mind could endure."

Selene's breath trembled slightly.

The second scientist sighed. "But we succeeded in the end. He learned to obey. They all do."

The first scientist turned toward the boy, his smirk widening.

"Subject 017…" His voice was sickly sweet. "Kill them."

The boy's golden eyes flickered. His breath became erratic.

Then his pupils contracted—and his body obeyed.

He moved.

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