Elian was one of the most powerful warriors of his time. His best friend, who had been through so much with him, became his brother in spirit and an ally in battle. But one day their paths diverged. Elian became too dangerous — not only for the world, but for himself. In a battle where they faced each other, his friend, realizing that Elian could destroy everything around him, made a decision: to seal him in a barrier created specifically for him.

This barrier was not just a prison, but a space where time did not exist. Elian was locked in a void where he neither aged nor lived. His mind changed, and his body became something else. He communicated with shadows and entities within the barrier that altered him. He was neither human nor something entirely foreign.

One day, the barrier shattered. The reasons behind this remained a mystery. Perhaps Elian had grown stronger than the barrier, or perhaps someone from the outside deliberately destroyed it. The world he knew had changed. He found himself in a place where no one remembered him. But his enemies — those who had sealed him — were still alive, and they were beginning their hunt.

Elian was no longer sure that his release had been a blessing. He could not forget his friend, who had become his enemy. His goal was to find the one who had sealed him, to understand why it had happened and what lay behind that decision. But with every passing moment, he realized that his power and his transformations were unsettling him. He was no longer human, and his path now might lead to the destruction of everything.

Elian — a prisoner who had become something else — and his return marked the beginning of a new era. Sometimes, It seems that Elian is not from this world.

Elian walked through the narrow streets of the Central District, his thoughts focused on everything he had learned over the past few days. With each step, he drew closer to the Circle of Keepers, but along with that, a growing sense of unease crept over him. The surveillance hadn't stopped—he could feel the eyes on him even now.


The city around him thrived: neon signs flickered in the twilight, cars glided smoothly along polished roads, and towering buildings stretched toward the sky, as if watching his every move.


Elian turned into a narrow alley, deliberately choosing a path where he could test how persistent his pursuers were. He quickened his pace, then suddenly slipped around a corner and froze in the shadows, listening.


Heavy footsteps echoed against the brick walls. Someone had followed him.


Elian didn't wait. He raised his hand, and the surrounding shadows stirred, forming into spears. A moment later, two men in dark cloaks emerged from the corner. One immediately darted back, but the other was too slow—a shadowy blade embedded itself into the wall beside his head with a dull thud.


— Speak. Who are you? — Elian's voice was cold.


The man smirked and slowly raised his hands, showing he was unarmed. But Elian noticed—his fingers twitched, weaving some kind of magical thread.


— Careful, — Elian warned. — You won't get a second chance.


— You're faster than we thought, — the pursuer said, ignoring the warning. — That's good. It means you're ready.


— For what awaits you inside the Circle.


— Perhaps. Or perhaps they work for us, — the man replied cryptically with a smirk. — Did you really think the truth would be that simple?


Before Elian could ask another question, the ground beneath his feet trembled. The man lunged backward, vanishing into the shadows.


Elian scoffed. A true warrior would fight to the end—these were nothing but weaklings.


Without hesitation, he turned and set off to


Chapter 9 - Shadows Hidden in the Light