It has been over fifty years since the Evernight arrived. That particular day, the entire sky was consumed by a black mist which covered the entire world in darkness.
The animals on earth and even insects begaan to succumb to the darkness, bringing forth crawlers who plague the lands.
The blessing pillars began to fall from the sky as well, and after that time, people began to receive cryptic messages on ethereal scripts which pull them into a scenario - a challenge which they pass to earn blessings.
However, those who fail open a gate to the scenario and release horrifying monsters into the world.
The families who have been practicing sorcery and were hidden in the world began to come out to guide humanity. And all of them were as mysterious as they seem, in fact, Julius, as a mere slum rat, didn't even know the names of the families.
All these were just from Julius' memories though.
Julius limped through the alleyways, clutching his chest where the pain throbbed less. It wasn't until the rain slowed and the heavy clouds parted slightly that he truly saw the sky—an endless void, smothering everything in Eternal Night.
The Evernight.
Julius flinched as golden words which glowed appeared in front of him. He immediately frowned as he gazed upon them.
[You have sacrificed 1 life point. You have 3 life points left.]
"It's already 24 hours..." Julius whispered with a sigh.
Of course, how would living be free.
With the coming of the Evernight, humans began to pay for the lives they lived. One life point were equivalent to one day on earth and he had three points left.
I'm the middle of the street, an elderly woman stared at the sky with a terrified expression and then screamed at the top of her lungs before a red light came from the seemingly black mist, and she was not longer there.
Julius' eyes were wide open too. If he had a heart, he would have been filled with fear by now.
Life Points.
It was currency. Insurance. Proof of existence.
Since the first generation of wardens emerged to protect the world, they earned points from killing crawlers and they distributed it amongst humans and after a month, declared it to be the new currency and medium of exchange.
The Evernight claimed you.
And right now? Julius had Just three left. Which meant that he had three days left in this world.
He collapsed beside a rusted lamp post, gasping, the white envelope still clenched in his hand. He didn't know how long he laid there, rain soaking his clothes, mind drifting between memory and numbness.
All of a sudden he felt his body stir and a floating paper seemingly made of gold appeared before him.
[A story seed has bloomed. Prepare for trial in five hours]
Julius sat up slowly.
His breath no longer clouded the air. His chest no longer burned.
The hole was still there, but the pain was gone.
He could think...
...about how screwed his life was.
Julius reached into his coat and pulled out the black verse book with gold linings.
It pulsed faintly in his hand.
A shiver went down his spine.
He opened it.
A strange heat surged up his arms, and runes shifted across the pages like they were alive. Blank at first, then scrawled in frantic, ever-changing letters. Not ink—essence—flowing from somewhere deeper.
'No way. This is happening way too fast. I have to think.' He sat down again and stared at the ground as hard as he could.
The Wardens sanctuary keeps awakened in check and go after rogue awakened. The Evernight finally sent him a message, which meant the sanctuary knew before today.
The book which he opened now belonged to a specific class of wardens known as seekers.
The verse book was their tool.
And he'd just touched one.
As his eyes scanned the pages, his heart began to race. The letters stopped shifting and froze—just long enough for him to see a line etched into the page:
"You are not supposed to be here."
A chill ran down his back.
What—
Tap!
He turned his head slowly.
There, nailed to a cracked door just ten feet away, was another white envelope. Sealed with wax. This time, the symbol was different—a burning sword through a star.
His hands trembled slightly as he opened it.
Inside was just two words.
[Last chance]
Julius stared at the message, unblinking.
They knew.
They knew he was alive. They were watching.
And they were done waiting.
He gritted his teeth, heart pounding against his ribs—but this time, not in fear.
No… something else had taken root in his soul.
He stood up.
He had to run.
---
A man in a black coat ran passed the streets. He could smell burning oil from a particular shop as he ran passed. Flying ships which flew with hot air floated high in the sky.
The man had no interest in appreciating the steampunk world he found himself in right now.
He finally arrived at a large gate with a very tall tower within it and he walked towards the gate.
There were no guards and no sound coming from within. Before he could bang the gate, it suddenly opened and a blonde woman who wore a mask opened up the gate for him.
His instincts told him to run but there was no escape. He finally took a step forward.
The Sanctuary was quiet, save for the soft hum of floating glyphs that shimmered along its pale marble walls.
Julius stood still as the words faded above his head:
[First Trial in – 3:00:51]
A soft breeze brushed his face as he turned to his side.
She stood just a few feet away—a woman cloaked in white, simple in attire, but radiant in presence. Her golden hair flowed down her shoulders in loose waves, and her sky blue eyes studied him with quiet intensity. Not hostile. Not warm either.
Measured.
"I'm Nime," she said. "Senior Warden. You're under our jurisdiction now, Aspirant."
Her voice was smooth, almost gentle, but firm beneath the surface.
Julius didn't reply. He was still caught somewhere between awe and caution.
Rielle glanced up at the shimmering words still fading from the air.
"A late-bloomer, huh? We don't get many of those anymore. Most awaken young—or they don't survive long enough to awaken at all."
She took a slow step forward.
"You'll be taking your first Trial soon. There's no turning back once it starts. The story will anchor to your soul and shape your power—or your death. Both are possibilities."
Julius clenched his fists slightly. "What's in the trial?"
She gave a sad smile. "Whatever you're not ready for."
He stiffened.
Rielle continued, pacing slowly. "Your fears. Your regrets. Sometimes enemies. Sometimes allies long lost. Time moves strangely inside a story trial. You could return minutes later—or never at all. If you die in there, the door stays open…"
She looked toward the hallway. "And sometimes, the monsters crawl out instead."
A pulse ran through the floor.
"Come," she said, turning briskly.
The large black gates which had the symbol of a star parted as it opened inwards.
They moved through polished corridors lit by ever-burning flames. At the far end was a towering chamber—a dome of white stone and suspended bridges.
In the center of the chamber floated dozens of doors.
Not mounted to walls. Just hanging midair—each different in shape and style. Some simple wood. Others jagged obsidian or glimmering crystal. A few… were chained shut.
Below them stood armed Wardens, each keeping a silent watch.
Julius could see them all holding all sorts of weapons. He saw one particularly eye catching that sat on a chair with a floating black sword in front of him.
The man suddenly turned and his cold black eyes met his, and a chill suddenly went down his spine.
"Every one of those is a Trial in progress. A story unfolding. The Aspirants who fail… their doors begin to crack. If we don't seal them quickly, what's inside gets out."
Julius could feel it now. Something foul lingered behind the elegance. The Sanctuary wasn't a holy place. It was a containment zone.
Just then, another presence entered the room.
Heavy boots echoed off the floor.
A man stepped forward—broad-shouldered, sharp-jawed, cloaked in black and silver. His eyes were tired but sharp as steel. And his white beard betrayed the vibrant look in his eyes.
Rielle bowed slightly.
"Master."
The man looked at Julius with no small amount of annoyance.
"So. You're the one that had me send hounds—twice." He crossed his arms. "You've wasted time and burned two contracts."
Julius straightened. "I didn't—"
"I don't care." The Master's voice cut like a blade. "Your'e to answer a question now."
The man took a small break and then continued:
"Would you rather die or challenge the trial?"
Julius looked around as he heard those words. It hadn't been up to a day since he came to this world. He still needed time to process his situation.
He had a hole in his chest, for example which was by no means normal. And he needed to know why and how he transmigrated and if possible, go back. He just graduated after all.
"I'll go." Julius answered with a low voice and the elderly man nodded.
He turned to Nime. "He enters now. I want his door monitored."
She nodded.
The Master vanished down a separate hall without another word.
Julius looked up at Nime.
"You're not going to wish me luck?"
She offered a small smirk. "No."
Then she walked over to an empty space and then as if on signal, an energy rippled through the dome and a door appeared in mid air.
It was white. Bone white. With ink running down its surface, bleeding like veins. A single symbol was on its surface.
The symbol of three spirals connected together by a triangle made with curves.
He didn't get the chance to blink.
The air bent around him. A pull stronger than gravity yanked his body off the ground.
His feet left the floor.
The world twisted—and then—
---
[A new story is being born.]
[Prepare for your Trial, Aspirant.]