The steel gates groaned as they closed behind Shen, sealing off the wilderness that had nearly torn his body apart just days ago. Inside the fortified compound, the air felt heavier, not from threat, but from expectation.
Shelter.
Not safety. Not yet. Not for someone like him.
Kaela walked ahead, her steps crisp against the concrete flooring. Her black hair, tousled from the wind outside, settled over her shoulders as she led him down a corridor lined with armed guards and watchful eyes. The scent of oil, sweat, and preserved food filled the place.
"Try not to stare back," she said without turning. "You already look like a feral to them. Don't give them a reason to agree."
Shen offered the faintest smirk, blood drying on his torn sleeve. "Then I should've drooled a little more. Maybe barked."
"You're not funny."
"I wasn't trying."
She rolled her eyes but didn't press further. Instead, she turned a corner and brought him into what passed as a communal hall. A few soldiers glanced their way, then turned back to rationed meals or sharpening their gear.
Kaela motioned to an empty table. "Sit. You've earned one answer."
Shen raised an eyebrow. "Only one?"
"I'm feeling generous. Two."
He sat, arms folded. "Tell me what exactly we're up against. These creatures—they're not all the same."
Kaela nodded, pulling off her gloves. Her voice dropped just enough that only Shen could hear. "There's a classification system. Military types call them that to make it feel like we have control."
She held up a hand, counting them off.
"Ferals are the lowest. Animalistic, driven by hunger. Most can't think beyond the next kill. Easy to bait, easier to overwhelm."
"Like the one that nearly took Darcc's leg."
"Exactly. Then come the Thralls. They're more dangerous. Still feral-like, but they follow something—something higher. You'll find them guarding territory or swarming smarter."
"A chain of command?"
"Of sorts. It gets worse. The Aberrants are where everything breaks rules. They mutate. Adapt. Think. I've seen one mimic a soldier's voice just to lure a squad into a trap."
Shen's eyes narrowed. "That's not evolution. That's intention."
Kaela nodded slowly. "And that's why we fear the Crowned. They're leaders—organizers. Intelligent beyond belief. Some even speak. Those are rare... but when they appear, cities fall."
"And above them?"
Her fingers curled into a fist.
"Elders. Each one is tied to the Crimson World directly. They warp reality around them. One step from them and gravity bends, thoughts bleed."
A beat passed.
"And then..." She hesitated. "There are whispers of the Firstborn. But if those exist, none who saw them lived to talk."
Shen leaned back, expression unreadable. "A system born of fear."
"No. A system born of survival."
He nodded once, digesting every word. The terms echoed in his mind, aligning strangely with how his instincts had already labeled his enemies.
Kaela tilted her head. "You thinking of charging a Crowned next?"
"Not yet," Shen said, gaze distant. "I want to understand where I stand. Among humans."
Kaela studied him for a moment, then exhaled through her nose. "Fair. Let me lay it out simply."
She pulled a rusted blade from her side, placing it between them.
"Most people begin by becoming Veinkindled. First awakening. They unlock Qi, awaken a part of themselves that lets them fight beyond mortal means. You're in that stage—barely."
Shen said nothing.
"Then comes Bloodmarked—a deeper bond to your Qi. It stains you. Makes your control sharper. You bleed energy as much as you use it. Techniques become real."
She flipped the blade over.
"Soulbound—where your mind and power merge. It's more than techniques. Your intent carries weight. One misstep and your spirit can burn itself out."
She tapped the table. "After that? Spiritforged. The strongest humans we know. Their presence alone can break lines. They wield domains. Shape battles."
A pause. Then her voice dropped.
"And then there's the mythical Celestial Ascendant. No one's seen one in years. Not clearly. If they exist... they're gods walking among ash."
Shen slowly reached forward and tapped the blade.
"You think I'm Veinkindled."
Kaela shrugged. "You feel off. Wild. Not raw power, but... broken rules. You don't flow like others."
Shen's voice was soft. "Because I opened my veins. Not awakened them."
Her eyes flickered to his.
"What?"
He stood. "Thank you for the answers."
Kaela frowned. "That's it?"
He offered a ghost of a smile. "That was three answers, not two. I think you're growing soft."
She narrowed her eyes but didn't protest as he walked away.
From a distance, a soldier muttered, "Who the hell is that guy?"
Kaela's voice came flat and amused. "Someone who might outlive us all. Or get us all killed."
As Shen walked deeper into the shelter, he couldn't help but notice the difference now. The way people moved. The way Qi whispered from some and stayed dead silent in others.
He had no idea where his path led—but it wasn't one the others walked. Not anymore.
Not since the Crimson Vein began to pulse inside him.
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