Kazuki stepped into the Duke's study. The walls were lined with ancient books, sealed scrolls, and maps of the known world. The Duke sat at a large oak desk, his expression grave.

  “Kazuki,” he began, “what I’m about to share cannot leave this room. Not yet.”

  Kazuki remained silent, his eyes glowing faintly with residual energy.

  The Duke unrolled a map and tapped a symbol etched in faded ink—a spiral sun split down the middle.

  “This… is the mark of the Shattered Veil.”

  Kazuki narrowed his eyes.

  “It appeared long ago,” the Duke continued, “when an ancient civilization tampered with dimensions. They tried to peer through the Veil that separates our world from the beyond. What they saw… drove them mad.”

  He stood and walked to a sealed cabinet, pulling out a crystal orb wrapped in cloth.

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  “This belonged to the Seer—a woman locked deep beneath the capital. Her visions are fractured, but one thing remains constant in all of them.”

  He placed the orb on the table.

  “Kazuki… she sees you. Over and over again. In some visions, you destroy everything. In others, you save it.”

  The orb flickered to life, and Kazuki saw himself—his future selves—raging through battlefields, walking through fire, standing before a ruined city. But also, healing the wounded, slaying nightmarish foes, standing atop towers bathed in starlight.

  “She speaks of a child of the broken star, born without a tether to fate. A soul that can alter destiny itself.”

  Kazuki clenched his fists. “And R.I.S.K.? What do they want with me?”

  The Duke sighed. “They know of the prophecy. In fact, I believe… they were born from it.”

  Kazuki’s gaze sharpened.

  “R.I.S.K. stands for Resurgence Initiative for Sovereign Knowledge. They were once scholars—keepers of forbidden magic. But something changed. They seek control over the prophecy, and by extension… over you.”

  The Duke looked out the window at the night sky.

  “They’re watching you. They fear you, but also wish to mold you into their weapon.”

  Kazuki looked down at his hands, recalling the faces of his friends—Elara’s concern, Garron’s fury, Rinara’s protectiveness, Drake’s loyalty.

  “I’m not theirs to control.”

  “No,” the Duke nodded. “But you must understand… this isn’t just about strength anymore. It’s about choice. The Seer believes the Veil is weakening. And when it finally shatters, the world will either be reborn…”

  “…or consumed.”

  The room fell into silence, the only sound being the soft flicker of the Seer's orb.

  ---

  Elsewhere… in the Depths of the Continent

  A hooded figure stood in a massive chamber beneath a crumbling fortress. Other silhouettes stood in shadow.

  A voice echoed:

  “He grows stronger. Too quickly.”

  Another:

  “The dragon. He made it his servant.”

  The leader stepped forward.

  “It doesn’t matter. The child of the prophecy still plays into our hands. We shall test his resolve. Let’s see how he fares… against what lies beyond the Veil.”