[Royal Palace — Midnight]
The Evernight Palace slept under the silver glow of twin moons.
Guards patrolled quietly, enchanted torches lighting the outer corridors with cold flames.
But deep within the private royal quarters, a subtle pulse thrummed through the air.
Althea Evernight, seated by the window, hummed a lullaby, her voice soft and timeless.
Leon and Arden, wrapped in velvet blankets, dozed peacefully in their cradles.
Yet, unseen to mortal eyes, threads of translucent darkness coiled around the twins — not in menace, but in fierce, protective embrace.
It was the bloodline's will.
The Evernight Blood had awakened.
[Inside Arden's Mindspace]
The System Interface unfolded like a living map before Arden's awareness.
[Bloodline Progress Update]
Phase 1.5 Complete
First Stage Blood Resonance Achieved
Unlocking Hidden Family Legacy:
Evernight Bloodline Core:
Dominion of Shadows (Dormant)
Dimensional Sovereignty (Locked)
Mythic Trait: Soulforge Resilience (+100% resistance against mental corruption, celestial influence, and dimensional decay)
"Dominion of Shadows... Dimensional Sovereignty..."
Arden's infant lips twitched slightly in amusement.
These weren't simple bloodline powers.
They were the birthright of rulers — those fated to shape or break worlds.
The Evernight Bloodline was not just strong — it was primordial, birthed when the first darkness gave form to space itself.
[Family Courtyard — Early Morning]
Sunlight stretched lazily across the gardens.
Birds sang among the flowering vines.
Servants prepared breakfast, moving quietly so as not to disturb the royal family.
In the courtyard, Darius Evernight stood practicing sword forms — each strike clean, decisive, and heavy with years of battlefield mastery.
Leon toddled after him, swinging a wooden sword that was almost bigger than he was.
Meanwhile, Arden sat under a cherry blossom tree, tiny hands in his lap, his silver-blue eyes half-closed — but wide open within his mind.
Through the MindHub, he connected to his growing network of Clones hidden far across the kingdom.
[MindHub: Active Clones Interface]
Clone A01 (Hidden under Capital Dungeon)
Task: Monitoring Mana Rift
Experience Gained: 230 XP / day
Clone B02 (Training in Shadow Valley)
Task: Absorbing Nightbeast Essence
Skill Growth: Shadow Step +12%
Clone C03 (Assigned: Family Guard Duty)
Task: Guard Mother and Brother from Unseen Threats
Status: Passive Stealth Active
All the experience and skills gained by these clones flowed back into Arden through the MindHub, building him up quietly without exposing his true strength.
And now, he assigned Tasks manually.
[New Task Created]
Objective: Increase Base Strength by +5 points within 10 days.
Method: Hunt Tier-1 Beasts near Southern Wilds.
Reward: +1 Evolution Crystal
Arden watched the MindHub ripple with life.
In the coming days, he would grow stronger at an absurd rate... without ever lifting a finger in front of his family.
"I must stay hidden... until the day they need me."
"Until then, I will be their shield... their sword..."
[Solaris Outer Orbit ]
The ragged figure from beyond the stars watched Solaris from the upper atmosphere.
He frowned under his cracked iron mask.
There was a disturbance.
A growing density around the Evernight Royal Palace — something ancient... something he recognized.
"Impossible," he muttered. "That line was supposed to have thinned out centuries ago."
He cursed quietly.
If the Evernight bloodline had awakened fully... his mission would become exponentially harder.
He needed to strike soon.
Before the twins grew too strong.
[Palace Banquet Hall ]
Later that day, a private banquet was held in honor of the twins' "naming anniversary" — a small tradition where nobles blessed young heirs one year after their birth.
Tables overflowed with delicacies. Musicians played soft harplute melodies.
Lords and Ladies of the court gathered, their smiles bright and false.
Althea wore a flowing gown of midnight silk, holding Arden delicately against her shoulder.
Darius stood tall beside her, with Leon perched proudly on his arm.
Whispers echoed across the hall.
"Both princes show remarkable health."
"The Evernight blood... perhaps the old strength returns."
"We must tread carefully. An awakened Evernight bloodline could mean the fall of other Houses..."
Arden, though an infant, heard it all through sharpened senses.
Their fears were correct.
The Evernight family had been asleep for centuries — but now, their true heirs had returned.
And the world would soon remember why the name "Evernight" once caused kingdoms to tremble.
[Later that Night ]
As the palace quieted, a flicker of unnatural darkness slithered across the outer walls.
The Celestial Watcher moved.
Cloaked in forbidden spells, he entered the royal grounds — silent, invisible, irresistible.
He was a predator.
His target: Arden Evernight.
His dagger — woven from void essence — would end the anomaly before it grew into a true threat.
[Inside Arden's Cradle]
Arden, feigning sleep, had been waiting.
He sensed the dimensional disturbance the moment it entered the palace.
Through the MindHub, he activated a Shadow Clone already hidden in the rafters.
In a split second, the air twisted.
The Watcher lunged — only for a blade of pure black light to slice at him from the side.
[Skill: Phantom Slash — Successful Critical Strike!]
The Watcher staggered back, snarling.
"The anomaly... it's already this strong...?"
Arden opened his real eyes, silver-blue flashing with cold amusement.
A baby he might appear.
But inside...
He was death incarnate.
And so began the first true battle.
A war not of armies — but of will, bloodline, and dimensional supremacy.
The universe would never be the same again.
And the name Arden Evernight would soon be whispered — first in fear, then in awe — across all of existence.