Chapter 0: The World Behind the Veil
Long ago, in a world like our own but twisted by hidden powers, the cities of men rose under the smoke of factories and the sharp clang of iron machines. This was a time much like 18th century France—a time of science, discovery, and the start of great revolutions.
But not all revolutions were of man's making.
In the shadows of the gas-lit streets, there were secret groups. Some worked to protect the people. Others chased forbidden power. These groups were called cults. Some were part of the government, wearing the mask of religion or law. Others were hidden, moving in dark corners, building strange rituals in old churches and tunnels beneath the city.
The people believed their world was safe, but they were blind.
Strange creatures walked among them.
Demons, spirits, and beings that should not exist.
Some could tear apart the very laws of nature.
How?
Through Sigils.
Sigils were not just drawings or symbols. They were ancient marks, filled with power. When a person learned the meaning of a sigil and used it in the right ritual, they could bend reality. They could summon fire, bind demons, or even break the walls of space.
But sigils were not gifts.
They always demanded a price.
Each time a ritualist used a sigil, their mind changed.
Some went mad.
Some forgot who they were.
Some became something not quite human.
This world is filled with hidden wars—fights between the secret cults, the government's occult forces, and creatures from beyond.
And in the middle of all this, a boy named Adrian Dorne begins his story.
He is 19 years old.
A curious student.
A boy with missing memories.
A boy chosen by the sigils.
---