Hubbubr burden now. Don't... don't let them starve."
"I won't."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
Edmund's grip loosened, and his final breath escaped like a whisper of wind through autumn leaves. The Baron of Silverwood was dead.
Elion stood alone in the silence that followed, feeling the weight of inheritance settle onto his shoulders like chains. At twenty-two, he was now Baron Elion Crestfall, master of a dying domain, with no siblings to share the burden, no mother to provide counsel—she had died bringing him into this world—and no wealth to stave off the inevitable collapse.
A knock at the door broke his reverie.
"My lord?" The voice was feminine, composed, and familiar. "May I enter?"
"Come in, Mira."
The door opened to reveal Mira Voss, the barony's steward and the only reason Silverwood hadn't completely fallen apart years ago. She was a Silver Fox Beastkin in her mid-forties, her elegant silver fur catching what little candlelight illuminated the room. Multiple fox tails swished behind her—a mark of her considerable magical lineage—and her sharp amber eyes assessed the situation with practiced efficiency.
"He's gone, then," she said softly, not as a question but as confirmation.
Elion nodded.
Mira stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She had served his father for two decades, managing the barony's accounts, mediating disputes, and somehow keeping the entire crumbling structure from complete collapse. She wore a practical dark dress suitable for her station, though it couldn't hide the grace of her movements or the intelligence that radiated from every gesture.
"The staff should be informed," she continued, her tone gentle but businesslike. "And we'll need to arrange the funeral rites. I've already sent word to the village elders."
"Always three steps ahead," Elion said with a sad smile.
"Someone has to be." She paused, studying his face. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm the Baron now. I don't have the luxury of falling apart."
Mira's expression softened, and for a moment, the professional mask slipped to reveal genuine concern. "You're also human, Elion. Don't forget that."
Before he could respond, a sound echoed through his mind—a crystalline chime that seemed to resonate from nowhere and everywhere at once. Elion staggered, pressing a hand to his temple.
"My lord?" Mira's voice was sharp with concern. "What's wrong?"
The world around him flickered, and text appeared in his vision as if projected onto the air itself:
╔════════════════════════════════╗ ║ SYSTEM INITIALIZATION ║ ╚════════════════════════════════╝ Welcome, Elion Crestfall. You have been chosen as a System Bearer. Awakening Class: Shadowborn Monarch Primary Ability: Shadow Extraction Current Level: 1
Elion's breath caught. He blinked hard, trying to clear his vision, but the text remained, floating impossibly in his field of view.
"Elion?" Mira's hand was on his arm now, her touch gentle but grounding.
"I'm... I'm fine," he managed, though his heart was racing. "Just the stress, I think."
She didn't look convinced but nodded slowly. "You need rest. The funeral preparations can wait until morning."
"No," Elion said, forcing himself to focus past the bizarre hallucination—or whatever it was. "We need to act now. There's too much to do."
Mira studied him for a long moment, those sharp fox eyes seeing more than he wanted to reveal, but finally she inclined her head. "As you wish, my lord. I'll have the arrangements made."
She left, her tails swishing behind her, and Elion was alone again with his father's corpse and the impossible text still floating in his vision.
╔════════════════════════════════╗ ║ QUEST AVAILABLE ║ ╚════════════════════════════════╝ Quest: Survive the Night Description: Hostile forces approach Silverwood Manor. Defend your home and your people. Time Until Arrival: 3 hours Reward: Shadow Extraction Skill Unlock Failure: Death
Elion's blood ran cold as he read the words. Three hours.
He moved to the window, pulling aside the moth-eaten curtains to peer out into the stormy night. Lightning flashed across the sky, briefly illuminating the distant treeline of the Verdant Forest that bordered his lands.
And there, barely visible in the darkness, he saw movement. Torches. Dozens of them, advancing like a serpent through the night.
"Mira!" he shouted, already moving toward the door. "Mira, get everyone to the manor! We're under attack!"