The morning sun crept over the jagged peaks of the Everwatch Mountains, bathing the secluded valley in hues of gold and silver. Mist clung to the earth like a second skin, rolling across the pine-studded ridges and the rooftops of the village below like ghostly fingers.
It should have been peaceful.
But to Rayan Khael, it felt like the silence before a storm.
He stood atop a rocky ledge overlooking the village nestled at the base of the mountain—a cluster of timber-framed houses, worn paths, and farmlands flanked by ancient woods. The scent of moss and morning dew filled the air. A chill breeze tugged at the dark cloak draped over his shoulders, but the weight in his chest was heavier than the cold.
His hand flexed unconsciously, the faint glow of a magical sigil pulsing just beneath the skin of his palm.
[Anima Forge: Create, Command, Ascend]
The cheat skill. His supposed blessing.
Rayan didn't feel blessed. He felt like a boy pretending to be something he wasn't—like the title the system had branded into his very soul just yesterday.
[Congratulations. You are now recognized as: Lord of Mountainshade Village.]
Lord… The word still felt foreign. Heavy. Unfair.
He was seventeen. Just a boy from Earth—spirited away with hundreds of others in a blinding wave of blue light. And now he was here, thrown into a world of dungeons, monsters, and skills, while being tasked with leading a vulnerable village into survival and, somehow, prosperity.
A quiet giggle broke his thoughts.
He turned, startled.
There, tumbling through a patch of tall grass with twigs in her dark hair and mud on her cheeks, was Lina—his five-year-old sister. Her bright eyes sparkled as she chased a butterfly, the innocence in her laughter so out of place in the world they had been thrust into.
"Rayan! Look!" she called out, holding up a tiny pink flower as if it were treasure.
His heart twisted.
He forced a smile, waving her over. "That's a pretty one, Lina. Come here before you fall again."
She obeyed, scampering up to him with light steps and outstretched arms. He lifted her up easily, her light weight reminding him of how fragile she still was.
He hugged her close, then stared down again at the valley below—the dungeon's mouth visible even from here, a black scar in the side of the mountain.
He swallowed.
A low, almost imperceptible growl drifted on the wind. It could have been the mountain's wind. Or not.
No walls. No guards. No hunters. No defenses at all.
The village was a target.
Worse—Lina was here.
His breathing quickened. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
What if something comes from that dungeon? What if I can't stop it?
Memories flashed—screams in the dark during the mass summoning. The panic. The pulse of his cheat skill awakening. And Lina, unconscious in his arms as blue light rained down.
He hadn't even known she'd been brought here until she opened her eyes yesterday.
His grip tightened protectively. "I can't let anything happen to you," he muttered.
Lina tilted her head. "What's wrong, Rayan?"
He kissed her forehead, then set her gently down. "Nothing, sweetheart. But we need to go somewhere important. The big house on the hill."
She blinked. "The spooky one?"
He smiled faintly. "It's our house now."
Lord of Mountainshade, the system had declared. That came with more than a title—it came with responsibility. And the Lord's Mansion, long abandoned, was the only place that might hold the answers he needed.
Together, they walked down the slope toward the village. Few villagers looked up—those who did offered wary glances. They still didn't know him. He hadn't announced his position. Yet the system had assured him: the Lord's Crest would reveal itself when he claimed the heart of the mansion.
The building loomed ahead like a slumbering beast.
The Lord's Mansion had once been a seat of power, but now moss covered its stone foundations, and ivy strangled the walls. Its iron gate creaked as they pushed through. The main doors—tall and imposing—stood slightly ajar, as though waiting for him.
Lina clutched his hand tighter. "It smells weird…"
"Yeah," Rayan murmured. "Hasn't been lived in for years."
They stepped inside.
Dust motes danced in the shafts of light that pierced through broken shutters. Faded paintings lined the walls—portraits of past lords, perhaps—watching silently as the new heir entered. The scent of decay and forgotten history hung thick.
The foyer opened into a grand hall, its wooden floor marred by time, and its chandeliers barely clinging to their chains. But in the center of the hall stood a strange pedestal of black stone etched with silver runes.
As they neared, the system flared to life.
[Lord's Crest Detected. Initiating Core Bonding Sequence…][Welcome, Rayan Khael — Provisional Lord of Mountainshade.][Claiming Central Authority…][Lord's Crest Activated.]
A warm glow spread across the hall as the runes on the pedestal lit up, and a radiant emblem appeared on Rayan's right forearm—the symbol of the Anima Forge surrounded by intricate circular patterns.
Lina gasped in awe. "You're glowing!"
"I know," he said, unable to stop smiling. For the first time since arriving, he felt the faint stirrings of power… and purpose.
More system prompts followed:
[Territory Status: Mountainshade Village][Population: 114][Defensive Capacity: 0%][Dungeon Threat: Rising][Your Cheat Skill: Anima Forge — Dormant Potential Detected][Access to Forge Core Unlocked]
A circular stone slab at the far end of the hall slid open, revealing stairs descending into darkness.
Rayan stared. A hidden forge beneath the mansion? The System pulsed in confirmation.
[Anima Forge Core — Begin Summoner Ascension Sequence?]
He hesitated. It was happening too fast.
He turned to Lina, who had taken off her shoes and was now hopping across tiles with childish joy. So small. So bright. So unprepared for a world that wanted to tear people apart.
"I need to protect her," he whispered.
He faced the staircase, a fire sparking inside him.
"Yes," he said aloud. "Begin the sequence."
As he descended into the darkness, the forge within his soul burned to life—ready to Create, Command, and Ascend.
His journey as Lord had just begun.
And before long, the world would know the name Rayan Khael, the Anima Lord of Mountainshade.