The kingdom of Xandria shimmered like a jewel beneath the morning sun. From its ivory towers to the golden fields beyond the walls, peace and prosperity had reigned for generations. The skies were clear, the people were happy, and the royal palace stood proud atop the Hill of Dawns.
Today, the bells tolled with joy.
Inside the palace, voices echoed through marbled halls.
"She's in labor," a breathless servant cried, nearly stumbling as he reached the throne room.
King Altherion, a man of calm presence and silver-threaded hair, stood from his seat with a rare glint of panic in his eyes.
"Is the Queen safe?" he asked.
"Yes, my King," the servant said. "But the midwives say it's… different."
"Different how?"
"The skies, sire. They're turning."
Altherion pushed past the guards and stormed down the corridor. Outside, through stained-glass windows, he could see clouds gathering in unnatural shapes — swirling into a spiral over the palace, as if the heavens themselves were watching.
In the royal chambers, Queen Liora lay upon silken sheets, her face drenched in sweat, her hand clenched tightly around her attendant's.
"Almost there, my Queen," the midwife whispered. "One more push."
The room shook slightly. A soft tremor, as though the earth had exhaled.
With a final cry, the baby was born.
A moment of silence fell.
And then — a crack.
Invisible, silent to all but the ancient forces watching from beyond reality, the first fracture appeared in the ancient seal that had bound the hidden universe for tens of thousands of years.
The child cried.
But the sound echoed strangely, not like a newborn — it rippled, as if space itself had flinched.
"He's… gods above," the midwife gasped.
The Queen reached out, her hands trembling. The infant was gently placed into her arms, wrapped in gold-trimmed cloth.
"His hair," she whispered. "It's white…"
"And his eyes," the nurse breathed. "Violet. No—deeper. Purple, glowing from within…"
Queen Liora looked up at her husband, her voice soft but steady.
"This child… isn't ordinary."
The King stood frozen, staring at the child with awe and a flicker of unease.
"No… he is not."
"He's warm," Liora murmured, "but the air around him feels… thin, like it's bending."
"He carries something," Altherion said quietly. "Something old."
"What shall we name him?" the nurse asked.
The Queen didn't hesitate.
"Carsious."
"Carsious," Altherion echoed. "Yes… a name not heard in our bloodline. But it feels… right."
Outside, the spiral in the clouds still turned.
A thousand miles away, in a forgotten ruin beneath the desert sands, an ancient statue cracked down the center.
In another realm, a sleeping creature opened a single, burning eye.
And beyond the Veil, something stirred.