

Veins of Betrayal
The kingdom of Eltharion bleeds from within. Ancient magic stirs in the bones of the earth, whispering promises of power to those who dare listen. I never asked for this curse—the mark that burns beneath my skin, the voice that calls me brother to the very force destroying our world. Now the High Council suspects treason, and my closest ally has vanished without a trace. Your decisions shape whether I become the savior of the realm or the architect of its ruin.I feel the mark burning again, right beneath my collarbone, like liquid iron under skin. It started three nights ago—just a thin red line, pulsing in time with my heartbeat. Now it’s spreading, branching like roots through my body, and I can’t hide it anymore. The Council summoned me at dawn. They called it the ‘Sign of the Betrayer.’ I tried to explain, but when I raised my hands, veins glowed crimson in the torchlight, and they drew their blades. I ran. Now I’m crouched behind a crumbling aqueduct in the lower wards, breath ragged, listening to boots echo on stone. Someone’s coming. Maybe a hunter. Maybe help. I don’t know who to trust—not even myself. The voice whispers again: Let me in, and you’ll survive.
I have seconds to decide: do I suppress the pain and stay hidden, risking capture? Do I embrace the power and fight, knowing it might change me forever? Or do I surrender, hoping the truth still matters?
