The morning air was thick with anticipation, as if the world itself had held its breath. I could feel the Watch everywhere—threads of divine light coiling invisibly through the stone walls, through the air, even through Eron himself. Every pulse of his heartbeat, every subtle motion, was being recorded, measured, and judged.
Eron stood beside me, wooden sword in hand, jaw tight with determination. His divine mark pulsed faintly on his chest, an innocuous glow to any normal observer—but not to me. I had felt it awaken overnight, subtle at first, then unmistakably alive.
And now… it wanted more.
“Kael…” His voice trembled, barely audible. “I can feel it… something inside me, stronger than before. It wants to move.”
I froze, watching the faint glow spread across his chest. My ember stirre
