Royal Blood, Secret Blades.

Unveiling the Unfathomable Abyss.

The air around us shifted as the weight of my words settled. The godly man's smirk transformed into a genuine smile, illuminating his features with an eerie charm while the other members of Darkveil exchanged glances that seemed to carry the essence of both relief and excitement.

"Welcome to Darkveil, Aelia," he smiled, as his voice sounded smooth—and almost musical. "Consider your shackles broken."

My heart thumped so loudly I could swear they heard it, as a storm of emotions swirled in my chest—fear, excitement, defiance. I had just swapped one form of captivity for another, but this time, I was willingly diving into the depths of the unknown. The darkness, which had once terrified me, now pulsated with the promise of freedom.

The scarred woman stepped forward, her demeanor shifting from intimidating to.. almost protective. "We will train you," she asserted, her voice firm yet reassuring. "You may feel lost at first, but we'll prepare you for what lies ahead. What you learn will not only be for your survival but for your empowerment."

Empowerment...

As she spoke, I felt a flicker of hope—a light breaking through the shadows that had clouded my thoughts. The idea of mastering skills I had never imagined I'd possess, of wielding that power for myself, sent adrenaline coursing through my veins.

"Training requires commitment and tenacity," the man with the white-ish blonde hair added, his green eyes glimmering with promise. "You'll have to work harder than you've ever worked in your life and face things that might terrify you. But if you're willing, this could be your chance to become something truly formidable."

My mind raced as I considered the nights spent in my garden, dreaming of a life unbound by expectation, unhindered by duty. I had yearned for purpose, and now, standing here in the depths of a forest surrounded by a guild of assassins, I felt like I had stumbled upon a path that could lead me to that purpose—if only I dared to tread it fully.

"Ready?" the tall man asked, his demeanor shifting to a more serious tone. "The first step is understanding your potential. We'll begin with basic skills: agility, precision, and stealth."

Nervous but exhilarated, I nodded. "I'm ready."

The other members of Darkveil exchanged quick, approving glances. For the first time, I felt like something more than a pawn in someone else's game; I felt like a player choosing my own path.

Their laughter—rich and wild—echoed in the quiet woods, and I felt the chill of the night air dissipate. The shadows that once loomed above me began to feel more like cloaks of protection rather than chains of fear.

"From this moment on, you'll be Aelia of Darkveil," the scarred woman said, extending her hand to me. I hesitated for a moment before reaching out to grasp it—my heart pounding in my chest.

As our hands met, I felt a surge of electricity, as if the very essence of Darkveil was transferring into me—a promise of solidarity and trust. Around us, the other members nodded in approval, welcoming me into their fold.

I had a single question in my mind though.

Random? Yes.

Kind of important? Also yes.

I gathered the courage to speak but ended up randomly blurting it out. "...What are you guys' names?" I mentally face-palmed myself for being too blurt.. ugh.

I could only see three of them right now, the others were still enveloped in the darkness, so I mainly directed my question to the three.

The scarred woman laughed amusedly at my random question before she responded to my question for her—and the other two. "Names Astrid, you can call me Trix as well," Astrid answered, squeezing my hand softly as if reassuring me. "This one's Seleni, and that one is Caelum." she continued, pointing towards the dark-haired woman—Seleni before moving to point at the godly-looking man—Caelum. They both gave me genuine smiles, which kind of threw me off. I guess I'm glad they accepted me and didn't kill me—or even worse.