Kain and Serena laid out the tools in silence—two slender, rune-etched tattoo pens and several vials of shimmering ink that pulsed faintly with spiritual energy. The air inside the boarded-up shop was thick with tension. Even though the ten recruits had steeled themselves, none could completely mask their nerves.
The first volunteer, a wiry man with burn scars across his arms, sat on a wooden stool. Serena, sleeves rolled up, worked with swift precision. Her hand moved almost too fast to follow as she carved delicate spiritual lines along his spine. Each stroke of the enchanted pen burned faintly green with her spiritual power before sinking beneath the skin. The man clenched his fists, jaw trembling—but stayed quiet.
