ETERNAL VEINS — EPISODE 3
Title: "The First Hunt"
⸻
PAGE 1 — PANEL 1
Night over the Storm Guild. The moon is half-covered by drifting Rift clouds — thin, unnatural lines cutting across the sky.
Narration:
For the first time since closing the Rift… Ruku can't sleep.
⸻
PANEL 2
Close-up — Ruku sits on his bed, pendant in his hand. A faint white crack glows.
Ruku (thinking):
That voice… it wasn't a dream.
⸻
PANEL 3
FLASH — a sudden image flashes in Ruku's mind: a dark figure standing in a fractured dimension.
Unknown Voice:
"…Come, child. Come to the place where you were chosen."
⸻
PAGE 2 — PANEL 1
Ruku jumps to his feet, breathing hard.
Ruku:
"Chosen for what? Who are you!?"
⸻
PANEL 2
Another vision hits — this time of a forest outside the village, trees bending unnaturally.
Unknown Voice:
"…Follow the Veins… and you will find the truth."
⸻
PANEL 3
The pendant pulses like a heartbeat.
SFX:
thum… thum… thum…
⸻
PAGE 3 — PANEL 1
Ruku throws on his jacket, checks his suppressor cloth, and slips out of his window.
Ruku (thinking):
I can't tell Kenra. I can't tell anyone.
If this thing is connected to what happened… I need to see it myself.
⸻
PANEL 2
Shadowy rooftops. Ruku crosses them silently.
⸻
PANEL 3
Unbeknownst to him, Reiko steps out from behind a chimney, watching.
Reiko (thinking):
He left in the middle of the night…
You're not hiding from me, Ruku.
⸻
PAGE 4 — PANEL 1
Forest outskirts. Mist clings low to the ground. Trees twist as if warped by invisible force.
Narration:
The deeper he goes, the more the air feels wrong.
⸻
PANEL 2
Ruku touches a tree — the bark CRACKS like shattered glass.
Ruku:
"…Rift residue."
⸻
PANEL 3
WHOOOSH — a sudden gust of wind pushes past him.
Ruku:
"What was—?"
⸻
PAGE 5 — PANEL 1
A jagged Rift tear appears in the air ahead — black-purple, twitching like a wound.
SFX:
shhhHHHHHhk…
⸻
PANEL 2
Ruku stares, eyes wide.
Ruku:
"…Another Rift. Why here? Why now?"
⸻
PANEL 3
He reaches out slowly — the pendant glows BRIGHT white.
SFX:
VMMM—
⸻
PAGE 6 — PANEL 1
The Rift opens wider, and SOMETHING grabs his arm — a pale, clawed hand with vein-like patterns.
Ruku:
"What the—!?"
⸻
PANEL 2
He pulls back, but whatever's inside the Rift pulls harder.
Creature Voice (echoing):
"Found you… Vein-Child…"
⸻
PANEL 3
Ruku's eyes go full white-vein glow.
Ruku:
"LET. GO!"
⸻
PAGE 7 — PANEL 1
He activates Pulse Break instinctively — the shockwave EXPLODES, blasting the creature halfway out of the Rift.
⸻
PANEL 2
A humanoid creature emerges — tall, thin, cracked skin like dried Rift energy. Its eyes glow purple.
Creature:
"…You are incomplete… yet potent…"
⸻
PANEL 3
Ruku drops into a fighting stance, arm veins glowing.
Ruku:
"You talk too much."
⸻
PAGE 8 — PANEL 1
The creature launches forward, faster than the one from Episode 1.
SFX:
CRACK—!!
⸻
PANEL 2
Ruku blocks just in time — the impact sends shockwaves.
Creature:
"Your blood… it calls to us…"
⸻
PANEL 3
Ruku grits his teeth, pushing back.
Ruku:
"What are you!?"
⸻
PAGE 9 — PANEL 1
The creature's chest splits open slightly — revealing swirling Rift Aether.
Creature:
"We are HOLLOWED.
Born from the places your kind abandoned."
⸻
PANEL 2
Ruku's eyes widen.
Ruku:
"Hollowed…? You're from the other side of the Rift?"
⸻
PANEL 3
The creature lunges again.
Creature:
"And now… you belong TO US."
⸻
PAGE 10 — PANEL 1
Ruku uses Shift Step — blinking to the side mid-attack.
Ruku (thinking):
It's stronger than the last one. Faster. If I don't end this—
⸻
PANEL 2
He charges Vein Surge — veins glowing white.
Ruku:
"—I won't make it home."
⸻
PANEL 3
He slams a glowing fist into the Hollowed's chest.
SFX:
BOOOOOM—!!
⸻
PAGE 11 — PANEL 1
The Hollowed stumbles backward, cracking apart.
Creature:
"You… carry His blood…"
⸻
PANEL 2
Ruku freezes.
Ruku:
"…His? Who?! Who are you talking about!?"
⸻
PANEL 3
The Hollowed collapses into dust — but not before whispering:
Creature (fading):
"The Rift King… watches…"
⸻
PAGE 12 — PANEL 1
Ruku stands alone in the silent forest. Heart racing. Veins dimming.
Ruku (thinking):
Rift King…? Does that mean… my father…?
⸻
PANEL 2
A sudden twig snap behind him.
SFX:
—snap—
⸻
PANEL 3
Ruku spins — ready to fight.
Ruku:
"WHO'S THERE!?"
⸻
PAGE 13 — PANEL 1
Reiko steps out of the shadows, staring at the dust-covered ground.
Reiko:
"…You weren't running.
You were hunting."
⸻
PANEL 2
Ruku's veins fade completely.
Ruku:
"…You followed me."
⸻
PANEL 3
Reiko steps closer, eyes sharp.
Reiko:
"And you're gonna tell me EVERYTHING.
Starting now."
⸻
FINAL PANEL — EPISODE END
Close-up — the sky above them fractures for a moment, revealing a single glowing purple eye watching… then vanishing.
Narration:
The Rift King has awakened.
And Ruku's real war has finally begun.