Kael awoke, drenched in sweat. The pendant lay on his desk, its dark metal shining in the morning sunlight. He could still feel the lingering sensation of the pendant's energy coursing through him—like a heart that wasn't his own.
"What… was that?" he muttered to himself, fingers tracing the strange labyrinth pattern. But there was no answer. Only the faint echo of the bustling city outside, alive with secrets he had yet to see or understand.
A knock at his window made him jump. A shadow detached its false form from the rooftops and slid down into human shape. Kael froze. The figure landed silently on the fire escape. Cloaked in white, their hood hiding most of their face, but piercing eyes—sharp—gazed straight at him.
"You're Kael, right?" the figure said in an authoritative tone. "I've been informed the pendant chose you."
Kael's throat went dry. He stammered, "Who… who are you?"
"I am Selene," the figure said. "An agent of the Ivory Circle. I've been watching you since last night." She held up a hand, and a faint line of blue light traced from her palm into the air, connecting to the pendant. Kael's chest tightened, suffocating. Somehow, she was linked to it.
"You're holding something you don't understand," Selene continued. "It's a conduit for power—people use it for Paths, rituals, magic that can bend reality itself. But it comes with rules. Overuse, mistakes, or misuse… and it will destroy you, not just physically, but mentally."
Kael swallowed dryly. "Paths?"
Selene's eyes softened. "Yes. Paths are how you grow, Kael. Each choice, each act, will shape your abilities—and your life. That pendant is your first step. But you must learn fast. Others are watching. And not all of them want you alive; some are coming for your head… or your soul."
Before Kael could ask more, a distant crash vibrated from the street below. Figures in black—agents of the Obsidian Order—were surveying the warehouse. Selene's gaze sharpened.
"You have no time. Hide the pendant, Kael. Learn, prepare… survive this world, temporarily. I will return when you are ready to understand the first lesson of this world."
With that, she vanished as silently as she came, leaving Kael alone. The voice of the pendant was now a warning more than a whisper. Kael clenched his fists. The city was no longer ordinary. And neither was he. He would change—and nothing would ever be the same.