Night had fallen over the Valerius estate.
The manor that had once been lively during the day now rested in near silence. Only a few lanterns burned in the hallways as servants quietly finished their duties.
Most of the estate had gone to sleep.
But not everyone.
Deep within the manor's lower halls, behind a locked iron door, Vanessa Valerius stood in a hidden chamber lined with ancient bookshelves.
The room was rarely used.
Dust covered many of the old tomes.
But tonight, Vanessa had no choice.
She waved her hand gently.
A faint blue glow spread across the room as magical lights ignited one by one.
Her green eyes scanned the shelves.
History.
Ancient magic.
Forbidden research.
This was the section of knowledge most mages avoided.
Vanessa slowly pulled a thick, worn book from one of the shelves.
The cover was faded, its title barely readable.
Records of the Pre-Celestial Era
Vanessa opened the book carefully.
Page after page described ancient magic lost to time.
Powerful spells.
Long forgotten civilizations.
But she kept turning the pages.
Searching.
Finally…
Her fingers stopped.
There it was.
A symbol drawn in dark ink.
A swirling spiral of darkness surrounded by fractured runes.
Vanessa felt a chill run through her.
She had seen that symbol before.
Today.
In the courtyard.
The faint shape that had appeared when Julius lost control.
Vanessa read the text slowly.
"Among the most feared powers recorded in ancient history was the magic known as the Void."
Her breath grew heavier.
"Void magic does not belong to the natural flow of mana."
"It devours magic itself, corrupting the world around it."
"Only one being in recorded history ever wielded it completely."
Vanessa turned the page.
And froze.
The illustration showed a towering figure surrounded by endless darkness.
Cities crumbling beneath waves of shadow.
Armies disappearing into an abyss.
Beneath the illustration was a name written in ancient script.
The Primordial Void
Vanessa shut the book quickly.
Her hands trembled slightly.
No…
That can't be possible.
Those events had happened thousands of years ago.
Long before the modern kingdoms existed.
Long before the Celestial Church rose to power.
Yet today…
She had felt that same energy inside her son.
Vanessa leaned against the table, trying to steady her breathing.
Julius…
What exactly are you?
Meanwhile…
In another part of the manor, Julius lay quietly in his bed.
Moonlight filtered through the window, casting pale silver across the room.
But sleep refused to come.
Julius stared at the ceiling.
Something feels… off.
Ever since the afternoon, his body felt different.
His mana felt heavier.
Deeper.
Like something vast was resting beneath the surface.
He placed a hand over his chest.
For a moment…
Nothing happened.
Then suddenly—
A faint whisper brushed against his mind.
…awake…
Julius sat up instantly.
His heart pounded.
"Who's there?"
The room was empty.
The curtains swayed slightly from the night breeze.
No one answered.
Julius frowned.
Did I imagine that?
But deep down…
He knew he hadn't.
The voice had been faint.
But it felt real.
Too real.
Julius slowly lay back down again.
But now his thoughts raced.
What is happening to me?
He had been reborn into this world.
Given a new life.
A family.
A peaceful home.
But lately…
Everything felt like it was beginning to change.
And somewhere very far away—
Hidden beneath the ruins of an ancient temple—
Several robed figures stood around a massive stone altar.
Dark candles flickered across the chamber.
The air vibrated with strange energy.
One of the figures suddenly raised his head.
His eyes widened behind his hood.
"…It has begun."
The others turned toward him.
"You felt it too?" another whispered.
The first man slowly nodded.
His voice trembled with excitement.
"The Void…"
"…has awakened."
The candles suddenly flared violently.
Shadows stretched across the walls like living creatures.
The man lowered his head in reverence.
"For centuries we have waited."
"For centuries we have searched."
And now…
Somewhere in the world…
The vessel of the Primordial Void had finally appeared.
End of Chapter 5