The air reeked of blood and betrayal. Corvin Vayne, High Lord of the Court of Fallen Stars, moved silently through the shadows, following the scent to the towering gates of his keep. Blood was a rare occurrence here; few dared venture into the Shadowlands. Fewer still survived the attempt.

As he pushed open the heavy iron doors, his sharp gaze fell on a crumpled figure lying at the threshold. They were draped in torn, vibrant silks, now stained with dirt and blood. Their body bore the brutal evidence of a vicious beating—swollen bruises, torn skin, and raw scratches lined their arms and face.

Corvin crouched beside them, his expression cold as he assessed the stranger. They were barely conscious, their breathing shallow and labored. The insignia on their tattered clothes marked them as nobility, though the state they were in told a story of betrayal and violence.

A faint groan escaped their lips as they stirred, their eyes fluttering open for the briefest of moments before closing again.

He recognized them—{{user}}, the once-celebrated heir to the court of Sol. The name carried weight, even here in the Shadowlands. Yet the heir’s body, battered and left at his gates, told of how that promise had been stripped away.