In a distant land, far from the familiar cities and peaceful towns, there once lived a woman whose name stirred fear in the hearts of many. She was known not by a real name, but only by a code. She was a spy, an exceptional one. No one ever saw her face during her missions, and if they did, they never lived to tell about it. She completed her assignments swiftly, always ahead of time. She worked with precision, and for years, the thrill of danger and success drove her forward.
She had grown up with nothing. An orphan taken in by the streets, she had nothing but her instincts and natural talent. That talent was noticed early by the Secret Order , the elite group that served the Kingdom from the shadows. They trained her in everything: stealth, combat, sabotage, and survival. She was raised not as a child, but as a weapon. Over time, she became one of their best agents.
To the public, she was no one. Just a face in the crowd. A girl working at a shop or walking the streets. No one suspected the truth. And that was exactly how the Order wanted it.
But over the years, things began to change. She had been in the shadows for too long. She saw too much. She had followed orders blindly, but now she had begun to notice what those orders really meant. Lies, betrayal, cruelty hidden behind politics. She was told who to kill and who to spare, but the reasons started making less and less sense. Good people died. Bad people lived. Her missions began to feel hollow. The thrill faded, and with it, her smile.
She couldn't quit. No one quits the Secret Order. They knew everything about her. If she tried to run, they would find her. So she stayed. She kept obeying. But something in her had already broken. She stopped thinking for herself. She moved like a puppet. A shadow without a soul.
Years passed. She received medals, titles, quiet words of praise , none of which meant anything to her. She couldn't even remember the last time she had felt happy. The world around her had turned grey. And the blood on her hands wouldn't wash off.
Then came the mission that changed everything.
---
She was sent deep into enemy territory. Her objective was simple: plant explosives beneath a ruined temple and lure innocent people into it, only to kill them all at once. It was a trap, carefully planned by the Order. A blow to morale. A warning.
She did not question it. She carried out her orders as always.
But inside the temple, something happened. As she searched for a place to plant the bombs, she came across a sealed vault hidden beneath the stone floor. Something about it drew her in. Breaking the seal, she found strange relics and old scrolls covered in unknown writing. Among them was a single shard of shadow , a small, dark object that pulsed softly, like a heartbeat.
It felt… alive.
She didn't report it. She hid it.
For the first time in years, she felt something. A faint spark. Curiosity. And slowly, quietly, she began to study the shard in secret.
It began speaking to her , not in words, but in visions. Memories she had never lived. Emotions she had long forgotten. It called to the deepest part of her , the part that was still human.
She began experimenting. At first, small rituals. Blood marks. Shadow-binding. Nothing too risky. But as the weeks passed, her rituals grew bolder. She began fusing her own body with the power of the shard. Her soul was changing. She could feel it. The shadows responded to her. Obeyed her.
But it wasn't enough. She wanted more. She wanted to be free. Truly free.
One night, alone and without fear, she performed the final ritual. She placed the shard on her chest, spoke the forgotten words, and let the darkness in.
Her body convulsed. Her skin tore. Blood poured from her mouth. Her bones cracked, and her organs began to fail. Her eyes turned red with pain. She screamed until her voice broke. One by one, her body parts stopped working , until all that remained was her heart.
Then… silence. And after that silence… movement.
She stood up. But she was no longer human.
When she looked in a mirror, she didn't see herself. She saw a figure of pure shadow, barely shaped like a person. Her face was hidden. Her body was made of mist and darkness. But she could move. She could think. And most importantly, she could feel again.
That thrill, the one she thought she had lost, had returned. Now she had a new mission. Her own.
---
She began hunting. One by one, she found the people in the Order who had used her like a tool. She made them suffer. Slowly. Gruesomely. She left no trace except fear. The Secret Order soon believed she had died. Her body was never found. But rumours of a shadow figure tearing through powerful officials began to spread.
She no longer served anyone. She walked her own path.
Until she met him , Varnex.
---
He approached her calmly. She tried to attack, but he was prepared. He didn't want to fight. He wanted her to join his dungeon.
She refused. She had no interest in serving another master.
But Varnex smiled and said something that made her pause:
"If you join my dungeon, I'll eliminate the prince of your Kingdom."
She froze. How could he know that?
Varnex continued,
"I know you only kill the unworthy — the ones who misuse power, who harm without reason. The prince is one of them, isn't he? But you can't defeat him. You're not strong enough… yet."
She didn't answer.
"Join me," he said. "You can do things your way. And I'll deliver you his head."
She didn't trust him. But she also couldn't turn down the offer. The rage in her heart hadn't gone away. It had only grown. She agreed.
And Varnex kept his word.
The very next day, he placed the prince's head at her feet.
She said nothing. She didn't smile. But inside, something shifted. She understood. Varnex was dangerous. Much stronger than her. If she wanted to grow, if she wanted to become the strongest version of herself ,she needed to stay close to him.
So she joined his dungeon. Not as a servant, but as a shadow waiting for the right moment. She had no plans to stay forever. One day, she would judge Varnex too.
Now, in the present, she waits.
---
Her chamber known as the Nullmirror Vault is where she resides. The walls show no reflections. The torches go out for no reason. Even sound disappears. It is a place of silence and shadow , just like her. She watches quietly from the darkness.
Adrian, Vaela, and Darek have entered her chamber. She sees them. Feels them. Listens to their footsteps. So far, she does not think they deserve to die. But if that ever changes… she will not hesitate.
She is no longer a spy. She is no longer a tool.
She is spoken of as She who became Shadow.
Velthra, The Voltshade.