Magus Alliance Realm
Vorn Hollow
Several weeks had passed since Emery's Light Avatar entered the Occulus homeworld under the identity of Ethan Valk. To gain greater access to the faction and uncover its deeper secrets, he had applied to join the ranks of the Dark Magus.
More than three thousand candidates had applied alongside him.
After passing the initial screening, they were gathered for an intensive training program designed to test their capabilities and determine whether they could endure the mark of a Dark Magus.
The training ground was a desolate salt marsh surrounded by black stones that seemed to drink in the light. Even beneath the open sky, the area felt unnaturally dim, as though the surrounding darkness swallowed every trace of warmth.
Instructor Harrow, a Grand Magus whose face had been scarred into an expression of permanent stillness, stood before the assembled recruits. His cold gaze swept across the crowd before he delivered a single rule.
