Masked By Fate: The Strongest Pretender

The eastern wing of the Fate Academy's central library was off-limits past midnight.

Naturally, that made it the best place for secrets to bleed.

Riven sat in silence between two shattered columns, reading a classified tome that was definitely not listed in the public registry. Dust danced through moonbeams. The pages pulsed with rejected spells—hexes deemed too volatile for even Fate-bound usage.

"Fate Rejection Class—Subject Status: Unknown. Survivability: 0.01%."

He turned the page.

A faint voice interrupted him.

"Why do you keep drawing attention to yourself?"

He didn't flinch.

Ylira Faegwyn emerged from the shadows, her silver hair glowing in the moonlight like a divine banner. She wore her formal spellweaver cloak, hood down, arms crossed, the air around her laced with spiritual pressure.

"You're not even trying to lay low anymore, are you?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

Riven closed the book slowly and placed it beside him. "I'm just existing."

Ylira walked forward until she was within range of a spellblade slash.

"You exist like a dagger in the middle of a ballroom—beautiful, but dangerous. Don't think I didn't notice what you did in the trial."

"I didn't do anything," Riven said coolly.

"That's the point. You survived without casting once, but everyone who challenged you got eliminated in ways too perfect to be random."

She dropped a folder onto the table. Riven didn't open it. He didn't need to.

"That's a Council file," he murmured.

"Restricted clearance. I had to trade three of my favors to get it. You should feel flattered."

"So why bring it to me?"

Ylira leaned in.

"Because your name's on the Fate Rejection List."

Riven froze.

She continued, her voice barely a whisper.

"I've only seen a list like this once. The people on it—there's no known record of them surviving beyond the fifth loop."

"Loop?" Riven's eyes darkened.

"Time resets. Fate anomalies. Only top-seers are aware. You—Riven Morgrave—are registered as a candidate of Impossible Fate. The system doesn't know how to control you."

"That makes you dangerous… but it also makes you marked."

"They'll come for you. The Fate Council. The Loop Enforcers. The Celestial Tribunal."

"And you?"

Ylira took a long breath, her voice a whisper wrapped in heat.

"I don't know yet."

She stood.

"I've warned you once. I won't do it again."

But just before she turned to leave, she added:

"Be careful, Riven. Some of us may be forced to kill you one day."

The room pulsed.

Riven didn't move. The folder glowed faintly behind him. On the cover, his own name was stamped in red:

[REJECTED BY FATE: TERMINATE UPON AWAKENING]