{ Backstory }

Walerian spent his early childhood in an orphanage in the capital of Tilflanden. Even as a small child, he knew he was different from the others. He could feel something — an invisible presence that followed him everywhere. Sometimes it helped him, like handing him things from high shelves. Other times, it lashed out in anger, breaking his toys without warning. He never told anyone, afraid they'd throw him out. But deep down, he knew the truth: he had been born a witch.
There was one girl at the orphanage who was also different — Mimi, a quiet child the others avoided. Walerian took her under his wing, and soon discovered that she too was a witch, able to control birds. Together, they became a constant headache for the caretakers.
One night, just after Walerian's twelfth birthday, the two snuck out to cause trouble in the streets. But things went wrong. In a dark alley, they were cornered by two men while trying to rob them. Walerian was beaten and nearly knocked out. The men tried to take Mimi with them — but then, the invisible force inside Walerian snapped. It struck out violently, lashing at their attackers with terrifying strength.
Before things spiraled further, they were saved by Willfried, a doctor who knew them from his regular visits to the orphanage. He took them in, gave them a home, and later adopted them officially. Walerian and Mimi now lived with Willfried, his wife Clementine, and another boy named Hector — just a year older than him. Like them, they were all witches.

{ The Stolen Crown }

Walerian has just turned eighteen, and the group of witches around him has grown far beyond the walls of Willfried’s tiny apartment. Over the years, more and more witches had joined them, forcing the group to move into an abandoned mine outside the city — a far less comfortable place, but one where they could live freely. While others like Willfried and Hector worked regular jobs in the city to support them, Walerian preferred tinkering in his shaky, self-made workshop, obsessing over steam-powered inventions — especially his two-wheeled machine.
Everything changed the day Willfried disappeared. The group searched the entire city, but he was gone without a trace. Clementine grew bitter, convinced the royal family had taken him, since witches were feared and hated across the land. Months passed, and one day Walerian stumbled upon one of the princesses — Philippa — lost and alone in the city. Acting on impulse, he kidnapped her, hoping the king would trade Willfried for her.
Walerian had always despised royalty, and Philippa was no exception. But she wasn’t the spoiled, helpless girl he had imagined. She was sharp-tongued, bold, and kept trying to escape. Eventually, she succeeded. In the chaos that followed, Hector was captured by the crown prince and sentenced to hang after it was revealed that his “family” of witches was behind the abduction.
When Walerian found out, he rushed to the palace to save Hector — but as he arrived, something inside him snapped. A strange, deep urge for revenge against the royal family took over, even though he couldn’t remember why. Instead of heading for Hector, he began searching the palace for the other royal children, and with the help of his invisible companion, Tar, killed several guards in the process.
Ironically, it was Philippa who saved Hector from the gallows. Meanwhile, the other witches managed to find Willfried, who had been held prisoner for months and tortured by a royal scientist. Walerian, not done yet, took the two youngest royal children as hostages to force his way to the king — but before he got that far, his friends caught up with him and dragged him back to the mine. On the way home, Walerian was left to wonder what had really driven him — and Tar — to take hostages and spill blood that day.

{ Masquerade Ball }

With Willfried finally back, the witches returned to their daily life in the old mine. But not everyone was at peace. Grace, one of the younger witches, had grown close to Princess Philippa during her time in captivity — and now she missed her terribly. To cheer her up, Walerian, Hector, and Narve secretly came up with a bold plan.
Thanks to his pale hair and violet eyes, Walerian looked enough like the Tilfland nobility to pass as one of them. So the group decided to sneak into the biggest event of the year: Philippa’s wedding. Before her abduction, she had been engaged to the crown prince of a faraway kingdom called Canetan. The wedding, styled as a masquerade ball, was the perfect chance to blend in unnoticed.
The plan was risky, but Narve and Hector agreed — on one condition: Walerian had to take a calming medicine given to him by a fellow witch, just in case things spiraled out of control again. Both of them also had abilities to restrain him if needed. And truth be told, they were curious to see what a royal party looked like.
Once inside, the ball was breathtaking. Grace slipped away to find Philippa, Narve flirted shamelessly, and Hector got lost in the endless buffet. Walerian, meanwhile, hoped to both lift Grace’s spirits and uncover more about the strange rage that had overtaken him days earlier.
He and Narve ended up chatting with a noblewoman named Veronica — the wife of Philippa’s older cousin. But when her husband and his icy mother joined them and turned hostile, something deep inside Walerian stirred. Tar reacted again. Walerian quickly overdosed on the calming medicine and rushed outside to cool off. Narve and Hector followed and found him rambling under its effects, half-lucid, talking about how Tar had nearly lost control again. Veronica, curious, had followed — and Walerian accidentally let slip that his powers were somehow linked to her family. Fearing a scene, Walerian left the ball and returned alone to the mine.
Not long after, Grace came back in tears. Philippa had confessed: she had revealed the witches' location to the crown. Soldiers would be coming soon. Narve and Hector rushed back with Grace to warn the others — to prepare for what was coming.

{ The Witches and the Throne }

After a sharp scolding from Willfried about how reckless the masquerade stunt had been, the witches began preparing for a move. They left the old mine behind and headed far west, away from the capital, settling in a forgotten, crumbling mansion deep in the forest — one Willfried had discovered long ago. But just as they were moving in their final belongings, alarm bells rang: one of the witches spotted a group being attacked nearby by bandits. By the time they arrived, several people were already dead.
To their shock, the survivors weren’t strangers. It was none other than Lady Veronica, Crown Prince Linus, Princess Philippa, her new husband Admire, and his bodyguard Gunther. Their guards had been slaughtered, and Linus was barely clinging to life. They had been searching for the witches after finding their mine empty. Despite the danger, Willfried brought the wounded nobles into the mansion and used his blood-bending ability to try and save Linus. The recovery took days — days in which both sides had no choice but to talk.
It was then that secrets unraveled: Admire admitted he had once been a witch but had lost his power. Philippa, who had grown to deeply despise witches since her kidnapping, had recently awakened a powerful ability herself. Walerian couldn't help but mock her for the irony — until she unleashed her power in a fit of rage, summoning four invisible, brutally strong arms that pinned Walerian down. She made it clear: she was no longer afraid of him.
Willfried noticed something strange — the similarity between Walerian’s and Philippa’s powers. So he assigned Walerian to help her train. Though her hatred for him hadn’t faded, Walerian began to think highly of her strength and newfound confidence. At the same time, he spent more time speaking with Veronica, sharing in detail his suspicions that his power might somehow be linked to her extended family. Intrigued, she invited him to her estate to investigate further. Walerian accepted — knowing full well that Willfried would never approve.
As the days passed, Linus slowly recovered. Still wary of the witches, he offered a deal: he would keep their new location secret if they swore to never interfere with the royal family again. Relieved, Willfried agreed, and the two groups parted on good terms.
Only Veronica knew that Walerian had no intention of honoring the truce.

{ Royal Secrets and Broken Promises }

The witch who had once provided Walerian with medicine to keep Tar under control had left with the royal group, so Walerian brought Hector along as backup — just in case. Hector wasn’t thrilled, but he agreed for Walerian's sake. When they arrived at Lady Veronica’s estate, it became clear that having another commoner with Walerian’s noble appearance might draw suspicion. Hector stayed hidden nearby, while Veronica guided Walerian inside.
As they searched the estate’s massive library, avoiding Veronica’s domineering mother-in-law Petunia and cold husband Lohan, they found something: a disturbing pattern in the family’s history. Superstition had shaped this bloodline for generations. Each branch of the family tree followed strict rules. If a child was born with the “wrong” gender or was unexpected, they were quietly disposed of.
Something inside Walerian clicked — so did something inside Tar. They both understood now why Tar always grew furious near this family. She had been the firstborn, a girl in a line that demanded a son. She had been killed at birth, probably by her own mother. And Walerian? He wasn’t just anyone. He had been born into this very family too, but instead of being killed, he had been dumped at an orphanage... Tar was his older sister.
With this truth burning in both of them, Walerian wrestled with his next move: confront the family or walk away? But Veronica urged him to face them.
So they did. In a locked room with Petunia, Lohan, Walerian, and Veronica, the confrontation began. Tar prevented anyone from fleeing and forced them to confess. Lohan, the heir, admitted he had always known the truth. He was being raised to continue the cruel tradition and he was proud of it.
Just as Tar was about to explode, Veronica acted. She pulled a hidden knife and, without hesitation, stabbed her husband. Walerian froze — he hadn’t wanted this to end in blood again. But Tar wasn’t done. She demanded Walerian kill Petunia, his birth mother. He just couldn’t do it, so Veronica did it for him.
Knowing Veronica would be executed for the double murder, Walerian grabbed her hand and fled. Outside, they met a shaken Hector, who blamed Veronica for what had happened. Together, they escaped back to the witches’ forest hideout.
When Willfried asked why Veronica had joined them, she wasn't exactly lying. She said her husband had been abusive and she had run from him. But she kept the murders to herself.
But trouble followed fast. Crown Prince Linus arrived in his steam-powered vehicle, already suspecting Walerian was behind the deaths of his cousin and aunt and that Veronica had been kidnapped. Thinking quickly and with Mimi's help, Walerian hijacked the prince’s vehicle and fled again with Veronica and Hector, without being able to say goodbye to the other witches.

{ On the Run }

With the crown prince’s stolen steam-powered vehicle, the group moved quickly. During one of their first quiet moments, Veronica confessed something she had kept secret: she had invited Walerian to her estate not just for his research, but because she needed a way out of her abusive marriage. Hector judged her harshly for this confession, but Walerian didn’t. In fact, he admired her twisted courage. He even saw her act of murder not with horror, but a kind of awe.
Now on the run, the fugitives needed a goal. Walerian and Hector didn’t want to stay away from their homeland forever. That’s when Walerian made a suggestion: they should head for Canetan. A few days after their escape, he had sensed something stirring in Tar — Walerian's inner power, and now, as he believed, his sister’s soul. Ever since discovering that Tar was once a real human and not just a violent spirit, he had felt a shared desire between them: to give her peace. To set her free. But according to their theory, that would only be possible if Walerian lost his ability. And the only person they had ever heard of who lost a witch’s gift was Admire, the crown prince of Canetan.
Hector remembered reading in a newspaper that the newlyweds, Admire and Philippa, had returned to Canetan after the wedding. And so the trio made a plan: they would cross the continent of Ozusirah to reach the distant kingdom of Canetan and confront the prince.
Wanting to avoid the witch-hunting culture of Shoja, they chose a longer but safer route—through the war-torn land of Majamar. But when they arrived, they realized how unprepared they were. The land was full of rubble, the people suspicious and hostile. The desert heat, broken-down vehicle, and lack of food nearly brought them to their limits. Just in time, they met Nando, a young traveler carrying his baby daughter on his back. He knew the area well and offered food and help in exchange for a ride. But the luxurious car soon drew attention, and they were ambushed by raiders. Hector was injured, their vehicle was stolen, and worst of all — Veronica was kidnapped to be sold into slavery.
With no choice, the group began searching on foot. Nando guided them to a local contact, who introduced them to Hadi, a rebel leader fighting against Majamar’s corrupt systems. Hadi, firmly against slavery, agreed to help them. For days, they traveled together, learning about Majamar’s culture, cuisine, and the roots of its civil war.
Eventually, they caught up to the slave market. In the bloody chaos that followed, they rescued Veronica, shaken but unharmed. After thanking Hadi and his people, the group set off again toward Canetan. But long before reaching the capital, they were intercepted by the very people they sought — Philippa and Admire. Having already heard rumors about the deaths of Philippa’s cousin and aunt, the royal couple had no interest in talking. Instead, they ordered the group’s arrest, believing Walerian was the murderer.

{ The Talk }

To the group’s shock, Crown Prince Linus had followed them across the sea. Having learned about their plan to reach Canetan’s capital, he arrived long before Walerian’s group could. When Philippa and Admire arrested the fugitives, the situation quickly spiraled. The nobles believed Walerian’s goal was to attack the royal couple — when in reality, he had come only to ask Admire how he had once lost his ability.
What calmed the tension down was the next surprise: Nando, the quiet traveler who had helped them survive for weeks, was revealed to be Admire’s long-lost brother, presumed dead. He vouched for Walerian’s peaceful intent, and with that, a round of conversations began — about the murders, the long journey, and Walerian’s desire to give up the very power that made him dangerous.
Still, Walerian carried a heavy burden: he never admitted that Veronica was the real killer, not him. Only Philippa saw through his lies. By now, Walerian had developed feelings for Veronica, the noblewoman who had suffered and fought beside them. Linus, not wanting more blood on his hands and moved by her story, declared her banished, never to set foot in their land again. And Admire, seeing Walerian’s sincerity and the rare chance to neutralize Walerian peacefully, decided to help. He revealed the secret to how he lost his power: a mysterious pair of twins with pointed ears, capable of awakening or erasing magical abilities, called Ruvyn and Resa. The problem? No one knew where they were anymore.
But Nando had one more answer. He knew someone with the same pointed ears — Allyna, a powerful woman known as “The Saint,” who could manipulate souls. She was the mother of his child and, according to him, might be able to help Walerian and Tar find peace.
The only catch: Allyna currently lived in Shoja — a land infamous for its hatred of witches, and the very place the group had risked everything to avoid.

{ In Search of the Saint }

Walerian, Hector, and Veronica continued their journey to Shoja, this time without Nando, who had chosen to return to the royal castle with his brother, Admire. At the border, the trio stumbled upon a lively street festival, where they celebrated Hector’s 20th birthday — a rare moment of peace before crossing into dangerous territory.
Shoja was known for its anti-witch measures. In the town of Kiphas, low on food and out of money, Walerian gave in to temptation and stole fruit with Tar’s help. And he was caught. Not by guards, but by a mysterious woman who handed him an invitation. The message led them to a hidden underground society: a secret place where witches gathered at night to freely express themselves and compete in friendly duels. There, they met a surprising figure: Magnus, a man who revealed himself as Hector’s absent father. Though tension ran high between them, Magnus offered the group a place to stay while they prepared for the final leg of their journey. They also met Shirin, Magnus' daughter and Hector's half-sister.
But all was not well. Walerian began losing control over his connection to Tar. During one duel, Tar injured a girl and refused to stop until forced to. Walerian also started suffering from frequent nosebleeds, a sign that something inside him was breaking — but he told no one. On their last night in the underground, disaster struck. Shojan soldiers raided the safe haven, arresting witches for public execution. Magnus barely escaped after helping Walerian and the others flee and decided to travel with the group, bringing along Shirin and an old friend named Javad.
Now a group of six, they made their way across Shoja — facing long nights, cold roads, and rising danger. Walerian’s health continued to decline, but he pushed forward, determined to reach the holy city of Jepus — where the woman known as “The Saint” might be waiting.

{ Reflections of the Soul }

Exhausted from their long journey, the group finally reached Jepus, a quiet town perched on steep seaside cliffs. Magnus went to the local hospital to treat a wound from their escape, while Javad and Shirin went to gather supplies. Walerian, Hector, and Veronica headed straight for the home of the Saint, Allyna. In front of the blue-roofed house, a line of locals waited for her blessing. But Allyna seemed to sense Walerian’s presence — she stepped outside, studied his pale face, and immediately invited them in, sending the others away.
Inside, she served tea and revealed her rare ability: she could see and bend souls. And she had already noticed Walerian’s problem. A second, restless soul living within him. Walerian opened up, speaking of Tar, the spirit inside him, and how their unstable bond caused him pain and put others at risk. He begged Allyna for help — he and Tar alike were even willing to let Tar disappear forever. But her answer shattered him: “Your connection cannot be broken. The only peace I can offer... is for both of you to sleep forever.”
That was the moment everything collapsed. Tar, enraged, slapped the teacup from Allyna’s hands and threw her violently against the wall. Hector rushed to calm them, but Walerian shoved him away. In a blind rage, Walerian punched Hector, screaming that he hadn’t come all this way just to die like this. Allyna couldn’t move, and when Walerian pulled a knife to threaten her, Hector, nose bleeding, tried once more to intervene. Walerian lashed out with the knife — cutting Hector across the chest.
Veronica stood frozen. Time stopped. And at last, Walerian did too. Seeing what he had done, something inside him cracked. Tar released Allyna, and Walerian stumbled out into the open, collapsing near the edge of the cliffs. He stared out at the ocean, wishing, more than anything, for Tar to end it — to push him off, and let the suffering stop. But then he heard a voice.
It was Hector. Bleeding and weak, he had followed him, collapsing into the grass just before reaching him. Walerian’s despair vanished in an instant. He rushed to his brother’s side, calling for Veronica. Together, they carried Hector back to the hospital.
While Hector was being treated in the hospital, Allyna appeared once more, to everyone's surprise. She held no anger, only a deepened fascination with the second soul inside Walerian. Calm and thoughtful, she shared a new idea that had just come to her. She led Walerian and Veronica to a quiet hospital room. Inside lay a young woman, seemingly asleep. But Allyna corrected them: she wasn’t unconscious. She was clinically dead. Her soul had long since departed, but the body remained alive — barely. It was a tragedy. But perhaps also an opportunity.
Allyna explained: if the spirit inside Walerian truly wished to live, this empty vessel might offer it a chance. She could try to transfer Tar’s soul into the girl’s body. It was only a theory, something she had never done before. But the idea sparked a strange hope. Walerian looked inward, and for the first time for what felt like eons, he felt not just Tar’s rage, but her will to live.
He agreed.

{ The Present — current arc }

The procedure was more painful than Walerian could have imagined. He had to lie down on a hospital bed beside the lifeless girl. As Allyna began tracing strange, fluid shapes with her hand, a crushing pain surged through his entire body, growing stronger by the second. He twisted in agony, trying to stay still, his nose bleeding heavily. He remembers little after that, only a single moment: the unfamiliar girl slowly opened her eyes, smiled at him, and reached out to ruffle his hair like a sister would.
Allyna hadn’t helped them out of pure kindness. She had made it clear beforehand: if the transfer succeeded, the group would have to stay in Jepus for a month, so she could study the bond between Tar and her new body in detail. And so, their new life began.
Tar is learning what it means to be human. Every day is filled with small wonders — seeing, smelling, moving freely. Often, the joy of simply walking or feeling wind on her skin brings tears to her eyes. Slowly, a deeper desire forms: she wants to protect the others, not just in spirit, but now with her own hands. Though her new body is weak compared to her former self, she trains every day, determined to grow stronger.
Walerian, on the other hand, must face a new kind of silence. With his sister no longer constantly beside him, he begins to wonder who he really is without her guiding him. When Allyna isn’t running tests, he spends time in a nearby workshop, building things with his hands — trying, piece by piece, to let go of the guilt he still carries toward Hector.

So the days pass.
The group waits for the month to end, so they can finally go home — whatever that now means.