Ethan Hayes, a brilliant but emotionally stunted architect, is plagued by a congenital condition that renders him incapable of experiencing physical pleasure. He buries his pain in meticulous design, finding solace only in the cold, logical precision of blueprints. His life shatters when a tragic accident claims his life, only to be resurrected within the Veiled Citadel, a colossal, multi-dimensional structure fueled by negative emotions. He is offered a twisted bargain by Nox, the enigmatic embodiment of despair: become her champion, dismantle the reign of the Seraph Alchemist, who corrupts emotions into artificial bliss, and claim a powerful inheritance that will rewrite his very existence. Armed with forbidden knowledge and a body capable of unimaginable sensation, Ethan embarks on a treacherous ascent through the Citadel, forging alliances, confronting his inner demons, and grappling with the intoxicating power of the shadows that now fuel his being. But can he truly trust Nox, or is he merely a pawn in a game that threatens to consume him entirely?

Chapters