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Chapter 23 – Veyla: Eyes That Pierce the Curtain
Veyla was born with eyes that never lied—eyes that couldn't.
From the moment she could speak, she'd describe the colors people wore on their souls. Not literal colors, but truths—regret clinging like gray mist, guilt pulsing red, desire flickering gold. Her parents thought she was imaginative. Then, scared. Then, obsessed. By age six, she wasn't allowed to speak unless spoken to. Not because she was disobedient—but because the truth always came out.
"You don't love Dad anymore," she once whispered to her mother.
"You lied when you said I wasn't the reason he left," she said later.
"You hate your new husband."
Each word was a dagger, and Veyla couldn't stop herself. It wasn't malice—it was reflex. Truth was the air she breathed, the light she saw by.
She spent most of her childhood alone, shunned by classmates and feared by adults. They called her "Witch Eyes," "Liar's Bane," or sometimes just… monster.
She stopped speaking, thinking maybe silence would help. But truth has many tongues. Her silence only made people uneasy—because when her gaze lingered, they felt exposed. When her head tilted, they felt judged. She saw too much.
Then came Eirin, the only one who didn't flinch.
Eirin sat beside her in the library one day and said, "I think the world should be less afraid of the truth." They became inseparable. For a time, Veyla believed she had found a kindred soul—until she saw it: a lie wrapped around Eirin's heart like barbed wire.
"You said I'm your friend," Veyla said one rainy afternoon. "But you hate what I make you feel."
Eirin didn't deny it.
She just walked away.
After that, Veyla stopped trying. She became cold. Observant. Silent not out of fear, but power. Why speak, when everyone lies anyway? Why try to belong, when truth was a curse they begged her to unsee?
So when the world began to blur… when the strange light came and the Sleep wrapped around the earth… she didn't resist.
She welcomed it.
> "Finally," she whispered as her body faded into silver dust, "silence."
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Pillar of Truth – Tier One Abilities:
1. Mirror Sigil
She can mark someone with a hidden sigil. While active, she knows if they lie, and can "echo" one of their thoughts or feelings aloud at the perfect moment.
2. Truth Weighs Heavy
Veyla can summon a momentary weight on a person's body or mind based on how deeply they're suppressing the truth. The heavier the secret, the more it paralyzes them.
3. Curtain Piercer
When she gazes directly at someone with intention, she can briefly strip away disguises, illusions, or deceptions—physical, magical, or emotional. It can only be used once per day.
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