EPISODE 1 — "THE VEINS AWAKEN"
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PAGE 1 — PANEL 1
Wide, cinematic shot of the Storm Guild village at dawn. Aether towers hum with blue lightning. Flags ripple in the wind.
Narration:
In the world of Aether… destiny flows through every living vein.
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PANEL 2
Close-up on RUKU lying in bed, eyes closed. His pendant glows faintly on his chest.
Ruku (half-asleep):
"…today already?"
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PANEL 3
He sits up fast. A small pulse of white Aether flickers across his arm veins before fading.
Ruku (thinking):
Not again. My energy's been acting weird since last week…
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PAGE 2 — PANEL 1
Ruku ties his combat jacket, rushing out of his small wooden house.
Neighbor:
"Ruku! You're late for the Aether Vein Exam!"
Ruku:
"I know! I know!"
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PANEL 2
Ruku sprints across rooftops. A small white-pulse glitch appears under his foot — a tiny Shift Step he didn't mean to use.
Ruku:
"…what was THAT?"
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PAGE 3 — PANEL 1
Inside the massive Aether Dome arena. Hundreds of students gather. Blue light arcs across the dome walls.
Instructor:
"All examinees — prepare your Aether Flow."
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PANEL 2
Ruku arrives, slightly out of breath. Reiko, the top student, smirks at him.
Reiko:
"You finally show up. I thought you chickened out."
Ruku:
"Trust me, if I ran, I'd run circles around you."
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PANEL 3
Reiko cracks his knuckles, Aether sparks around him.
Reiko:
"We'll see."
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PAGE 4 — PANEL 1
The dome starts glowing. Students enter their positions.
Instructor:
"The Aether Vein Exam begins… NOW!"
BOOOOOOM — energy surges through the floor.
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PANEL 2
Ruku feels something inside his chest. His veins flash pure white.
Ruku (thinking):
Not now… please not now…
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PANEL 3
A microscopic tear in space opens behind him — a thin crack like glass bending.
SFX:
shhhHHHHK…
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PAGE 5 — PANEL 1
Students turn, terrified. A shadowy creature claws its way out of the Rift.
Student:
"WHAT IS THAT!?"
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PANEL 2
Reiko points at Ruku, eyes wide with confusion and suspicion.
Reiko:
"Ruku— that thing appeared behind YOU!"
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PANEL 3
Ruku looks at his own hands — white veins glowing like lightning.
Ruku (thinking):
…No. No way. Did I do this…?
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PAGE 6 — PANEL 1
The creature lunges toward a group of kids.
Instructor:
"DEFEND YOURSELVES!"
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PANEL 2
Ruku bites his teeth, steps forward, veins glowing bright.
Ruku:
"…Fine. If this is my fault—"
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PANEL 3
He launches forward with a blinding white Pulse Break.
Ruku:
"—then I'll handle it!"
BOOOOM — shockwave cracks the ground.
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PAGE 7 — PANEL 1
The creature is knocked back, but the Rift behind it starts widening.
Ruku (thinking):
I can't let this get bigger… I have to stop it!
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PANEL 2
His body instinctively uses Shift Step, blinking forward.
SFX:
zip—
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PANEL 3
He smashes his glowing fist into the Rift itself.
Ruku:
"CLOSE!"
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FINAL PANEL — PAGE 7
The Rift violently collapses with a blinding flash.
BOOOOOM!!!
Students stare at him, whispering.
Student 1:
"What kind of Aether was that…?"
Student 2:
"No one has white veins…"
Reiko looks at Ruku with shock… and fear.
Reiko:
"…Who are you?"