Centuries ago, when men still rode horses into battle and wars were fought with swords, bows, and arrows, there lived a king feared across every known land. His name has long been erased by time, but his cruelty remains carved into history. He conquered kingdoms not only with armies, but with something far darker—an unseen force that bent fate to his will. Some said it was black magic. Others believed the darkness itself obeyed him. Whatever the truth was, no land he desired escaped him, no crown stood untouched, and no woman he wanted was spared.
As his power grew, so did the blood beneath his feet. Villages burned, families were torn apart, and the world slowly learned to kneel. But power like his never goes unanswered.
From the shadows of society rose a group of gifted people—those cast aside, feared, and labeled outcasts. They were witches, seers, and women of forbidden knowledge. While the world turned its back on them, they studied the king, learning his weakness, waiting patiently for the moment to strike. And when that moment came, they did not kill him.
They did something far worse.
Using ancient magic and a sacrifice history would never record, they bound the king's soul into a book—one crafted to be both prison and curse. Sealed within its pages, he was removed from time itself, unable to age, unable to die, and unable to escape. Yet the magic was imperfect, for the king was still alive in a way no one fully understood.
Whoever frees him would gain control over him—for a while. But the bond would never last. Eventually, he would break free, kill his master, reclaim his power, and bring ruin upon the world as it once knew it.
Knowing this, the outcasts made a vow.
They dedicated their lives—and the lives of their daughters—to guarding the book. They vanished from the world, forming a hidden community bound by magic, secrecy, and blood. They named themselves the Daughters of Insomnia, for they would never truly sleep while the darkness remained awake.
Men were forbidden from their ranks. The book held a stronger influence over men than women, whispering promises of power, glory, and dominion. Many who came close lost themselves to it. The Daughters knew better. They trusted no one but their own.
And so the centuries passed.
The world forgot the king.
Forgot the book.
Forgot the guardians.
But the book never forgot.