At six years old, Janus Ragnos bears the weight of impossible destinies. Born to a mother of tainted Netniem blood within the sacred halls of House Azure, his very existence threatens the delicate balance of the Shattered Empire. When the First Baptism ceremony plunges him into the depths of the Hells, he emerges not just marked, but crowned with a white-gold torq—a symbol of power unseen for centuries. Plagued by visions of futures he cannot control and hunted by those who fear what he might become, Janus must navigate a deadly maze of politics and prophecy. As rival houses plot from the shadows and the Hells whisper their dark promises, he faces a choice: confront the monstrous truth of his heritage, or let it consume him.