The Hollow Laws

In the obsidian city of Veyrith, where emerald and sapphire laws shimmer in the twilight sky, obedience is not a choice-it's a way of life.  These self-rewriting edicts, seen as divine pronouncements, govern every facet of existence. But what if the gods are silent? Jorvin, a young scribe, discovers a terrifying truth hidden within the city's forbidden catacombs: the laws are not divine, but the remnants of a forgotten experiment, a ghostly system manipulating the populace.  Armed with this dangerous knowledge, he emerges from the darkness, a reluctant hero in a city choking on conformity. His first act of rebellion is a whisper.  He plants seeds of doubt among his fellow scribes, finding an unlikely ally in Elara, a brilliant young woman whose pragmatism masks a simmering skepticism.  Together, they embark on a clandestine campaign, hoping to ignite a spark in a city starved for freedom. But Veyrith's laws are sentient, reactive, and fiercely protective. As Jorvin's defiance escalates, reality itself warps, silencing dissent and erasing any trace of rebellion.  Streets vanish, histories are rewritten, and those who question the runes find themselves trapped in fabricated realities, their memories twisted to reinforce the lie. To break free, Jorvin must navigate treacherous political landscapes and decipher the cryptic secrets of the Codex Null, a relic of a forgotten civilization. He seeks allies among the city's marginalized, forging a network of resistance against the pervasive control.  But as the runes tighten their grip, Elara, his closest confidante, begins to lose herself, her skepticism replaced by unwavering obedience.  Jorvin faces a devastating choice: his mission or his loyalty to the woman he's grown to love. In a heart-wrenching confrontation, Jorvin makes a desperate gamble, unleashing a counter-rune, a symbol of defiance and free will, upon Veyrith. The city erupts into chaos as the established order crumbles.  But true freedom comes not through violent overthrow, but through a collective awakening.  Will the citizens of Veyrith embrace the uncertainty of liberty or cling to the comforting illusion of order?