Hollowing Heart

In a world ruled by bloodlines, power decides whether a person becomes a weapon, a noble, or a corpse. Julian Cross was born with the Hollow Heart, a bloodline dismissed as a mediocre survival trait. It could dull pain, slow death, and keep his broken body moving a little longer than it should. Useful for a disposable soldier. Worthless compared to the monstrous gifts of nobles and battlefield legends. Then, on the Ashen Frontier, Julian faces Valerius — a Sanguine knight from the vampire empire. Their duel should have ended with both of them dead. Instead, Julian awakens the hidden half of his bloodline. His body refuses to die. His soul refuses to disappear.