The Vault of Forgotten Vows trembled.
The clash between Kael and Elandris had torn through reality itself. The air was rent by divine light and abyssal darkness. Thunder cracked, not from the sky, but from the very foundation of the realm, as if the world could not contain their fury.
Kael's blade clashed with the High God's spear—a weapon forged from pure light and bound by celestial law. It shimmered with the authority of a thousand oaths, but Kael didn't flinch. His own weapon, the Abyssal Sovereign Edge, pulsed with seething defiance, devouring the light around it.
"You will fall, Elandris!" Kael roared, his voice echoing through the ruins like the cry of a forgotten god.
"You were never meant to rise," Elandris growled, pushing him back. "The Shard of Sovereignty was not meant for mortals."
"Then maybe it chose me for that very reason."
Kael's body burned with raw power. Both the Radiant Core from the divine trial and the Shard of Sovereignty fused within his soul, tearing at his flesh but fortifying his resolve. He bled, he screamed, but he stood. Each pulse of pain only reminded him of why he was here—Sylra. Her soul shimmered within the Heart of Forgotten Vows behind Elandris, flickering like a caged star.
He would not let her die again.
---
The Breaking Point
Kael lunged forward, his blade wreathed in black flame. Elandris met the strike, their weapons locking with a sound that shook the chamber. Sparks danced in every direction, each one a memory trying to claw back into existence.
"I'll tear your throne down, brick by holy brick," Kael snarled.
Elandris sneered. "You think you're righteous? You've bound yourself to the Abyss, to the very thing we swore to contain. You are a walking blasphemy."
Kael's eyes darkened. "Then let this blasphemy rewrite the divine."
He unleashed a burst of Sovereign Flame, a new power awakened from within the Shard—a flame that didn't burn flesh, but will. It tore through Elandris' divine aura, forcing the god to retreat.
For the first time, Kael saw it.
Fear.
Elandris, the High God, was afraid.
---
The Chains Beneath the Vault
The blast had cracked the Heart of Forgotten Vows, sending tremors through the entire Vault. From the fractures, Kael saw more than just Sylra's light—he saw others. Countless souls trapped, forgotten, discarded. Heroes, rebels, lovers, monsters—each bound by divine injustice.
They whispered to him.
"Break the chains."
"You are the Sovereign."
"Set us free."
Kael hesitated. If he shattered the Heart completely, the consequences could be catastrophic. These were ancient souls, some older than the gods themselves. But Sylra's light flickered weakly, on the brink of being consumed.
He made his choice.
With a cry of defiance, Kael leapt toward the Heart, bypassing Elandris entirely. The High God screamed, summoning a barrage of radiant spears, but Kael dashed through them with sheer force of will. His blade struck the Heart—
Crack.
CRACK.
SHATTER.
---
The Storm of Souls
The Heart of Forgotten Vows exploded in a blinding flash. Souls screamed out like a tsunami of sorrow, rage, and hope. The Vault was flooded with ethereal energy as the chains of divine control unraveled.
Sylra's soul soared toward Kael, radiant and unbroken. He caught it in his arms, her form slowly reforming from the light.
"Kael…" she whispered, weak but alive.
Tears welled in Kael's eyes. "I've got you."
But there was no time for peace.
From the swirling maelstrom, something worse than Elandris emerged.
---
The Broken Oath
A colossal being stepped from the breach. Ten wings of shattered glass. A face made of masks, each one weeping blood. And a voice like the last breath before death.
The Broken Oath.
It wasn't a god.
It was every promise broken by divine hands.
It turned its gaze on Kael, and the world knelt. Even Elandris stumbled back.
"What have you done?" the god whispered.
Kael held Sylra close, shielding her from the vortex. "I broke your lies."
The Broken Oath spoke, its voice shaking the cosmos. "You, mortal-born Sovereign, have freed what should never breathe again. Now, your throne will be built atop ruin."
It raised an arm. Light and shadow surged. A blast shot toward Kael—but Sylra raised her hand.
A vow once sworn burst from her soul, shielding them both. Her will—half-forgotten but unbroken—pierced the Broken Oath's attack.
Elandris, sensing opportunity, fled into the divine ether.
Kael, however, stayed.
He turned to the soulstorm. "Come," he said, rising to his full height. "I freed you. But I'm not your enemy. I'm your king."
---
Sovereign of the Lost
The Vault fell into silence.
Souls swirled around Kael. Some roared in anger. Others wept in hope.
Then—one by one—they bowed.
Kael stood tall, holding Sylra, his eyes burning with destiny.
He wasn't just a Sovereign now.
He was the Godbound Pariah, the ruler of forgotten promises, the liberator of the betrayed.
And the gods would come to fear his name.
---
End of Chapter 9