Chapter 959 — The Weight of Gods and Daemons
Part I — Kael
The war council of the Hollow gathered beneath the vaulted chamber, the same hall where Kael had built alliances, broken treaties, and rebuilt an entire civilization from ruin.
But now, the air was heavier than it had ever been.
The lights were dimmed. A faint hum from the Stellar Engine resonated through the room's core, the rhythmic pulse of its energy echoing like a heartbeat — a reminder of the Hollow's new power.
Kael stood at the center of the council table. His coat was unbuttoned, sleeves rolled to his elbows, his usually measured composure replaced by a cold, burning focus.
Before him, a projection of the world's map glowed — two kingdoms locked in war across the northern plains, and between them, a single red-marked zone. The hero's territory.
And there, imprisoned in the heart of it — the captured true dragon. His aunt.
Zerathis and Serenya stood off to Kael's right, still dusted with ash and blood from their reconnaissance.
"She's alive," Zerathis confirmed grimly. "Barely. The hero's using divine seals to drain her power. Each time she resists, the seals tighten. He's… experimenting."
Kael's hands curled into fists. The chaos energy within him swirled visibly beneath his skin, faint veins of silver and crimson light tracing up his arms.
Eris, seated nearby, felt it instantly — the fury, the sorrow, the desperation.
Her mind brushed his, that silent telepathic link pulsing like a low hum between them.
Kael… breathe. You can't lead if you let rage lead you first.
He exhaled shakily and nodded once. "All right," he said. "We know where she is. We know who's holding her. Now we plan."
Selina adjusted her spectacles, her tone measured. "Assaulting a divine zone is suicide. The hero's not alone — he's backed by paladins, clerics, and the church's exiled war priests. Even you can't fight an army blessed by divinity head-on."
Kael looked up at the glowing map. "Then we don't."
He tapped the map once — a small marker appeared beside the red zone. "We hit their anchor points. The divine runes feeding the hero's power come from these five sources. Take them down, and the god's light fades."
Varik grinned, already reaching for his weapon schematics. "Sabotage and misdirection. I like this plan."
Zerathis crossed his arms, his voice rumbling low. "And when his light fades, I'll tear the hero's soul from his body myself."
Kael's gaze hardened. "No. He's mine."
The room went still. Even Eris didn't speak.
Kael continued, voice cold and absolute. "I will rescue my aunt, but that hero — he represents something more dangerous. He's not just fighting for power. He's fighting for faith. For the gods."
He paused, then looked at each of them in turn — Lyria, Selina, Zerathis, Eris, Varik, Serenya. His family. His pillars.
"This isn't just about vengeance," Kael said quietly. "It's about ending this holy crusade before it starts. If he's allowed to live, he'll inspire thousands. He'll paint us — daemons, hybrids, and free mortals — as monsters. And the gods will have their war all over again."
A heavy silence followed, broken only when Lyria spoke softly, "Then your plan is simple. Rescue your aunt. Destroy the hero. End the gods' game before it begins."
Kael nodded once. "Exactly."
Eris leaned forward, her tone even. "Then I suggest you start preparing the people for war."
Kael's silver eyes met hers — and for just a second, she felt the spark of something more behind them.
Resolve.
Part II — The Hero
The battlefield reeked of ash and sanctified oil.
The man they called Eiden the Radiant stood before the ruined remains of a daemon battalion, his armor glowing faintly with divine gold light.
Fifty men had faced him at dawn. Not one remained.
He didn't gloat. He didn't revel. He prayed.
Kneeling in the blood-soaked grass, he pressed a gauntleted hand to his chest and whispered to the sky,
"Guide me, my Lords. I am your instrument. I am your hand."
A whisper answered — low, deep, and resonant, threading through his mind like a hymn.
"You are doing well, my chosen. Purge the filth. Cleanse the chaos. Bring the light to the forsaken lands."
Eiden's lips curled into a faint smile. "The daemon lord's forces crumble. Soon even his Hollow will fall."
The whisper grew louder — colder.
"There remains one last corruption — the dragon. Break her. Her bloodline fuels the chaos that binds the Hollow's leader."
Eiden turned, eyes alight with golden flame, to where the dragon — massive, silver-scaled and bound by celestial runes — strained weakly against her chains.
"Mercy is wasted on your kind," he said quietly. "You daemons and your kin never learn."
The dragon's voice, weak but defiant, rasped out in ancient tongue. "You fight for gods who abandoned you. They will devour you once your use fades, mortal."
Eiden's eyes hardened. "Then I will burn with purpose."
He raised his sword — light bursting from the blade in a torrent that lit the entire field — and struck her once across the side. The dragon roared, the sound shaking the ground for miles.
The soldiers behind him watched in fearful reverence.
But when Eiden turned away, his face was blank. Empty.
Inside his mind, the whispers continued — constant, cold, commanding.
And with each one, the line between devotion and madness blurred further.
Part III — Kael
Night again in the Hollow.
Kael stood on the balcony overlooking the glowing streets — lights powered by the Stellar Engine, barriers humming quietly in the background. The people were safe. Peaceful.
But the storm on the horizon was his to face.
Eris joined him quietly, her steps light, her voice low. "You're planning already."
He gave a faint smirk. "I never stopped."
She hesitated before asking, "Kael… what if you can't win?"
He looked at her — chaos and compassion swirling behind his silver eyes.
"Then," he said softly, "I'll make sure the gods know that even chaos bleeds for what it loves."
And in that moment, Eris felt something new — pride, fear, affection — all tangled and unfamiliar in her chest.
The Witch of Chaos didn't understand it fully yet.
But she knew she would follow Kael into hell itself to find out.