The battlefield was silent at last.
The molten portal had collapsed into a crater of obsidian glass, steam rising where magma once flowed. Aetherion Academy lay scarred but standing — towers cracked, courtyards littered with fragments of light and shadow. The air smelled of ash, metal, and the faint tang of victory.
Kaelith stood at the heart of it all, Shadow Dagger still trembling faintly in his grip. His body ached, every muscle tight with suppressed power, yet his silver eyes remained cold and clear. The God of Negative Emotions whispered quietly within, satisfied but hungry.
> [System Status — Stable]
[Anger: 41/100]
[NP: 31,500]
[Heart Synchronization: 96%]
Lyra approached cautiously, clutching the hem of her torn robes. "Brother… it's over."
Kaelith exhaled, the tension in his chest releasing in a slow, deliberate breath. "For now."
He looked around. The instructors and nobles who had watched from the safety of the towers now emerged, murmuring in awe and disbelief. Some bowed their heads. Others only stared.
> "He fought the Ascendants alone…"
"That wasn't human power."
"He controlled his surge—how?"
Kaelith ignored them all. His focus was on Lyra — and the faint pulse of light beneath her skin where the Heart resided.
---
The Price of Power
"Your synchronization spiked," he said, kneeling so their eyes met. "Does it hurt?"
Lyra shook her head. "No… but I can feel it changing me. The Heart isn't quiet anymore. It's… awake."
> [Heart Influence Passive – Elevated]
[New Trait: Soul Resonance – Level I]
[Effect: Emotional Stability Boost / Shared NP Flow]
Kaelith smiled faintly. "Then it's evolving. Good. We'll need that."
She frowned. "Need it? For what?"
He glanced toward the distant sky, where faint crimson ripples shimmered beyond the clouds — scars left by the portals. "For whatever comes next. This was only the first wave."
---
Summons to the Hall of Radiance
Before they could speak further, the ground beneath them hummed. A glyph circle ignited at their feet, spiraling upward in silver light.
> [System Alert: Authority Summons – Level Omega]
[Destination: Hall of Radiance]
Kaelith drew a slow breath. "So the higher powers finally decided to appear."
The world folded inward — and in the blink of an eye, they stood inside the Hall of Radiance, a place reserved for divine overseers and temporal adjudicators. The air was dense, vibrating with stored power.
Five figures awaited them, robed in luminous silk and faceless beneath their hoods.
Each bore an emblem of authority — flame, crystal, wave, shadow, and void.
The one of flame spoke first, voice sharp as steel.
> "Kaelith Veyr. You have defied the parameters of mortal conduct. You wield forbidden synchronization and control a godborn system."
Kaelith met the unseen gaze without flinching. "And yet I saved your world."
The chamber rippled with quiet disapproval. The void figure leaned forward.
> "Salvation or not, your existence disrupts the balance. The Veil's god was sealed for a reason."
Lyra stepped forward, trembling but defiant. "He didn't ask for this power. He fought to protect everyone here!"
The silence that followed was tense, stretching like a drawn bowstring. Then the crystal figure spoke.
> "We will not judge yet. The Trial of Balance begins at dawn. Survive it, and your existence will be legitimized."
Kaelith's lips curved in a faint, humorless smile. "Another trial? So be it."
---
Preparation
They were returned to their quarters, the night heavy with foreboding energy. Lyra sat beside the window, gazing at the stars. "Brother… do you ever wish you could stop fighting?"
Kaelith turned the Shadow Dagger in his hand, the blade whispering with residual heat. "I stopped wishing a long time ago. The system chose me. Now I choose how it's used."
He opened his status menu once more.
> [NP: 31,500]
[SHOP — Available Items]
– Abyssal Core Artifact – 15,000 NP
– Lifespan Potion (Major) – 2,500 NP
– Forbidden Manual: "Seven Fangs" – 2,000 NP
– Emotional Catalyst Gem – 3,500 NP
– Shadow Sigil Enhancement – 4,800 NP
– ??? Locked (Requires Authority Key)
Kaelith purchased the Abyssal Core Artifact and Lifespan Potion, then fused the core into his Shadow Veil. The energy shifted instantly — shadows flared with deep indigo light, moving as if alive.
> [System Notification – Shadow Veil Ascended]
[New Skill Unlocked – Abyssal Reformation]
[Effect: Allows Reality Layer Manipulation Within 50m Radius]
Lyra blinked. "That's… new."
Kaelith nodded slowly. "We're going to need every advantage. The Trial of Balance isn't just a test — it's bait."
---
Midnight Revelation
At midnight, a whisper broke the silence — a voice both familiar and alien.
> "Little pawn. The council doesn't seek balance… they seek ownership. Pass their trial, and your freedom will end."
"Nyxion." Kaelith's tone was flat. "Still whispering?"
> "Always. But there is something you must know. A fracture has appeared beneath the Academy. A portal not of my making."
Kaelith froze. "Another one?"
> "Worse," the god hissed. "This one leads backward — into what once was."
Before he could respond, the floor beneath their quarters trembled violently. Crimson light bled through the cracks, spiraling upward into the night sky.
Lyra clutched his arm. "Brother—"
Kaelith's eyes turned silver-white. "Get behind me."
> [System Alert – Temporal Rift Detected]
[Warning: Unknown Entity Approaching]
From the center of the quake rose a hand — skeletal, wrapped in molten chains. A voice like cracking glass echoed through the courtyard.
> "Found you… successor of Nyxion."
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