The air in the Citadel of Ashes was not just cold; it was corrosive. The magical pressure on Ren was so intense that every breath burned his lungs. He was kneeling before the basalt throne, exhausted from his journey, his Paladin armor now a mocking, rusted shell. The Ashen Queen watched Ren with a mixture of disinterest and triumph. Kaito, standing beside her, was the embodiment of dark victory.
"The Specter has fulfilled its task, Commander," the Queen said, her voice melodious and authoritative. "It has brought us the final weapon of Light."
Ren lifted his head, his body trembling with the effort to stay upright. His Forged Light was depleted.
"I fulfilled my part," he said. "I destroyed the shields of Aethelgard. Now, I demand my reward. The agreement was that Kaito would be by my side."
Kaito laughed, a dry, alien sound that was far removed from his former self. "Your side? You're no longer a hero, Ren. You're a dog. And I am the only thing that can satiate your pain."
Kaito approached and placed his hand on Ren's head. The touch was not violent, but it was absolutely possessive. Kaito's Chaos flowed through the bond, forcing Ren to feel a wave of disgust and humiliation at his own betrayal.
"I told you, Commander," the Queen interjected with a cold smile. "Kaito will train you. I prepared him to break your magic, but he is the only one who understands your weaknesses. And the first lesson is that your Light will no longer save you."
The Queen stood up, her obsidian armor clanking metallically, echoing through the hall. The atmosphere immediately became denser, more charged.
"Your fate here is not the dungeon, Paladin," she said. "It's my court. My harem is not of lovers, but of weapons. And you will be my sharpest weapon."
The Queen snapped her fingers. Lysandra Vane and Zylpha, the Dark Elf Commander, entered the hall, their expressions silent judgments. They would be his jailers and new "teachers."
"Lysandra will watch over you, and Zylpha will ensure your discipline," the Queen ordered. "But Kaito will have the first night."
Ren felt terror. He knew what Kaito's "training" meant. It wouldn't be physical combat, but total emotional and magical destruction.
"My first lesson is simple," Kaito said, dragging Ren away from the remains of his armor. "I'll teach you what it feels like to be powerless."
Kaito dragged Ren out of the hall, under the indifferent gaze of the Queen.
Preparation for the Sacrifice
Kaito took Ren to a private room in the training sector. It wasn't a cell, but a chamber with padded walls and a single low bed, covered in black silk. The air was thick with Chaos magic that weakened Ren's will.
Kaito forced Ren to sit on the bed. The Paladin felt exposed, his body bruised from the escape and his spirit broken by betrayal.
"I see you, Ren," Kaito said. "I see the hero who wants to save his brother. And I see the man who sold his soul out of fear. I no longer exist, but you have to pay for the man you used to be."
Kaito removed his dark tunic, revealing a body honed to perfection by the Queen's training. Pain, strength, and cruelty were visible in every muscle.
"The Queen wants me to be a double agent in her bed," Kaito said. "And I want to see your Forged Light break in the process."
Kaito climbed onto the bed, positioning himself over Ren. The Paladin had no strength to resist. His magic was depleted, and Kaito's Chaos in the air paralyzed him.
"This is training," Kaito whispered, his breath cold on Ren's skin. "Forget the morality of Light. Now, you're mine. And I am the Queen's."
Kaito used the Bond. The connection between them was no longer a memory, but a channel for power. Chaos flowed from Kaito into Ren's body.
Ren felt exquisite, agonizing pain. The Chaos wasn't attacking his flesh, but his will. Kaito was injecting the pain of his reincarnation's tragedy, the rage of Darius's betrayal, and the loneliness of his soul.
The emotion was too much, and the Paladin, his body completely surrendered to his brother's will, couldn't help but succumb to the pain and forbidden pleasure that the Chaos injected...
.
.
.
The sun of Light never reached the Citadel. When Kaito finally withdrew, Ren lay there, his body bruised and his mind shattered. He was no longer the Shieldmaster. He was a slave.
Kaito looked at his brother with coldness. "Tomorrow, the Queen will visit you," he said. "And you'll have to demonstrate that the first lesson has been effective."