"There isn't much known about him," the Guildmaster said, his voice low. "When he appeared... no one could stand in his way."
"They say the night he arrived, the world lit up—as if it was day… and he was the sun."
"They say everyone who tried to get close to him… left their body in a flash."
"They say time stopped. Reality shattered around him with each step… and wherever his foot touched the ground, nature bloomed—as if God himself had walked there."
"No one knows his face… because no one can look directly at the sun."
"Nothing could capture him. Everything knelt before his presence."
"And then… everything fell so silent, the silence itself could be heard."
"He was a god who walked the ground. He wasn't a man—he was a natural phenomenon."
"He was unstoppable… until a sage blocked his path. And after that—nothing. He vanished."
"He was the first to cross the Spine. The one who crushed the unbreachable wall beneath his steps.
The doom of Zha'ath.
Argune... the Starborne."
Hearing those words from the Guildmaster, Kael felt a shivering jolt crawl up his neck.
"But, Who was the sage that dared to stand in front of such a being?" Kael asked.
"Nobody knows… I don't think he even had a name," the Guildmaster replied.
"Then if Argune disappeared after his encounter with the Sage… where did the rankings come from?" Kael asked.
The Guildmaster stepped closer as he spoke.
"After the Doom of Zha'ath, people began to appear—one after another—from beyond the Spine. They were strong… far stronger than the people of our land… but not quite The Doom. And over time, we learned more. About them. About the outer world."
Kael's brows furrowed. "If they were that strong… then why didn't we fall? Our land is beautiful—far better than the outer world, from what people say. So how did we survive? Power is not a kind thing, and people are not all the same. Power shapes each person differently—and not all who hold it are gentle. Then how? Why weren't we crushed beneath someone else's will?"
The Guildmaster stopped mid-step, his brows raised in surprise.
Then he laughed—full, hearty, and unexpected.
"Hahaha… You really are the Headmaster's son, Kael. Hahaha!" he said, clearly amused by the sharpness of the question.
"You're right. We never could've survived them—not if we were truly weaker," he said as he eased down onto the sofa, nodding in approval.
"But you forget a variable…" The Guildmaster's eyes locked onto Kael with sudden intensity.
"Our King."
"Elurear CaerThal. As long as he stands, nothing can break us."
"How?" Kael asked, his voice quiet but urgent.
The Guildmaster leaned back with a knowing smile.
"Why don't you ask him yourself… when you meet him."
Kael paused, thoughts racing—when a voice came from behind.
"Master, the young Lord of Dravyen House has arrived," Elina announced.
Rokan sighed as he rose to his feet.
"Well then, young man… until we meet again," he said, offering a firm handshake.
Kael stood up and took it with respect.
"With pleasure, Guildmaster."
The Guildmaster left soon after. Kael followed.
"Have a good day, Master Vaelwyn," Elina called out, heading back toward the counter.
"Yes, you too," he replied with a nod.
…
Back in his room, Kael sat on the floor, legs crossed in meditation.
"Hmm… it's not working. The humming is disturbing," he muttered, unable to concentrate.
"It's been fifteen days since I started the first method," he said to himself. "I do have better control over the humming in my spine… though I've been feeling hungrier than usual. And distant."
Unable to concentrate he walked to his bag and bring out the book.
He exhaled and opened the old book the old man had passed down to him.
"Ohh… again the talk of Kundalini," he murmured, skimming the text. "So I'm still on the first chakra—the foundational root. The most essential step before I can move forward."
He kept reading, eyebrows furrowed.
"Hm… so Kundalini is like a serpent, coiled at the base… and it unfolds as the energy moves upward through the chakras. The first is red—the color of beginnings."
That line triggered a memory.
"Ah… so that's why I woke up in the red chamber. That must've been when I awakened the first chakra."
Now, invested in the text, His eyes scanned the next passage.
"This is a dangerous process. A single mistake in technique can decide life or death. Practice Kundalini only under the guidance of a master."
He paused, eyes resting on the page, breath slow.
"But I do have a master… the First Master.", He remembered words from the vision.
"The root is strength… the root is stability… resistance, recovery, survival, memory.
The root is the ground and The beginning.", He read the line but unable to grab the intent.
He read the line again, more slowly.
"Strength… stability… resistance, recovery…"
Kael sat up straighter. "Recovery… my injuries. They healed in the chamber without a single supplement or treatment. Liam said Segeford needed ancient techniques to stabilize. But I— I just recovered."
He stood abruptly, now speaking aloud.
"Survival. Resilience… That's right. I survived over twenty days locked in that chamber. And I walked back to Veilguard stronger than ever. That was it. But what about strength? Stability? Am I suddenly stronger?"
He clenched his fists, breathing deeper, feeling something beneath his skin.
Then he walked out into the garden.
Barefoot on the grass, Kael stood before the old stone fountain, water trickling softly from its center.
"There's no way I'd break it… right?" he whispered. Doubting his own words.
He stepped into a familiar stance he had practiced a thousand times. The Piercer. But this time, no sword—just bare hands.
He inhaled deeply, recalling Liam's teachings, then merging them with the Method from the book. He focused on his breath—deep through his nose, down to his stomach, filling his core until it expanded.
Everything emptied. His mind. His doubts. Everything…
He exhaled.
The world blurred. All he saw was the fountain. As if his consciousness slipped…
Another breath.
Clarity returned but consciousness did not…
He could hear his heartbeat—steady, focused.
And then with a thrust.
BAAAAMMM—
A deafening crack echoed across the courtyard.
Kael's eyes snapped open.
"Ah—fuck! Ouch! Aghh—this hurts!" he yelped, falling back and clutching his fist.
"Kael?! Are you alright?!"
A scream—then footsteps. Mister Joseph the door man rushed toward him.
"Yeah, yeah—Uncle, I'm fine," Kael groaned, blowing on his knuckles.
"What happened? What was that—?"
Joseph stopped mid rush… mid-sentence.
His eyes widened.
"…Did you do this?" he asked, stunned.
"Do what?" Kael asked, blinking in confusion.
Then it hit him. Why he'd come here. Why his hand was hurting.
He turned—so fast his neck nearly snapped.
The fountain…
Gone.
Reduced to rubble, with water leaking across shattered stones.
He had crushed it.
With a single punch.