The sky split open.

Thunder didn’t roll—it roared, howled, like a beast wounded by fate. The heavens bled crimson as celestial lightning arced through the skies, searing the firmament. Rain poured down, not water, but something heavier—mixed with ash and divine residue. Olympus itself trembled.

High upon the *Altar of Judgement*, chained by glowing celestial runes, knelt a boy.

*Kyrillos*.

Barefoot, beaten, and broken—not by combat, but by betrayal. His once radiant robes were in tatters, his body scorched with marks of restraint, divine bindings pulsing against his skin.

He was seventeen.

The boy once praised as the Prodigy of the Silver Flame, the Heir of the Celestial Phoenix Sect… now a heretic, condemned by those who once toasted his victories.

Around him stood the *Twelve Grand Houses*, their banners flapping wildly in the divine storm. Faces half-shadowed under golden helms and jeweled crowns, yet none dared look him in the eye. Only one figure, hidden in the rear, wept silently behind a silver veil—*Aphrodite*.

*Chapter 25: The Forgotten City's Warning*  


The envoy from Alethea was led into the grand hall where Kyrillos, Sophia, and their closest allies awaited.


His eyes were sharp, revealing no fear despite the tense atmosphere.


"My name is Eirena," the envoy began, "I come with a warning from Alethea — a city long thought lost beneath the shadows of history."


She unfurled an ancient scroll, inscribed with cryptic symbols.


"The Leviathan is but a puppet. There is a darker force awakening — one that threatens not just Thalorion, but the entire realm."


Leonidas stepped forward, examining the scroll. "These symbols... they belong to the Primordial Order, a secret cult believed to be extinct."


"And if they are not extinct..." Kyrillos whispered, "then this war has only just begun."


Sophia's voice rang clear, "We must journey to Alethea, uncover the truth behind this cult, and find a way to stop the true enemy before it's too late."


Andreas frowned, "Alethea is surrounded by dangerous magic and guarded by ancient traps. Few have returned."


As the council debated, Dimitri's expression darkened.


"If the Primordial Order rises, our enemies within will use it as an opportunity to seize power. We must act fast."


Calliope, standing in the shadows, smirked knowingly. "Some secrets are better left buried."


The next dawn, Kyrillos, Sophia, and a select team prepared to leave.


As they crossed the city gates, the weight of destiny pressed upon their shoulders.


Eirena whispered to Sophia, "The path ahead is fraught with peril. But you are the key to the future — and the past."


Sophia met her gaze. "Then we will face it, head-on."
