Chapter 27
The throne felt heavier than any armor Keal had ever worn.
It wasn't the cold, jagged obsidian beneath him, nor the oppressive silence of the dead world's palace — it was the unseen weight of power, responsibility, and consequence pressing on his shoulders.
For the first time since claiming victory over the shadowed being, he began to understand…
A king wasn't just a conqueror.
A king was a ruler, a protector, a judge — and the one whose decisions could shape the fate of thousands.
The Circle's air was unnaturally still, its darkness now bending to his will. His commands echoed across the land like whispers through the shadows. From the moment the crown of authority fused with his soul, the dead world obeyed him.
"My King," Myros's voice broke the silence. The necromancer stepped forward, holding a tome that looked like it had been written with ink from the void itself. "We have found it. The spell to open a gate to another world."
Keal's eyes narrowed.
"How soon can it be done?"
Myros hesitated. "The ritual is… complex. It will take time to decode and prepare. If I rush it, the backlash could consume both worlds."
Keal nodded. "Then take your time. But make sure it's ready."
In the meantime, his mind was already moving three steps ahead. He turned to Astrili, Nyx, and Selvaria.
"You three — recruit. I want monsters bound to my will, the strongest this realm can offer. Vealor and his people will be brought here. We will build something worthy of a kingdom… and a fortress worthy of war."
His tone was absolute, no hint of doubt.
They bowed and vanished to fulfill his command.
Days passed. The foundations of his new stronghold began to rise from the blackened earth — a citadel of shadow and stone that drank the dim light from the sky. Yet amidst the hum of construction and the reports from his commanders, something… strange began to happen.
A voice.
Soft. Distant. Echoing through his mind.
At first, he ignored it.
By the second day, it grew sharper. By the third, it was undeniable — someone was calling to him.
The world shifted.
In the blink of an eye, Keal found himself standing in a place that defied reason.
The ground was made of starlight, the air shimmered like glass, and above him floated endless constellations.
A woman stood before him.
Her hair was silver like moonlight, her gown woven from threads of night and flame. Her gaze… was the kind that looked straight into a man's soul.
Keal remained calm.
"You were the one trying to reach me during the journey."
She smiled faintly. "Yes."
"Why did you save me?"
Her expression darkened. "Because the world you came from is in great danger."
Keal's reply was cold. "Why should I care? They have their hero."
She stepped closer, her voice carrying the weight of inevitability. "The hero is not strong enough to face what's coming."
Keal shrugged. "Not my problem."
"Then why," she tilted her head, studying him, "are you so desperate to return to that world?"
His eyes narrowed. "…Revenge. Is it obvious?"
She chuckled — soft, melodic, and dangerous. "Very."
Then, with an almost casual tone, she added, "One more thing — there is someone out there who could be of great use to you. Find them."
And just like that, the stars dissolved.
Keal was back in his throne room.
No one seemed to notice he had been gone.
He said nothing.
Pretended everything was normal.
The throne room doors opened. One by one, his new commanders entered and kneeled before him, delivering their reports.
Nyx, her form melting from shadow into flesh, spoke first.
"I've sensed it, my King. Multiple dragon presences… powerful ones. More than one nest. If we could bend them to our will—"
Keal leaned forward, a slow smile forming.
"Then our strength would rival gods."
Astrili, standing beside his throne as his assistant, watched that smile and shivered. She had seen that look before. It meant something dangerous was coming — for the dragons, for the worlds, and for anyone foolish enough to stand in his way.
The dead world had a king now.
And his reign was only beginning.