🔥 Chapter 15 — The King's Shadow
The Veil Bastion trembled as Kael and Rhyne emerged from the ruined hallways, their breaths visible in the cold, shadowed air. The Ember along Kael's arm flickered, warning him of an unfamiliar, oppressive presence.
"Something's wrong," Kael muttered. "It's not just the generals anymore… it's him."
Rhyne's silver sigil blade glinted, eyes narrowing. "The Harrowed King's influence. I've felt it before, but never this close. We need to move carefully—every step could be a trap."
From the highest tower, a ripple of darkness spread across the Bastion like ink in water. The pulse from the King's crack intensified, resonating in Kael's chest as if testing him, challenging him. Shadows peeled from the walls and floors, forming humanoid shapes with glowing red eyes. These were no ordinary minions—they were fragments of the King's will, his essence condensed into physical forms.
Kael ignited the Ember, flames spiraling around him in response to the King's presence. "Rhyne, we can't fight them like normal soldiers!"
Rhyne moved to intercept the nearest shadow, silver light flashing as the minion shattered into dark shards. "Then we fight smarter. Use the terrain, force them to fracture!"
Kael felt the Ember thrumming in harmony with his heartbeat. He realized the King's fragments were connected—each strike affected the others. With a deep breath, he unleashed a controlled wave of fire, spiraling outward in arcs that struck multiple fragments at once. The shadows screamed, collapsing into molten ash.
But the King's presence was growing. From the tower, a massive figure appeared—shifting, undefined, yet undeniably the King himself. Darkness coiled around him, pulsing with a heartbeat that resonated with the Harrowed crack above.
Rhyne gritted his teeth. "Kael… this is no longer just a battle for the highlands. This is a test. And the King is observing."
Kael's fists glowed with Emberfire, intensity surging through him. "Then we'll pass it… or die trying."
Above them, the sky fractured, black and blue streaking together. The northern highlands trembled as the King's shadow reached toward them, and Kael understood: the real war had only just begun.