The star-filled realm fell into complete silence.
Kael stared at the enormous chained gate.
His mother's voice echoed from beyond it.
> Kael...
Please help me...
His heart pounded violently.
For eighteen years, he had believed Queen Elara was dead.
Yet her voice sounded real.
Alive.
Desperate.
But then came the second voice.
His own voice.
Cold.
Warning him.
> Do not open the gate.
The contradiction froze him in place.
"What is this?" Kael demanded.
No answer came.
Only silence.
The gate suddenly trembled.
Ancient chains rattled across its surface.
Golden runes lit up one after another.
Kael cautiously stepped forward.
The closer he moved, the stronger the feeling became.
Sadness.
Loneliness.
Regret.
It was as though thousands of emotions were trapped behind the gate.
Then the voice returned.
> Kael...
I'm waiting...
He clenched his fists.
"Mother?"
The moment he spoke, the gate released a burst of silver light.
Images appeared around him.
Memories.
He saw Queen Elara holding him as a baby.
He saw her singing the mysterious melody he had heard since childhood.
He saw her smiling.
Laughing.
Protecting him.
Tears formed in Kael's eyes.
Then the memories changed.
He saw Elara standing in a battlefield of stars.
Countless shadows surrounded her.
Blood stained her white robes.
And in her arms was a glowing infant.
Kael.
His own infant self.
The queen looked directly toward him through the vision.
As though she could see him.
> Live.
No matter what happens...
Live.
The memory shattered.
Kael stood frozen.
That wasn't an illusion.
It was real.
Before he could think further, the gate shook violently.
BOOOOM!
One of the chains snapped.
The entire realm trembled.
Dark mist leaked from the opening.
A familiar figure slowly appeared behind the gate.
Kael's breath caught.
"Mother..."
It looked exactly like Queen Elara.
The same silver hair.
The same gentle eyes.
The same smile.
She reached toward him.
> Kael.
Come closer.
For a moment, he wanted to run to her.
To believe.
To accept that somehow she had survived.
Then he remembered the warning.
> Do not open the gate.
Suddenly, a third voice echoed across the realm.
A voice filled with ancient authority.
> Look carefully.
The stars brightened.
Kael focused on the figure.
And finally noticed something strange.
The woman's shadow.
It moved differently from her body.
Almost as if it were alive.
The smile on Kael's face disappeared.
The figure's expression twitched.
Just slightly.
Then her eyes flashed crimson.
The illusion shattered.
The beautiful image of Queen Elara dissolved into darkness.
A monstrous creature stood behind the gate.
Hundreds of crimson eyes opened across its body.
Its smile stretched impossibly wide.
> Clever boy.
Kael immediately stepped back.
His sword burst into golden light.
The creature laughed.
> You nearly opened it.
"Who are you?"
The monster's countless eyes focused on him.
> I am one of the Devourer's Heralds.
The name alone caused the stars to shake.
The Herald grinned.
> Your mother is not here.
> But she once stood before this gate.
Kael's heart skipped a beat.
"What do you know about her?"
The Herald's smile widened.
> Everything.
Before Kael could react, the gate exploded with dark energy.
The remaining chains began snapping one after another.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
Ancient seals that had survived for thousands of years were breaking.
The Herald laughed wildly.
> The prison weakens.
The Devourer awakens.
And the Sovereign of Sovereigns has finally appeared.
Suddenly, a brilliant golden sword descended from the heavens.
BOOM!
It pierced the ground before Kael.
The entire realm illuminated.
Ancient symbols covered the weapon.
The same symbols that appeared on the Last Throne.
A voice echoed from the stars.
> Second Trial Initiated.
Defeat the Herald.
Or lose your qualification.
Kael grabbed the sword.
The moment his hand touched the hilt, unimaginable power surged through his body.
The stars themselves responded.
The Herald's smile vanished for the first time.
> That weapon...
Impossible.
Golden flames erupted around Kael.
His blue eyes glowed like twin stars.
The chains around the gate shattered completely.
And from the darkness beyond...
Something enormous opened its eyes.
Not one eye.
Not two.
Thousands.
The Herald began laughing again.
> Too late.
It has seen you.
The dark abyss beyond the gate suddenly moved.
And a gigantic hand started reaching through the opening.
Kael's face turned pale.
Because the hand alone...
Was larger than the entire Kingdom of Elysium.
To be continued...