Silence fell over the capital.
The Ninth Sovereign had disappeared.
But the fear he left behind remained.
Across Elysium, people stared at the shattered crimson moon.
The festival lanterns that had once filled the sky now drifted aimlessly through the darkness.
For the first time in centuries...
The kingdom was afraid.
Kael stood motionless.
Only one sentence echoed inside his mind.
> Find me before the Moon Festival ends.
Or watch your mother die.
His hands trembled.
Not from fear.
From anger.
"He's alive."
Orion glanced at him.
"Who?"
Kael looked toward the sky.
"The Ninth Sovereign knows where Mother is."
Aurelion's expression darkened.
"That is exactly what worries me."
The First King turned toward the shattered moon.
"He should not know about Elara."
"Why?" Kael asked.
Aurelion remained silent for several moments.
Then he answered.
"Because Queen Elara was the one who helped imprison him."
The revelation shocked everyone.
"What?"
The guardian looked stunned.
"That isn't possible. The Ninth Sovereign was sealed ten thousand years ago."
Aurelion slowly nodded.
"The original seal was."
He looked at Kael.
"But eighteen years ago, the seal began weakening."
Kael's eyes widened.
The same year he was born.
"The queen discovered it first," Aurelion continued.
"She left the kingdom to strengthen the prison."
"And never returned."
The pieces finally began fitting together.
His mother hadn't abandoned him.
She had sacrificed everything.
Even her life.
To protect the world.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
An explosion erupted from the eastern side of the capital.
Screams filled the streets.
The ground shook violently.
"The invasion!" Orion shouted.
The massive portal above the kingdom brightened.
Crimson creatures poured from the darkness.
Winged monsters.
Shadow beasts.
Creatures with countless eyes.
Thousands of them.
The war had begun.
---
Minutes later...
Royal soldiers flooded the city.
Magic cannons fired into the sky.
Dragons roared as they took flight from the royal barracks.
The entire kingdom transformed into a battlefield.
Kael stood atop the palace walls.
Golden energy flowed around him.
Below, civilians were being evacuated.
Above, monsters filled the heavens.
A young knight rushed toward him.
"Your Highness!"
"What is it?"
"The eastern defense line has collapsed."
Kael immediately drew his sword.
"I'm going."
Before he could move, Aurelion appeared.
"No."
Kael frowned.
"What do you mean no?"
Aurelion pointed toward the sky.
"Look."
Far above the battlefield...
A figure stood on the air itself.
The Ninth Sovereign.
Watching.
Smiling.
Waiting.
As though this entire invasion was merely entertainment.
Then the Sovereign raised one finger.
The battlefield froze.
Every monster stopped moving.
Every soldier stopped fighting.
Even time itself seemed to slow.
The entire kingdom became silent.
A voice echoed across the world.
> Kael Arwyn.
Everyone heard it.
Every citizen.
Every soldier.
Every noble.
The Sovereign's silver eyes locked onto him.
> Let us make a wager.
Kael stepped forward.
"What do you want?"
The Sovereign smiled.
> Three days.
A massive golden clock appeared in the sky.
Its hands immediately began moving.
> You have three days to find me.
The entire kingdom watched in horror.
> If you succeed...
The Sovereign's smile faded.
> I will tell you where Queen Elara is.
Hope ignited within Kael's heart.
But then the Sovereign continued.
> If you fail...
Darkness spread across the sky.
The portal widened.
Something enormous moved within it.
Something far larger than the creatures already invading.
Even Aurelion's face turned pale.
> Then I shall open the path completely.
The temperature dropped.
The stars vanished.
And a gigantic eye opened within the portal.
The Devourer's eye.
The entire kingdom fell silent.
The Sovereign laughed softly.
> Three days, Kael.
Save your mother.
Save your kingdom.
Save your world.
His silver eyes gleamed.
> Or lose all three.
The golden clock began counting down.
71:59:59
The challenge had begun.
And somewhere beyond the shattered moon...
Queen Elara opened her eyes.
As if she had heard every word.
To be continued...