The golden clock hung above the kingdom.
71:42:18
Its numbers continued counting down.
Every second brought Elysium closer to disaster.
Across the capital, fear spread among the people.
For the first time in history, the fate of the world rested on a single prince.
Kael Arwyn.
The boy once mocked as the powerless heir.
Now the only person capable of stopping the coming catastrophe.
---
Inside the royal war chamber, the atmosphere was tense.
Generals, nobles, dragon riders, and royal guardians filled the room.
A magical map floated above the table.
Red lights covered nearly half the kingdom.
Each light represented a monster outbreak.
Aurelion studied the map carefully.
"The Ninth Sovereign wants us distracted."
Orion nodded.
"The invasions are forcing us to divide our forces."
Kael folded his arms.
"Then where would he hide?"
No one answered immediately.
The question troubled everyone.
The Ninth Sovereign had appeared before the entire kingdom.
Yet his actual location remained unknown.
Suddenly—
A pulse of golden light erupted from Kael's necklace.
The necklace Queen Elara left behind floated into the air.
Everyone stared.
A familiar voice echoed through the chamber.
> Kael...
His eyes widened.
"Mother?"
The necklace glowed brighter.
A vision appeared.
This time, it was clearer than before.
Kael saw a massive floating island hidden among endless clouds.
Ancient ruins covered its surface.
At the center stood a colossal crystal tower.
And wrapped around the tower...
Were countless chains of starlight.
The same chains he had seen in the Trial Realm.
Then he saw her.
Queen Elara.
Bound within the crystal tower.
Alive.
The room fell silent.
The vision lasted only seconds before disappearing.
But it was enough.
"She's alive," Kael whispered.
Aurelion's eyes narrowed.
"The Sky Prison."
"What?"
The First King immediately looked troubled.
"I never thought it still existed."
Orion frowned.
"You know that place?"
Aurelion nodded.
"It was created before the Seven Sovereigns."
The guardian's face turned pale.
"An ancient prison?"
"Yes."
Aurelion clenched his fists.
"And only one being ever used it."
Everyone already knew the answer.
"The Ninth Sovereign."
---
Far away...
Beyond the clouds.
Beyond mortal sight.
A gigantic floating island drifted through the heavens.
At its center stood the crystal tower.
Inside it, Queen Elara slowly opened her eyes.
Silver chains restrained her arms.
Ancient runes glowed around her body.
For eighteen years she had remained imprisoned.
Watching.
Waiting.
Enduring.
A soft laugh echoed through the chamber.
The Ninth Sovereign stepped from the shadows.
"Your son has grown."
Elara's eyes hardened.
"Leave him out of this."
The Sovereign smiled.
"I would."
He slowly approached.
"If fate allowed it."
The queen remained silent.
The Ninth Sovereign looked toward the distant horizon.
"The Last Throne has awakened."
"And the Devourer has found him."
For the first time, concern appeared in his silver eyes.
A strange concern.
Not hatred.
Not malice.
Fear.
Elara noticed it immediately.
"You aren't helping the Devourer."
The Sovereign stopped walking.
Silence followed.
Then he laughed.
A tired laugh.
"Of course not."
The answer shocked her.
"If I'm not stopped..."
His smile vanished.
"The Devourer wins."
The queen's eyes widened.
Before she could question him further, the Sovereign turned away.
"Three days."
He looked toward the distant sky.
"Let's see if your son can uncover the truth."
---
Back in Elysium...
The golden clock continued ticking.
69:58:41
The kingdom's defenses were weakening.
Monster attacks increased every hour.
Then suddenly—
The Temple of Eternal Echoes activated.
Ancient alarms filled the capital.
> WARNING.
UNKNOWN ENERGY DETECTED.
LOCATION IDENTIFIED.
The map changed.
A single golden marker appeared.
Not inside Elysium.
Not within the world itself.
Everyone stared.
The marker was beyond the borders of reality.
Beyond the known dimensions.
Beyond even the stars.
Aurelion's face lost all color.
"No..."
Kael looked at him.
"What is it?"
The First King's voice became barely a whisper.
"The Gate of Origin."
The room fell silent.
The name alone carried unimaginable weight.
"The place where the Sovereigns were born."
The golden marker suddenly pulsed.
Then a message appeared above the map.
A message that made everyone's blood run cold.
> ACCESS REQUEST ACCEPTED.
THE SOVEREIGN OF SOVEREIGNS HAS BEEN SUMMONED.
Kael froze.
"What does that mean?"
No one answered.
Because at that exact moment...
A gigantic door began opening somewhere beyond existence itself.
And something on the other side...
Had just awakened.
To be continued...