The figure behind Queen Elara smiled.
A cold smile.
An ancient smile.
The kind of smile worn by someone who had witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations.
Kael stood frozen.
The golden door remained open before him.
Beyond it lay the Final Trial.
Beyond it lay his mother.
And somewhere beyond it...
The truth.
The figure stepped forward.
A crown of stars floated above its head.
Every star within the crown seemed to contain an entire universe.
The mere sight of it caused reality to tremble.
Astraeus immediately stiffened.
The First Watcher's eyes widened.
"No..."
The older Kael clenched his fists.
"It can't be."
Even the Devourer became silent.
For the first time since its appearance...
The Devourer showed hesitation.
The mysterious figure laughed.
> So...
You still remember me.
The voice echoed throughout existence.
Ancient.
Calm.
Unavoidable.
Kael looked at Astraeus.
"Who is that?"
The First Watcher hesitated.
Then slowly answered.
"The First Sovereign."
Silence.
The universe itself seemed to stop.
Kael blinked.
"The First Sovereign?"
Astraeus nodded.
"The first being ever chosen by the Last Throne."
The revelation struck like lightning.
The first candidate.
Before the Seven Sovereigns.
Before the kingdoms.
Before recorded history.
The true first ruler.
---
The crowned figure stepped beside Queen Elara.
Unlike her chains, none bound him.
He stood freely within the Final Trial.
Watching.
Waiting.
The older Kael's face darkened.
"You're not supposed to exist anymore."
The First Sovereign smiled.
> Neither are you.
The answer caused the Gate of Origin to shake violently.
The older Kael immediately fell silent.
As though he knew arguing was pointless.
---
Far behind them, the Devourer's claw pushed further through the Gate.
CRAAAAACK!
Golden barriers shattered.
Entire constellations disappeared.
Darkness spread through the heavens.
The Devourer laughed.
> At last.
The pieces return to the board.
But the First Sovereign didn't even look at it.
His eyes remained fixed on Kael.
Only Kael.
> Come.
The golden door widened.
Countless stars swirled within.
> The final trial awaits.
Kael took a step forward.
Then stopped.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
He looked at Queen Elara.
She was trying to tell him something.
Her eyes widened repeatedly.
Warning him.
Begging him.
Then Kael noticed it.
The chains binding her.
They weren't imprisoning her.
They were protecting her.
His heart skipped a beat.
Immediately, he raised his sword.
The First Sovereign's smile faded.
"Who are you really?"
Silence followed.
Then the figure laughed.
A genuine laugh.
> Good.
Better than the others.
The stars around him began collapsing.
The illusion shattered.
The crown broke apart.
The noble appearance vanished.
And for the first time...
Everyone saw his true form.
A being made entirely of shadows and broken starlight.
Not the First Sovereign.
Never the First Sovereign.
Astraeus' face turned pale.
The older Kael immediately drew his blade.
Lyra whispered in horror.
"No..."
The creature smiled wider.
> You finally noticed.
The heavens trembled.
The Devourer stopped laughing.
For the first time...
It sounded angry.
As though it recognized the impostor.
The creature slowly turned toward the Devourer.
And bowed.
Mockingly.
> It's been a long time.
The Devourer's voice shook the universe.
> Traitor.
The single word echoed across creation.
Kael's blood ran cold.
Traitor?
A being capable of frightening the Devourer?
Who was this thing?
The creature looked toward Kael once more.
Its smile widened impossibly.
> The final trial isn't about becoming the Sovereign of Sovereigns.
The golden door suddenly transformed into a massive prison gate.
Ancient locks covered its surface.
Millions of them.
One by one...
They began opening.
CLICK.
CLICK.
CLICK.
The sound echoed endlessly.
Astraeus immediately shouted.
"Kael! Close the gate!"
But it was too late.
The final lock opened.
The prison gate swung inward.
Darkness poured out.
Not ordinary darkness.
A darkness that swallowed light, time, and fate itself.
Then a voice emerged from within.
A voice even older than the Watchers.
Older than the Sovereigns.
Older than the Gate of Origin.
> Finally...
I am free.
Every throne in existence shattered.
The Last Throne cracked.
The Gate of Origin trembled.
The Devourer retreated.
And for the first time in all recorded history...
Astraeus fell to one knee.
Terrified.
Kael stared at the endless darkness emerging from the prison.
Then he heard the impossible.
A familiar melody.
The same melody he had heard since childhood.
The forgotten song.
The song his mother used to sing.
The song that had guided him from the very beginning.
And from within the darkness...
Someone began singing it.