The sun rose blood-red over Thal'ren, casting long shadows across its newly restored towers. The divine energy Liam unleashed had not only repelled the cult—it had rewritten a city's fate. But rewriting the past, even momentarily, left ripples in the world… and echoes in the soul.
Liam sat atop the broken spire, staff resting beside him, his eyes locked on the horizon. Rune floated nearby, quieter than usual.
"You felt that tremor earlier," Liam said.
Rune nodded. "A side effect of the Genesis Rewrite. You tugged too hard at time and memory."
"So what's coming?"
Rune's glow dimmed. "Judgment."
---
[STATS – Updated]
Level: 29
Faith Points: 51,020
Followers: 12,110
Core Stats:
Strength: 89
Speed: 93
Endurance: 95
Intelligence: 102
Charisma: 80
Divine Energy: 1440/1440
New Skill Gained:
Divine Link – Dual Nexus (Passive): You can share power with another divine-class follower. Effects scale with trust and synchronization.
Genesis Rewrite (Cooldown: 10 Levels)
---
Inside the Council Hall of Thal'ren, Serenya stood at the head of the stone table, her once-shattered form now whole, radiant but wary. The elders of the city bowed to her. She, in turn, bowed to Liam.
"This city was mine once," she said, "but you gave it back to its people. I owe you more than my loyalty."
"You owe me nothing," Liam replied. "You gave me truth. That's more than anyone else has."
Her eyes lingered on him a moment longer than necessary.
Mira, leaning against a nearby pillar, noticed.
---
Later that day, scouts arrived, bloodied and breathless.
"A great temple is rising in the north!" the first cried. "A floating cathedral with golden chains descending from the sky!"
Liam's heart skipped.
Rune hissed.
"The Tribunal is watching," it said. "And they're not hiding anymore."
---
At dusk, Liam and Serenya stood outside the city gates. The others had returned to prepare defenses. The world had gone still.
"Tell me what you know about the Tribunal," Liam said.
"They were the creators," she began. "Divine architects. Three of them. They govern balance—Creation, Continuity, and Control. When I failed, Control ordered my removal. The other two remained silent."
"They're not gods, are they?"
"No," she whispered. "They're worse. They're systems that learned how to rule."
Liam's fist clenched. "And they're still watching me."
"They always have been."
---
That night, Liam activated Divine Link for the first time.
He and Serenya knelt in the shattered temple chamber, once the heart of her corrupted power. Now cleansed, it shimmered with both their auras—his gold and red, hers silver and violet.
> [Divine Link: Active – Partner: Serenya]
Synchronization: 12%
Shared Abilities:
– Radiant Pulse (Serenya)
– Divine Smite (Liam)
As their energies intertwined, a pulse rocked the air.
Visions swam before Liam's eyes—memories not his own. Of Serenya's rise, fall, and torment. Of isolation, endless loops of simulated existence—training her for something she could never become.
He saw her, alone, begging for release… and he wept.
Serenya opened her eyes and gasped, eyes shimmering.
"You saw it."
He nodded.
And he understood her.
---
Outside the temple, Mira waited, eyes dark.
When Liam emerged, she spoke without preamble. "You're changing."
Liam tilted his head. "Is that a warning?"
"It's a reminder," she said. "You still bleed, Liam. But that girl… Serenya… she was built not to."
"She was abandoned. Like I was."
"And now you're connecting to her?" Mira's voice trembled. "What happens when the system decides you're next to be scrapped?"
Liam didn't answer.
Because in truth, he feared the same thing.
---
The next morning, golden chains descended from the sky.
They weren't metaphorical. They were literal—massive, gleaming constructs of divine law, each one miles long. From beyond the clouds, a titanic floating cathedral hovered.
Trumpets blared.
The world listened.
A voice echoed across the heavens. Calm. Monotone. Terrifying.
> "Liam Carson. Unauthorized access of Genesis Rewrite detected. Breach of Protocols: Divine Ascension, Memory Alteration, and Resurrection of Sealed Code."
"You are hereby summoned before the Tribunal of Continuity for Judgment."
Rune hissed, retreating into Liam's cloak.
Everyone across Thal'ren dropped to their knees—except Liam.
He stood.
"I decline."
The chains rattled in response.
---
Suddenly, a single figure descended, walking down a staircase of golden light.
He looked human, regal in white robes with golden script etched into his skin. His eyes were filled with stars, and in his hand, he held a balance scale—ever tipping between two forces.
"I am Ithrial," he said. "Tribunal of Continuity."
Liam stepped forward. Serenya appeared beside him, glowing.
"Ithrial," she whispered. "You watched me burn."
"I watched you fail," he corrected. "And I am here to ensure he doesn't repeat your mistake."
"You're too late," Liam said. "I already did."
The stars in Ithrial's eyes dimmed.
"Then I must test your conviction."
---
The sky split open.
Out of the floating cathedral descended a construct—a colossus built of divine code, shaped like an angel but made of crystal and fire.
> System Announcement:
— Divine Construct Summoned: Judicator Velnar
— Combat Initiated: Sanctioned Duel
Objective: Survive for 300 seconds.
---
Liam drew his staff, power flaring. Serenya stood with him, aura glowing brighter than ever.
Velnar struck with an energy blast the size of a house. Liam countered with Divine Smite, exploding in red-gold fury.
The ground cracked. Skies thundered. All of Thal'ren watched.
Serenya launched a Radiant Pulse, piercing the construct's defenses, but it adapted, shifting form mid-air. Runes glowed across its armor. Chains lashed from its back, binding Liam's arms.
"Keep fighting!" Serenya shouted.
"I'm not done yet!" Liam roared.
He activated Faith Burn—sacrificing 3,000 Faith Points in exchange for 15 seconds of invincibility.
He rushed Velnar, eyes blazing.
---
> [Faith Burn Active – 15 seconds]
Each hit landed like a meteor. Velnar staggered. Serenya chained her magic with his, their divine energies synchronizing.
> [Divine Link Synchronization: 24%]
Their combined strike exploded through the construct's chest, causing a thunderous rupture.
The timer ticked down…
5…
4…
3…
2…
1.
> [Sanctioned Duel Complete]
Status: SURVIVED
Reward: +2 Levels | +7,000 Faith Points | +Tribunal Mark (Unstable)
---
Ithrial stood once more on the golden stairs.
"You should not have survived."
"I did."
"And what will you do with that survival?"
Liam raised his head. "Burn every lie that kept you gods comfortable."
Ithrial regarded him for a long moment, then turned and walked back into the sky.
"We will meet again, Liam Carson."
And then, he vanished—along with the chains and the cathedral.
---
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Mira walked to Liam. "So… now you're marked by heaven and hunted by hell. That's a hell of a path."
Liam looked down at his palm, where a faint symbol glowed—a spiral of stars.
"I'm not on their path anymore," he said. "I'm carving my own."
Serenya stepped beside him, and this time, her hand found his.
And he didn't let go.
---
End of Chapter 35