The crypt opened with a scream.
Not from Kael. Not from Elyra. From the stone itself—as if the seal wasn't just blocking the path, but holding back something that wanted to be forgotten.
Kael stepped through the broken archway, chain wrapped tightly around his wrist. The divine relic pulsed with a heat that wasn't fire, but memory. Behind him, Elyra stood silent, her violet eyes reflecting torchlight and fate.
🔔 Quest Progress:Objective: Locate the Shard of the DevourerLocation: Undercrypts of the Fallen Cathedral
⚠️ Threat Level: Extremely High
💀 Known Entity: "The Devourer"Status: Imprisoned Divine Beast (Star Class)Affinity: Hunger, Memory, Madness
🎯 New Objective Unlocked:If consumed or subdued, Devourer Shard can enhance your soul capacity by 400%.⚠️ Side Effects: Unstable Godcore Integration, Memory Leakage
🧱 Beneath the Earth
They descended in silence.
Dust and ghostlight danced through the tunnels. Ancient scripture lined the walls—scratched, not carved—as if done in panic, by those who knew they were dying while writing.
Words in Old Celestine:
"We sealed the hunger, but not the hate.""Even gods can be devoured."
The Omega System flickered once, warning Kael of divine interference, but he ignored it. He could feel the pulse below—the heartbeat of the Devourer, echoing through stone like a countdown.
And beside him, Elyra suddenly whispered.
"You once fed this creature."
Kael stopped. "What?"
"You… as a god. You used the Devourer as your sword. To consume rogue divinities. You bound it with your own blood—twice."
He stared at her, shadows curling behind his eyes. "How do you know this?"
She didn't answer. Just placed a hand over her heart and whispered something in a forgotten tongue. For a moment, Kael's system glitched.
⚠️ ERROR: Soul Signature Match FoundIdentity: UnknownRelationship: SEALED
He stepped back. "What are you?"
She smiled—softly. Sadly. "A grave… that still remembers your footsteps."
⚔️ The Tomb
The tomb was a sphere of obsidian, floating midair, chained in place by seven glowing sigils. In its center floated a mass of bones, wings, and a mouth—no eyes, no limbs, just a jaw that seemed to stretch across eternity.
It saw Kael the moment he stepped inside.
And it laughed.
🧠 "Kael… Kael… little lightning son… come to feed me again?"
"Or is this your first death?"
"I forget. You've had so many."
The Omega System immediately activated.
☠️ SYSTEM OVERRIDE ENGAGEDEntity: [The Devourer]Class: Starbound CalamityStatus: Chained, Weakened
🎯 Combat OptionalAlternate Option: Bind, Bargain, or Break
Kael didn't move.
His pulse was calm. The chain around his wrist began to glow.
"I'm not here to feed you," he said. "I'm here to steal you."
The Devourer screamed. The entire tomb shook.
"You will shatter, little god. You will drown in what you forgot!"
Then—it lunged.
🔥 Combat Initiated
Kael moved with the elegance of war. Not clean. Not beautiful. But relentless.
⚡ Skill Activated: [Storm Vein Lv.2]– Reaction time increased– Chainlightning spread radius x2
🩸 Skill Fusion: [Memory Lock] + [Chain of Eloria]➤ New Skill: Soul Braid– Bind an enemy's consciousness into a memory loop
As the Devourer struck, Kael leapt, striking the chain down like a judge's hammer.
The beast froze.
The system pulsed violently.
🔒 MEMORY LOOP INITIATEDLoop: "Kael sealing the Devourer for the first time"
Hostile Temporarily Stunned
Kael landed hard, coughing blood. His system was cracking—this was a fight far beyond his level.
But then…
Elyra stepped forward.
And began to sing.
Her voice wasn't just music—it was a key.
As she sang, the chains binding the Devourer began to tighten. The sigils burned brighter. And Kael… remembered.
🔓 Memory Unlocked:"Elyra, the Prophet of Ruin"– First and last to follow Kael when he turned against the heavens– Burned at the stake by the Pantheon for loving a god
He dropped to his knees.
She never left him.
Not even in death.
"Elyra," he whispered. "You were mine."
She kept singing—tears in her eyes.
The Devourer howled as its essence split apart, consumed by the Omega System.
✅ Divine Shard Acquired: [Hunger of the Devourer]🔥 Soul Capacity Increased: +400%
New Skill: [Devour Memory] – Consume a memory from another being. Gain a skill or secret.
Kael stood up slowly, looking at Elyra—not with confusion anymore, but with grief.
"I failed you."
She looked at him, the chain now draped over her shoulders like a crown.
"You didn't fail," she whispered. "You were killed."
He reached out… and for the first time since his rebirth, touched someone without trembling.
The tomb was quiet.
But above… the skies began to ripple.
🌌 End of Chapter 3