Kael Veylor stood atop the obsidian staircase, arms outstretched as if welcoming a brother back into hell.
Ren Zian's heart pounded—not out of fear, but recognition. The twisted smirk, the cadence of that voice, the way Kael tilted his head slightly before a duel. It wasn't just history resurfacing.
It was betrayal given form.
Lyra stepped beside Ren, jaw clenched, the vines around her wrists stiffening like whips.
"You were supposed to be dead," she hissed.
Kael grinned. "That's the thing about heroes, Lyra. The world keeps dragging them back—no matter how much rot festers underneath."
Ilyra's grip on her staff tightened. "You fought with the Emissary, didn't you?"
Kael chuckled. "Fought for him, once. Just like Ren did. We were chosen champions—until one of us defected and decided to rewrite the rules."
His golden gaze locked with Ren's.
"And now you're playing house with goddesses. How… charming."
Memory Fractures
Ren's mind throbbed. Images flickered—half-formed. Blades clashing under blood-red skies. Kael shouting something. A circle of fire. A promise.
But the Memory Seal resisted the haze this time. Clarity surged like lightning through his mind.
Kael wasn't just a fallen ally.
He was the first friend Ren had made… in his past life.
And the one who shattered their pact.
"You led me into that ambush," Ren whispered. "You said we'd free the world together."
Kael's smile twisted. "We did. I just chose the winning side."
Ren stepped forward, slow and deliberate.
"I don't care what side you're on now," he said. "You manipulated the Chaos Bidding System to enter this palace. That makes you a threat. And I don't lose to threats."
Kael gave a slow clap. "Still dramatic. But tell me something, Zian—have you told your precious Lyra what you did to me?"
Ren froze.
The silence hit like a slap.
Lyra turned to him. "What… is he talking about?"
Ren didn't answer.
Not yet.
Flashback: The Forgotten Pact
The Memory Seal pulsed again.
Ren saw flashes—him and Kael fighting back-to-back, swearing to liberate enslaved realms. But then came the change.
Kael offered a deal from the Emissary. Power. Immortality.
Ren refused.
Kael begged.
And in the end…
Ren struck him down.
Or thought he did.
He buried the blade in Kael's chest himself.
Present
Ren's jaw tensed. "I thought I killed you. I didn't know you survived."
Lyra looked between them both. "You betrayed him?"
"No," Ren said quietly. "I stopped him before he could betray us all. I chose the people. He chose the throne."
Kael laughed bitterly. "Ah, but here you are, Zian. With your own throne of women, powers, and titles. Are you any different now?"
Lyra stepped forward. "He is. Because no matter how many of us he bonds with—he doesn't lie about what he is."
Ilyra raised her staff. "And he doesn't manipulate the system to force his way in."
Kael spread his arms. "Manipulate? I simply bought my way back through Chaos. This palace rewards willpower—and mine burns hotter than most of you ever tasted."
He snapped his fingers.
The obsidian stairs behind him shifted.
From the mist, three figures emerged—heroines.
All bound in glowing chains. Their eyes wide. Controlled.
Ren's heart lurched.
"No…"
"These," Kael said, "are my stakes. Win, and they're yours. Lose… and I take one of yours with me. Starting with the most... possessive."
His gaze fell on Lyra.
The Challenge
The Palace trembled as a Duel Realm formed—a circular arena of shifting terrain, surrounded by void.
The Chaos Bidding System responded:
New Chaos Challenge Initiated
Combatant One: Ren ZianCombatant Two: Kael VeylorWager: Dominion over LyraSecondary Wager: Three Bound HeroinesVictory Condition: Disable or Disarm Opponent / Destroy Chaos Core
Lyra stepped back in horror. "No. I'm not a prize to be fought over."
Kael sneered. "You became one the moment you let yourself fall for him."
Ren turned to Lyra. His voice was calm. "You're not a prize. You're the reason I fight. I won't let him twist that."
He stepped into the Duel Realm.
Kael followed.
Duel of Former Brothers
The moment the realm solidified, Kael struck. Lightning-fast, his blade was a jagged black edge of corrupted divine steel.
Ren barely deflected.
The shockwave knocked both women back as the duel ignited in full fury.
Each strike was layered with memory—old techniques, shared styles, mirrored movements. They knew each other too well.
Kael's voice was a constant whisper in the chaos.
"You still hesitate."
Ren gritted his teeth. "No. I remember."
He let go of restraint.
Chaos burned along his blade, merging with Lyra's blessing. Flowers bloomed with each strike, thorns lashing forward with his swings.
Kael stumbled.
But then unleashed His Cheat—the stolen bidding core from the palace of another fallen god.
Black fire engulfed his body.
Ren channeled Ilyra's clarity, activating his Memory Seal: Clarity to pierce the illusion. He saw Kael's next move before it happened.
He countered.
Blade to blade.
Emotion to emotion.
Victory
Ren drove his sword down—shattering the Chaos Core Kael wore.
The arena exploded with light.
Kael dropped to his knees, coughing blood. The heroines behind him—freed—collapsed into the arms of palace spirits.
Ren walked over slowly.
Kael looked up, laughing bitterly. "So… you win again."
"I didn't win," Ren said. "I just didn't abandon who I am."
He turned to the palace.
"I claim the freed heroines as guests of this realm. Let them recover."
The Chaos Bidding System acknowledged the claim.
Reunion
Ren returned to Lyra. She stood still, uncertain.
He reached out and took her hand.
"I'll never gamble you again," he whispered. "You're not a wager. You're my anchor."
She let the tears fall, silently stepping into his arms.
In the distance, Kael's unconscious form vanished into mist—banished but not erased.
A new staircase began to form—this time glowing with red-gold runes.
Another villain awaited.
But this time… Lyra would not be watching from afar.
She would be fighting beside him.