Chapter 19
Seven days had passed since the Flame-Eater's fall and the claiming of the Amber Flame.
Nezutsu's control over his magic was evolving. He could now conjure shapes of flickering will-flame, turn memories into illusions, and even bend lesser elemental spells without using mana.
But with power came pressure.
Because now, the world had noticed him.
The Royal Invitation
A messenger arrived at dusk—wearing silver armor carved with feather motifs. He bowed and handed Nezutsu a scroll sealed in bloodglass.
"From Her Radiant Grace, Queen Selenth of Virehalis, Sovereign of the Skybound Court."
Kaelith read the crest. Her eyes narrowed.
"The Skybound Court doesn't send invitations. They send demands."
Velgrim nodded. "And if they're calling you now… they want something."
The scroll read:
You are cordially summoned to the Feast of Masks. A celebration in your honor, Ashless One. Refusal is not advised. Bring no more than two companions. Trust no one.
At the bottom, a single symbol was drawn in faded ink:
A chained eye, with a drop of blood weeping from its center.
Nezutsu traced it with his finger.
"That's the mark of the Obsidian Circle."
Subplot Twist: The Ember Rebellion
That night, Kaelith pulled Nezutsu aside.
"There's something I haven't told you."
"Let me guess. You're secretly a spy."
"Not quite. But I used to work with one. There's a rebellion forming underground… one that believes the flames shouldn't be locked away anymore."
"The Ember Rebellion?"
"They believe the fragments of flame should be reunited to awaken the sleeping Sovereign. They think you might be the last key."
"Do you agree with them?"
"I don't know," she said honestly. "But I know this—someone inside the Skybound Court is feeding them information. And they want to meet you."
Nezutsu's brow furrowed.
"Let me guess. At the Feast?"
"Exactly."
"So a royal trap and a rebel meeting. Both in one ballroom?"
"It's called multitasking," Kaelith smirked.
The Masked City
Virehalis was a floating capital built on a sky-reef of crystalized wind. Its towers bent with the breeze and hummed like flutes in the evening.
Everyone at the court wore masks—some porcelain, some made of animated metal or enchanted silk. The masks did more than hide faces.
They hid intent.
"This is dangerous," Velgrim said as they stepped into the grand hall. "No one's real in this place."
"Then I'll be the first," Nezutsu replied, walking forward unmasked.
Gasps echoed across the crowd.
And then… applause.
The Queen of Skyblades
Queen Selenth appeared atop a staircase of levitating glass. She wore a dress made of stormclouds, her mask shaped like a falcon with eyes that sparked lightning.
"The Ashless One has come. A boy with no flame… yet now carries two."
"Only one, technically," Nezutsu said. "The other's still a secret."
She smiled—too wide.
"Then let's see what burns brighter—truth, or deception."
The feast began.
Dancers twirled with blades hidden in silken fans. Harps played songs backwards. Wine flowed from cups that refilled before you drank.
And in the shadows of the hall… a masked figure passed Nezutsu a note.
The Secret Invitation
He opened it under the table.
It read:
The Warden was only the beginning. They marked you not to kill… but to guide. Follow the red-masked servant at midnight. We are waiting. Trust no bird. Especially not the falcon.
Just then, a falcon made of crystal landed beside Queen Selenth's throne.
Its eyes glowed purple.
Velgrim leaned in. "You see that? That's not hers. That's an Obsidian Familiar."
Kaelith's eyes narrowed. "Then this whole thing… it's not just political. It's a test."
The Trap Springs
At the twelfth chime of the skyclock, the ballroom froze.
Literally.
Time locked for everyone but Nezutsu.
He turned to find the queen gone from her throne. Only the falcon remained.
It spoke:
"You passed, Ashless One. But now you must be caged."
A shimmering cage of runes dropped around him, like prison bars made of light.
But Nezutsu didn't flinch.
He opened his hand—and the Amber Flame erupted, reshaping into a chain made of willpower.
"Let's see how well cages hold when the key was never meant to exist."
With a flash, he shattered the prison.
The falcon screeched.
From the ceiling, four masked assassins leapt down—each wielding Obsidian Blades that shimmered with anti-magic.
Kaelith and Velgrim fought them off while Nezutsu turned to the red-masked servant now running through the side door.
"This way!" the servant called.
"Who are you?" Nezutsu demanded as he followed.
The servant removed his mask.
He was a boy—no older than Nezutsu. Hair silver, eyes black as ink.
"My name is Thalven. I'm a Flamebound too. I've been waiting for you."
"Why?"
"Because… I think I know where the next shard is."
"Where?"
"Inside a prison that doesn't exist. A place erased from every map. It's called The Hollow Womb."
Final Twist: The Name of the Forgotten
As they escaped the palace and flew into the night on a borrowed windrider, Thalven looked at Nezutsu seriously.
"I heard what the Queen called you. Ashless One. But that's not your true name."
"You know it?" Nezutsu asked.
"No. But I know why you don't."
"Why?"
"Because someone stole it."
Nezutsu blinked.
"My name was taken?"
"Yes," Thalven said. "Sealed away. By the ones who feared what it meant."
He handed Nezutsu a fragment of a shattered mirror.
In its reflection, Nezutsu's face blurred.
And a different shadowed figure looked back.
"This isn't just about saving the world," Thalven whispered. "This is about remembering who you were… and what you did."
[TO BE CONTINUED...]