Chapter 15: Echo Rising
Kael stirred beneath the silver glow of a fractured moon, the scent of embers and jasmine lingering on his skin. Vaeloria's warmth, now his soul-bound consort and the high priestess of his heart, curled beside him like a sacred flame, her breathing soft and even.
But she had not been his only companion that night.
Selene, one of his loyal wives, had come to him first—silent, fierce, needing no words. Her kiss was molten, her touch filled with yearning she had buried beneath armor too long. In the stillness of the shrine's outer hall, their bodies met in sacred rhythm, a dance of former loneliness turned into devotion.
Later, Later, Thalaria, his warrior-lover and sworn wife, had joined him—playful and stormy, her eyes wild with craving. She pressed herself against him with the abandon of a warrior who had stared down death and chosen desire instead. Their bond was reaffirmed beneath the open sky, firelight dancing over sweat-slick skin.
By the time Kael returned to Vaeloria, he was exhausted—but whole. Loved. Claimed.
[Note: Sacred unions complete. No additional rewards granted — existing bonds reinforced. Loyalty increased. Emotional trust deepened.]
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
[System Update: Synchronization Complete. Analyzing Host Evolution...]
[New System Functions Unlocked:]
Race: Human (Sin-Touched Variant)
Bloodline: Dormant — Potential Detected [???]
Physique: Emberbound Core (Fire Affinity Boost, Resistance to Divine Damage)
[Note: All three categories — Race, Bloodline, and Physique — can evolve naturally or be enhanced via SIN SHOP once unlocked.]
[Locked System Features:]
Divine Lineage Slot — Unlocks at System Level 15
Forbidden Physique Slot — Unlocks at System Level 18
Alternate Race Slot — Unlocks at System Level 20
Kael sat upright, golden script glowing across his vision. The feel of it... these were not just stats. They were his destiny, reshaped.
He glanced to Vaeloria. Her eyes fluttered, and her arms clutched him tighter in sleep.
"You gave me more than power," he whispered. "You gave me the key."
And then the shrine shook.
Far above them, within the Hollow Sky's highest arch, a scream tore through the clouds—raw, primal, ancient.
The celestial cub yowled.
Kael leapt to his feet, summoning flame across his palm.
From the sky descended a silhouette—a humanoid form with wings of obsidian fire, eyes burning blue with hatred. Every stone trembled at its presence.
"He has awakened… the Echo of Ruin," Vaeloria whispered, now fully awake.
[System Alert: Threat Detected — Echo of Ruin | Origin Class: Cataclysmic Construct | Power: Unknown | Intent: Hostile]
Kael's body tensed. He wasn't ready. But he had no choice.
The trial had begun.
---
End of Chapter 15