Chapter 28: The Forbidden Vault
The Scarlet Vale stretched before them like a cursed tapestry—blood-hued sands rippled in waves of ancient magic, and obsidian spires jutted from the ground like the bones of dead gods. As Kael and his party descended into the heart of the valley, the ambient pressure of old sins weighed heavier with every step.
Vaeloria's orb pulsed in her palm, casting silver light across their path. "We're close. I can feel the Crown's resonance ahead. The Vault lies beneath the Vale's heart."
The journey was quiet—too quiet. Even the wind didn't dare whisper.
"Something's wrong," Thalaria said, voice tense. "I don't like this silence."
They entered a vast crater surrounded by scorched ruins. At the center, a monolithic gate of bloodstone stood, half-buried beneath curling obsidian roots. Runes etched in forgotten language glowed faintly along its edge.
[System Notification: Forbidden Zone Detected — Crown Vault Perimeter Breached]
Warning: Hostile Traces Detected Nearby
Activate Combat Protocols?
"Yes," Kael replied aloud. The system pulsed.
[Combat Protocols Active]
From the shadows, a shriek erupted—followed by dozens of skeletal beasts bursting from the cracked terrain. Crimson fire burned in their empty eye sockets as they surged forward.
"Form up!" Kael shouted, his sword already ignited with searing flame.
Thalaria launched into the air with a spin, her glaive crackling lightning that danced across the battlefield.
Selene, eyes glowing, chanted a forbidden hymn. A dome of divine fire exploded outward, vaporizing the first wave.
Kael leapt into the fray, slashing downward. His blade cut through bone like silk, his strikes guided by the Crown's growing will.
Vaeloria whispered an incantation. "Seal of the Ancients: Chainbind!" Ethereal chains erupted from her staff, wrapping around the abominations and binding their souls.
And then, Nysera joined.
She danced through the chaos, her twin crescent blades gleaming under starlight. She moved like wind incarnate—fluid, precise, ruthless.
Kael spared a glance and nearly faltered.
Her violet hair flowed like ink. Her hips swayed hypnotically with every strike. Her chest rose and fell with exertion, the ceremonial armor hugging her lush curves like a lover's grip.
Thalaria elbowed Kael mid-fight. "Stop staring and start slashing."
"I can do both," he grinned.
By the time the final bone horror fell, the battlefield was scorched, glowing with lingering flames and residual magic.
[System Update: Area Cleared. Vault Access Granted.]
The massive gate rumbled open, revealing a spiraling staircase into the abyss.
As they descended, the temperature dropped, and the air grew heavy with suppressed power. Every step into the Vault felt like a descent into memory and madness.
Along the walls, frescoes depicted scenes from the age of the First Crown—heroes rising, kingdoms burning, gods slain beneath mortal hands. Kael paused before one fresco that showed a man who looked eerily like him kneeling before a chained woman cloaked in flame.
"That's Veylor," Vaeloria murmured. "Your father... and that woman—she's not mortal."
Nysera traced the outline with her finger. "A Sin Maiden. The last of them."
The corridor ended at a circular chamber lit by a red flame suspended in mid-air. Dozens of floating obelisks circled a pulsating core—red, black, and gold fire intertwining within.
[Trial Initiated: Crown of Sin — Inheritance Chamber]
Kael stepped forward. "Let's finish this."
As the ritual began, his companions circled him, channeling their energy into the room. The core began to pulse violently.
Visions erupted in Kael's mind: his father's final battle, Nysera's betrayal by her own bloodline, Selene's burning cathedral, Thalaria's exile.
And his own beginning.
Then came the pain.
Flames tore through his body. Blood boiled, bones cracked, power surged. The Crown's true core rejected him—until he roared, grasping it with both hands and forcing it to kneel.
[Trial Passed. Crown Core Assimilated. System Upgraded.]
[System Level: 11]
[New Feature: Market: Lust-Tier Unlocked]
He collapsed, panting. Vaeloria caught him. Selene kissed his brow. Thalaria knelt beside him.
Nysera? She simply leaned over and whispered, "Still saving that question?"
Kael smirked through the pain. "You'll know the moment I ask."
The Vault trembled as the core fused with Kael's being.
Outside, the Hollow Bastion stirred.
Later that night, as they rested near the ancient altar of the vault's heart, Kael leaned back against a marble fragment. Selene rested her head on his thigh, humming softly. Thalaria stretched beside him, eyes half-lidded, body warm from magic and combat. Vaeloria, ever graceful, bathed in the crimson glow of the Vault's mana pool.
Nysera sat slightly apart, sharpening her blade, but her eyes never left Kael.
"You did it," she said finally. "The Vault recognized you. The Crown chose you."
Kael chuckled. "About time something did."
Nysera rose and strode over. She stood before him, blade at her side, and her voice dropped to a sultry tone. "So what does the chosen bearer do now, surrounded by his adoring followers?"
Selene grinned. "Probably tease them into madness."
Thalaria smirked. "He's already on his way."
Vaeloria murmured, "But he's not undeserving."
Kael stood, wrapping an arm around Nysera and pulling her close. "You want an answer to your question?"
Her breath hitched as his hand settled low on her back. "Maybe."
He whispered into her ear. "You'll get it. When we're not surrounded by flames and corpses."
She exhaled slowly. "Spoilsport."
Behind them, the system pinged again.
[Side Quest Unlocked: Embrace of the Sin Flame]
Objective: Complete full assimilation of Lust-Tier Core Energy through intimacy.
Reward: Charm +10, Companion Sync Level +1, Special Title: Crown's Emissary
Kael blinked. "Of course it's watching."
Thalaria laughed. "The system's a voyeur."
Selene whispered near his ear, "Then let's give it a good show. Later."
As the laughter echoed and the Vault's lights pulsed in rhythm with their breaths, Kael realized something powerful: the darkness they fought wasn't just outside—it was within. But here, wrapped in magic, desire, and memory, he would wield it.
And he would rule it.
End of Chapter 28