Dawn in the Citadel of Ashes was not an event of light, but of a deeper, more resonant shadow. Ren awoke in the black silk bed, his body numb and his mind shattered. His Paladin soul was screaming, not from physical pain, but from the total nullification of his will at the hands of his own brother. Kaito had dismantled Ren's morale with the precision of a surgeon.
He stood up. The room, though dedicated to the Shadow, was impeccably clean. The emotional chaos contrasted with the icy order of the place. He was no longer a Commander; he was a captive, and his body no longer belonged to him.
The sound of obsidian boots on basalt announced her arrival. The Queen of Ashes entered alone, her imposing figure eclipsing the dim ambient light. She was not wearing her battle armor, but a ceremonial warsuit, fitted and designed to project absolute power.
"Stand up, Paladin," the Queen ordered. Her voice wasn't seductive, but that of a mistress reclaiming her property.
Ren struggled to his feet, feeling the emptiness of his Forged Light, exhausted by the sabotage and drained by Kaito's Chaos.
"I'm surprised you're still standing," the Queen said, circling him slowly. "Kaito is an efficient trainer. He knows exactly where loyalty hurts."
"Kaito is sick. You've corrupted him," Ren retorted, the last spark of his Paladin pride trying to manifest itself.
The Queen stopped in front of him, her face inches from his. Ren felt the immensity of her power. It was the same sense of terror he'd experienced upon seeing her on Vorthus, only now, she had an intimate hold on him.
"How adorable! You still think in terms of sickness and morality. Here, Ren, there is only power." And your Light is simply a power you didn't know how to use." The Queen reached out and placed two cold fingers on Ren's neck, just above his jugular vein.
"Your negotiation ended upon crossing the portal. Kaito is now my primary weapon, and you are my most valuable agent. Forget your armor and your oath. Your new oath is this: Total Servitude."
The Queen channeled a controlled dose of her Ash Essence into Ren. It was not Chaos, but a magic of pure domination. Ren felt the Shadow take root in his marrow, reclaiming the spaces his Light had left empty.
"My 'harem' is not a place of worldly pleasure. It is a circle of power where I make the rules. Zylpha and Lysandra are my generals. Kaito is my torture master. And you, Ren, are the Consort of the Fallen Light."
The Queen gently pushed him back onto the bed. The force wasn't physical, but magical, forcing him into submission.
"Your training will consist of the total breaking of your will and your re-education. You gave me Aethelgard, now you will give me your mind."
The Consort's First Task
The Queen stepped away, and the intensity of the domination lessened, but did not disappear.
"Your first task is simple, Consort. I need intelligence. Although my Shadow dominates Aethelgard, the Conclave still has a contingency plan: the Heavenly King's Ark Protocol."
"It's an evacuation and reset protocol," Ren said, his voice raspy, returning to his military training. "It only activates if the capital falls and the Heavenly King allows it."
"Exactly. I don't want the capital to fall. I want it to remain under my control," the Queen corrected. "You, as Shieldmaster (even if only for a day), know the activation codes and the physical location of that protocol." I want that information. Now.
The Queen leaned closer again. Proximity was both a threat and a promise.
"If you give me the information, I promise your life here will be less painful. If you resist, Kaito and Zylpha will teach you the Discipline of the Ash. Think clearly, Paladin. Who will you serve with your mind?"
Ren felt the weight of the decision. Handing over that information meant total surrender to the Light. But the Queen's gaze was hypnotic, and her desire to survive, to ultimately save Kaito, was her only motivation.
"The codes are divided into three sections..." Ren began, succumbing to the inevitable betrayal.
The Queen irritated, a look of triumph reaching her eyes. "Excellent. Now, my Consort of the Fallen Light, prepare yourself. Your new discipline teacher, Zylpha, awaits you. And her method is very different from your brother's."