Kael stood beneath the ruined sky.
He could still hear the screams from the memory.
Thousands.
Maybe more.
Every face he had forgotten now felt familiar.
He looked at his hands.
“They died because of me.” Shade stood nearby.
“Yes.” Kael looked at him.
“You could have lied.” “Yes.” “Why didn’t you?” “Because you told me to tell you the truth.” Kael laughed bitterly.
“I’m beginning to regret that.” The Abyss trembled.
A door appeared ahead.
It was made from black stone.
Words were carved across it.
**ONE CHOICE.** Kael approached.
The door opened.
Inside was a battlefield.
Cairos stood in the centre.
Young.
Bloodied.
Holding Kael’s broken sword.
Kael watched the memory unfold.
The gate above the city was collapsing.
Kael was dying.
Cairos knelt beside him.
“You have one choice.” Kael’s younger self looked up.
“Which is?” “Let the Abyss take you.” “And everyone else?” “I’ll make sure they survive.” “You’ll be blamed.” “Yes.” Kael smiled weakly.
“Then don’t let them know.” Cairos stared.
“You’re asking me to let the world hate me.” “You’ll survive.” “And you?” Kael looked toward the collapsing gate.
“I won’t.” The memory ended.
Kael stood frozen.
He finally understood.
Cairos hadn’t betrayed him.
Cairos had kept his promise.
He had carried the blame.
For seven years.
Kael closed his eyes.
“I thought I was abandoned.” Shade said nothing.
“I thought he killed me.” Still nothing.
Kael opened his eyes.
A tear ran down his face.
Then he wiped it away.
“No more.” The Abyss reacted.
The black mark on his palm spread across his arm.
A new message appeared.
**ABYSSAL AUTHORITY: 5%** **MEMORY RESTORATION: 18%** **FIRST PRICE ACCEPTED.** **ABILITY UNLOCKED: GRAVITY OF CHOICE** Kael stared.
“What does it do?” The Abyss answered.
**IT MAKES OTHERS CARRY WHAT THEY CHOOSE.** Kael smiled.
Not happily.
Not cruelly.
Simply with understanding.
“Then let’s see who is willing to carry their sins.” Above the world, the Council received the same message.
Every screen went black.
Then one sentence appeared.
**HE REMEMBERS.** For the first time in centuries, the Council panicked.
Cairos looked at the message.
And smiled.
“Good.” He turned toward the western horizon.
“Come home, Kael.” Far beneath him, Kael looked toward the exit of the Abyss.
Shade stood beside him.
“Are we leaving?” Kael shook his head.
“Not yet.” “Why?” Kael looked back into the darkness.
“Because something else is trapped down here.” The Ancient opened its eyes.
Kael met its gaze.
“And I’m going to find out why.” CREATORS’ THOUGHTS Okikiayo_Fadiji TEN CHAPTERS.
Now the real story begins.
Kael finally knows the truth about Cairos, but the Abyss is hiding something even bigger.
From here, we’re moving toward the outside world, the Council, factions, stronger enemies—and the consequences of Kael’s return.