Rain.
Kael Veyron hated rain.
Not because it was cold.
Not because the muddy streets became impossible to walk through.
He hated it because every time it rained, the city became silent.
And silence reminded him of hunger.
Kael pulled his worn cloak tighter around his body as he walked through the narrow streets of Elaris.
The market had already closed.
The rich had returned to their warm homes.
The guards stood beneath enchanted lanterns that never went out.
Meanwhile, people like Kael searched for scraps.
His fingers tightened around a small paper bag.
Inside were two pieces of bread.
Only two.
His entire day’s earnings.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“Lyra will be happy.”
The thought alone made the exhausting day worth it.
He quickened his pace.
The storm grew stronger.
Thunder rolled across the sky.
For a moment, Kael looked upward.
Far above the clouds.
Far above the stars.
Twelve enormous pillars of light stretched across the heavens.
The Divine Thrones.
The symbols of the missing gods.
Every child knew the story.
Ten thousand years ago, the gods vanished.
Their thrones remained.
And anyone capable of awakening a throne could obtain divine power.
Most people spent their entire lives dreaming of such a miracle.
Kael never cared.
Dreams didn’t buy bread.
Dreams didn’t cure sickness.
Dreams didn’t save people.
The old wooden door of his house came into view.
Relief washed over him.
He pushed it open.
“Lyra, I’m back.”
No response.
His smile faded.
The house was dark.
Too dark.
“Lyra?”
Still nothing.
A strange feeling crawled into his chest.
He stepped inside.
The smell hit him first.
Medicine.
Blood.
Fear.
His heart began to race.
He rushed toward the small bedroom.
And froze.
Lyra lay on the bed.
Her skin was pale.
Her breathing was weak.
A dark crimson stain spread across the blanket.
“No…”
The paper bag slipped from his hand.
The bread fell to the floor.
“Lyra!”
He dropped beside her.
Her eyes slowly opened.
She tried to smile.
“You’re late.”
Kael grabbed her hand.
It felt cold.
Far too cold.
“What happened?”
She didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she looked toward the ceiling.
“The coughing got worse.”
Kael’s chest tightened.
The healers had warned them.
Without treatment, the illness would eventually take her life.
Treatment cost more money than Kael could earn in ten years.
“Don’t talk.”
His voice shook.
“I’ll find help.”
“There is no help.”
“There is.”
“There isn’t.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Rain battered the roof.
Thunder shook the walls.
Then Lyra squeezed his hand.
Weakly.
“Kael.”
“Don’t.”
“I’m scared.”
Those two words shattered him.
Not because she said them.
Because she never did.
Lyra was always smiling.
Always laughing.
Always pretending everything was fine.
But now…
For the first time…
She was afraid.
Tears burned his eyes.
“I won’t let you die.”
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
“You always say that.”
“I mean it.”
Silence.
Then—
The room suddenly trembled.
Kael frowned.
Another tremor followed.
Stronger this time.
The air itself seemed to vibrate.
A distant sound echoed through the city.
A bell.
One.
Two.
Three.
The Bell of Awakening.
Impossible.
The bell only rang when a Divine Throne reacted to someone’s soul.
Kael slowly stood.
The entire city had gone silent.
Outside, people shouted.
Doors opened.
Footsteps filled the streets.
The bell continued ringing.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Then a voice echoed across the sky.
Not male.
Not female.
Ancient.
Infinite.
Cold.
“The Throne of Death has chosen.”
The world stopped.
Every citizen of Elaris looked upward.
The twelve pillars of light burned brighter than ever before.
Except one.
The black pillar.
The Throne of Death.
For the first time in recorded history…
It had awakened.
Kael’s heart pounded.
This had nothing to do with him.
People like him weren’t chosen by gods.
People like him buried the chosen.
Then the ceiling exploded.
Dark light descended from the heavens.
Straight into his house.
Straight toward him.
Straight into his chest.
Pain.
Unimaginable pain.
Kael screamed.
And the last thing he saw before darkness consumed him…
Was Lyra reaching toward him.
And behind her—
A gigantic shadow sitting upon a black throne.
Watching.
Waiting.
Smiling.