The black hand tore through the ancient floor.
**BOOOOOOM!**
The entire palace shook.
Stone pillars collapsed around them.
Kael stood at the center of the destruction, his Sovereign Aura spreading across the throne room.
The system flashed repeatedly.
> **[CRITICAL WARNING]**
>
> **Abyssal Manifestation: 5.7%**
>
> **Dimensional stability declining.**
>
> **Recommended action: Retreat.**
Kael ignored the final message.
"Not this time."
He raised his hand.
Black-and-silver energy gathered around his sword.
Seraphine stood beside him.
"Kael."
"I know."
"This isn't the same enemy you fought before."
"I know that too."
Lyra tightened her grip on her sword.
"Then what are we fighting?"
Kael looked into the darkness beneath the palace.
"The thing I sacrificed everything to stop."
### The Abyssal Hand
The enormous hand rose higher.
Five fingers wrapped around the broken palace floor.
Then a second hand appeared.
The creature beneath Elaris was beginning to emerge.
Aetherion spread his seven wings.
"We cannot let it leave this chamber."
Kael glanced at him.
"Can you stop it?"
"For a short time."
"How short?"
Aetherion looked at the growing cracks.
"Three minutes."
Kael smiled.
"That's enough."
Aetherion frowned.
"For what?"
Kael looked toward the throne.
"To reclaim the rest of my authority."
Seraphine immediately understood.
"You want to use the Sovereign Throne again?"
"Yes."
"The throne can only recover another fragment."
"Then I'll take another fragment."
"And if that accelerates the Abyss?"
Kael looked at her.
"Then I'll become strong enough to control it."
Seraphine sighed.
"Still reckless."
Kael smiled.
"You remember me."
Aetherion flew toward the Abyssal manifestation.
Seven golden wings opened completely.
**HEAVENLY SEAL!**
A massive golden formation appeared.
Chains of light wrapped around the creature.
For a moment, the Abyss stopped moving.
Aetherion shouted:
"NOW!"
Kael sprinted toward the throne.
Lyra and Seraphine followed.
Black energy began spreading across the walls.
Kael placed his hand against the throne.
The system appeared.
> **[Additional Sovereign Fragment detected.]**
>
> **Recovery requires:**
>
> **Sovereign Authority — 63%**
>
> **Current requirement: 60%**
>
> **Condition satisfied.**
Kael smiled.
"Begin."
The throne exploded with energy.
### Memory Fragment — Ten Thousand Years Ago
Kael stood upon a battlefield.
Millions of celestial soldiers surrounded him.
Behind him stood Seraphine.
Beside her was Eclipse.
The small black creature Kael remembered from his earlier visions.
Aetherion stood across from them.
But there was something different.
Aetherion wasn't fighting him.
He was kneeling.
"Are you certain?"
Kael nodded.
"If the Abyss enters my soul, you must kill me."
Seraphine's eyes filled with tears.
"No."
Kael looked at her.
"Promise me."
"I won't."
"Seraphine."
"I won't promise to kill you."
Kael smiled sadly.
"Then promise you'll find me."
She looked at him.
"If I disappear..."
"Find me."
"If I forget you..."
"I'll remind you."
Kael closed his eyes.
"Then that's enough."
The memory shattered.
Kael opened his eyes.
Tears were running down Seraphine's face.
She had seen the memory too.
Kael looked at her.
"You kept your promise."
She nodded.
"Of course."
The system appeared.
> **[Soul Fragment recovered.]**
>
> **Sovereign Authority: 63% → 71%**
>
> **Memory restoration: 48% → 59%**
>
> **New ability unlocked: Sovereign Barrier**
>
> **New ability unlocked: Void Dominion**
Kael stood.
The palace shook again.
Aetherion's golden chains were breaking.
"Kael!"
Kael looked up.
Aetherion was struggling.
"We're out of time!"
Kael raised his sword.
"Then let's end this."
### Void Dominion
Kael activated the new ability.
The entire chamber turned black.
The Abyss stopped.
Its enormous eye opened.
For the first time, Kael could see the creature clearly.
It wasn't a monster.
It was a mass of darkness surrounding an enormous core.
Inside that core—
was a human soul.
Kael stared.
"No..."
Seraphine looked at him.
"What?"
Kael whispered:
"That's me."
The system immediately responded.
> **[Analysis confirmed.]**
>
> **[Abyssal Core contains Host's original soul fragment.]**
>
> **[Current integration: 29%.]**
Kael's eyes widened.
The Abyss wasn't merely something he had sealed.
Part of his original soul was trapped inside it.
That's why it recognized him.
That's why Eclipse called him master.
That's why his power caused the Abyss to awaken.
Kael looked at the enormous creature.
"You've been carrying my soul all this time."
The Abyss answered.
**"I have been protecting it."**
Kael lowered his sword.
The voice continued.
**"Heaven wanted to destroy you."**
**"I refused."**
Kael's expression softened.
"Then why are you attacking now?"
The Abyss was silent.
Then:
**"Because you forgot me."**
Kael understood.
Eclipse wasn't trying to destroy the world.
It was trying to reunite with its master.
But the process was destroying everything around it.
Kael raised his hand.
"Eclipse."
The enormous eye focused on him.
**"Master."**
Kael smiled.
"I'm here."
The Abyss stopped moving.
The black hand slowly lowered.
Aetherion stared in disbelief.
"What are you doing?"
"Talking."
"To that thing?"
Kael looked at him.
"He's not a thing."
The darkness began shrinking.
The enormous creature transformed.
Black energy condensed into a small figure.
A child-sized silhouette.
Silver eyes.
Black hair.
It looked exactly like the creature from Kael's memories.
Eclipse.
It slowly walked toward him.
Kael knelt.
Eclipse touched his hand.
**"You came back."**
Kael smiled.
"I promised."
Eclipse's silver eyes glowed.
Then the system appeared.
> **[Ancient Companion restored.]**
>
> **Name:** Eclipse
>
> **Bond:** Sovereign Companion
>
> **Synchronization: 34%**
>
> **Ability:** Abyssal Devourer
>
> **Status:** Stable
>
> **Warning:** Bond evolution may affect host's soul.
Kael looked at the small creature.
"So you're my companion."
Eclipse nodded.
**"And you are my master."**
Lyra watched the scene quietly.
Seraphine smiled.
Aetherion lowered his wings.
For the first time in ten thousand years, the Abyss was calm.
Then—
A golden crack appeared across the sky.
Aetherion looked upward.
His expression became grim.
"That's impossible."
Kael stood.
"What?"
Aetherion pointed toward the heavens.
"The Celestial Court."
Kael looked up.
Hundreds of golden portals were opening.
But this time, no soldiers emerged.
Instead, seven enormous figures descended.
The **Seven Celestial Thrones**.
Kael's system flashed.
> **[Major Event Detected.]**
>
> ### **The Celestial War**
>
> *
*Objective:** Survive.
>
> **Enemy:** Seven Celestial Sovereigns.
>
> **Recommended Strength:** 100% Sovereign Authority.
>
> **Current Authority:** 71%
Kael looked at the seven figures.
Then at Eclipse.
Then Seraphine and Lyra.
He smiled.
"Looks like we have guests."
Eclipse's silver eyes glowed.
**"Should I eat them?"**
Kael laughed.
"Not yet."
He raised his sword toward the heavens.
"First, let's find out why they're so afraid of me."
**To be continued...**