The battle had ended, but the weight of it still lingered.
Kael stood in the ruins of the broken barrier, the golden fragments of the shattered spell fading like dying embers. His breath was steady, his body unharmedbut something inside him had shifted.
The Sentinels hadnt come to kill him.
They had come to contain him.
And that meant something far worse: the world still feared what he was meant to be.
He clenched his fists, staring at the fading sigils on the ground. His memories were fractured, his past stolen before he could even understand it. But the battle had revealed something undeniable
The magic that sealed him had been crafted by those who knew his power.
They had feared him once.
And now, they feared him again.
Which meant someonesomewherestill knew the truth.
And Kael intended to find them.
A Path Unknown
The wind carried the scent of burning magic as Kael left the battlefield. He moved through the forest with quiet determination, retracing his path westward.
His destination was no longer just the heart of the continent.
It was the truth buried beneath its history.
The Sentinels had called him an aberration. A mistake.
But they had also spoken of something elsea fate that should have never awakened.
He needed answers.
And he knew where to start.
The City of Eldrins Veil
By nightfall, Kael reached the outskirts of a cityEldrins Veil, one of the last bastions of knowledge before the heartlands.
It was a city of scholars and old magic, where history was carved into the very walls. Towering spires loomed over the streets, and the glow of enchanted lanterns bathed the cobblestone roads in soft golden light.
Kael pulled his hood low as he entered the city. He didnt know who might be watching, but he knew the Sentinels werent the only ones who would take notice of him now.
The weight of unseen eyes pressed against his senses.
He wasnt alone.
Shadows in the Archive
Kaels first stop was the Grand Archivea library older than the kingdoms themselves, said to hold records of magic long forgotten.
The halls were vast, lined with endless tomes, scrolls, and enchanted texts. Scholars in dark robes whispered to one another, their voices hushed as they studied ancient sigils.
Kael moved with purpose, scanning the shelves. He wasnt looking for any ordinary text.
He needed to find records of sealed magic. Of names erased from history.
He needed to find himself.
But before he could take another step, a whisper cut through the silence
Youre looking for something you shouldnt.
Kael turned swiftly, his eyes locking onto a hooded figure leaning against the far bookshelf.
They werent a scholar. They didnt belong here.
And yet their presence felt familiar.
Kael narrowed his eyes. Who are you?
The figure stepped closer, their voice low. A messenger. A watcher of things that should have never been forgotten.
Kael felt his pulse steady. Whoever this wasthey knew something.
What do you know about me? he asked.
The figure hesitated for only a moment before saying three words that changed everything.
You are Sovereign.
The world seemed to still.
Kaels fingers curled into fists.
The name again. Sovereign.
The same title he had seen in the ruins. The same name the Sentinels had whispered before they fled.
The figure met his gaze. If you want answers, meet me at the ruins outside the city. Midnight. Come alone.
Then, without another word, they turned and vanished into the shadows.
Kael exhaled slowly.
The past was no longer content to stay buried.
And now, it was calling to him.
At midnight, he would answer.