Chapter: The Beginning of Purification – The Road to Vennette
Reaching the inner layers of the Sky Kingdom was not just a walk for Kael; it was a journey where his sins gradually deepened. After Avelon's death, the air grew heavier. Each step seemed to sever another connection to the earth. The starry lights were now foreign to Kael—they represented the sacred, but he was now a warrior forged in darkness.
As Kael approached the domain ruled by Vennette, the sky began to flicker between gold and blue. The clouds spun in a spiral, surrounding him with an echoing melody of sacred notes. This melody was soft yet judgmental, diving deep into his soul, trying to bring every dark thought to the surface.
And then... at the center of the light, a figure appeared.
Vennette – The Dawn of Purification.
She was not a goddess of warriors, but one of atonement. Her body seemed to be woven from pure light. Her skin glowed like opal, and every movement resonated in harmony with the sky. There was no compassion in her eyes, nor was there anger. Only truth and judgment.
"Kael," said Vennette, her voice as gentle as a prayer, as final as a death sentence.
"You have burned the path you came from. But what about what's inside of you? Can it still be saved?"
Kael raised his sword.
"I do not seek salvation. I seek truth. And you… are the obstacle in its path."
Vennette did not descend. She raised her hands, and the sky trembled. A flood of hundreds of sacred beings descended: the Light Guardians. For the first time, Kael found himself facing an army this vast alone. But he did not falter.
The battle began.
Kael unleashed the soul thief within him. Hundreds of souls were drawn into his body, but each one caused storms to stir inside him. This time, he was being suffocated by the suffering of the souls he absorbed. Vennette's power was burning him from the inside. But he resisted it.
He used the star-based attacks he had inherited from Iskandir. Spears of light pierced through the sky, shattering the Light Guardians into pieces. But Vennette, upon joining her hands, slowed down time. Kael's movements felt like they were trapped in a fog. It was similar to Samira's ability to bend time, but this was on another level… this was temporal justice.
Kael tried to break the illusion using his mental armor, but this time, the armor began to crack.
Vennette drew closer. As her fingertips touched Kael's chest, he suddenly found himself back in his childhood. The moments when he held his family's hands, the first time he gazed at the princess, the moments of betrayal… All flooded into his mind at once.
But Kael was no longer that child. His eyes burned with darkness. He called upon the soul thief once again. This time, he absorbed not just souls but memories as well. As the souls of the Light Guardians flowed into Kael, their memories mixed with his. Vennette recoiled in shock.
"You… you are erasing your own essence," she said, her voice trembling.
Kael lifted his head.
"I am no essence. I am vengeance. And if you represent purification, here is the pure curse before you."
And then, for the first time, Vennette descended seriously. She forged a spear made of light, while Kael tightly gripped his star-forged sword. Their eyes locked.
The true battle was about to begin.