Absolute Sovereignty
Chapter 36: The Commander’s Ascent

Chapter 36: The Commander’s Ascent

Commander Lyra stood before the blood-tinged fountain, her gaze locked on Kaelen, a silent battle raging within her.

The desire for power, the yearning to reclaim the Silent Guard’s lost legacy, warred with the chilling realization of the price she would have to pay.

She had seen the brutal ritual, the swift, merciless deaths of her fellow guards, and yet... she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the crimson marks that pulsed with an otherworldly light on their necks.

She had felt the power that now flowed through them, and that pull was far stronger than any sense of responsibility.

"This is your destiny, Commander," Kaelen said, his voice soft, almost a whisper, yet carrying an undeniable weight of authority, of unwavering command.

His words were not a suggestion, but a decree, a prophecy foretelling the path that she had no choice but to follow, a choice that had already been made for her.

It was either this, or nothing at all.

Lyra’s hand trembled as she reached for the buckle of her weapon belt, and a moment passed, where it seemed like all eyes, even the very spirits that watched over them, were on her and her alone.

Then, with a deep, shuddering breath, she let the belt fall to the floor, the clatter of her sword echoing in the sudden silence, a final goodbye to all that she had become.

She stepped forward, her gaze meeting Kaelen’s, a silent understanding passing between them.

She placed her hand in his, her touch cold, her resolve hardened, her fate now sealed.

With that action she was no longer just the commander of some broken group of guards, but now part of the ancient spirits, her actions in this very moment, now becoming a mark in history, to change a future the prince dreaded.

Lyra stepped into the crimson-tinged water, the blood of her other comrades swirling around her ankles.

She stood beneath the pouring water, her head bowed, her eyes closed, and the visions came, swift and brutal.

Horrors beyond comprehension flooded her mind, grotesque shapes and twisted forms clawing at her sanity. She saw the fall of Caldris, the slaughter of her people, the destruction of everything she held dear.

She saw her own death, a swift, merciless end at the hands of Xarnis soldiers.

The Voidwell showed her all she feared.

But unlike Theron, she did not scream.

She did not resist.

She stood firm, her body trembling, but her spirit unbroken. She had faced death before, had stared into the abyss and returned unscathed.

She was a warrior, a survivor, and she would not break, not when her kingdom needed her most. She had faced worse horrors than this.

Kaelen’s blade flashed, a silver arc in the light, a swift, precise cut across her throat. Her blood, hot and crimson, flowed into the water, mingling with the blood of the other guards, a sacrifice to the ancient spirits, a pact sealed in blood and shadow, another offering to the ever hungry void.

The System pulsed in Kaelen’s vision:

[Soul Bound: Silent Guard (Level 3) Complete.]

[Soul Bound Magic Affinity Increased: Two Tiers.]

[New Ability Granted to Soulbound: Spirit Link (Level 3).]

[New Ability Granted to Soulbound: Nature’s Fury (Level 1).]

[Corruption Increased: 6.2%]

[Memory Fragment Lost: The Smell of Rain on Warm Earth.]

He let her fall into the water, his mind slightly surprised by her strength, as not many had achieved such high levels upon their Awakening.

And as he stared at her, he could almost see it within his memories, the moment when the two had first met, he had been a small child, but so was she.

Her smile as she gifted him a small bird she had rescued from the grasp of a hawk. He remembered gifting her a flower that bloomed within the walls of his kingdom.

Such precious moments had been forgotten nearly entirely, now only remnants, as the corruption continued its spread throughout his soul.

But that was now irrelevant.

Lyra’s eyes snapped open, and she shot up from the water, her body radiating a potent aura of mana that made the air crackle and shimmer.

She gasped, her breath coming in ragged, panicked bursts.

The crimson water droplets clinging to her skin began to glow, transforming into tiny shards of obsidian that floated around her like a miniature constellation, and the stone rubble on the floor of the clearing began to rise, as though gravity itself was bending to her will.

The walls of the ruins groaned and cracked, unable to contain the raw power that surged within her.

Kaelen, sensing the sudden surge of uncontrolled magic, reached out, his hand cupping her cheek, his touch gentle yet firm.

He placed his other hand on the back of her neck, drawing her into a hug, holding her close, his body a shield against her own power.

"You’re fine..." he murmured, his voice soothing, his words a calming balm against her panic, a warmth that he no longer possessed, no longer understood. "You’ll be fine. I promise."

Lyra’s breathing slowly returned to normal, the suffocating pressure of her magic receding as the rubble settled back to the floor and the cracks in the walls seemed to fade from view.

She pulled away from his embrace, her gaze meeting his, her eyes now clear and sharp, a mix of gratitude and newly found strength within them.

She gave Kaelen a single, firm nod, a silent acknowledgment of his control, of what he had given her...of what was taken in return, and stepped out of the water, a warrior reborn.

Garron, who had been watching the proceedings with a mixture of awe and apprehension, finally spoke.

He had grown accustomed to Kaelen’s bizarre actions, his uncanny knowledge, his terrifying power. He knew better than to question the prince’s methods, the strange rituals, the whispers of ancient magic.

"Is... is it my turn now?" he asked, his voice hesitant, his eyes darting nervously towards the blood-tinged fountain.

Kaelen shook his head.

"No, Garron," he replied, his voice gentle, the edge gone, at least for this small moment. "I have... other plans for you. After all, you’re already special, right?"

Garron’s face flushed, a mixture of disappointment and frustration. "What? No way! That’s not fair! I want a strength boost too! What am I supposed to be doing when all the rest are enhanced super soldiers?"

"Shut up, dumbass," Kaelen said, pointing at him. "I gave you the ring. I’ve helped you enough. You’re already far more stronger than many others in the kingdom, so now is not the time to start begging." He turned towards the assembled Silent Guard, their faces grim, their eyes burning with a newfound purpose.

"For now," he announced, his voice echoing through the ruins, "let’s go soul hunting."

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report
Follow our Telegram channel at https://t.me/novelfire to receive the latest notifications about daily updated chapters.