Eclipse Requiem

A **blinding silver light** engulfed everything. The sheer intensity of it burned Kael's vision, and for a moment, it felt like the entire world had been **erased.**

Then—

**Silence.**

The battlefield that had been shaking with fury moments ago was now eerily still. Kael's body felt **heavy**, his breathing uneven as the overwhelming power surrounding him slowly **faded**.

As his vision returned, he found himself **standing in the aftermath**. The once-grand chamber was now **ruined**—its towering pillars **shattered**, the floor **cracked beyond recognition**, and the walls **scarred** by the violent exchange of abyssal flames and celestial energy.

And in front of him—

**Veydris knelt, motionless.**

Kael's **Abyssforged Blade** was still buried in the Inquisitor's chest. Black flames flickered weakly from the wound, their light dimming with each passing second.

For the first time since the battle began, **Kael hesitated.**

Veydris had been **unshakable**—a warrior who commanded absolute control over his power. And yet, here he was, kneeling, blood dripping from his lips, his once **impenetrable aura now shattered.**

But something was **wrong.**

A faint, unnatural glow still flickered from the **sigil on Veydris's forehead**. It wasn't the same oppressive force as before, but rather… something **different.**

Kael's instincts screamed at him to move.

But before he could react—

**Veydris spoke.**

"**You truly are… extraordinary, Kael Veyren.**"

His voice was **calm**—not filled with rage, nor pain, but something **close to admiration.**

Kael's grip on his sword tightened. "What… did you just do?"

Veydris let out a faint chuckle, his breath coming out in **shaky gasps.** "The Holy Order… they told me that the **Eclipse Bearer must be eradicated at all costs.** That you were a threat beyond salvation. But now that I stand before you like this… I understand."

His violet eyes met Kael's, and for the first time, **they held no malice.**

"You aren't the threat they fear." He exhaled deeply. "You're the **answer.**"

Kael's heart **pounded.** He didn't understand what Veydris meant, but his instincts screamed that whatever was coming next—**it wouldn't be good.**

Veydris raised a trembling hand, gripping the edge of Kael's blade.

And with his final breath—

**He smiled.**

"**But answers come with a price.**"

Then—

**The sigil on his forehead shattered.**

A **shockwave of silver light** exploded outward. Kael barely had time to brace himself before he was **hurled back**, the force tearing through his body like a thousand burning knives.

He crashed against the crumbling stone, his vision **blurring** as a sharp pain shot through his ribs.

**What the hell just happened?!**

As he struggled to rise, Kael's gaze snapped toward Veydris's lifeless body—

Or rather, what was **left** of it.

The Inquisitor's physical form was gone, reduced to ash that **dissipated into the air.** But in his place… something else remained.

A **mass of shifting, ethereal energy** floated above the ruins of his body. It pulsed with an ominous glow, its form unstable, as if reality itself struggled to contain it.

Kael's blood ran **cold.**

He had seen this before.

**A Fragment.**

A shard of **ancient celestial power**, something only the highest-ranking warriors of the Holy Order were entrusted with. It was said that these Fragments were remnants of the **Primordial Ascendants**, beings who transcended mortality and became forces of the cosmos itself.

Kael's mind raced. This wasn't just an **artifact**—it was **alive.**

And it was reacting to **him.**

Before he could even attempt to move, the Fragment **surged forward**, slamming into his chest with the force of a collapsing star.

**A white-hot pain tore through him.**

Kael **screamed.**

His vision **fractured** as an overwhelming **torrent of memories, emotions, and knowledge** flooded his mind.

Flashes of a time long before his own—

A war between gods and mortals.

A warrior wielding a blade that burned with the light of creation.

A betrayal that tore the heavens asunder.

And then—

A single voice, distant but **clear.**

"**You are the key.**"

Then, **everything faded to black.**

---

### **Some Time Later…**

Kael awoke to the sensation of **rain against his skin.**

His body ached, his vision was **unclear**, but he could feel the **weight of something new within him.**

The **Fragment** was now a part of him.

He didn't know what it meant.

Did he absorb its power? Had it changed him?

All he knew was that his battle with Veydris had **unleashed something far greater** than he had ever imagined.

And whatever came next…

**He wasn't ready.**

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