Lord of Deception

A cold wind howled through the ruined temple, carrying the scent of dust and forgotten ages. Evelyne stood tense beside Kael, her fingers resting on the hilt of her sword. The faceless figure before them—the Whispering One—loomed in the darkness, its voice an echo that scratched against reality itself.

"You seek dominion over fate," the entity had said. "But fate does not yield so easily."

Kael tilted his head, his lips curling into a smirk. "That depends. Fate bows to those who know how to bend it."

The Whispering One chuckled, a sound like rustling parchment and shifting sand.

"You speak like a god, but you are still bound by mortal constraints."

Kael didn't flinch. He knew what this was. A test. A game of words.

The creature was powerful—a force beyond human comprehension. But it hadn't attacked. That meant it wanted something. And if it wanted something, that meant Kael had leverage.

He stepped forward, deliberately slow, his boots echoing against the stone floor. "You call me an anomaly. That means you know what I am."

Silence.

Kael's grin widened. "You're afraid, aren't you?"

Evelyne shot him a look, half-warning, half-curious. She didn't understand yet.

"Afraid?" The Whispering One's voice was a ripple in the void. "No. Merely... intrigued."

That was a lie.

Kael knew the truth—he was an existence that shouldn't be. Something that defied the fundamental rules of this world. And anything that defied the rules was a threat to those who enforced them.

"You summoned those Abyssal Hunters, didn't you?" he pressed. "You wanted to see how I would react."

"Perhaps."

Kael took another step forward. "Then I'll save you the trouble. I am not a pawn in anyone's game. Not the Archons'. Not the heroes'. And definitely not yours."

A long pause.

Then, the Whispering One laughed again.

"Bold. But misplaced. You are already a piece on the board, whether you accept it or not."

Kael's smirk didn't waver, but something in his chest tightened.

He knew that.

But knowing and accepting were two different things.

The Whispering One shifted, its formless presence flickering like a dying flame. "You wish to carve your path through the fabric of destiny itself. Very well. But you will not do so alone."

A shadow shifted behind them.

Evelyne reacted instantly, her blade flashing as she turned—only to freeze mid-motion.

The figure standing there wasn't an enemy.

It was a woman.

She emerged from the darkness, stepping into the dim light of the temple's ruins. Tall, elegant, draped in black silk that shimmered like liquid night. Her eyes—**cold, calculating—**settled on Kael with something that resembled amusement.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever arrive."

Kael's smirk faltered.

Because he knew her.

Not from this world. But from before.

From his past life.

For the first time since awakening in this world, Kael felt his control slip.

He didn't react outwardly, but his mind raced.

How was she here? Was this fate, or something worse?

The woman took a slow step forward, her presence as effortless as it was oppressive. She did not need to command attention—she owned it.

"The Whispering One serves only as a gatekeeper," she said. "But I am the one who holds the key."

Kael forced himself to speak, keeping his tone light. "You always did have a flair for dramatics."

Evelyne's eyes darted between them. "You know her?"

The woman's lips curled. "He did. Once."

Kael still didn't know her name in this life. But he knew that look.

She remembered him.

And that changed everything.

The Whispering One remained silent as the Abyssal Queen circled Kael, inspecting him like one might a rare artifact.

"You are different from before," she mused.

"New body. New world." Kael met her gaze. "Same ambition."

A spark of interest flickered in her expression.

"Then we have much to discuss."

Evelyne scowled. "Enough riddles. Who are you? What do you want?"

The Abyssal Queen barely spared her a glance. "I am the last monarch of a fallen kingdom, the rightful heir to a stolen throne. And what I want is simple."

She turned back to Kael. "You."

Evelyne stiffened. "What?"

Kael simply raised an eyebrow. Interesting.

"And what," he asked slowly, "do you plan to do with me?"

The Queen's smile was sharper than a blade. "That depends. Are you willing to make a deal?"

Kael chuckled. "I don't make deals blindly."

"Good." Her eyes glowed faintly. "Then let me show you why you should."

She raised a hand—and the world changed.

The ruined temple melted away, replaced by a vision of war.

Fire. Screams. A battlefield soaked in blood.

Kael saw a hero—golden-haired, draped in holy light—standing at the heart of the carnage. His sword glowed with divine power, carving through an army of shadows.

And beside him—a woman.

A woman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes.

Evelyne.

Kael turned to glance at her, but she looked just as shocked as he felt.

"This…" her voice was barely a whisper. "This is the future?"

The Abyssal Queen lowered her hand, and the vision faded.

"One of many possibilities," she said. "But all of them end the same way."

Kael folded his arms. "And you want to change that."

The Queen met his gaze. "No. I want to control it."

Silence.

Then—Kael laughed.

A deep, genuine laugh.

She understood. She wasn't like the others—the heroes, the fools who thought they could 'change fate' through sheer will alone.

No.

She wanted to seize fate. Shape it. Manipulate it to her advantage.

And that was something Kael could work with.

He extended his hand. "Tell me your terms."

The Queen's eyes gleamed.

"Welcome to the game, Kael Ardyn."

The first true alliance was forged. And the world would never be the same.

To be continued.....