The Amnesiac Sovereign

Chapter 14: The Celestial Emperor

The voice faded.

Yet its pressure remained.

Every stone within the Tomb of Fallen Stars trembled.

Cracks spread across the ancient walls.

The rivers of liquid starlight had completely frozen.

Even the air felt heavy.

As though reality itself was bowing to the will of the speaker.

Ethan stood motionless.

The name echoed repeatedly within his mind.

Celestial Emperor.

The title stirred something deep within his soul.

Not fear.

Hatred.

A hatred so profound it felt older than memory itself.

The fragments he had recovered reacted violently.

Golden energy surged through his body.

The Sovereign Flame burned brighter.

Instinctively resisting the pressure descending from above.

For several moments, nobody spoke.

Then Fenrir broke the silence.

"The coward finally shows himself."

The giant beast's voice rumbled through the chamber.

The chains wrapped around his body rattled violently.

Aurelius immediately frowned.

"Keep your voice down."

Fenrir laughed.

A savage laugh.

"What difference does it make?"

"He can already hear us."

The statement caused the atmosphere to grow even heavier.

Because everyone knew it was true.

The Celestial Emperor wasn't merely speaking from afar.

He was watching.

Listening.

Observing every word.

Every movement.

Every breath.

Selene moved closer to Ethan.

Her crimson robes fluttered despite the still air.

"You cannot answer him."

Ethan looked at her.

"Why?"

Her expression darkened.

"Because that's exactly what he wants."

Before she could elaborate, another crack split across the ceiling.

Chunks of stone crashed to the ground.

Dust filled the chamber.

The pressure increased again.

Then the voice returned.

This time louder.

Clearer.

Closer.

"Five thousand years."

The Celestial Emperor sounded almost amused.

"I expected more."

Fenrir's growl echoed throughout the tomb.

Aurelius remained silent.

Orion's knuckles whitened around his spear.

Only Ethan maintained his composure.

The voice continued.

"You once ruled the Nine Realms."

"You commanded armies beyond number."

"You stood at the peak of existence."

A brief pause followed.

Then came a mocking laugh.

"And now?"

The pressure intensified.

"You hide inside a tomb."

"You possess fragments instead of power."

"You are weaker than insects."

The insult rolled through the chamber like thunder.

Ethan's expression never changed.

The Celestial Emperor noticed.

His amusement faded slightly.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Most people would have reacted emotionally.

Anger.

Fear.

Pride.

Something.

Yet Ethan remained calm.

As though the words carried no weight.

Far above the tomb.

Beyond the clouds.

Beyond mortal sight.

A massive palace floated within endless space.

Golden towers stretched into eternity.

Celestial rivers flowed between stars.

At the center of the palace sat a man upon a throne.

The Celestial Emperor.

His appearance was impossible to define.

Too perfect.

Too flawless.

His eyes contained entire galaxies.

His mere presence distorted reality.

Countless beings knelt around him.

Yet his attention remained fixed on a single place.

The tomb.

And the returning Sovereign.

The Emperor slowly leaned forward.

A faint smile appeared.

"Tell me."

His voice echoed into the chamber once more.

"How many fragments have you recovered?"

Ethan finally spoke.

"Two."

The answer surprised everyone.

Selene immediately looked at him.

Aurelius frowned.

Even Fenrir seemed confused.

Why answer?

The Celestial Emperor chuckled.

"So honest."

Ethan's gaze remained cold.

"Why are you interested?"

The Emperor laughed.

The sound echoed across worlds.

"Because I spent five thousand years searching for them."

Silence followed.

Then understanding dawned.

The Emperor wanted the fragments.

Not merely to destroy Ethan.

But to obtain something hidden within them.

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

The realization wasn't lost on him.

The Celestial Emperor suddenly stopped laughing.

His expression became serious.

For the first time.

"You still don't know."

The words felt strange.

Almost disappointed.

Ethan remained silent.

The Emperor sighed.

"You truly sealed everything."

Then he spoke words that shook the entire chamber.

"The fragments do not contain your power."

Ethan frowned.

What?

The Emperor continued.

"They contain a key."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Aurelius' expression darkened.

Fenrir stopped moving entirely.

Even Selene looked troubled.

The Emperor smiled.

"There."

"That got your attention."

Ethan's heartbeat accelerated.

A key?

A key to what?

The Emperor slowly rose from his throne.

The heavens trembled.

Stars shifted.

Entire constellations seemed to move.

His voice became deeper.

More dangerous.

"Five thousand years ago..."

"...you discovered something."

A memory surfaced inside Ethan's mind.

A hidden chamber.

Ancient symbols.

A sealed door.

Then darkness.

The vision vanished.

The Emperor continued.

"Something neither of us should have found."

Neither of us?

The wording immediately caught Ethan's attention.

For the first time, the Emperor sounded personal.

As though they had once shared a secret.

Then the Emperor's expression became cold.

Extremely cold.

"You should have left it buried."

The pressure exploded.

The entire tomb shook violently.

Massive cracks spread across the walls.

The frozen rivers shattered.

Reality itself seemed on the verge of collapse.

Selene immediately stepped in front of Ethan.

A crimson barrier appeared.

Orion lowered his spear.

Aurelius drew his sword.

Even Fenrir rose to his full height.

Every powerful being inside the tomb prepared for battle.

Not because the Emperor had arrived.

But because his attention had intensified.

The Emperor noticed.

And laughed.

"You think I came to fight?"

His amusement returned.

"No."

"I came to warn him."

Everyone froze.

Warn him?

The Emperor pointed downward.

Directly toward Ethan.

His gaze seemed capable of piercing worlds.

Then he spoke a single sentence.

A sentence that stunned every person present.

Including Aurelius.

Including Selene.

Including Fenrir.

"Your third fragment has already been found."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

Someone found the third fragment?

Who?

The Emperor smiled.

A dangerous smile.

Then he answered before anyone could ask.

"One of your betrayers."

The heavens thundered.

The pressure vanished.

The connection broke.

The Celestial Emperor disappeared.

Leaving only silence behind.

For several moments, nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Then Aurelius clenched his fists.

"Damn it."

Selene's expression darkened.

Fenrir growled.

Orion lowered his head.

The situation had suddenly become much worse.

Much worse.

Ethan looked at each of them.

Then asked the obvious question.

"Which betrayer?"

Nobody answered immediately.

Until finally—

Aurelius slowly lifted his head.

And spoke a name.

A name that sent a chill through the chamber.

"Kael."

The Third General.

Master of Space.

The most elusive of the Nine Betrayers.

And according to the Celestial Emperor...

The current owner of the third fragment.