The Amnesiac Sovereign

Chapter 15: The Third General

"Kael."

The name lingered in the air long after Aurelius spoke it.

Ethan closed his eyes.

The second fragment stirred.

A memory surfaced.

A young man laughing while standing atop a floating island.

Silver hair dancing in the wind.

Eyes filled with mischief.

A spatial gate opening behind him.

Then another image followed.

The same man kneeling before the Sovereign Throne.

Pledging loyalty.

The memory shattered before Ethan could see more.

When he opened his eyes again, the tomb had fallen silent.

Selene looked troubled.

Orion remained expressionless.

Fenrir growled softly.

Only Aurelius seemed unsurprised.

"You expected this."

Ethan's voice broke the silence.

Aurelius nodded.

"Partly."

"Explain."

The former general sighed.

"Kael was always different."

The chamber became quiet once more.

"He cared less about power than the others."

"He cared less about status."

"He cared less about conquest."

A faint smile appeared on Aurelius' face.

"He spent more time exploring unknown realms than governing the ones he already had."

Fenrir snorted.

"He was annoying."

Aurelius ignored him.

"Five thousand years ago, Kael controlled all spatial pathways between the Nine Realms."

That immediately caught Ethan's attention.

Space.

Travel.

Portals.

Connections between worlds.

If anyone could hide a soul fragment, it would be Kael.

Selene crossed her arms.

"Finding him won't be easy."

Aurelius nodded.

"It won't."

Then his expression darkened.

"Especially if the Celestial Emperor was telling the truth."

Ethan looked toward him.

"You think he already found the fragment?"

Aurelius hesitated.

Then nodded.

"Most likely."

The answer wasn't encouraging.

If Kael possessed the third fragment for thousands of years, his strength could have grown enormously.

Far beyond Ethan's current level.

The gap between them would be vast.

Then again...

The gap between Ethan and every betrayer was vast.

For now.

Ethan wasn't discouraged.

The fragments existed for a reason.

Each one brought him closer to the truth.

Closer to his former power.

Closer to the throne that had been stolen.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

And for the first time since his rebirth—

He felt excited.

The path ahead was becoming clearer.

Dangerous.

Complicated.

But clearer.

Suddenly, a small golden light appeared before him.

The Sovereign Flame.

It floated above his palm.

Dancing gently.

As if responding to his emotions.

Aurelius immediately noticed.

"So it accepted you."

Ethan looked at the flame.

"What exactly does it do?"

Selene answered before Aurelius could.

"It awakens authority."

Ethan frowned.

"Everyone keeps saying that."

"Nobody explains it."

Fenrir laughed loudly.

"Fair point."

The giant beast lowered his massive head.

"Authority is different from cultivation."

Ethan listened carefully.

"Power allows someone to force obedience."

"Authority allows reality itself to obey."

The explanation sent a chill through him.

Reality obey?

That sounded absurd.

Yet the flame pulsing above his hand felt anything but ordinary.

Fenrir continued.

"When you possessed all nine Sovereign Flames..."

His crimson eyes narrowed.

"...even laws of nature answered your command."

Silence followed.

The implication was enormous.

And terrifying.

No wonder the Celestial Emperor feared him.

No wonder the fragments had been scattered.

If all nine flames returned...

What would happen?

Before anyone could continue—

A soft cracking sound echoed through the chamber.

Everyone looked up.

The tomb's ceiling.

More cracks.

Larger ones.

The pressure from the Celestial Emperor's earlier appearance had damaged the ancient structure.

And now it was collapsing.

Orion immediately stepped forward.

"We need to leave."

Nobody argued.

The tomb had already served its purpose.

The second fragment was recovered.

The Sovereign Flame was obtained.

Remaining here would only create unnecessary risk.

Fenrir looked toward Ethan.

"What about me?"

The giant beast's chains rattled.

Ethan frowned.

The question surprised him.

"What do you mean?"

Fenrir rolled his eyes.

"I've been imprisoned for five thousand years."

Aurelius chuckled.

Selene looked away to hide a smile.

Even Orion's stern face softened slightly.

Fenrir growled.

"Stop laughing."

Then he looked back at Ethan.

"Are you freeing me or not?"

The chamber became silent.

Ethan considered the question carefully.

A monster of this magnitude could become a powerful ally.

Or a catastrophic enemy.

The problem was obvious.

Trust.

Could he trust Fenrir?

The giant beast seemed to read his thoughts.

"Hmph."

His enormous head turned away.

"Still suspicious."

"Good."

The answer surprised Ethan.

Fenrir continued.

"A ruler who trusts blindly deserves betrayal."

The words struck harder than expected.

Because they carried truth.

Ethan had already learned that lesson once.

The hard way.

After several moments, he finally spoke.

"I'll free you."

Fenrir blinked.

Then smiled.

A genuine smile.

The first one Ethan had seen from him.

"Good."

Then the beast's expression became serious.

"But not today."

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

Fenrir laughed.

"Those chains aren't ordinary."

"They require more authority."

He glanced at the Sovereign Flame.

"Much more."

So even freedom would require future growth.

Interesting.

The giant beast didn't seem disappointed.

If anything, he looked relieved.

As though simply receiving a promise was enough.

Then suddenly—

A golden portal appeared near the center of the chamber.

Everyone turned.

The portal wasn't created by anyone present.

It had appeared on its own.

Ancient symbols glowed along its edges.

A familiar sensation emerged.

The same feeling Ethan experienced whenever a fragment called to him.

Aurelius' eyes widened.

"Impossible."

Selene frowned.

"What is it?"

Aurelius stared at the portal.

Then looked at Ethan.

"The third fragment."

The atmosphere instantly changed.

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"What about it?"

Aurelius pointed toward the portal.

His voice had become grave.

"That isn't a portal leading to Kael."

A pause followed.

Then he finished.

"It's a distress signal."

Silence.

The words hung in the air.

A distress signal?

From Kael?

That didn't make sense.

If Kael possessed the third fragment, why would he send a distress signal?

Unless—

A terrible possibility formed.

Someone else had found him.

Someone dangerous.

The portal suddenly flickered.

Then a voice echoed through it.

Weak.

Painful.

Desperate.

"Ethan..."

The chamber froze.

Even Ethan stopped breathing.

Because despite five thousand years having passed...

He immediately recognized the voice.

Kael.

The Third General.

And he sounded as though he was dying.