CHAPTER 205: THE PRICE OF UNBINDING

The heavy obsidian gates of the grand palace parted with a deep, grinding thrum that echoed through the subterranean cavern. Flanked by Patriarch Vane and Sereth, Caius walked the high causeway leading into the heart of the Nyx'ari throne room.

Years ago, he had stood in these very halls as a sixteen-year-old human ward, a piece on a political chessboard marked for execution before fleeing into the western wastes under the Great Hunt. Today, he returned not as prey, but as a Sovereign in his own right, his dark mantle sweeping over the polished stone while his violet-gold aura held the suffocating subterranean pressure at bay.

The grand chamber was as oppressive as ever. On the left elevated dais, golden solar flames scorched the air around the gargantuan, gilded throne of the Absolute Sun. On the right, midnight-blue shadows pooled continuously around the silver-masked form of the Absolute Moon.

As the trio halted before the dual thrones, the ambient light in the hall flickered violently.

"Caius Macrae," the Absolute Sun’s voice thundered, making the ancient basalt pillars vibrate with searing heat. "The human ward who slipped through our fingers during the Great Hunt. You dare step back into our domain?"

"The boy who escaped our shadow-trackers returns as a sovereign," the Absolute Moon’s cold whisper chimed, echoing directly inside their minds with raspy amusement. "What brings a surface ruler to the throne of the Dual Sovereigns? Have you come to pay the blood debt of your lineage?"

"I have not come to trade blood," Caius spoke, his voice completely level, cutting through the dual divine pressure. "I have come to conduct business."

Patriarch Vane stepped forward slightly, offering a respectful, measured bow alongside Sereth, though neither lowered their heads as subjects.

"Business?" the Absolute Sun rumbled, golden eyes burning behind his divine visor. "What business could a surface realm have with the rulers of the Underdark?"

"House Vel'drin," Caius stated, gesturing calmly toward the Patriarch. "I require the total, permanent severance of their ancestral blood oath. I demand that Clan Vel'drin be unbound from the Nyx'ari realm and released from your strings, free to depart these lands without pursuit or retribution."

Silence fell over the vast hall, heavy and suffocating.

The Absolute Moon let out a soft, chilling laugh that rippled through the pooled shadows. "You ask us to sever an oath sealed in primordial blood? To strike a High House from our bound rolls? A house's lineage belongs to the Sovereigns, Caius Macrae. No amount of surface gold or conquered territory can buy their release."

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"Gold and land are for mortal kings," Caius replied smoothly. "I bring a price fit for Sovereigns."

Caius raised his right hand and opened his palm.

From the depths of his Crown Core, where dual-colored solar-dark mana nourished his inner sea, a single, crystalline seed materialized. The size of a walnut, it hovered above his palm, radiating a breathtaking, harmonious pulse of pure dual energy. One half of the seed burned with refined, liquid-gold solar mana; the other half throbbed with deep, void-black lunar essence. Where the two opposing forces met, microscopic spatial threads and verdant life-energy intertwined, humming with the law of the World Tree.

Both Sovereigns locked their gazes onto the floating crystal. For years, they had secretly coveted the origin power of the three World Trees growing within Aethelgard's sanctuary, yet pride and Aethelgard's impenetrable military might had barred them from ever obtaining it.

"A seed of the Dual-Energy World Tree," Caius said softly. "It is my price for House Vel'drin's freedom."

The Absolute Moon leaned forward, her void-tendrils reaching out greedily. "The origin power of Aethelgard... I accept," she rasped, her cold voice trembling with rare desire. "My lunar mark upon Clan Vel'drin is severed."

She drew a portion of the seed's midnight essence into her shadow-pool, raising her hand to release her half of the ancestral blood-scroll.

"Hold."

A sudden wave of intense, scorching solar pressure crashed down upon the hall. The Absolute Sun raised his massive, golden-armored hand, violently halting the unbinding ceremony mid-way.

Patriarch Vane and Sereth froze as the solar runes on their meridians flared hot.

"The Moon is easily satisfied with a single seed to feed her shadow-core," the Absolute Sun thundered, his golden visor blazing with dark elf cunning. "But do not mistake my domain for a bargain counter, human boy. House Vel'drin is a High House of my martial vanguard. One seed split between two thrones is an insult to the Sun. The Moon may have sold her share, but my price has not been met."

Patriarch Vane’s jaw tightened. "Absolute Sun... a World Tree seed is an incomparable artifact—"

"Silence, Vane!" the Sun roared, making the basalt floor crack. He looked down at Caius, a predatory, scheming glint in his fiery eyes. "If you want my signature upon that scroll, Caius Macrae, you will pay a separate, equal price tailored to the Sun. Or House Vel'drin stays bound to my throne forever."

Sereth’s hand twitched toward his hilts, but Caius merely let out a low, quiet exhale. His pale face remained unbothered, his violet-gold pupils fixing upon the golden ruler with cold amusement.

He had anticipated the dark elf’s boundless greed.

"I expected nothing less from you, Absolute Sun," Caius said smoothly, his dark mantle settling over his shoulders. "Cunning to the very end."

The Absolute Sun narrowed his eyes, sensing the absolute lack of panic in the young Sovereign's voice. "You knew?"

"I came here to free House Vel'drin, not to negotiate from a position of weakness," Caius replied, reaching his hand into the folds of his cloak. A deep, heavy spatial distortion began to warp the air around his grip, radiating an ancient, suffocating aura that caused both thrones to shudder.

The Absolute Moon snapped her head toward Caius, while the Absolute Sun leaned forward, his golden armor clanking as his breath hitched.

"What... what did you bring?" the Absolute Sun demanded, his fiery aura flaring in raw suspense.

Caius pulled out a glowing, crystal vial filled with concentrated liquid origin-nectar and ancient soil.

He looked up at the golden ruler and asked, "Do you have a chamber where we can plant the World Tree?"