Chapter 50: The Sin of the Divine

[Northern Territory — Same Time — After the Victory]

The battlefield had finally fallen silent.

One by one, the Imperial Knights began withdrawing from the deep forest, following Kael toward the northern road. Their armor was scratched, their cloaks torn, and several carried wounded comrades between them.

The snow beneath their boots was stained with blood, but none of them noticed the figure standing high among the ancient trees. A tall man leaned casually against the trunk of an enormous cedar, his black robes untouched by the chaos below.

Long black hair moved gently with the northern wind; golden eyes watched the Emperor disappear beyond the trees. Upon his shoulder sat a familiar black raven.

Veyrith.

Lytharion’s expression remained perfectly calm as a faint smile touched the corner of his lips. His gaze followed Kael’s distant figure.

"So...now you understand why I did not allow you to accompany my queen?"

Veyrith tilted his head. "Caw?"

Lytharion’s smile deepened. "My queen did not need me. He needed to discover that he could stand before an ancient beast...and bring it to its knees with his own hands."

There was something almost proud in his voice, but beneath it lay something far more possessive. His fingers slowly brushed across Veyrith’s feathers.

"He is my mate, the queen of shadows, and he is the Emperor of Qashmar. He must learn to wield both crowns."

Veyrith gave a soft, "Cawww..."

Lytharion glanced at him. "You still look dissatisfied."

The raven shifted on his shoulder. Lytharion gave a quiet, amused breath. "Do not misunderstand me. I was tempted to intervene...very tempted."

The wind suddenly grew colder, and the shadows beneath the trees stirred as his golden eyes became almost completely devoid of warmth.

"When that creature raised its claw toward him...for one moment, I considered tearing the entire mountain apart."

Veyrith’s feathers ruffled. Lytharion’s gaze returned to the path Kael had taken, his voice lowered.

"But I restrained myself because he asked me to let him rule his own empire, and I intend to honor the wishes of my queen."

He stepped away from the tree; his boots sank silently into the snow. Then his gaze shifted toward the battlefield; something had caught his attention. Lytharion stopped, the smile vanished, and his eyes narrowed.

Slowly, he walked toward the place where the Grimfang King had fallen. The snow was disturbed; golden fragments lay scattered across the frozen earth.

Most had already been collected by the Imperial Knights, but beneath a thin layer of snow...something remained, a tiny glimmer.

Lytharion crouched; his fingers brushed aside the snow. There it was, a single fragment of the crystal. Unlike the black energy that usually accompanied corrupted magic, these fragments carried a faint golden radiance.

Lytharion picked it up, the moment it touched his fingers—

THUM.

The fragment pulsed and his golden eyes sharpened. For several seconds, he said nothing, then a quiet, dangerous smile appeared as he turned the fragment between his fingers.

"Divine...so that is what you are, huh?"

Veyrith leaned forward, staring at the golden shard. "Caw...?"

Lytharion’s gaze remained fixed upon it as his fingers closed around the fragment.

"You thought yourself clever. You reached into the mortal realm; you touched ancient beasts."

The golden glow flickered between his fingers as his expression became terrifyingly still.

"And then...you reached for my mate, the queen of shadows."

The forest suddenly became unnaturally quiet. Even the wind seemed to retreat. Lytharion’s smile disappeared as his golden eyes burned.

"Whoever you are...you have committed a grave error."

The shadows beneath his feet began spreading across the snow.

Slowly and silently like living darkness. Veyrith watched him carefully. Lytharion looked down at the crystal again.

"This is not the work of a mortal; this power belongs to something that has touched the divine realm. Perhaps another deity or perhaps something that believes itself worthy of becoming one."

His lips curved into a cold smile.

"Either way..."

The crystal suddenly cracked between his fingers.

CRACK.

Veyrith flinched. Lytharion looked toward the northern horizon.

"...you are no longer dealing with the Emperor of Qashmar." The shadows behind him rose. "You have caught the attention of the Lord of Darkness."

The golden fragment crumbled into dust. Lytharion opened his palm and let the remains fall into the snow as his eyes became merciless.

"And believe me...I am far less forgiving than my queen."

Veyrith gave a loud—

"CAWWWWWW!"

Lytharion glanced toward the raven, then his expression softened by the smallest degree; he turned toward the direction Kael had gone. "Let’s go."

Veyrith spread his wings. Lytharion’s body began to change; darkness surged around him. His robes dissolved into shadow, his form expanding as enormous black fur emerged across his body. His golden eyes remained visible within the darkness.

FWOOSH—!

Where the deity had stood...an enormous black wolf now towered beneath the ancient trees. The creature lowered its head toward the northern road. Veyrith flew upward, circling once above him. Lytharion looked toward the distant horizon.

The enormous black wolf stepped forward.

CRUNCH.

One paw sank into the snow.

CRUNCH.

Another, then his massive body dissolved into the darkness between the trees. Veyrith followed overhead, his black wings cutting through the pale northern sky and far behind the Emperor’s departing army... The Lord of Darkness began his own hunt.

Not for the Grimfangs, not for the mortals who had attacked Qashmar, but for the unknown divine being foolish enough to believe...it could reach for what belonged to him.

***

[Temple of the Wolf God Vaelthor — Same Time]

The Temple of Lord Vaelthor stood beneath the pale northern sky, ancient stone walls rising above the surrounding forest.

Yet tonight, there were no worshippers, no priests, and no chanting. Not even the sound of incense being prepared, only silence. The enormous bronze doors remained shut as a lone grey wolf slipped through a narrow opening.

Tap.

Its paws touched the cold marble floor.

The wolf moved down the central aisle, passing beneath towering pillars carved with the likenesses of ancient wolves. At the far end stood the enormous statue of Lord Vaelthor, the Wolf God, his stone eyes gazing eternally toward the altar.

The wolf stopped as a grey shadow gathered around its body, bones shifted, and fur receded, and within moments, a man stood where the beast had been.

Cassian Voss.

He wore a plain brown hood pulled low over his head, hiding most of his features. The heir of House Voss walked toward the altar with measured steps.

Then he lowered himself onto one knee, his head bowed.

"We have received the news..." His voice was tense as he raised his eyes toward the altar. "...High Priest Azrakan."

For several moments, nothing happened, then—

Footsteps.

Slow and measured. An elderly man emerged from the shadows behind the statue of Vaelthor. His white robes brushed against the marble floor. His aged hands were clasped behind his back.

The same man who had once stood before the throne and called upon the spirits, the same man who had raised his hands during Kael’s coronation, and the same man who had placed the imperial crown upon Kael Vaelric’s head.

High Priest Azrakan.

He stopped before Cassian. "What news?"

Cassian lowered his head further. "He said...we failed."

Silence, an absolute silence. Azrakan stared at him. Cassian continued carefully.

"The Emperor killed the Grimfang King."

For several heartbeats...nothing happened.

Then—

FWWWWOOOOOSSSHHHHHH—!!!

Golden fragments erupted from the air around Cassian as his eyes widened. Invisible hands formed from golden light and suddenly wrapped around his throat.

CHOKE!

Cassian’s feet left the ground.

"G—gh...!"

Azrakan’s expression twisted, and the golden energy tightened. "How...? How could we fail?"

Cassian clawed at his throat. "High Priest...!"

"How?"

The old man’s voice echoed throughout the empty temple as his eyes were wide with disbelief. "We controlled the beast. The crystal was perfect. We had the King of Grimfang in our grasp, and the Emperor walked directly into our trap...he should have died."

The golden hands suddenly released him.

THROW!

Cassian’s body was hurled across the temple.

BOOOOOOM!

His back slammed violently against a stone pillar.

"ARGH!"

He collapsed onto the marble floor, clutching his side. Azrakan barely seemed to notice; he paced before the statue of Vaelthor, muttering beneath his breath.

"It was perfect..."

His fingers trembled.

"It was supposed to work. The Grimfang King was controlled. The Emperor was surrounded. His knights were exhausted."

His breathing became increasingly uneven.

"Everything was arranged and yet he survived."

Cassian slowly pushed himself upright. Azrakan’s expression became almost feverish.

"We have waited centuries."

His golden eyes gleamed beneath the temple’s dim light.

"We gathered the sacred fragments. We learned the ancient rituals. We learned how to bend the Grimfangs. We sacrificed blood."

His voice trembled.

"All for one purpose, to transcend mortality."

Azrakan’s face was no longer that of a holy priest. It was the face of a man consumed by obsession.

"To become immortal."

Silence.

Cassian lowered his gaze. Azrakan’s breathing became ragged as he shook his head and his fingers trembled.

"This cannot be the end, he promised. If the Emperor survives...everything will be destroyed."

Cassian stared at him. "High Priest?"

Azrakan stepped closer; his voice became cold.

"We must end the Queen of Shadows before he bears the child of the Lord of Darkness."

The temple fell silent once more. Above them, the stone eyes of Lord Vaelthor remained unmoving as if...greediness had reached the divine.