Arkanos's amusement faded as he moved to Theron's bio.
'A guardian of the cosmos, cursed with eternal youth, rebelling against gods and serving this… Sovereign?'
His brow furrowed.
'The Abyss Sovereign's Right Hand. That title again. He called me Sovereign, and now this bio ends with him searching for this figure, thinking he's found him in me.'
Arkanos's hand tightened slightly on the altar's edge, his mind racing.
'The Abyssal Sovereign Armor, the title I earned—could they be triggering this? Or is it something deeper? The system's dropping hints, but they're vague as hell.'
Arkanos's thoughts softened as he read Aelion's bio, his smirk returning, though tinged with a wry edge.
'A high priest of a forgotten god, clinging to faith through war and betrayal, only to find no answers?'
He looked at Aelion, the regal man with golden hair and amber eyes, his white robes flowing, his silver harp humming softly.
'Standing at a cliff, ready to die, and I swoop in to save him? The system's got a knack for drama… whoever programmed this into the game did a bad job.'
He pinched the ridge of his nose and sighed.
"Enough."
Arkanos said, silencing the room. "Nyxara, Theron, Aelion—you are the spears of the Bloodbane Empire. I'm about to conquer the lands of the Akerian Empire, prove your worth to me, as I will to you. We march in three days to shatter their lands and claim their skies. Meet the marshal to make some use of yourselves before then."
Nyxara bounced on her heels, clapping eagerly. "Yay! I can't wait to start slicing! It's gonna be so much fun!" Theron, still kneeling, muttered something under his breath but nodded, his star-flecked eyes wary but compliant. Aelion bowed his head, his voice serene.
"As you will, Your Radiance. The Light shall illuminate your path."
Arkanos then turned to Head Priestess Isode, who stood nearby, her white silk robes shimmering, her violet eyes wide with a look of awe and anticipation.
Her hands clutched her silver amulet, her cheeks faintly flushed from the intensity of the moment.
Arkanos's emerald eyes softened as he met her gaze, a playful smirk appearing on his lips. "Now that this is out of the way, Isode…"
"What do you say we—"
"My Sovereign!" a small, urgent voice interrupted, echoing through the hall like a blade.
Theron, the boyish Voidcaster Mage, darted forward, his delicate frame almost tripping over his deep purple robes, his short, violet-streaked black hair bouncing as he ran.
His star-flecked eyes, usually calm or annoyed, were wide with desperation, his pale face flushed with emotion. "Please, don't leave me again!"
Arkanos paused, his smirk fading as he turned to the boy, one eyebrow raised.
The priests and priestesses stirred, whispering, while Nyxara giggled softly, twirling her dagger, and Aelion's amber eyes narrowed slightly, watchful.
"What is it, Theron?"
Theron skidded to a stop, his small hands clutching his staff, the black orb at its tip pulsing faintly. He glanced nervously from side to side, his star-flecked eyes darting as if expecting judgment from the shadows.
"I… I just want to follow you around, like I used to," he stammered, his voice trembling with a mix of longing and fear. "Please, Sovereign, let me stay close."
Arkanos's eyes narrowed slightly, his mind racing as he studied the boy.
'He keeps calling me Sovereign,'
he thought, his hand brushing the hilt of his holy sword, hidden beneath his robes.
'If he's mistaking me for someone else, that could be problematic. Useful in the short term, perhaps, to secure his loyalty—but dangerous later if he expects me to be something I'm not.'
He stepped closer to Theron, the air around him seeming to thicken with authority.
"Theron…"
"I am not this 'Sovereign' you speak of. I am Arkanos, Emperor of the Bloodbane Empire. You stand in my service now, not some ancient lord's."
Theron's eyes widened, his small frame freezing as if struck. His star-flecked gaze searched Arkanos's face, confusion and disbelief flickering across his boyish features.
'He's lying,' Theron thought, his mind reeling. 'I'd know that aura anywhere, even if I was sleeping. It's him—the Sovereign… Ark'Theos, the one who vanished eons ago. But why pretend?'
His thoughts spiraled, grasping for answers.
'Wait… what is this strange presence coming from his body…' he narrowed his eyes, 'it's… a divine mark… a divine mark on him!? Why would the gods place such a thing on the Sovereign? Could he be siding with them after what they did? Impossible. He hates the gods.'
Theron's eyes narrowed slightly, a spark of realization igniting.
'Unless… it's an act. He's posing as a human, using them to achieve his goals. That must be it.'
A slow, knowing, mischievous smile crept across Theron's face. His annoyance was gone, and in its place was a glint of cunning.
'I see he's scheming again, as expected of him.'
He straightened. "I understand, my lord," he said, bowing his head.
He stepped back, his staff tapping lightly on the floor, but his smile lingered, as if he'd uncovered a secret he intended to keep.
Arkanos gazed at him with a touch of unease. 'Why do I feel like he didn't believe me?'
He sighed. 'Whatever, let it be, I'll deal with it later.'
Arkanos suddenly noticed Nyxara creeping towards a smiling Theron, raising her dagger with a look of excitement in her eyes.
He then spoke, "I don't remember giving you orders to kill anyone, Nyxara."
Nyxara pouted, twirling her dagger faster.
"Aww, no fun! I thought you were gonna let me carve him, my lord!" she chirped, her crimson eyes sparkling with playful disappointment.
Aelion suddenly spoke up. "Enough, Nyxara. His Radiance has spoken." He turned to Arkanos, bowing his head once more, his golden hair shimmering. "Your will is our purpose, Your Radiance. I shall ensure the others prepare as you command."
Arkanos nodded, his smirk returning as he glanced at Isode, who stood waiting, her flush deepening under his gaze. "Good. See to it, Aelion. Theron, Nyxara—go to Marshal Seraphine and prove your worth before we march." His eyes lingered on Isode, his voice dropping to a teasing murmur. "Now, Isode, where were we?"
Isode stepped forward, her delicate hand suddenly grabbing his, her fingers warm and firm despite her trembling.
"Come to my chambers," she blurted, her violet eyes locking onto his with a boldness that surprised even her.
Her flush deepened, spreading to her neck, but she held his gaze, her breath quickening.
Arkanos blinked, caught off guard, his smirk faltering into a moment of genuine surprise.
Then, a slow, amused smile spread across his face, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"My, my, Isode… I thought this was a place of worship."
Isode gritted her teeth. She stepped closer, her hand tightening on his, her silk robes rustling as she tugged him gently toward the chamber's exit.
"And our union is a holy one. You aren't using that to get away again," she said, her voice gaining strength, though it trembled.
"Come." She began pulling him away.
...
...
Arkanos followed Isode through the temple's winding corridors, till they reached her chambers, a heavy wooden door, which she pushed open with a trembling hand.
The room was warm, lit by a single chandelier of enchanted crystals casting soft, prismatic light across a modest bed draped in white linens.
Isode pulled him inside, her violet eyes blazing with intent.
Before the door fully closed, she turned, rising on her toes to press her lips to his.
The kiss was fierce, hungry, her hands clutching the front of his robes as if afraid he'd vanish.
Arkanos matched her intensity, his hands finding her waist, guiding her as they stumbled through the room, lips locked, breaths mingling.
They sidestepped a small table, nearly knocking over a vase, their movements clumsy with urgency until the backs of Isode's legs brushed the edge of her bed.
Arkanos broke the kiss, his emerald eyes glinting as he steadied her.
His gaze drifted downward, catching the faint dampness already darkening her undergarments beneath her parted robes.
A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. "What an unholy sight… and all for me?"
Isode's flush deepened, but her eyes didn't waver. "More than you know."
She bit her lower lip, eager... and anticipating.