The battlefield had fallen silent.
Kael stood alone among the corpses, his boots crunching over broken helms and scorched steel. The ash had turned red in places. Too much blood for a victory this hollow.
Three militia remained. Two dead. Dozens of enemy bodies now fed the land.
Veera crouched beside one of the fallen militia, head bowed, her fingers brushing the soldier's scorched armor.
"They died clean," she said.
Kael didn't answer. He knelt and laid his hand on the chest of the dead unit. No name. No face. Just a weapon forged from fragments and will.
But loyalty had weight.
And now it would have a price.
[System Notification]
[BINDING STONE ACQUIRED — RARE ARTIFACT]
{A fragment of Sovereign essence. Allows the permanent resurrection and binding of one fallen unit, infused with new traits.}
[SELECT FALLEN ENTITY TO REVIVE]
Kael chose the militia who'd taken the final blow for Veera. He remembered its last stand — shield raised, no hesitation.
The stone pulsed in his hand… then shattered into violet flame.
Ash spiraled upward, twisting into a human form, glowing faintly red from within. Its weapon was reforged into obsidian-black steel.
[UNIT REVIVED: ASHBOUND VETERAN]
[TRAITS GAINED]:
{Soul-Linked}: Immune to morale loss.
{Ash Memory}: Can identify enemies from past battles.
{Veera's Favor}: +10% defense when defending her position.
Veera blinked. "He remembers me."
Kael nodded. "He should."
[System: Territory Expansion Unlocked]
[New Slots Available: 1]
[Suggested Build: RESEARCH HALL — Unlocks unit upgrades and system integrations]
Kael opened the blueprint menu.
The Research Hall looked simple — low dome, three glowing pillars, one central obelisk.
[Cost]:Stone x50 | Iron x25 | Worker Soul x2
He didn't hesitate.
The land rumbled. Worker Souls emerged from beneath the ruins, humming ancient coding protocols.
[under construction].
~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile...
Elsewhere, Far from Null Province, in the velvet chambers of a blood-lit fortress, Sovereign Virel watched the battlefield report through the system's red lens.
[Malric has fallen]
He tapped his long fingers together.
"So the fool writes real Laws…"
Behind him, another Sovereign stepped from the dark — her form shrouded in mist, only her eyes visible.
"You'll escalate?" she asked.
"I already have," Virel replied. "I've sent for the Reavers."
The woman froze.
"You're unleashing those this early?"
Virel grinned. "Let's see if Kael can still act as bravely when his land screams."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Back in Null ProvinceKael sat before the Ash Throne, sweat dried on his skin, eyes scanning the system logs.
He had three militia, one resurrected veteran, one hero, a nearly built Research Hall… and a growing reputation.
But something itched at the back of his skull.
A whisper.
Not from the system.
From the throne.
"Write the Law... that no Sovereign has dared before…"
Kael's eyes narrowed.
He wasn't done yet.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
[END OF CHAPTER 6]
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°