The chamber of Havenreach was silent as Kael entered.
The scars of battle still marked the walls—cracks in the marble, scorch marks in the steel. The war had reached the heart of the fortress, but for this gathering, the chamber was scrubbed and polished, banners hung in defiance of despair.
Kael stood at the center, flanked by Rhea and Joran. Behind them, a holo-projector pulsed faintly, its feed ready.
The councilors sat in semicircle—human, alien, and hybrid alike. Their faces were tight with suspicion. Admiral Venra sat at their head, eyes sharp as knives.
"Commander Ardyn," Venra said coldly. "You requested this audience. Speak."
Kael's voice carried steady, though his chest burned with exhaustion. "We found one of Taren's facilities. We destroyed it. And this—" he gestured, and the holo flared to life—"is what we uncovered."
Images flickered: tanks filled with fluid, pale figures suspended inside, their faces unmistakable. Dozens of Kael Ardyns, their eyes glowing faintly with spectral light.
Some councilors recoiled in horror. Others leaned forward, fascinated.
Kael's throat tightened, but he pressed on. "Taren is creating an army of clones—reflections of me. He calls them the future. Obedient, ruthless, disposable. He intends to unleash them across the Frontier."
Venra's expression remained unreadable. "And you destroyed them?"
"Yes. But this was only one facility. We can assume there are more. Perhaps dozens. He isn't building soldiers. He's building replacements."
A murmur rippled through the council.
Councilor Draen, a scaled alien with eyes like molten gold, hissed. "If this is true, then Havenreach is already lost. An army of these… things could overwhelm us."
"No," Councilor Elira countered, her pale hands trembling. "If this is true, then we have a weapon. Imagine soldiers bred from Kael's skill. Tireless. Fearless. Loyal. Why should we not claim them before Taren does?"
Kael's gut twisted. "They aren't weapons. They're slaves. Abominations. And they will not be loyal to you—they will be loyal to him."
Elira's lips curled. "You cannot know that."
"I know because I fought them!" Kael snapped, his voice echoing through the chamber. "I watched them move with his voice in their heads. They are puppets, not men. And if you believe otherwise, you're a fool."
The chamber erupted in shouts—fear, greed, accusation.
Venra raised a hand, and silence fell like a blade.
Venra's Gambit
"Enough," Venra said. Her eyes locked on Kael. "Your words trouble me, Commander. But they trouble me less than your presence."
Kael stiffened. "What?"
"You speak of abominations, yet the evidence shows they are all of you. Who can say where the line ends? Perhaps you are one of them. Perhaps the real Kael Ardyn died in exile, and you are merely Taren's pawn sent to divide us."
The chamber rippled with unease.
Kael's blood ran cold. He had expected resistance. But not this.
"That's a lie," he said through clenched teeth.
"Is it?" Venra's tone was silk. "We know Taren has the means. We know he has the motive. And here you are, leading us deeper into chaos with every step. Why should we trust you? Why should we not remove you before the infection spreads?"
Joran surged forward, fists clenched. "Say that again, and I'll—"
Kael threw out a hand, stopping him. His eyes never left Venra.
"You want to get rid of me?" Kael said, voice low, dangerous. "Then say it plain. You don't care about truth. You care about control."
Venra smiled thinly. "Control is the only thing that stands between Havenreach and ruin."
The debate spiraled, councilors splitting into factions. Some demanded Kael's arrest until his "authenticity" could be verified. Others argued that his victories proved his humanity. Still others whispered of using Taren's methods for themselves.
Kael's jaw clenched. This wasn't unity. It was the beginning of collapse.
He turned to Rhea. "How long do we have before this chamber tears itself apart?"
Rhea's eyes were hard. "Not long."
Then Venra rose. Her voice cut through the clamor like steel.
"I call for a vote," she declared. "Effective immediately, Commander Kael Ardyn is to be relieved of duty, placed under guard, and held until a full inquiry proves his identity beyond doubt."
Chaos erupted. Some shouted approval. Others roared defiance.
Kael felt the ground shift beneath him.
The Line Drawn
Darius stood then, his old frame rigid with authority. His voice boomed, louder than Kael had ever heard.
"Enough!"
T
Darius's gaze swept the council, fire burning in his eyes. "I have seen my son bleed for this cause. I have seen him risk everything while others here cling to their chairs and titles. Whatever Taren has made, it is not Kael. This is Kael. And if you seek to chain him, then you may chain me beside him."
The silence that followed was thunderous.
Kael's chest tightened. For the first time in years, his father's words struck like a shield instead of a blade.
Venra's face hardened. "So be it. If Kael will not step aside willingly, then Havenreach must decide in blood."
She gestured, and armed guards entered the chamber.
Kael's hand went to his blade. Joran growled low in his throat. Rhea's eyes flicked to Kael, awaiting his word.
The council chamber had become a battlefield.
Kael raised his chin, voice steady. "You want to test me? Fine. But know this—whether you call me Kael Ardyn or a shadow, I will fight for Havenreach. And I will never bow to Taren. Can you say the same, Venra?"
Her silence was answer enough.
The guards advanced.
And in that moment, Kael realized Havenreach's war was no longer against the Ghost Admiral alone. It was against itself.