Part 1: The Call of the End
The day the sky bled, the entire continent trembled. A void dragon, so vast its shadow covered provinces, descended amidst lightning and a rain of blood. At its side, a phoenix of destruction burned with black and golden flames, its song a cry of extinction and rebirth.
In the Imperial Morningstar City, alarms echoed in every tower. The defensive runes vibrated as if about to burst, and the air was so saturated with Qi that breathing was like drinking lava. Children cried, elders prayed, and kneeling vassal Patriarchs trembled at the omen.
In the Great Hall, Samael, Lilith, Seraphina, and the brotherhood of heirs gathered under the crown of the void. "Today, Heaven itself judges us," Samael announced, his voice so calm it chilled the fear of those present. "We will not retreat."
The system pulsed with urgency, displaying options and risks to Samael:
[Ancestral Calamity: —The void dragon and the phoenix of destruction seek to devour the imperial bloodline and restore lost balance. —Success: the Morningstar dynasty will be acknowledged by Heaven, earning a place in legend. —Failure: the bloodline will be erased and the world will return to darkness. —Option: Offer Divine Favor to negotiate, or confront and consume the calamity to break the cycle.]
Part 2: Strategy Beneath the Storm
The Imperial Council gathered in the war chamber. The walls trembled with the echo of distant roars.
Kael and Eris devised the defense of the walls and cavalry, forming mobile units to intercept minor beasts.
Cedric and Xylia prepared the Matrix of the Eternal City: a living shield of Qi, lightning, and seals capable of withstanding saint-level attacks for a limited time.
Violeta and Elowen took charge of creating healing zones and antidotes, establishing evacuation routes and hidden supplies for civilians and troops.
Lilith supervised a special circle of resurrection and purification: anyone who fell in battle, if their will was firm, would have a chance to return as an ally of the dynasty.
Seraphina invoked the hidden power of the imperial crown to cool the heart of the city and protect the most vulnerable.
Samael walked among his own, touching shoulders, delivering words and fragments of power. The Symphony of Destinies nexus burned: the pillars felt the emotions, wounds, and techniques of their companions as if they were their own.
[System (for Samael only): —The imperial nexus allows distribution of power, healing, and defense to the most exposed members. —Divine Favor can be sacrificed to seal part of the calamity or to obtain a primordial inheritance from the ancestral beings, at the cost of an as-yet-unknown price.]
Part 3: The Calamity Descends
The sky exploded in a storm of Qi. The void dragon landed on the outskirts, howling: "Usurping blood! Bloodline that defies Heaven! Surrender, or be devoured to the last memory!"
The phoenix of destruction descended in flames, incinerating an entire forest to the north. "Only one can be reborn! Only one can rule!"
The imperial army aligned. Kael, Eris, and Violeta led the vanguard. Cedric and Xylia maintained the matrix, Elowen and Lilith protected the rear.
Samael and Lilith advanced to the battlefield, crown and flames shining. Through the Patriarch's Eye, Samael saw thousands of threads of destiny shifting: allies, rivals, innocents, traitors, all touched by Heaven's Judgment.
"Today, we will forge a new balance. Today, the dragon and the phoenix will not be rivals, but bridge and promise."
Part 4: The Battle of the Nine Suns
The clash was indescribable. The void dragon devoured techniques, formations, and weapons, erasing even the roars of Valois generals and saints who dared challenge it. Kael, sharing his blade with Samael, cut through the void, and for the first time felt space obey his will.
Eris and Xylia combined destruction and thunder to create a barrier of storms. For a moment, she saw the future: the imperial city either falling or rising again, depending on her heart's will.
Lilith and Elowen defended the fallen with impossible healing and resurrection fire. Every ally who died returned wrapped in ashes and light, stronger and more determined.
The dragon beast, finding itself contained, tried to devour the imperial nexus. "Give me your blood, Morningstar!" Samael, using the Usurper's Hand, deflected the attack and, for an instant, stole part of the dragon's primordial law.
The ancestral phoenix, incandescent, faced Lilith in a duel of song and fire. "Be reborn or burn!" Lilith, in her full form as Phoenix of Ash and Judgment, absorbed the flames, purified spiritual poison, and restored a hundred allies to life.
[System: —Imperial bloodline: temporary access to the Law of Balance. —Divine Favor can be used to seal, assimilate, or negotiate with the calamity. —Warning: each decision will leave a mark on history and on the soul of the empire.]
Part 5: Judgment and Choice
The battle reached its climax. The dragon and the phoenix, wounded but undefeated, offered a pact: —Return half of your power to us and we will withdraw. —Join us into your bloodline and your dynasty will never be forgotten, but you will lose free will.
The saints and patriarchs, from afar, begged Samael to accept in order to save the continent.
The imperial nexus vibrated. The heirs shared a vision:
Kael saw a thousand generations march under the Morningstar banner.
Eris and Violeta felt the pain and hope of all the fallen.
Cedric, Xylia, and Elowen saw the roots of the world and the fear of the old gods.
Lilith approached Samael, taking his hand:
—Will we be legend or freedom?
Samael looked at his allies and his people, and chose the third path.
"I will kneel to neither Heaven nor sell the clan's soul. Today, I will devour the calamity and forge a primordial era."
He activated Divine Favor. The system roared:
[You have chosen the Primordial Path: —Devour the calamity. —Assimilate fragments of primordial law of void, blood, ash, and creation. —The Morningstar empire will be unique, but will always be watched by higher entities. —New mission: Maintain balance and protect the bloodline's freedom. —Risk: the price will be constant challenge, but the glory will be unlimited.]
Part 6: The New Balance
Samael, Lilith, and the heirs, aligned in the field, united their wills and techniques in an impossible symphony. The dragon was devoured by Samael's void, the phoenix joined with Lilith, and their laws fused into a single crown of blood, ash, and light.
The storm ceased. The sky, for an instant, turned clear and blue. The entire continent knew something had changed forever.
In the Imperial City, children were born with dragon and phoenix marks. The rivers were purified. The world's Qi grew denser. Mortal dreams filled with hope… and with promises of conflict.
Exhausted, Samael felt the gaze of gods and monsters. But in his chest there was no fear, only determination.
"The Primordial Era is born. Let Heaven challenge us, but let it never subdue us."
Epilogue: The First Free Dawn
At dawn, the allied and vassal clans swore loyalty to the Morningstar Empire. Kael, Eris, Cedric, Xylia, Violeta, Elowen, and Lilith swore to protect the bloodline and freedom. Seraphina, at his side, whispered to Samael:
"Today, we have not just survived. We have taught the world that destiny can be stolen, rewritten, and shared."
In the shadows, new enemies and allies prepared. The gods and saints debated the future.
But beneath the first sun of the Primordial Era, the dragon and phoenix roared together, and the world, for once, bowed to the will of mortals.
END OF CHAPTER 37