The Flamebound King towered over them, his presence suffocating the air. His obsidian robes shimmered with flames that didn't burn. The crown of bone rested like a cruel mark upon his head—shaping the ancient darkness that seeped from his every movement.
Kael's hand tightened around the Heavenblade, but his body froze.
"It's him," Oma whispered, her voice trembling. "The one who… made you."
Lyra's gaze flickered between Kael and the Flamebound King. Her voice was sharp with confusion. "What does he mean—'wake up'?"
The King smiled, lips curling with sinister satisfaction. "You've been sleeping, haven't you, Kael? Slumbering under the false pretense of freedom."
Kael's voice was hoarse, struggling against the weight of the revelation. "What… are you talking about?"
The King stepped closer, and the ground itself seemed to buckle beneath his steps.
"I was the first to wield the Black Flame. I burned kingdoms to ash. But it was not my power alone that made me a king. It was the creation of you, Kael. You are my true heir—born from fire, born to rule."
Kael staggered back, his breath caught in his throat. "No… That's impossible…"
The King's laughter was like thunder, resonating through the chamber.
"Impossible? You carry my blood, Kael. The blood of the Flamebound. You were forged to be my successor, to claim the Black Flame and its throne… but it seems you've forgotten."
Lyra stepped forward, her voice defiant. "Kael isn't your heir. He has his own destiny."
The King's eyes turned to her, and for a brief moment, a flicker of amusement passed over his face. "Ah, the companion," he said with mocking sweetness. "How quaint. The flame is a fickle thing, dear girl. You think you can stop it?"
He raised his hand, and the ground cracked open, sending a wave of molten rock surging toward them.
"Kael!" Lyra shouted, pulling him out of the way just in time. The heat of the lava kissed their backs, but the blast was enough to send them tumbling across the chamber.
The Flamebound King raised his crown, the fire in his eyes glowing brighter. "I've waited for this day for eons. You cannot escape your fate."
---
Kael struggled to his feet, eyes fixed on the Flamebound King as the truth began to sink in. He wasn't just a warrior born to fight. He wasn't just a boy with a stolen destiny. He was a weapon, crafted for a throne of fire that he'd never asked for.
But I won't be his puppet, Kael thought fiercely, his grip tightening on the Heavenblade.
The King's voice cut through his thoughts, low and venomous. "You still don't understand, do you? You are the Flamebound. The king's blood flows through your veins. There is no escape."
"I don't care!" Kael shouted, his eyes blazing with determination. "I will never be what you want me to be."
"Then you will die as a failure," the King replied coldly, raising his hand again.
But before the fire could consume them, a flash of light shot from the shadows.
Eren stood at the edge of the chamber, his chest heaving with the weight of his inner battle. "Kael… listen to me. He's telling the truth."
Kael turned sharply, eyes wide in disbelief. "Eren—what do you mean?"
Eren stepped forward, his body wracked with the burden of the truth. "I didn't want to betray you. I never wanted this. But the mark—the Flamebound blood runs in my veins too. I've been carrying it for years, Kael."
"No…" Kael whispered, his heart dropping.
"I was supposed to be the one," Eren said, his voice raw with regret. "But I failed. You… you were born for this. The Black Flame chose you."
---
The Flamebound King's laughter echoed again, cruel and triumphant. "The boy finally gets it."
Kael stood in stunned silence, the weight of his heritage crushing him. The truth was undeniable—he was the heir. He was his heir.
But even in the face of this, Kael's resolve remained unbroken.
"I won't follow your path," Kael said through gritted teeth. "I choose my own fate."
With that, he turned toward the group, determination flaring in his eyes. He couldn't let the Flamebound King take control. He couldn't let the past define him.
---
The battle raged on, with Eren caught between the flame that called to him and the friend he'd betrayed. But no matter how hard Kael fought, no matter how many times he struck with the Heavenblade, the King kept rising, his flames never fading.
The chamber became a vortex of light and fire, spiraling into an impossible climax as Kael faced the truth—he wasn't just fighting the King. He was fighting against the flames of his own soul, which had been twisted by centuries of power.