The Unbroken Soul

The evaluation room was cold and sterile, its white walls reflecting the harsh light of the overhead lamps. A single metal table and chair sat in the center, with a holographic display unit projecting basic biometric readings—heartbeat, breathing rate, and body temperature.

Kael Ardyn sat in the chair with his usual calm composure, his steel-gray eyes scanning the room with quiet interest.

Across from him stood Seo Mirae and Han Ji-Eun, who held a tablet displaying real-time data. But despite the advanced technology at their disposal, Ji-Eun knew that the most valuable insights would come from her own observations.

"Let's start with something simple," Ji-Eun said, her tone professional. "Name?"

"Kael Ardyn," he replied without hesitation.

"Occupation?"

"King of Eredhyn," Kael said calmly. "Apostle of the Pantheon."

Ji-Eun glanced at Mirae, who raised an eyebrow.

"You're sticking to that story," Ji-Eun said, her tone light but curious.

"It is not a story," Kael replied evenly. "It is truth."

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Ji-Eun tapped her tablet, recording the response.

"So, you were a king," she continued. "For how long?"

Kael tilted his head slightly, considering the question. "Three centuries."

Ji-Eun paused, her fingers hovering over the tablet. She glanced at Mirae, who gave a slight nod.

"Three centuries," Ji-Eun repeated. "That's… a long time."

Kael remained calm. "Time moves differently when you carry the will of the gods."

The biometric display showed no fluctuations in Kael's heart rate. His pulse remained steady, even as he recounted impossible claims.

Ji-Eun frowned. "Most people would have some kind of reaction to these questions. But you don't."

Kael regarded her with quiet curiosity. "Is that unusual?"

"Very," Ji-Eun said. "Even hunters trained to suppress their emotions show some signs of stress or tension during evaluations. But you… you're completely calm."

Kael's lips curled into a faint smile. "Calm is the state in which battles are won."

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Mirae leaned forward, studying Kael intently.

"You've fought a lot of battles, haven't you?" she asked.

"Yes."

"For how long?"

Kael's gaze drifted for a moment, recalling the centuries of war he had endured.

"Decades," he said quietly. "Perhaps longer. Time becomes meaningless on the battlefield."

Ji-Eun tapped her tablet again, her expression thoughtful.

"You fought to defend your kingdom?" she asked.

"Yes," Kael replied. "And to serve the gods."

Mirae's eyes narrowed. "You keep mentioning the gods. Do you really believe they sent you here?"

Kael met her gaze without flinching. "I do."

"Why?"

"Because I am still alive."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Ji-Eun studied Kael's expression carefully, noting the calm certainty in his gaze. There was no doubt. No hesitation.

Mirae crossed her arms. "Most people would have broken after losing everything."

Kael's gaze softened slightly, a flicker of grief passing through his eyes.

"Pain is a burden I carry," he said quietly. "But I do not allow it to break me."

"Why not?" Ji-Eun asked.

Kael's expression grew thoughtful.

"Because to break is to fail," he said. "And failure is a luxury I cannot afford."

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The holographic display continued to show steady biometric readings—Kael's heart rate and breathing remained stable, even as he spoke of grief and loss.

Ji-Eun tapped her tablet again, recording her observations.

"He's emotionally resilient," she murmured to Mirae. "Extremely so. It's like he's built walls around his mind."

Mirae nodded slowly. "He's not like anyone we've seen before."

"No," Ji-Eun agreed. "He's not."

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Kael watched the two women carefully, his sharp mind picking up on their subtle reactions and body language.

'They are trying to understand me,' he thought. 'But they do not yet realize that I am doing the same to them.'

His steel-gray eyes flickered with quiet amusement.

'Let us see how far they are willing to push.'

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The room remained silent for a long moment.

Kael sat with perfect composure, his steel-gray eyes locked on the two women across the table. His posture was upright and regal, but his gaze held a quiet intensity, as if he were reading their thoughts.

Seo Mirae shifted slightly, uncomfortable under his gaze. She wasn't used to feeling watched, especially by someone who was supposed to be in their custody.

Ji-Eun, however, remained focused on her tablet, tapping occasionally to record her observations.

"You're remarkably calm," Ji-Eun said, her tone neutral. "Most people—hunters included—would show some signs of stress in this situation. But you… you're completely at ease."

Kael's lips curved into a faint smile. "Should I not be?"

Ji-Eun tilted her head. "You're in unfamiliar territory, surrounded by people you don't know, and yet you don't seem the least bit concerned."

Kael leaned back slightly in his chair, his movements measured and deliberate.

"I have stood before gods and monsters," he said calmly. "This situation does not trouble me."

Mirae folded her arms. "You've mentioned gods before. The gods of your world. What were they like?"

Kael's gaze softened slightly, his expression distant.

"The gods of the Pantheon were our guides," he said. "They bestowed their blessings upon Eredhyn and granted me their Divine Authority to protect the kingdom."

"And you served them without question?" Ji-Eun asked.

Kael nodded. "Without hesitation."

Mirae raised an eyebrow. "That's a dangerous level of faith."

"Faith is not dangerous," Kael replied. "It is necessary. It is what binds a kingdom together."

Ji-Eun frowned. "But what happens when faith fails?"

Kael's eyes darkened slightly. "Faith does not fail. People fail. Faith endures."

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Mirae leaned forward, her curiosity deepening. "You said you ruled for three centuries. That means you've seen generations of people come and go. You've watched your kingdom change over time."

"Yes," Kael said quietly.

"That must have been… lonely," Mirae added.

Kael's expression remained calm, but there was a flicker of grief in his eyes.

"A king is never alone," he said softly. "But he is always isolated."

Ji-Eun glanced up from her tablet. "Is that how you saw yourself? Isolated?"

Kael gave a faint nod. "A king bears the weight of his people's hopes and fears. Their triumphs and failures. I was their protector, their judge, their guide. But to serve them, I had to remain apart."

Mirae studied him carefully. "So, you were willing to sacrifice your personal happiness for the sake of your kingdom?"

Kael's gaze met hers, steady and unyielding.

"It is the duty of a king to sacrifice," he said. "A king who seeks his own happiness will not rule for long."

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The room fell silent again, the weight of Kael's words lingering in the air.

Ji-Eun tapped her tablet thoughtfully. "You speak of duty and sacrifice like it's second nature to you. But what about regret?"

Kael's expression darkened.

"Regret is a burden I carry," he said quietly. "But it does not rule me."

"What do you regret?" Mirae asked gently.

Kael closed his eyes briefly, memories flashing through his mind—the Grail Knights standing beside him in battle, the faces of his people, the burning towers of Eredhyn.

"I regret that I could not save them," he said softly. "I regret that I was not strong enough."

Ji-Eun watched him carefully. "And yet, you endure."

Kael opened his eyes, his gaze filled with quiet resolve.

"I endure because I must," he said. "Because faith endures."

Mirae nodded slowly, understanding more than she wanted to admit.

"You're remarkably resilient," Ji-Eun said. "Your mental fortitude is… unlike anything we've seen before."

Kael tilted his head slightly. "You seem surprised."

"I am," Ji-Eun admitted. "Most people who've been through what you describe would be… broken."

Kael's lips curled into a faint smile.

"I have broken," he said quietly. "Many times. But I rebuild myself, piece by piece. That is the nature of endurance."

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Mirae leaned back, watching Kael with a thoughtful expression.

'He's not just a warrior. He's a survivor. A leader. And he's hiding more than he's telling us.'

"Tell me about the Grail Knights," Mirae said suddenly.

Kael's gaze flickered with surprise.

"The Grail Knights were my most loyal warriors," he said. "Each one chosen by the gods to embody a divine concept."

"And they fought beside you?"

"Always."

Ji-Eun tapped her tablet. "What happened to them?"

Kael's eyes darkened once more.

"They fell," he said softly. "One by one, in the war against Chaos."

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The atmosphere grew heavier.

Ji-Eun glanced at Mirae, who nodded.

"Let's take a break," Ji-Eun suggested. "We'll resume the evaluation later."

Mirae lingered for a moment, her gaze locked on Kael.

"You've lost everything," she said quietly. "Your kingdom, your people… the Grail Knights. And yet, you're still here."

Kael met her gaze, his expression calm.

"Because I must be."

As the two women left the room, Kael sat in silence, his thoughts drifting once more to the fallen kingdom of Eredhyn.

He could still hear the voices of his knights, their oaths echoing in his mind.

'I will endure. For them. For the gods.'

When the door closed behind him, Kael opened his eyes, his steel-gray gaze steady.

'I am Kael Ardyn. And I will endure.'

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Ji-Eun adjusted her tablet, tapping through the data logs with a furrowed brow. Beside her, Seo Mirae remained silent, her eyes locked on Kael.

"Let's continue," Ji-Eun said, her voice steady. "We still have questions."

Kael nodded slightly. "I expected as much."

"Your story… it's hard to believe," Ji-Eun said carefully. "A kingdom blessed by gods. A war against Chaos. You, a king who ruled for three centuries. It sounds like something out of a myth."

Kael met her gaze with calm intensity. "Every myth has its origin in truth."

"And you're claiming to be that truth?"

"I am Kael Ardyn," he said. "King of Eredhyn. Apostle of the Pantheon. That is truth."

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Ji-Eun tapped her pen against the tablet, deep in thought.

"You mentioned the Grail Knights," she said. "Tell us about them."

Kael's gaze softened, his expression distant.

"The Grail Knights…" he murmured. "They were the guardians of Eredhyn. Chosen by the gods to embody their divine aspects."

Mirae's brow furrowed. "Divine aspects?"

"Each god of the Pantheon governs a concept," Kael explained. "Strength, wisdom, compassion, justice… The Grail Knights were chosen to represent those concepts in mortal form."

Ji-Eun leaned forward, intrigued. "How many Grail Knights were there?"

Kael's lips curved into a faint smile. "There were always twelve."

For a moment, Kael's mind drifted to the past.

He could see them—twelve warriors standing before him, their armor gleaming in the sunlight, their eyes burning with unshakable resolve.

"The Twelve," Kael said softly. "They stood at my side through every battle. They were more than my knights. They were my family."

Mirae's gaze softened slightly. "What were they like?"

Kael's expression darkened, grief flickering in his eyes.

"They were… unique," he said quietly. "Each one carried the burden of their divine calling. But they were also human. They had their flaws, their doubts, their struggles."

He paused, his voice lowering.

"And they all fell."

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Ji-Eun glanced at Mirae, her expression thoughtful.

"Can you tell us about them?" Ji-Eun asked gently. "The ones you remember most."

Kael was silent for a long moment.

Then, he nodded.

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The air was thick with the scent of wildflowers and steel.

Kael stood in the courtyard of the royal palace, watching as two knights sparred. Their swords clashed with precision and force, each strike echoing through the stone walls.

One knight, a tall woman with golden hair and piercing green eyes, moved with graceful precision, her blade a blur of silver.

"Come now, Rhianne," the other knight—a broad-shouldered man with a scarred face—grinned. "You're holding back."

Rhianne smirked. "I wouldn't want to embarrass you, Dain."

Dain laughed, adjusting his grip on his sword. "You'd have to try harder than that."

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Kael watched them with quiet amusement.

"They were always like that," Kael said softly, his mind returning to the present. "Rhianne, the Grail Knight of Justice. And Dain, the Grail Knight of Strength. They were as different as night and day, yet they were inseparable."

Mirae tilted her head. "Justice and Strength. Interesting combination."

"They balanced each other," Kael said. "Rhianne was precise and calculating. Dain was… reckless but powerful. Together, they were unstoppable."

Ji-Eun tapped her tablet. "What happened to them?"

Kael's gaze darkened once more.

"They fell," he said quietly. "In the final battle against Chaos."

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There was a long silence.

Mirae leaned forward. "And you? You survived."

"Because the gods willed it," Kael replied.

"But why you?" Ji-Eun pressed. "Why not them?"

Kael's hands tightened slightly on the edge of the table.

"I have asked myself that question many times," he said softly. "I do not know the answer."

Mirae studied him carefully.

"You carry a lot of guilt."

Kael's eyes met hers, calm but haunted.

"A king carries many burdens," he said. "Guilt is one of them."

"And yet you endure."

Kael nodded. "Because I must."

The room fell silent once more.

Ji-Eun glanced at her tablet, then back at Kael.

"You've lost everything," she said quietly. "Your kingdom. Your knights. Your people. How do you keep going?"

Kael's gaze softened.

"Because their memory lives on," he said. "In me."

Mirae folded her arms. "And what would you do if the gods appeared before you now? If they told you your purpose in this world?"

Kael's lips curled into a faint smile.

"I would listen," he said. "And then I would act."

As the conversation wound down, Kael sat back in his chair, his expression thoughtful.

Ji-Eun tapped her tablet one final time.

"There's still a lot we don't understand about you," she said.

Kael nodded. "And there is much I do not yet understand about this world."

Mirae crossed her arms. "Then maybe we can help each other."

Kael's steel-gray eyes met hers.

"Perhaps."