The Last Step Before the Fall

Kael's Descent – The Edge of No Return

The world around Kael was frozen.

Not in time.

Not in space.

But in certainty.

The snowstorm had faded into an unnatural stillness. The sky above was a vast, endless gray—devoid of light, devoid of warmth. The cold didn't bite anymore. It welcomed him.

Kael stood at the boundary between the world he had left behind and the abyss waiting before him.

Behind him—nothing. No home. No kingdom. No purpose.

Before him—everything.

The Rift pulsed at his feet, not demanding, not forcing—just waiting.

And Kael—Kael didn't know if he still had the strength to walk away.

> "You have already made your choice."

The Rift's voice was a breath against his skin, smooth, patient, as if it had all the time in existence.

Kael clenched his fists. His golden eyes flickered.

> "I haven't chosen anything."

The Rift did not argue.

It didn't need to.