Miayun

In a world where everything is meant by power, Kael Draven, once a talented nobleman, is betrayed by his family and thrown into a magical prison. But instead of dying, he is reborn with a forbidden force - the Shadow Bond, an ability that makes him the ruler of the darkness.

Now Kael is looking for revenge. But his enemies are not only the traitors of his past, but also the most powerful clans in the empire and a secret organization that fears him. On his way, he gathers unstoppable allies - including a mysterious assassin with her own bloody past and a fallen war hero who knows the true face of the Empire.

While Kael is torn between power, loyalty and his own dark desire, he must face an even greater threat: an ancient prophecy that the Shadow-Bounded Ruler will either save the world or plunge into eternal chaos.

Will he become the dreaded tyrant or the unexpected savior? The line between hero and villain blurs - and Kael is ready to break every rule to write his own destiny.

 I upload 5 new chapters every Saturday ;)
and…tx to Lilas

Shadowbound: Rise of the Cursed Lord

The sky above them was black as the giant, shadowy watchman rose. His eyes glowed a deep red, and the darkness pulsed around him like a living force. He was not just an adversary – he was an test, an embodiment of the shadows that watched over this mountain.

Elara felt her hands tremble, but she clenched her fists and forced herself to rest. This was their test. If she wanted to reach the citadel, she had to defeat the guardian.

"Stay focused," Kael said next to her. "We have to figure out how to defeat him."

"Light," Elara murmured. "It is made of darkness. Maybe my light can stop him."

The watchman roared, and the ground under them shavered. With a single step, his fist crashed on the rocks, bursting stones and swirling sand. Kael jumped to the side while Elara ducked and gathered her energy.

Elara raised her hands and let a wave of golden light shoot out of her palms. The beam hit the guardian's chest in the middle, and for a moment he seemed to retreat - but then he moved forward again, as if the light had only irritated him.

"Damn," Kael growled. "That's not enough!"

The guard struck again, and Elara jumped to the side, just in time, before his fist hit the ground and stirred up a huge cloud of dust.

"We have to weaken him," Elara gasped. "I need an opening to unleash my full strength."

Kael drew his sword, which glowed in the darkness. "Then we're providing an opening."

He sprinted up to the guard, his sword sparkling in the air. With incredible speed, he swirled around and cut through the shadows that formed the guard's body.

The giant roared when Kael met him, and for a brief moment his chest was revealed - exactly the chance Elara needed.

Elara concentrated. She felt the energy grow in her, pulse, build up in her chest. Then she raised both hands, and a huge beam of light shot out, directly into the guard's gaping wound.

A deafening cry echoed through the mountains as the light pierced the body of the guardian. His figure began to fall apart, the shadows dissolved, as if they were being consumed by the light.

With a last, desperate boom, the guard raised his arms - but then he broke into a thousand small shadow fragments, which were carried away by the wind.

Kael breathed heavily and put his sword back. "We did it."

Elara let herself fall to her knees, her heart pounding in her chest. The fight had cost her strength, more than she wanted to admit.

"Was that all?" she asked quietly.

Kael looked up. Above them rose the citadel into the sky, its towers surrounded by fog. "No," he finally said. "That was just the beginning."

Chapter 8: The Guardian of the Citadel