Chapter Three: The Conclave of Light

Location: The Grand Temple of Aurelion Capital City: Elaran, 

Crown of the Sun

The sacred bells rang thrice—deep, low tones that had not echoed in over two hundred years.

The last time they tolled, the sky bled and an empire fell.

Now, beneath a dome of living crystal that reflected daylight in a hundred holy colors, the Conclave of Light had gathered.

But this time, it was more than a human assembly.

Seated in a great circle of divine thrones were the leaders of the known world:

High King Vaelor of the Western Kingdoms

Empress Llyssara of the Silver Sea

Archknight Helmorin, Warden of the Celestial Blades

High Priestess Elrica, voice of the God of Light

Queen Aralyndra of the Verdant Bough, Elven Matriarch and Wielder of the Ancient Word

Thane Borgran Stoneheart, King Under the Mountain, bearer of the Anvil Crown

Sage-Rex Kael'zar, the silver-scaled draconic sovereign cloaked in mortal flesh

High Fang Khorr of the Beastkin Tribes, lion-headed warrior whose voice shook mountains

Envoy Nyx'Tahl of the Umbral Accord, a demonkin diplomat cloaked in shadow and old blood magic

Even the gods rarely brought them together.

But now they sat under one roof, silent as the Light of Aurelion—the sacred flame atop the altar—flickered.

It dimmed.

Then turned grey.

Gasps rippled through the chamber.

The Light had never dimmed.

High Priestess Elrica stepped forward, face grave, voice filled with divine weight.

"You were summoned not by man, nor race, but by prophecy."

"Ten days ago, I received a vision as the Light dimmed. I was pulled into the celestial realm. There, I beheld a silhouette of endless shadow—a figure with no face, no form, only darkness so deep that even light fled."

"He stood upon a field of the dead. His hand raised, and the stars themselves fell from the sky. A voice—older than time, not Aurelion's—whispered: 

'The hunger has awakened. Creation itself shall be devoured unless the vessel is broken.'"

"And then I saw him—seated upon a throne of bones, with gods kneeling, their light extinguishing."

"He has returned. The last fragment of the chaos god—Xal'Zeroth, the Devourer—has awakened."

Whispers exploded through the chamber.

Thane Borgran slammed a fist on his stone armrest. "You mean to say a manling bears the Devourer's seed?"

Queen Aralyndra's voice was cold. "This fragment… it was supposed to be destroyed during the Sundering."

"It survived," Elrica replied. "And worse—it has chosen."

Archknight Helmorin stood, fury boiling. "Where is he?"

"We do not know," the High Priestess admitted. "The vision showed no face—only a form of pitch-black shadow. A devouring void. But we know the awakening occurred in the South.

Mercenaries found dead, a withered spiral in the earth. An ancient seal deep beneath this temple shattered—one designed to react to chaos fragments. All signs point to one conclusion: the vessel walks among us."

Kael'zar, the dragon-king, finally spoke—his voice a low thunder wrapped in old magic.

"The sky trembled. Even the stars blinked. This one is a threat not to kingdoms, but to the balance itself."

Envoy Nyx'Tahl, shadow curling around her like a second skin, smiled faintly.

"Or an opportunity."

Paladins instantly drew their blades, but Elrica raised her hand.

"The Light has spoken. It fears what he may become."

"His potential is unknown. What begins as the devouring of flesh could escalate to the consumption of minds, or even souls. The Light fears he could, in time, rival the gods themselves."

"We do not face a mortal. We face the end of creation if he ascends."

The Empress stood. "Then why debate? Send your armies."

Elrica shook her head.

"He must be erased. Not slain—consumed by light before he consumes us."

"The Eclipse Order is being mobilized. The Seven Star Hunters have been summoned. The Aether Seal must be reforged."

"And all of your nations," she looked at each leader in turn, "must hunt him as one."

The world had not united since the Demon War.

But now, the boy with no name—Malric Ashen—would bring kings,

gods, and monsters to a single table.

And every one of them would want his head.