Elmi_barsorcere

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In a world where the remnants of an ancient, catastrophic war lie buried beneath the ash of a broken society, Kael Riven is an outcast, thrust into a brutal system that governs those with power. Born with a dark past and an even darker destiny, Kael discovers he is the heir to the Rampage Monarch, a being of destruction whose legacy is tied to the ruin of countless realms.

As Kael navigates the crumbling cities and forgotten ruins, he must come to terms with the chaos that comes with his newfound abilities, which grant him unimaginable power at the cost of his humanity. Along the way, he faces enemies who would use his power for their own gain, while a mysterious organization—The Ashen Order—seeks to control or destroy him. Torn between redemption and destruction, Kael’s path to ascension is fraught with betrayal, death, and the constant reminder of the terrible legacy he must inherit.

With each step toward his destiny, Kael grapples with his humanity, fighting to break free from the blood-soaked chains of his past, even as the ashes of those who came before him threaten to consume everything he has left. The only question that remains: can Kael rise above the ashes of his legacy, or will he become the very monster he's meant to defeat?


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Ashes of Ascension

Kaien sat on the edge of a rooftop in the Ashen District—where the light never quite reached, and people forgot to hope. His hoodie was torn. Blood stained his knuckles. Below, sirens screamed across the city. The system kept pinging him.

The name felt like acid in his mouth. The betrayal replayed in loops, burning into his skull.

A friend turned spy. A brother turned blade.

But the worst part? Zayne hesitated. There was still something human in his eyes. And that meant Kaien could still rip it out.

His comm-link buzzed. A voice whispered through.

"Kaien Vale... meet me at the Iron Chapel. Come alone. Or don't come at all."

He didn't ask who. He already knew.

It used to be a church. Now it was a skeleton of rusted metal, flickering neon crucifixes, and graffiti tagged with anti-corporate prayers. Kaien entered through the broken glass, steps slow, blade ready.

Someone lit a cigarette in the shadows.

"Figured you'd come," the woman said.

She stepped forward—leather coat, mechanical arm, a scar across one eye. Her presence screamed one thing:

"Name's Solis," she said. "I used to hunt people like you."

Kaien didn't flinch. "Then talk. Or I start slicing."

Solis smirked. "You're the first natural Leveler they've seen in years. Echelon doesn't want you gone, Kaien. They want you hollowed out. Obedient. Controlled."

"Zayne wasn't enough?" Kaien muttered.

"He was your test. Fail it—and they label you unstable. Pass it? They throw something worse."

Kaien's eyes narrowed. "And you? Why help me?"

Solis flicked ash off her cigarette. "Because I saw what happens when you break. I don't want to see another kid turned into a ghost with a smile."

"Coordinates. It'll lead you to their Indoctrination Room. The place where they rewrite minds like rewiring machines."

Kaien stared at it. "You expect me to walk in there?"

"No. I expect you to burn it down."

Suddenly, the chapel doors exploded open.

At least a dozen, hovering like vultures, red eyes blinking.

> [System Alert: High-Priority Lock-On Detected]

"Looks like they sent their welcome party."

Solis drew twin blades. "Hope you're faster than you look."

They moved like shadows, blades tearing metal apart, powers clashing with explosions that rocked the chapel to its foundations. Kaien activated [Void Chain], dragging one drone mid-air into another. Sparks showered the floor. He kicked off a pillar, flipped over the last drone, and drove his blade through its core.

Solis whistled. "You sure you're human?"

Kaien wiped his blade on his sleeve. "Nah."

He looked toward the broken altar. "I think I'm something they should've never made."

> [SYSTEM UPDATE: Passive Skill Unlocked – "Unbound"]

You no longer suffer from Fear-type debuffs.

Solis stared at him like she just saw a god grow teeth.

Kaien stepped into the rain, the chip clutched in his hand.

"From now on," he said, voice low and electric, "I don't follow paths. I make craters."

CHAPTER 13: NO GODS, NO MASTERS