Soulbound Rebirth: The Devouring War God

The sky above Ardent Academy was crimson at dawn. Faint motes of soulfire drifted in the air visible only to those who had touched the Nodes.

Kael stood at the apex of the Devourer Wing's spire, the wind whipping his cloak behind him. Elira sat nearby, silent. Below them, the academy continued as if the Hollow Crypt hadn't just trembled the night before.

Kael's eyes were fixed on the system panel hovering before him.

"Soul Path Divergence Detected

—Your soul has reached the Crucible Threshold

> Path 1: Devourer Ascension

—Fully embrace the forge. Sacrifice more of your humanity. Gain control over soulfire domain and unlock the Final Node.

> Path 2: Sealbearer Rebellion

—Oppose the ancient cycle. Resist the final gate. Inherit forbidden sealing arts and become guardian of the threshold.

> Time Remaining: 72 hours to choose."

Kael clenched his jaw.

"You ever feel like we were meant to lose no matter what we choose?" he asked.

Elira looked over. "Every time I see another student with dead eyes. Every time we dig deeper into things they swore never existed."

He turned toward her. "You saw the Warden. You felt it. The Forge is calling to something. Or *someone*. If I ascend… I might lose who I am."

"And if you rebel," she said gently, "you'll make an enemy of every Devourer in the empire."

Kael didn't answer.

Instead, he closed the system window and walked down the spire.

---

Later that day, Kael met Master Veyren inside the *Obsidian Archive*, where only soul-bound instructors and high initiates could tread. Soul crystals pulsed softly in the floor.

"I need to know the truth," Kael said.

Veyren didn't look up from his tome. "You already know too much."

"I want more."

Veyren studied him, then slowly closed the tome.

"Then understand this. The Forge was created during the Era of Collapse to seal a being that existed before the soul paths—before humanity learned to wield its own essence. That being is what the Devourers unknowingly feed with every Node they claim."

Kael's chest tightened. "So why allow it?"

Veyren's voice was low. "Because that being is the only thing powerful enough to reshape the world if unleashed… or destroy it."

He stepped closer.

"The choice isn't light versus dark. It's power versus control. If you ascend, you *become* part of it. If you rebel, you fight against an empire built on soul-debt."

Kael met his gaze. "And what would you choose?"

Veyren smiled sadly. "I already did. That's why I'm bound to this academy. I can't leave. Not anymore."

---

That night, Kael stood before the Devourer Flame again, the three claimed Soul Nodes hovering around him in a perfect triangle.

The system pulsed once more:

"Final Path Confirmation Required.

Devourer Ascension: +Power, +Forge Mastery, -Humanity

Sealbearer Rebellion: +Soul Resistance, +Forbidden Seals, -Empire Trust

Confirm Choice?"

Kael clenched his fist.

"I choose…"

To be continued in Chapter 19…