Chapter 102 - The Fallen Star Warden
Lightning tore through the violet sky.
The floating continent groaned as another golden pillar cracked.
Far below...
Entire mountains broke away and disappeared into the endless clouds.
The Temple of the Endless Sky was dying.
---
The Codex of the Beast Sovereign appeared before Kai.
Emergency Mission
Temple Integrity:
37%
Primary Objective:
Protect the Sky Key
Secondary Objective:
Rescue Lucien
---
Kai stared at Lucien.
The young Star Warden stood motionless in the air.
Black crystal chains covered his body.
His once-golden eyes had become empty voids.
Yet...
Deep within them...
A tiny spark of gold still remained.
"He isn't gone," Kai whispered.
---
Lady Vesper stepped beside him.
"You were right."
"My commander was never our enemy."
"He disappeared six days ago."
"When we found him..."
"...those chains were already inside him."
She lowered her head.
"I failed him."
Kai shook his head.
"No."
"The Chain Sovereign planned this long before we arrived."
---
Lucien slowly raised one hand.
The heavens darkened.
Thousands of black spears formed from condensed storm clouds.
Every spear pointed toward the Sky Temple.
The unfamiliar voice echoed again.
"Break the pillars."
"Open the gate."
---
Without hesitation—
Lucien unleashed the attack.
A rain of black lightning descended.
Boom!
Boom!!
Boom!!!
The floating continent shook violently.
Pyron leapt forward, his white-gold flames forming a protective barrier around the temple.
Ignis soared into the storm, destroying hundreds of lightning spears with torrents of dragonfire.
Selene and Caelum defended the Aurora from falling debris.
The sky itself became a battlefield.
---
Kai did not move.
He simply watched Lucien.
The Codex glowed softly.
Analysis Complete
Host Body:
Lucien
Soul Integrity:
92%
Possession Level:
68%
Recovery Possible:
Yes
---
Kai smiled.
"Then I don't need to defeat him."
"I only need to wake him up."
---
He closed the Codex.
Instead of summoning flames...
He called upon something else.
The seven Star Fragments began revolving around him.
Blue.
Green.
Silver.
Gold.
Crimson.
Emerald.
Sapphire.
Together...
They formed a radiant constellation.
---
New Technique
Seven-Star Resonance
Effect:
Connects directly with the soul of an ally.
---
A beam of gentle starlight reached Lucien.
For a brief second...
His attack stopped.
His black eyes trembled.
A single tear fell.
---
Inside Lucien's mind...
Darkness stretched endlessly.
Countless black chains wrapped around his soul.
A lone golden light flickered at the centre.
Kai's voice echoed through the darkness.
"Lucien."
No answer.
"Your friends are waiting."
The chains tightened.
The unfamiliar voice roared.
"Leave."
Kai ignored it.
"I know you can hear me."
"You once told me..."
"'A Star Warden never abandons the sky.'"
The golden light grew brighter.
---
Outside...
Lucien's fingers twitched.
Lady Vesper gasped.
"He moved..."
---
The black chains suddenly reacted.
Thousands of them erupted from Lucien's body like venomous serpents.
They attacked Kai from every direction.
The Crimson Flame Fox and Nereus moved simultaneously.
Golden flames and sapphire water intertwined.
For the first time...
Fire and water fought as one.
The chains were pushed back.
---
Within Lucien's soul...
The golden light slowly took shape.
A young man appeared.
Bruised.
Bound.
But smiling.
"Kai..."
"You really came."
Kai extended his hand.
"Told you."
"We're not leaving anyone behind."
Lucien looked at the chains binding him.
"I can't break these alone."
Kai smiled.
"You don't have to."
He grasped Lucien's hand.
Outside, every Guardian answered the call.
Skadi's icy winds.
Ursa's unwavering resolve.
Solara's eternal flame.
Pyron's First Ember.
Nereus' endless tides.
Ignis' dragonfire.
The seven Star Fragments shone in perfect harmony.
The chains around Lucien cracked.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
CRACK!
A blinding explosion of starlight engulfed the sky.
High above the collapsing temple, Lucien's black eyes flashed back to brilliant gold.
The first vessel of the Chain Sovereign had begun to break free.