The sound of the wooden spoon scraping against the bowl filled the small dining chamber, a monotonous rhythm that matched the swirling thoughts in my mind. The stew was simple, nothing like the lavish meals I'd once taken for granted at the Thorne family estate. Here in Morvath's Vigil, food was sustenance, not indulgence—a necessity to keep the garrison alive and ready for the monsters lurking just beyond the walls.
Yet, despite the bland taste, I ate methodically, lost in thought.
---
I was fourteen now. Two years separated me from the day I would have to step foot in Aetherion Academy, the renowned institution where the next generation of leaders, warriors, and mages were forged. It was tradition, an unyielding law of the Seven Great Houses, that all children of noble blood attended the academy at sixteen. Even exiles like me were not exempt.
I would still be sent.
The thought of it sent a shiver down my spine—not out of fear, but out of foreboding. The academy was where Kael Thorne, the villain of the novel A Hero's Ascension, truly began his descent.
The original Kael had been a thorn in the protagonist Kaiden Reagers' side from the moment they met. Their rivalry, born from the clash of ideals, had defined much of the academy arc. Kael's manipulative tendencies, his sharp tongue, and his relentless pursuit of power had set him apart as a schemer, a shadow always looming over Kaiden's bright light.
But it wasn't just Kaiden who turned against Kael.
Elira.
Her name alone stirred a storm within me—a chaotic blend of anger, sadness, and betrayal. But not hatred. Never hatred.
Elira had once been Kael's closest friend, a bond formed in their childhood before the awakening ceremony and the events that followed shattered it. In the novel, she had joined Kaiden's hero party, becoming one of his most steadfast allies. Her loyalty to Kaiden was unwavering, her hatred for Kael palpable in every interaction they had.
I couldn't blame her. Not entirely.
The original Kael had done terrible things—actions born from bitterness and desperation. He had embraced his role as a villain, pushing away those who might have saved him. But now, with my memories and will steering the course of events, I refused to follow that same path.
Elira's image lingered in my mind. Her fiery auburn hair, her fierce determination, the way her laughter used to fill the halls of the Thorne estate... They were fragments of a life that no longer belonged to me.
I sighed, setting the spoon down. "I'm not him," I muttered to myself, the words a weak attempt to banish the haunting emotions that weren't entirely my own.
---
But before the academy and its inevitable challenges came this place—Morvath's Vigil.
I glanced toward the window, the faint light of dawn spilling through the cracked glass. This fortress, with its storied past and present decay, was a cornerstone in the region's defenses. Its primary purpose now was to keep the monsters from crossing into the fertile lands beyond.
Even with its diminished glory, Morvath's Vigil was still formidable. The commander, an S-rank warrior named Arvell Dyne, was a testament to that. Few men in Aetherion reached such heights, and fewer still were willing to spend their lives guarding a desolate ruin.
Yet despite the commander's strength, the future loomed dark and uncertain.
In the novel, Morvath's Vigil was destroyed.
The details were sparse, mentioned only in passing. "The dungeon exploded," the text had said, unleashing a tide of monsters upon the surrounding region. The event was catastrophic, with even the mighty Arvell Dyne perishing in the chaos.
If an S-rank warrior fell, then the dungeon must have been S-rank or higher. Its boss, undoubtedly a creature of immense power, would have been the ultimate harbinger of destruction—a foe far beyond anything I could hope to face in my current state.
And yet, in the novel, one person survived: Kael Thorne.
The thought chilled me. How had he lived when everyone else—guards, soldiers, even the commander—had perished? Was it luck? Or was it something more sinister? The novel hadn't elaborated, leaving the specifics of Kael's survival shrouded in mystery.
But I wasn't about to let history repeat itself.
---
I turned my gaze to the room's door, where a faint knock echoed. "Come in," I called, already knowing who it would be.
The door creaked open, and Liana stepped inside, carrying a small tray of bread and tea. Her presence was a balm against the fortress's oppressive atmosphere, a reminder that not everything in my life was bleak.
"You're up early," she remarked, setting the tray down beside me. "I thought the doctor told you to rest."
I offered her a wry smile. "Resting doesn't stop the monsters, does it?"
She frowned but didn't argue. Instead, she poured me a cup of tea, the fragrant steam rising between us.
"Kael," she began hesitantly, her hands lingering on the tray. "You've been... distant lately. I know things have been hard, but..." She trailed off, her concern evident in her eyes.
I looked at her, the only person in this world who had shown me unwavering kindness. "I'm fine, Liana," I said softly. "Just... thinking about the future."
Her frown deepened. "The future?"
"Yes," I replied, my tone growing firmer. "This fortress, the academy, everything. There's so much I need to prepare for."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Just don't forget to take care of yourself. You can't face the future if you collapse from exhaustion."
I chuckled, the sound dry. "I'll keep that in mind."
---
After she left, I turned my attention back to the fortress itself.
If I wanted to prevent its destruction, I needed to understand the dungeon that lay beneath it. Its existence wasn't common knowledge, but I had pieced together enough from the guards' whispers and the signs of corruption spreading through the area.
Dungeons were anomalies, tears in the fabric of the world where mana gathered and twisted, creating creatures of unparalleled danger. Most dungeons were ranked based on their threat level, from D to SSS. And this dungeon, hidden beneath Morvath's Vigil, was undoubtedly powerful enough to warrant attention.
If I couldn't stop it from exploding, then the least I could do was ensure Liana's survival. She didn't deserve to die here, trapped in a cycle of fate I was determined to break.
But to do that, I needed strength.
The system's screen flickered before me, a silent reminder of my current limitations.
---
[Status Screen - Kael Thorne]
Title(s): Exiled Scion, Fallen Noble
Potential: B+
---
B+. It wasn't bad by normal standards, but in this world of monsters and heroes, it was woefully inadequate. Kaiden Reagers, the novel's protagonist, had an SSS potential, a talent that marked him as destined for greatness.
And yet, I refused to be defined by the system's judgment.
Power comes with a price, the system had warned me before. I would find a way to gain it, but not at the cost of my humanity. The Void Sovereign's corruption was a path I refused to walk.
No, my strength would come from something else.
I stared out the window again, the fortress's jagged silhouette framed against the rising sun. Morvath's Vigil was a place of history, of pain, of opportunity. And it was here that I would forge my path—not as the villain the world expected, but as something else entirely.
Something stronger.