The first of the new factions to challenge Kael's authority came from an unexpected source: the remnants of the celestial order. The gods, though broken, still had their followers—beings who believed the divine order should be restored. They saw Kael as an abomination, a destroyer of the old ways, and they rallied their forces to oppose him.
Leading them was a figure from Kael's past: Varian, a former comrade and friend—one who had once fought at Kael's side during the celestial wars.
"You've become what you despised, Kael," Varian said, his voice cold with contempt. "You were once the weapon of the gods, but now you've taken their place. You've become the tyrant you swore to destroy."
Kael felt a pang of guilt, but it quickly faded, replaced by a burning need to protect the freedom he had fought for. The battle that ensued was fierce, a clash between former allies—one now a king and the other a warrior of the celestial realm. Each strike felt like a betrayal, but Kael held firm, determined not to let the world fall back into the hands of those who had once ruled it.
As Varian fell before him, Kael's heart hardened. The realm's fate was now sealed. He was no longer a pawn, no longer the vengeful warrior of his past. He was something more: a king forged in the fires of war, a ruler who would either rebuild the world or watch it burn in the ashes of its former self.