The dungeon stank of iron and despair.
Kael Veyra slumped against the damp stone wall, his wrists raw from the manacles biting into his flesh. Blood trickled from a gash above his brow, blurring his vision, but he didn't need to see clearly to recognize the figure descending the stairs. The rhythmic tap of polished boots echoed like a funeral drum.
"Brother," Kael rasped, his voice cracked from days without water. "Come to mourn?~"
Prince Lysian Veyra paused at the foot of the cell, his silver-edged cloak pristine despite the filth around him. Moonlight from a high slit window carved his face into sharp angles—the same regal features they'd both inherited, though Lysian's were twisted now with a smile sharper than a dagger.
"Mourn? No." Lysian crouched, his ice-blue eyes glinting. "I came to thank you. Without your incompetence at the border, Father's death would've been… messy. But you handed me the throne. Even the court mages believe *you* let the Shadowspire through our defenses."
Kael's chains clanked as he lunged forward, only to collapse, his legs numb from the poison Lysian had slipped into his wine a week ago. "You framed me.YOU KILLED HIM!"
"And you'll die for it," Lysian said pleasantly. He drew a blade from his belt—a ceremonial dirk engraved with the Veyra crest, a phoenix clutching a sun. Their father's favorite.
"But first, tell me where you hid the Crimson Sigil."
Kael froze. The Sigil—a relic of their bloodline, said to hold the power of the first Ascendant King. It had vanished the night their father died.
"You're a fool," he spat. "Even if I had it, you'd never wield it. The Sigil answers only to Veyra blood untainted by treachery."
Lysian's smile didn't waver. He pressed the blade to Kael's throat."Last chance, little brother."
Kael met his gaze. "Rot in the Seven Hells."
The dirk slashed.
Pain erupted, hot and final. Kael choked on blood, his body crumpling as darkness swallowed him. The last thing he heard was Lysian's laugh.
Then—silence.
[System Reinitializing…]
[Host Body Critically Damaged. Soul Migration Protocol Engaged.]
[Searching for Compatible Vessel…]
[Vessel Located: Human Male, Age 19. Status: Deceased (Soul Fracture).]
[Synchronizing…]
[Welcome, Kael Veyra, to the Ascendant's Legacy System.]
Kael gasped, bolting upright. His hands flew to his throat—smooth, unmarked. Sunlight blinded him, and the air smelled of pine and damp earth, not blood. He was… alive?
But this wasn't the dungeon. He sat in a forest clearing, autumn leaves crunching beneath him. His body felt wrong—lankier, weaker. He stared at his hands. Pale, slender fingers, calloused but unfamiliar. A peasant's hands.
"What in the Nine Realms…?"
[Congratulations!] chirped a voice in his mind, cheerful as a songbird.
[You've been selected as the 4,321st candidate for Ascendant's Legacy! I'll be your System Guide!]
Kael staggered to his feet. "Who's there? What is this?"
[Ah, right—mortals need explanations!].
The voice—feminine and annoyingly bright—continued.
[You died! But don't worry! The System detected your 'noble sacrifice' and 'burning desire for vengeance.' So, we stuck your soul into this body! His name was… uh… Arin? He tripped on a root and cracked his skull. Very tragic. Anyway, you're welcome!]
Kael's head spun. A soul migration? Systems? This sounded like the mad ramblings of a tavern drunk, but the proof was in his heartbeat. He touched his face—no scar from Lysian's blade, no aristocratic cheekbones. He was a stranger in a stranger's skin.
"Why?" he demanded. "Why save me?"
[The Crimson Sigil chose you! Well, technically, it's bonded to your bloodline, and since Prince Backstabber isn't 'worthy,' the System intervened! Our mission is to help you reclaim your throne, punish the wicked, yada yada. Classic hero stuff!]
Kael's breath hitched. "The Sigil… it's real?" Their family had guarded the relic for centuries, but its power had faded to myth.
[Oh, it's real. And it's *pissed*. Now, let's start with your First Quest!]
A translucent blue screen materialized before him:
[Quest Issued: 'A King's First Step']
• Objective: Reach the nearby village of Frosthold.
• Reward: 100 Legacy Points, Basic Combat Skills Unlock.
• Failure: Death (Probably!)**
[Time Limit: 6 Hours]
Kael scowled. "Death? What kind of reward is that?"
[Motivation!!], the System sang.
[Now, get moving! There's wolves in these woods, and this body's stamina is… eh. Let's say 'frail.']
Before Kael could retort, a howl pierced the air—close. Too close. He spun, spotting amber eyes glowing in the underbrush. A timberwolf, its muzzle streaked with saliva, emerged with a guttural snarl.
"Perfect," Kael muttered.
The wolf lunged. Instinctively, he dove behind a tree, the beast's claws gouging bark. His borrowed body was sluggish, but his mind was sharp—years of combat training hadn't vanished. He grabbed a fallen branch, sidestepping another lunge, and swung.
The branch cracked against the wolf's skull. It yelped, stumbling, and Kael brought the wood down again. And again. Until the beast lay still.
[Congratulations!], the System announced. [Bonus Objective Complete: 'Survive First Encounter.' Reward: 50 Legacy Points!]
Kael leaned on the branch, trembling. "What… are these points for?"
[The Legacy Store! Weapons, skills, magical upgrades—all yours if you earn enough. Think of it as… incentive to not die horribly. Now, Frosthold's east. Better hurry!]
Gritting his teeth, Kael began to jog. The forest thinned as he moved, sunlight dappling the path. His mind raced. Lysian thought him dead. The Sigil was out there, somewhere. And this "System" had resurrected him as a peasant with a target on his back.
But Kael Veyra had never backed down from a fight.
As Frosthold's wooden gates came into view, smoke curling from chimneys, the System chimed again:
[Quest Complete! Reward: 100 Legacy Points.]
[New Skill Unlocked: 'Blade Dancer's Grace' (Novice). Agility +15%.]
Strength surged into Kael's limbs, fluid and electric. He flexed his fingers, marveling at the sudden coordination. A ghost of a smile touched his lips.
Lysian had the throne.
But Kael had a System.
And he intended to win.