CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 63 – MOONRISE DUEL

Recap – Chapter 62: Fractured Throne

The throne of Thale no longer commands silence—it echoes with arguments, accusations, and cracks too deep for diplomacy to seal. In Chapter 62: Fractured Throne, Kai’s political position was violently tested when Velis’ calculated challenge arrived at the palace gates, wrapped not in words but in war.

With the High Council teetering between fear and defiance, Kai called an emergency assembly. But it quickly spiraled into a power struggle. Lords who once pledged allegiance began questioning his claim, emboldened by Velis’ challenge. The air in the throne room turned colder by the minute, each noble’s silence more dangerous than the last.

Yuri, once Kai’s fiercest supporter, pulled away emotionally, unable to reconcile the version of him standing at the center of this growing storm with the boy she once protected. Meanwhile, Lyra argued fiercely in his defense, swearing she would kill any traitor before they touched a strand of his hair.

Amid the chaos, Astra revealed a disturbing truth—Velis had activated one of the ancient duel codes known only to shadowblood monarchs. This wasn’t a political test. It was a trial by life and death, invoking an old law that would force Kai to face a champion of her choosing. Refusing would brand him a coward in the eyes of every kingdom.

The throne may still be beneath Kai’s feet, but it’s no longer whole. The cracks now run straight through the stone—and straight through him.

🌑 Main Story – Moonrise Duel

I. The Silent Arena

The moon was a hollow eye in the sky, watching. Cold. Detached.

The courtyard where the duel would unfold had once hosted coronations and celebrations—now it was a crucible of fate. Lit torches cast flickering shadows across the stone. The smell of incense clung to the air, not for prayer, but for protection against spirits drawn to blood.

The crowd was hushed. Nobles, warriors, assassins, priests—they all stood in grim anticipation. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

Kai stepped forward into the center of the circle. His boots echoed with finality. No crown adorned his head tonight—only the weight of responsibility in his eyes.

"No illusions," he whispered to himself. "No second chances."

Lyra adjusted his gloves one last time, her fingers lingering.

"If she strikes first, dodge right," she said, voice steady but strained. "Her stance is heavier on the left."

"You say that like you’ve fought her."

"I’ve studied her," she replied. "Like a riddle I hoped we’d never have to solve."

Across from them, the challenger emerged.

Siranth.

She moved like the idea of silence given flesh. Every step calculated. Every breath steady. Her armor was ceremonial, but her intent was deadly. A half-mask covered her face—only her lips and jaw were visible, sharp and unmoved.

She stopped at the opposite end of the ring. Between them stood Astra, acting as witness and magical arbiter.

"This duel is bound under ancient rite," Astra began, her voice echoing unnaturally. "Victory grants the legitimacy of rule. Defeat... ends it."

No one spoke.

A second later, Astra stepped back.

"Begin."

II. The First Exchange

Steel rang against steel. Sparks danced.

Kai wasn’t untrained. Years of war had shaped him into more than a figurehead. But Siranth was something else—graceful yet brutal, a flurry of movement where every strike carried intention. Her sword wasn’t a weapon—it was an extension of prophecy.

Their swords clashed again, Kai pushing back harder this time. She stepped into his guard—too fast.

He ducked just in time.

A gash bloomed across his shoulder anyway.

Blood dripped to the stone. The torches flickered violently.

"That blade is cursed," Astra muttered to herself. "Each strike weakens his aura field..."

From the side, Yuri stepped forward.

"She’s not just here to win. She’s here to drain him."

"It’s Velis," Astra replied, eyes narrowed. "This isn’t a duel. It’s an assassination with divine legal cover."

But Kai held his ground.

Every blow he blocked became a question. Every breath a calculation. He began moving differently—less reactive, more fluid. He let her overextend, then twisted her sword sideways, using momentum against her.

Still, she didn’t falter.

It was as if she didn’t feel pain. Or fear.

Or thought.

III. The Breaking Point

Minutes blurred into more steel and blood.

Siranth delivered a sweeping low kick, knocking Kai down. She stepped over him, sword aimed at his heart.

"Do it," he growled.

Her hand trembled for a second—just a second.

He saw it. The pause.

He rolled, caught her wrist, and used the torque to disarm her. The blade clattered across the stone.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

He pinned her down, breathing heavily. Her mask had shifted—revealing her eyes now.

They were... clouded.

Not with fury.

But with confusion.

"What’s your name?" Kai asked, leaning closer.

"Siranth," she said distantly.

"No. Your real name."

She blinked. Confused. Scared now.

"I... I don’t remember..."

Lyra stepped forward. "She’s under memory suppression. Velis wiped her clean before sending her."

Astra joined her, placing two fingers to the warrior’s temple. A glow passed between them.

"Her mind is fractured. She was never meant to leave this duel alive."

Kai stood slowly. The crowd was silent. Even the council, even the nobles who had doubted him, were uneasy now.

Velis had sent a puppet.

Not a challenger.

A message.

IV. What Was Written in Blood

Kai turned toward the throne dais, toward the council.

"I accepted a duel, not a slaughter."

"She still fought," muttered one lord.

"No. She was used," Astra snapped. "And if Velis is using old rites as excuses to send hexed assassins, then she’s already broken the code she claims to uphold."

Yuri crossed her arms.

"So what now? We declare this duel invalid? Risk looking weak?"

"No," Kai said, lifting Siranth to her feet gently. "We don’t declare anything."

He turned, facing everyone.

"I won."

He let the words hang.

"But not because I’m stronger. Because Velis played her hand too early—and exposed her cruelty in doing so. Let the world see that."

He looked to the stars.

"The throne is mine not because I took it. But because I chose not to destroy the person sent to take it from me."

A heavy pause.

A breath.

Then, Lyra stepped forward and raised Kai’s arm.

"Let them come," she said. "And when they do—let them pray."

Kai stood alone beneath the moonlight filtering through the shattered dome above the arena, his breathing steady—but his heart anything but. The duel was over, the blade had stopped mere inches from Siranth’s throat, and still, silence lingered heavier than thunder.

He wasn’t sure if it was mercy... or weakness.

Footsteps echoed behind him. Lyra.

"You should’ve finished her," she said flatly, though her voice held a tremble. "She would’ve killed you."

"I know," Kai replied. "But if I become like them—killing without question—then what’s the point of this throne?"

Lyra approached, her hand brushing against his. "Then be better. But remember, the realm won’t always reward mercy. Sometimes, it buries it."

Kai glanced at the throne in the distance. From here, it looked less like a seat of power—and more like a snare waiting to close.

"I’m not afraid of Velis," he said quietly.

"Good. You’ll need that," Lyra replied, stepping closer. "Because now? She’ll see this as a challenge. You didn’t kill her piece. You broke the board."

Kai exhaled slowly. "Then let her come."

A shadow moved in the far hallway, unseen. Watching.

Velis already had.

🔮 Preview – Chapter 64: The Price of Mercy

Mercy has consequences.

With Siranth alive and recovering under Lyra’s watch, rumors ripple through Thale like wildfire. Some say Kai showed wisdom—others whisper weakness. The court is divided, but Velis? She’s furious.

In the shadows of her obsidian keep, Velis receives news of the duel’s outcome. Not of defeat—but of Kai’s refusal to kill. She sees it not as mercy, but defiance. And now, her next move won’t be veiled in ceremony. It will come as fire.

Meanwhile, Kai wrestles with a deeper question: if his enemies are willing to manipulate memory, sacrifice pawns, and twist sacred traditions... what is he willing to become to stop them?

A coded message arrives in the dead of night. From someone who shouldn’t be alive. It bears only six words:

"She remembers. She knows the gate."

And just like that, the war changes again—because Siranth may hold more than secrets. She may hold the key to Velis’ true goal... and the forgotten power buried beneath Thale.

Get ready for betrayal, forbidden knowledge, and a decision that may tear the harem—and the realm—apart.

⚔️🔥 The story just took a sharp turn.

Siranth was never the enemy—just a piece in Velis’ deadly game.

Now Kai stands victorious... but mercy may cost more than blood.

💬 What did you think of this duel? Was Kai right to spare her—or did he just open the door to his own undoing? Drop your theories in the comments. Let’s unravel this together.

📚 Add this book to your library so you don’t miss what Velis unleashes next. The next arc is darker, deadlier, and full of twists you won’t see coming.

🔺 Vote with Power Stones if you want bonus Chapters, forbidden revelations, and deeper dives into the minds of your favorite characters—especially Astra, Lyra, and the now-fractured Siranth.

🔥 The next storm is already brewing. And it’s no longer just Kai’s throne at stake... it’s the soul of the realm.

Let’s set the world on fire—together.