Divine Ascension

The battlefield reeked of blood and betrayal.

Kael Zephyr staggered forward, the weight of his own sword dragging against the scorched earth. His once-loyal comrades stood before him, their faces cold, their blades still slick with the blood of those who had fought beside him. A sharp pain tore through his ribs-another wound, another sign that this was the end.

"You should've known, Kael," a familiar voice murmured. "Loyalty is a fool's game."

Varic. His second-in-command. The man he trusted most. Now, the one leading the slaughter.

Kael gritted his teeth, laughter bubbling up despite the agony. "I hope the coin they paid you was worth it, Varic."

A smirk, a slow lift of the traitor's blade. "Some things are worth more than honor."

The blade swung.

Darkness swallowed Kael whole.

A gasp tore from his lips as he jolted upright, lungs burning as if he had been drowning.

But he wasn't on the battlefield.

Cold stone pressed against his back, damp air thick with the scent of decay. His fingers curled, brushing against rough fabric-silk, embroidered with royal insignias. Not his armor. Not his body.

What in the abyss...?

A flickering torchlight illuminated cracked walls. The weight of gold circlets pressed against his forehead, fingers adorned with rings he had never worn. He lifted his trembling hands, his breath hitching at the unfamiliar reflection in the polished metal of a nearby dagger.

Not his face.

He shot to his feet, legs weak, his body unfamiliar and foreign. Panic clawed at his throat. This wasn't just resurrection. It was something worse.

Then, a whisper.

System initializing... Welcome, Zayne Solis.

Kael-no, Zayne-stumbled against the stone altar, heart pounding. The name echoed in his head, a cruel joke of fate.

Zayne Solis. The disgraced prince. Murdered by his own family.

Memories not his own slammed into him. Ballrooms filled with deceit, a throne slipping from his grasp, poisoned lips whispering false promises. And the final betrayal-a blade to the heart from the woman he once trusted most.

His hands clenched, the weight of a past he never lived pressing into him. He was Kael Zephyr, warrior of a thousand battles, not some fallen prince with a forgotten legacy.

Yet the body he inhabited told another story.

System initializing... Awakening latent abilities.

Pain flared through his skull. He gritted his teeth as knowledge flooded him-this world, its rules, the power locked within him. And most importantly-the ones who had ensured Zayne's demise.

He wasn't the only one who needed answers.

The sound of approaching footsteps made his breath hitch. He had no weapons, no armor. Only the ceremonial dagger beside him, its edge dulled by time.

The heavy iron door groaned open, revealing a woman draped in black. A hood shadowed her face, but he felt the weight of her gaze.

"You're awake," she murmured, stepping closer. "You weren't supposed to wake up."

Kael gripped the dagger. "Bad luck for you, then."

A slow, knowing smile curled on her lips. "Or perhaps... for you."

In a blur, she was in front of him, fingers tracing down his jawline. A shiver ran through him-not from fear, but from something far more dangerous. The scent of nightshade and silk clung to her, intoxicating.

"You are not the same," she whispered, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Zayne was a coward. You... are not."

Her fingers danced lower, ghosting over his chest, where a scar from a wound he never received marred his skin.

He caught her wrist, voice low. "Who are you?"

"A friend. Or an enemy. Depends on what you do next."

The woman circled him like a predator, amusement flickering in her expression.

"The kingdom believes you're dead," she said. "The throne is no longer yours."

Kael tilted his head, watching her closely. "And you? What do you believe?"

A smirk. "That fate just got interesting."

She leaned in, breath hot against his ear. "Your brother wears the crown. Your enemies celebrate. The people curse your name. If you want revenge... you'll need more than just your memories."

His grip on the dagger tightened. "And what do you get out of helping me?"

A laugh, rich and dark. "Oh, Prince, you misunderstand." Her lips brushed his ear, voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not helping you. I'm giving you a choice. Stay dead, or rise and take back what's yours."

Kael-Zayne-exhaled slowly. A slow, dangerous smile formed.

"Then let's make them regret ever killing me."

The woman's eyes gleamed. "That's the answer I was hoping for."

A sharp clang echoed through the crypt as the iron door slammed shut, sealing fate in its embrace.

And outside, the kingdom remained oblivious to the storm that had just awakened.