AK : RISING MYTHIC

The morning sun had yet to fully rise over the royal capital, yet the world was already steeped in unease. A veil of cold mist lay upon the streets, even as light broke through the clouds in golden ribbons. Atop the Royal Citadel, King Farhan stood silently on his balcony, robes billowing in the slow breeze. His crown shimmered dimly, dulled by thought.

His eyes stared out across the capital—not to observe its beauty, but to confront the silence left in the wake of the devils' appearance.

> "Is this truly the same vision?" he wondered, gripping the marble rail tightly.

He had dreamed it before—three figures stepping through a gate of chains and darkness, bearing a name he could never recall after waking. But now the name had been spoken aloud, and it echoed in his mind like thunder:

> "Kar'Thæl."

> It's not just a name… it's a prophecy.

Footsteps behind him. Familiar, steady, filled with purpose.

Julious.

"Your Majesty," Julious said, bowing respectfully. "The translation is complete. The research team has uncovered the truth... from the book."

Farhan turned, face grim. "The book perhaps a Key"

"Yes," Julious confirmed. "It is titled Anti-Kar'Thæl. The scholar says it is older than any known record—perhaps not even written in this age."

A cold gust passed them both. Farhan's voice dropped.

"Then summon the Echelon Knights. All Mythic, Apex, and Zenith-ranked. Immediately. We cannot wait for another sign."

The Royal Capital Meeting Hall was a structure of stone and starlight—its ceiling carved from enchanted crystal to reflect the skies above. As the summons echoed across the skies, winged transports and light-paths lit up with arrivals.

One by one, the most powerful warriors in the realm entered.

"Echelon Knights "

They filled the chamber in order of rank, standing before the King and the Council. At the center of the hall stood a large wooden table, and upon it rested a torn, ancient tome, pulsing faintly with reddish energy.

An elderly scholar with long silver hair stepped forward. His voice carried both reverence and fear.

"This book… Anti-Kar'Thæl… is not merely a text. It is a record. A weapon of knowledge—one that speaks of a being who exists outside the bounds of race, law, and mortality."

He flipped to a glowing page.

"Kar'Thæl… is not a devil. He is not human. He is something else entirely. A living curse."

Murmurs rippled through the Knights. Even the Zeniths, usually unmoved, leaned in.

The scholar continued. "Every 65 years, Kar'Thæl is bound by a mysterious force to find a new Prototype—a living being into whom he can pour the fragments of his broken power. During that time—those 65 years—neither Kar'Thæl nor the Prototype can die. Their fates are fused. Their deaths are... suspended"

Gasps.

"And when that 65-year search ends," the scholar went on, "Kar'Thæl begins crossing through the realms—Earth, Demon World, Elven Lands, Underflesh, and more—each time seeking the right soul to merge with."

Julious interrupted. "Then why hasn't he returned to his origin? What of his home?"

The scholar paused.

"He cannot return to his native planet—Arcana. It is sealed. Forgotten by even the devils. Yet the book confirms: the planet exists. But no one alive—human, elf, demon, or spirit—knows how life survives there. It is a world removed from the cycle."

King Farhan spoke gravely. "Then Arcana holds answers even Kar'Thæl can't reach."

The scholar nodded and turned the page.

"Upon the death of the Prototype, Kar'Thæl reaches his lowest point. He loses nearly all his abilities. But once he finds and binds with the new Prototype, he regains only 10% of his original power for the first 100 days."

The room was silent.

"That is the only time he is even remotely killable."

Farhan's voice was stern. "Only 10%… yet?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the scholar said, his voice trembling. "That 10% is still enough to slay 100 fully awakened demons in a single attack."

The hall remained deathly quiet.

Julious stepped forward, his tone strategic. "And the alternative method? There must be another way."

"There is," the scholar confirmed, revealing a glowing map from the book. "The other path to defeat Kar'Thæl is to collect six ancient stones—each one called a Seal of Sundusk. When placed upon the two gates of the Vault of Sundusk out of 3 gates—three stones on each gate—they recapture and lock away Kar'Thæl's power entirely."

The image showed two towering gates—each bearing arcane inscriptions and sun emblems.

"When the stones are aligned and the Vault is completed, Kar'Thæl's powers are drained. For a brief window... he becomes no stronger than a mortal human. Completely powerless."

Hope flickered across the faces of many in the room.

"Three of the stones," the scholar continued, "have already been found by the Demon World. Taken. Hidden. The remaining three are said to be located within the Bound Threshold, beyond the Gate of Silence."

Julious exhaled. "Then we must retrieve them before he does."

Farhan looked at the assembled Knights.

"But even that may not be enough," the King said. "Tell them what else the book says."

The scholar hesitated. "There is a final section… a page detailing the identity and nature of the next Prototype. Traits, signs, emotions… warnings. But…"

He opened the book carefully. The page was torn.

"Half the page is gone. The most crucial descriptions are missing. And the second volume—its twin text—was found torn, burned beyond magical restoration."

Scholar further added" one more thing, When Kar'Thael Bound with his prototype, sudden darkness will fall, even in the demon World "

A deep unease passed through the crowd. The idea that the Prototype—the key to Kar'Thæl's rebirth—was possibly one of them, and no one knew who… was chilling.

Farhan, once again looking out the window at the vast skies of Lumisgrave, whispered to himself:

> "This… was the dream. Not the devil's arrival. Not the Gate. But him. Kar'Thæl. And whoever carries him inside."