Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Final Decision

Emissary Selene's arrival at the Castle of Ruins was met with an eerie silence, broken only by the whispering wind that carried the weight of the realm's malevolence. Before her stood Tomoya, a devilish swordsman and member of the Sparrows Cult. His eyes bore a twisted amusement as he spoke, his voice dripping with malice.

"Welcome, emissary of the realms," Tomoya sneered. "I am the guide to your audience with Kael."

Selene's gaze remained steady as she followed Tomoya through the dilapidated corridors, each step echoing with a haunting refrain. Finally, they entered the heart of the castle, where Kael's presence loomed like a shadowy specter.

Kael, the Chaos King, sat upon a throne of darkness, his form wreathed in malevolent energy. His eyes held an unnerving emptiness, and his aura radiated a power that seemed to bend reality itself. Selene's heart clenched as she faced him, the pressure of his aura almost forcing her to her knees.

"Ah, emissary," Kael's voice echoed, his tone a blend of amusement and curiosity. "You have come to reason with me, have you not?"

Emissary Selene held her ground, her celestial light pushing back against the oppressive darkness. "Kael, your malevolence threatens our realms. We implore you to reconsider your path."

Kael's laughter was cold and mocking, a sound that sent shivers down Selene's spine. "Reason? Diplomacy?" he scoffed. "Such words are meaningless to one who revels in chaos."

From the shadows, members of the Sparrows Cult emerged, their eyes glinting with a fanatical zeal. "The emissary thinks she can sway our lord?" one of them taunted, his voice dripping with disdain.

Selene's voice remained resolute. "Kael, we seek to avoid war. But if your heart remains closed to reason, we are prepared to do whatever it takes to protect our realms."

Kael's gaze locked onto Selene's, and for a moment, his façade wavered. But then, he burst into laughter again, the sound echoing off the walls. "Protect your realms? You are powerless to stop the tide of chaos I have unleashed."

Selene's patience was wearing thin, her determination to reason with Kael tested to its limits. With a voice that resonated with the combined will of the Primordial Kings, she declared, "Then let it be known. If reason fails, if diplomacy falls on deaf ears, the realms shall unite against you. We shall declare war."

The Sparrows Cult members erupted into laughter alongside Kael, their faces contorted with madness. "War? Against our lord? Your arrogance knows no bounds," one of them spat.

Selene's wings blazed with celestial light, and her voice thundered with authority. "This is not arrogance, but the unity of the realms. We stand as one against the darkness you embody."

As her words echoed through the chamber, a tense silence settled. Kael's gaze bore into Selene's, the air heavy with an unspoken challenge. Then, with a dismissive wave of his hand, he turned away. "Leave, emissary. Your words amuse me, but they will not sway my path."

Tomoya's grin widened as he gestured for Selene to depart. "You've heard our lord's decision. War it is, then."

Emissary Selene's heart was heavy as she left the castle, her mission to reason with Kael ending in a declaration of war. The Sparrows Cult's mocking laughter echoed in her ears, a haunting reminder of the malevolence that had taken hold. As she stepped back into the realm of shadows, the weight of her decision settled upon her shoulders. The realms were now on the brink of an all-encompassing conflict—a conflict that would determine the fate of their existence.