Chapter 1

Kael slumbered in his opulent chamber, the rhythmic rapping on his door barely registering in his mind. A storm raged within him, a relentless echo of the question: "What if I fail?"

The sudden splintering of wood shattered the silence. A man, Benthur, stormed into the room, his face etched with annoyance. His gaze darted around before settling on the figure sprawled on the bed.

"Forgive my intrusion, my lord," Benthur muttered, his voice devoid of apology. "I feared something dire had befallen you, hence the forceful entry."

Kael stirred, his eyes heavy with indifference. "Like what? Me hanging myself in my own room?"

Benthur, unfazed by the morbid quip, continued, "Your father requests your presence in his chambers. Kindly accompany me."

Kael rose from the bed with a languid grace, his shirt clutched loosely in his hand. Benthur followed closely behind, his gaze a silent judgment on the eldest son of the Count.

Kael's face remained an impassive mask as he navigated the familiar corridors. Reaching his father's chambers, he rapped politely on the door.

"Enter!" boomed a voice devoid of warmth.

Kael pushed open the door, his emotions carefully concealed. To an outsider, he appeared utterly detached, entering the presence of a stranger rather than his own father.

Count Alistair sat in meditation, his eyes closed, channeling his spiritual energy. The dull yellow aura surrounding him flickered with an unsettling tinge of green, signifying his imminent breakthrough to the coveted Immortal stage.

The listless expression on Kael's face vanished at the sight. The green energy radiating from his father wasn't pure; it was tainted. This revelation sent a jolt of suspicion through him. If this news were to leak, the King would undoubtedly dispatch his army to quell the potential uprising.

Count Alistair opened his eyes, their gaze piercing through Kael as if dissecting his very soul. The intensity sent a tremor through Kael, a sensation akin to a thousand horses stampeding across his body. Most would have crumbled under such pressure, yet Kael remained standing, his sweat betraying the exertion it took.

A flicker of rare appreciation crossed the Count's face. "Eldest son," he began, his voice laced with a hint of regret, "were it not for your inability to awaken your talent, I would have relinquished this fiefdom to you and embarked on my journey to join the Immortal Federation."

Kael remained silent, as if the pronouncement held no bearing on him.

A flicker of anger marred the Count's face, quickly replaced by calculated composure. "Kael, do you understand why I summoned you?"

Kael met his father's gaze with a tinge of apathy. "You intend to bestow the fiefdom upon Brian and join Immortal federation!"

Count Alistair offered a humorless smile. "Precisely."

"And are you aware of the implications?" he inquired, his voice barely a whisper.

"My doom is sealed, is it not?" Kael replied, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips, as if his fate held no weight.

The Count let out a hearty laugh. "Indeed! However, I am not as heartless as you perceive me to be. Therefore, I present you with two choices."

"You can either remain here and face the danger under your brother's rule, or you can join the Devil Slayer Army under my recommendation."

Kael scoffed. "Is there a discernible difference? Either way, I am doomed. Why offer me a choice, is it your conscience gnawing at you?"

The Count maintained his composure. "Do not blame me, Kael. Even as my firstborn, your talent is as barren as the Kalahari Desert."

"Your brother awakened his talent a year ago. Even your sisters possess respectable abilities. Meanwhile, your youngest brother, despite the odds, holds a sliver of a chance to reach my level, to one day achieve Immortality!"

Kael hummed for a second and looked into his father's eyes.

Kael interjected, his voice laced with bitterness. "And what purpose does achieving Immortality serve if you cannot even protect your own son?"

The Count let out a derisive snort. "A barren waste like you has no right to lecture me! If not for your..." He trailed off, his voice laced with unspoken emotions.

Regaining his composure, he continued, "You may perceive me as a villain, but consider this objectively. You live a life of luxury, a thousand times superior to the commoners. You are well-fed and protected within these very walls. What more could you possibly desire? To be handed the fiefdom? And unleash chaos upon the city under the rule of an incompetent leader who lacks even the basic talent? You reached your eighteenth year yesterday, Kael. After this age, the heavens seal their gates. Even if you swallowed a mountain of Spiritual crystals, you cannot awaken your talent. You are destined for a life of mediocrity, why cling to these delusional hopes?"

Kael felt his father's words pierce his heart like a thousand needles. He knew the truth. After eighteen, awakening one's talent was impossible. This law was absolute and immutable. Yet, a flicker of defiance refused to be extinguished. He wouldn't succumb to his predetermined fate.

"As you wish, Father," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Your good-for-nothing son will join the Devil Slayer Army."

A satisfied smirk played on the Count's lips. "Excellent choice. I've already registered you with the Southern Battalion. Your train departs today. Benthur has packed your belongings and awaits you outside."

Rage bubbled within Kael, unlike him. He slammed his fist against the table, shattering it into pieces.

Count Alistair's eyes narrowed at the outburst.

Kael, regaining his composure with practiced ease, feigned innocence. "Apologies, Father. A pesky fly attempted to sully your belongings. I couldn't allow such a transgression."

Before Kael could react further, a pulse of green energy, laced with malice, slammed into him, hurling him out of the chamber. He landed in a heap on the cold stone floor, coughing up blood.

Through bloodshot eyes, he glared at the closed door. Soon, the sound of his sisters' laughter reached him. He turned to see his twin sisters, a year younger, their faces contorted with amusement.

Wiping the blood from his lips, Kael rose, a chilling smile spreading across his face. His previous weakness vanished without a trace.

His sisters exchanged a wary glance, unaccustomed to this display of defiance. "Big brother, you and Father are as close as ever," one of them remarked, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Well, this is our last day together," Kael replied coolly. "The old man wanted some skinship, that's all."

The other sister scoffed. "We heard about you joining the Southern Battalion. Good riddance, I hope you enjoy the long journey."

Kael's smile widened, revealing a hint of something dangerous beneath the surface. "What, no hugs and kisses for your favorite elder brother?"

"Hmph! Let's go, Chloe!" said the first sister. "He's not worth our time anymore."

"Claire, don't be mean to our eldest brother!" the second sister, Chloe, protested. "This is our last day, let's send him off with a bang."

Claire rolled her eyes. "Fine, if you want to deal with Grandma later, be my guest." With that, she stormed off.

Chloe, left alone with Kael, offered a hesitant smile. "Big brother, it was... fun having you around. I hope we meet again, if that's possible."

Kael chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth. As Chloe turned to leave, his smile vanished. He cast one last glance at his father's chamber, a silent vow burning in his eyes.

Inside the chamber, a cloaked figure emerged from the shadows.

"Satisfied now?" the figure inquired, her voice raspy with age.

The Count scoffed. "Satisfied? What makes you think I have the time to waste on that... waste of space?"

The figure, the Count's mother, shook her head. "Since you've touched Immortal energy, you think I can't discipline you, do you?"

"Am I wrong?" the Count countered, his voice laced with arrogance.

The old woman let out a humorless chuckle. Seeing the smug expression on her son's face, she knew he had finally surpassed her in power.

"Don't get cocky," she warned. "Don't think I haven't noticed the destructive energy you embedded in his body, waiting to detonate at the right moment. You know the punishment for killing one's son is severe in the universal laws, right? Your precious Immortal energy might revert back to its mortal form."

The Count's expression remained unchanged. "Do you think I'm that foolish? It's true I left a failsafe within him. But the universal laws? Those won't affect me! And you know why!"

The old woman's eyes narrowed. "You underestimate the power of the universe, Alistair. It has a way of balancing the scales, even against those who believe themselves untouchable.

A flicker of unease crossed the Count's face, momentarily betraying his steely facade. He dismissed his mother with a curt nod, his mind preoccupied with the consequences of his actions.