The moon hung over the encampment like a pale, judging eye. Ashes drifted lazily through the air, remnants of the corrupted Archon's hymn still lingering like phantom embers.
Liam sat alone at the center of the divine circle Rune had etched into the earth. Gold lines pulsed outward in precise geometry, binding the spiritual and physical world. Across from him, a single feather—burned, cracked, but still radiant—floated above a pedestal of stone.
The feather was all that remained of Virelle.
A memento of sorrow.And a key.
"I'm going to forge it," Liam said, voice quiet.
Rune's eyes flickered. "You mean—"
"A throne. My own domain. The beginning of divinity."
Rune hesitated, then bowed. "Then tonight, the God System is reborn."
System Alert:
You have chosen to forge a Divine Throne.This is an irreversible act.
Divine Thrones allow the shaping of a spiritual dominion—called a Sanctum.You will be vulnerable during the shaping process.
Do you wish to continue?
[Yes] – Begin Sanctum Formation[No] – Delay Creation
Liam's finger hovered for a moment. Then, resolute:
[Yes]
The ground trembled.
The sky cracked with white flame.
The feather ignited with a roar of soundless light, spinning into the air as the circle burst into radiance. Rune vanished, pulled into the background as the system dragged Liam's consciousness into something deeper.
The Etherfield.
Here, time stilled. Color bled. Thoughts had weight.
He floated in a formless space where stars whispered secrets and divine sparks circled him like fireflies.
A voice called to him—not the System's.
Not Rune's.
Something older.
"Who claims a throne where gods have died?"
Liam lifted his chin. "I do."
"What right have you?"
He remembered the bodies of his family—charred, broken, discarded.
He remembered the chains of the slave pits. The screams of those who believed in nothing. The children who now called his name in prayer.
And he remembered Virelle's last breath.
"I have every right."
The voice fell silent.
Then:
"Then shape it, Child of Faith. Shape your Sanctum with fire and blood. With light and truth."
In the void, shapes began to form.
Mountains of crystal. Rivers of flame and gold. A sky of twilight. Towers reaching ever higher into the unknown.
This was Liam's soul given form.
But it wasn't perfect.
A great rift split the Sanctum, and in it—the seed of rage. Of revenge.
A temple of black stone rose from the rift.
Rune reappeared, breathless.
"You're building both light and shadow."
"I have both in me," Liam replied. "I'm no saint. I'm a god of justice."
He reached forward.
In the center of the Sanctum, a throne of faith erupted from the ground. Its back was made from Virelle's feather. Its arms, from chains he had broken. The seat glowed with crimson and gold—a god's mercy and a god's wrath.
Liam sat.
The throne accepted him.
System Notification:
[Divine Throne Forged]Sanctum Name: The Dawnblood CitadelAlignment: Dual (Divine/Infernal)
Bonuses Gained:+15% Faith Generation from Prayers+30% Angel/Demon Creation EfficiencyAccess to Sanctum Forge
New Title Earned:Throned One
All followers now gain passive stat boosts when near you.Angels/Demons gain unique Throne-bound skills.
Liam opened his eyes.
The campfire crackled. Elenari sat sharpening her blade. Garran was asleep with one eye open.
And Seraphina… was watching him.
"You disappeared," she said softly. "Even your heartbeat was gone."
"I built something," Liam murmured.
She tilted her head. "Another weapon?"
"No. A home."
Her eyes softened. She moved closer and, in a rare moment of vulnerability, sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Good. You deserve one."
He didn't respond. Not because he didn't agree… but because for the first time in what felt like forever, the roaring silence within him had eased.
Even gods need someone to lean on.
The next day, the party approached the capital of Vehron—a once-neutral city now twisted into a fortress of dark theology. Its high priests had turned to the Ninth Seal in desperation, and now a blood moon hung above it.
The gates were sealed. The walls fortified.
And inside, thousands prayed… to Xarnor.
Liam clenched his jaw. "No more."
"Are we attacking?" Elenari asked.
"No," Liam said. "We're liberating."
He raised his staff.
The air cracked as a portal opened behind them. From the Sanctum poured his angels—gold and white flame. Behind them, two horned demons with eyes of crimson and black chains.
And above them all, a new banner—a sigil of his throne.
"Tonight," Liam whispered, "a false god dies."
System Update:
Stat Increases (Liam):Strength: +22Speed: +19Endurance: +24Magic: +31Control: +35Charisma: +27
Faith Points: 112,500Followers: 1,882Angels: 8Demons: 3
Throne Abilities Unlocked:– Sanctum Summon– Divine Edict– Soul Branding
Liam turned to his companions.
"This isn't just about revenge anymore. This is about salvation. We end the cult. We unmake the Ninth Seal. And we build a future where gods aren't born from suffering."
He turned toward Vehron.
And walked into war.
End of Chapter 81