Kai opened his eyes. Immediately he realized that he wasn’t in his room. Mana flooded his eyes and he took everything in an instant.

Kai was in what he could only liken to an absolutely massive throne hall. The whole thing was made up of yellow veined white marble. Hanging from the walls were tapestries depicting scenes centered around a man crackling with lightning. The man was in various scenes ranging from him destroying armies to him blessing people and everything in between.

As Kai looked over the tapestries he started to get a bad feeling that was confirmed a moment later. Sitting in a large throne crafted of roiling storm clouds flashing with lightning and thunder was a being that Kai knew was that this world would call a god.

The man was massive with a large frame, well made clothes and gold hair and eyes that crackled with lightning. Stabbed deep into the ground was a large sword that gave off the feeling of it being a storm condensed into a weapon. To either side of the god was a pillar. Wrapped around the pillars were two massive eastern style golden dragon statues. The statues were so realistic that Kai expected them to start moving at any moment.

A pressure pressed down on Kai that felt like a raging storm sucking in and destroying everything around it.

“Greetings Kai.” The god said his voice booming out like the thundering of a storm. “I am Tempest god of storms and the patron god of the Terell empire.”

Kai’s hand shot up to grip the medallion hanging from his neck having a bad feeling about this. “Where are we and why am I here?” Kai asked.

A scowl flashed across the god face before disappearing just as fast as it had appeared. “We are in your dreams of course and I am here to give you my blessing and make you my first sage.”

“What do you mean give me your blessing and make me your first sage?” Kai asks, not liking how this god is talking and having a bad feeling about what he wants.

“It is similar to the contracts you make with bond armaments. You will give me a portion of your mana, eather and prawna and you will gain an increased lightning affinity, higher authority over lightning and the support of my followers as one of my most important servants.” Tempest continued talking but Kai was no longer listening.

Kai’s eyes narrowed at what Tempest had said. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like the way Tempest spoke, as if everything he said was what would immediately be done. Now Tempest was saying he would become his servant, he wasn’t even asking, he was saying. No, Kai wouldn’t become his servant.

Kai looked up straight into the crackling eyes of the storm god Tempest and spoke. “I will not be a dog that does whatever pleases you. I will fall before I submit to you.” Kai’s words were filled with conviction and a weight that could’ve been felt if anyone else was there.

“You dare to reject the gifts of a god!” Tempest's words bellowed out like thunder.

“You don’t offer a gift. I accepted the gift that Athena gave me. You offer a shackle, and I won’t be shackled again.”The medallion in Kai’s hand shifted and flowed. Lengthening into a long shaft and then a curved blade with a vibrant red edge. While two chains flowed over his body wrapping around his shoulders and around his body. “Seth, if you really want to kill something then get out here!” Kai shouted.

Next to him the air shimmered as Seth appeared with his scythe in hand. To the other side Arthaya appeared. Seth glanced around clearly confused until he saw Tempest sitting on his throne and a wide smile spread across his face.

“Well, well, well. You made a big mistake sending such a weak imprint here. Did you think my power had faded from not having a bond for so long or something?” He asks Tempest as he walks forward while twirling his scythe.

Arthaya claps her hands together and then pulls them apart. In between them is a roiling pulsating ball of chains. “Sisters, I beseech you. The letter of the divine restrictions has been followed. Yet the spirit is broken. Lend me the bound ones to seek retribution and protect my charge.” The ball flew up above Arthaya and started expanding out into a round portal made of chains. “Bound guardian.” Out of the portal came skittering an absolutely massive centipede. It was around a hundred feet long with a red and black carapace. Along its carapace in the joints were red and muted black gray flames that gave off the smell of brimstone. The centipede let out a shrieking roar at Tempest and then curled up defensively around Kai.

As Arthaya was casting her spell Seth cast his own. “I am the jagged shield both blocking and returning the blows of titans. I call upon the cold black river. I summon the harbinger of final commings. The endless cold that embraces all. The third artifact of the stygian depths. End clad.” As he finished speaking Seth plunged his hand into a phantom river of black water that he had summoned. Seth ripped his hand back out and in it was a ball of writhing black liquid metal. The metal flowed over Seth. It covered his body in plate armor, his hands in clawed gloves and his head in the hood of a cloak frozen as if billowing in the air and crafted out of the same black metal.

Tempest's face went hard with rage and what Kai thought might have been a trace of fear, but his eyes were crackling with rage and lightning. “For your insolence and daring to reject my gift, death is the only fate for you. Even if you don’t die here tonight.” Golden lightning exploded out of Tempest and the golden dragon statues to either side of him started moving. “Kai, I Tempest god of storms, name you heretic. May you forever be hunted as the heretic you are. Mark of the heretic” As he spoke Tempest raised his hand pointing at Kai. A small bolt of lightning shot out of his finger flying straight at Kai.

Seth swung his scythe at the bolt and missed. Arthaya gestured and chains shot out to intercept the projectile but it passed through the chains as if they weren't there. The centipede protecting Kai opened its mouth and flames shot out yet the bolt was unaffected by them. The bolt passed through the centipede and struck Kai in the chest. Pain shot through Kai originating from where the bolt hit him. It was like someone was branding him with a cattle brand but instead of using heat they were using lightning. Bolts of pain shot through Kai radiating outwards from where he had been struck. Kai could feel something intangible being added to him. Like a weight pressing down on him and those around him.

Looking up from where he had fallen to his knees, Kai used his eyes to take in everything in an instant. Seth and Tempest were currently fighting each other. Seth using his scythe and Tempest using the sword that had previously been stuck in the ground. While they were fighting Arthaya was holding off the two golden dragons with her chains though it was clearly no easy task.

Kai’s hand tightened around the scythe in his hand. He had to help them kill Tempest, Kai didn’t care if he was a god Tempest would die either way. Closing his eyes for a moment Kai gathered his mana and prepared himself to cast his spell.

“I am the jagged shield both blocking and returning the blows of titans. I call upon the cold black river. I summon the harbinger of final commings. The endless cold that embraces all. The third artifact of the stygian depths. End clad.” Kai’s hand plunged into the cold black stygian water and closed around the ball of writhing metal. As he touched the metal Kai felt himself being pulled into the mass of metal. Resisting the pull Kai ripped his hand out of the writhing mass of metal. Looking down, Kai found himself confused. Instead of metal covering his body like he had expected. He found that only the upper half of his fingers were covered in a thin layer of metal reminiscent of the fingers of a glove. Looking down at his hand Kai was confused as to why this was all the armor he had summoned.

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The centipede slammed into Kai sending him flying across the room. Looking up Kai found the centipede and one of the golden dragons fighting. The centipede was managing to hold off the dragon. Yet only just and it was clearly only a matter of time before it failed. “Cold embrace of death. I summon you to your place of birth. Death field.” Black energy washed out, staining everything near the centipede black and giving off the feeling of impending doom. The centipede's body was coated in a deathly black that promised death.

Gripping his scythe tightly Kai charged in. Kai’s mana began roiling inside him. The mana spread throughout his entire body. Kai tried grabbing onto it, to control it and prevent it from acting out. It was useless, the mana slipped through his grip like it was water. The mana gathered in Kai’s right hand. No matter what Kai did to try and control it was useless. There was just too much for him to control.

Kai felt the mana draining out of his body and gathering in the blade of the scythe. As he charged towards the dragon and centipede fighting. Kai glanced down at his scythe and saw that the mana had gathered into a phantom blade layered over top of his other blade. Slashing out with his scythe the phantom blade flew out slamming into the dragon. The dragon let out a shriek as the blade dug into the dragon leaving behind a deep wound infected by black mana.

Kai jumped up onto the dragon, his metal clade fingers digging in between the scales. Kai raised up his scythe like an axe and chopped down. Slicing through scale and flesh only meeting resistance when he hit bone. The dragon shrieked its body writhing trying to fling Kai off. Kai’s fingers dug in deeper, his grip tightening as yet again he chopped down.

As Kai was chopping away the centipede was busy occupying the dragon. Their bodies were wrapped around one another. As the centipede bit with its jaws and sweeped flames scorching golden scales.

The dragon's jaws bite down on and claws tore at the centipede trying to break through its hard carapace. The dragon opened its mouth and released a breath of crackling lightning. The lightning swept over both their bodies, scorching the centipede. While flowing down the dragon's body leaving behind scales crackling with stored electricity.

The lightning rushed towards where Kai was furiously hacking away at the dragon. Looking up saw Kai the lightning rushing towards him. Kai closed his eyes and raised the metal covered fingers on his left hand and slammed the scythe into the dragon's body to act as an anchor. Instead of grabbing on to his mana he directed it towards his left hand. Mana coalesced into five points.

The lightning slammed into Kai pushing him back slightly. Yet only a couple arcs of electricity hit him. Opening his eyes, Kai saw all of the lightning draining into metal of death and final endings. Kai’s left hand plunged back down grabbing onto the scales. While his scythe dug into the scales above him as he used it as an anchor allowing him to slowly climb up the dragon's body.

Kai’s left hand moved upwards, grabbing onto scales and pulling himself up. Quickly Kai climbed up until he had almost reached the head. This close he could feel the heat of brimstone flames and the static of golden lightning. His hand yet again digging into scales Kai pulled himself the rest of the so that he was feet away from the head.

The draconic eye crackling with hate and malice glared down at Kai. Kai glared back at them preparing himself to climb the final few feet so he could kill the dragon. The dragon’s jaw unhinged and a roar so loud that it had a physical force behind it. Kai’s grip was slipping, losing his hold on the scale. Moments before Kai slipped off the dragon the head of the centipede slammed into the dragon's head forcing it shut. Allowing Kai to reaffirm his grip and drag himself the rest of the way up.

Kai pulled his scythe back and then swung down. “Die.” Kai’s words came as cold and emotionless as the death he wielded and delivered. Scythe blade dug into the head of the dragon through scale, flesh and bone. Digging into the brain and killing the dragon.

As Kai looked up and over at where the others were fighting. Kai couldn’t help but smile to himself. Seth was surrounded by black mantis like creatures that were attacking Tempest with swift attacks. While Tempest was surrounded by and clade in storm clouds flashing with lightning.

Looking over, Kai saw Arthaya dealing with the other dragon. She was surrounded by chains that were binding, restricting and limiting the dragon's movements. It only took a moment for Kai to realize that there was some kind of pattern to how the chains were set up. Sitting on Arthaya’s shoulder was a strange small furry creature. It was constantly attacking the dragon with spikes of ice and blades of wind.

Gesturing towards the centipede Kai hopped up onto it and used the chains he had forgotten about like the reins of a saddle. Directing the centipede They charged towards Arthaya and the final dragon. As they reached Arthaya Kai could hear rapid muttering coming from her mouth. Though Kai was only able to make out her final words.

“For your transgression I claim and bind your power.” Her words echoed out. The chains suddenly tighten down on the dragon. The chains lit up with power as something flowed out of the dragon.

Kai disregarded what was happening. The only thought in his mind was the death of the dragon. The centipede slammed into the dragon. Its jaws locking onto the dragon's neck. The chains unhooked from where they were attached to the centipede and wrapped around Kai’s left arm. With a thought the chains lashed out at the dragon wrapping around its head and pulling Kai in towards it. Kai’s feet hit scales and Kai swung down burying his scythe in its neck.

Using the chains Kai pulled himself further up reaching its head. The dragon turned hate filled eyes on Kai but unlike the other one this one did not roar. Instead it unleashed a torrent of lighting onto Kai. Kai swung his scythe upwards, slicing through the lighting and digging up through the dragon's jaw and into its brain. Pushing himself off the dragon Kai jumped backward. Ready to deal with Tempest and get this over with.

“ Kai watch out.” Arthaya’s scream rang out too late for Kai to react.

The dragon's head slammed down hitting Kai and sending him flying lightning ravaging his body.

Kai slowly pushed himself up from where he landed on the other side of the room. Kai’s body was filled with pain. Everything from his flesh to a stinging in his bones. Kai coughed up gold speckled blood. Arthaya came rushing towards Kai, worry wrote clearly across her face.

“No” Kai growled out through his lightning seared through. “Go help Seth.” Kai chough out another glob of golden blood. “I’ve lived through worse.” Arthaya hesitated for a moment before nodding and rushing off with the centipede to help Seth.

Thunder boomed and lightning cracked. “ENOUGH.” Tempest glared down at them. “You will all die here and now.” Storm clouds gathered around Tempest lightning shooting through them. The storm clouds gathered together around Tempest in a whirlwind of lightning and storm clouds. Massive bolts of golden lightning began shooting out at random destroying everything they hit.

Arthaya gathered up a ball of steel gray mana in her hand and threw it at Tempest. “Bound divinity.” Her words were the declaration of a being able to bind a god even if it was temporary. The ball expanded into white, gold and steel gray chains that wrapped around and sunk into Tempest weakening his spell.

Seth raised his hand and spoke two words that thrummed with power and promise. “Death marked.” Death mana exploded out of him in a cloud. The cloud coalesced into the upper half of a massive hooded figure wielding a scythe. Simultaneously Seth and the hooded figure swung down. Scythe cleaved through storm, slicing apart lightning and digging into flesh.

Tempest coughed out a mouthful of blood. Tempest looked up, his eyes crackling with lightning and hatred. “You may not have died today but it is only a matter of time before you are slain heretic.” His words were weak yet they traveled through the room with a power that he clearly didn’t have.

The world cracked and shattered leaving Kai falling through a void of nothingness. Kai landed on something soft and cushy. Looking at the walls he saw tapestries depicting titanic beings being bound and chains.. Looking down he was sitting on a couch and across from him was Arthaya sitting on her own couch.

Arthaya smiled at Kai. “I’m sure you’ve got some questions that you want to ask me.”