Chapter 50 — Fractured Court
The Obsidian Throne room still smelled of blood and smoke.
Though the worst of the debris had been cleared, cracks still ran through the black stone like veins, and the air carried the faint metallic tang of holy iron that had melted during the ritual. Banners of the Vaelthorn dynasty now hung proudly, yet the atmosphere in the grand hall felt anything but secure.
Cairis sat upon the reclaimed throne, a towering figure of raw power and hard-won authority. Liora stood at his right side, one step below the dais but clearly positioned as his equal. The court had gathered — hundreds of demonic lords, warlords, and survivors — but the unity of victory had already begun to fracture.
Grimgor Ashreaver, leader of the Bloodbound Traditionalists, stepped forward. The massive demon was nearly as tall as Cairis, his body covered in ritual scars and heavy obsidian plate. His voice boomed across the hall like grinding boulders.
