The night deepened around Arjun as he emerged from the clearing, the stars overhead shining with a clarity he had never seen before.

  His steps were steady, his spirit buoyed by the success of awakening the first Seal. The Seal of Valor thrummed within his soul, a constant ember of strength and resolve.

  Yet he knew he could not walk this path alone.

  The System had spoken of it — the Nine Pillars of Fate — powerful individuals who, if bound to his cause, would fortify the Karmic Throne against the tide of despair.

  And somewhere close, the first of them awaited.

  > "System Notification: Proximity Alert — Pillar Candidate Detected (1.2 miles East)."

  "Potential Title: Flame of the East."

  A new trail of golden light materialized before him, weaving through the dense forest. Without hesitation, Arjun set off at a brisk pace, muscles still sore but spirit burning.

  The trees grew sparser as he advanced. The air grew warmer, tinged with the sharp scent of smoke.

  Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath his feet.

  A dull roar echoed through the trees — and then a flash of crimson light tore through the night sky like a comet.

  Arjun broke into a sprint, heart hammering.

  Something powerful was unfolding ahead.

  He burst into a new clearing — and froze.

  A battle raged before him.

  A group of heavily armed mercenaries — perhaps twenty in total — surrounded a lone figure, their swords flashing in the firelight.

  The figure was a young woman, clad in tattered crimson robes.

  Her hair blazed like living fire around her shoulders, and her eyes burned with a fierce, unyielding light.

  In each hand, she wielded a curved dagger etched with runes.

  Despite being outnumbered, she moved like a force of nature — each step precise, each strike devastating.

  Arjun watched in awe as she weaved through the mercenaries, her blades leaving trails of fire in the air.

  But he saw, too, the exhaustion in her movements. The slight hesitation growing with each dodge.

  The mercenaries were wearing her down.

  If he didn’t act now, she would fall.

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  Arjun sprinted into the fray.

  A mercenary raised his sword toward the girl’s exposed back.

  Before the blow could fall, Arjun intercepted it, locking blades with the man.

  The mercenary snarled, trying to push him back — but Arjun’s strength, bolstered by the Seal of Valor, was like iron.

  With a sharp twist, Arjun disarmed the man and delivered a precise blow to his temple, knocking him unconscious.

  The girl turned, her flaming eyes narrowing.

  "Who are you?" she snapped.

  "A friend," Arjun said simply. "Fight now, questions later."

  She hesitated a fraction of a second — then nodded.

  Together, they stood back-to-back as the mercenaries regrouped and charged.

  The battle was brutal.

  Arjun fought with the instincts of survival honed through years of hardship.

  The training he had received from the system guided his every movement — a dance of steel and will.

  The girl was a whirlwind of fire and fury, her daggers carving blazing arcs through the night.

  Slowly but surely, they drove the mercenaries back.

  When the last of them fled into the trees, the clearing fell into an exhausted silence.

  Arjun lowered his sword, breathing heavily.

  The girl turned to him, studying him with wary suspicion.

  "You’re not one of Vaikuntha’s lapdogs," she said finally.

  Arjun’s eyes hardened at the mention of the Shattered Sovereign.

  "No," he said. "I’m fighting against him."

  Something in her expression shifted — a flicker of relief, quickly masked.

  "My name is Ishani," she said. "The last heir of the Fire Lotus Clan."

  She extended a hand, the flames around her dimming slightly.

  Arjun clasped it firmly.

  "Arjun," he said. "Bearer of the Karmic Throne."

  For a moment, they simply stood there, warriors bound by the fire of survival.

  They settled beside a dying fire, tending their wounds with strips of cloth torn from their tunics.

  As they worked, Ishani spoke.

  "My clan was once one of the Nine Great Houses," she said, staring into the embers. "Guardians of the Eastern Seal. We were entrusted with ancient flame arts, passed down through generations."

  Arjun listened in silence.

  "Then Vaikuntha came," she continued, voice trembling with suppressed rage. "He shattered the balance, corrupted the other Houses. My people were hunted down, betrayed by those we once called allies."

  She clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.

  "I was the only one to escape."

  Arjun’s heart ached at the pain in her voice.

  "You don't have to fight alone anymore," he said quietly. "Join me. Help me awaken the Karmic Throne and bring an end to Vaikuntha’s reign."

  Ishani turned to him, her fiery eyes searching his face.

  "And what makes you think you can succeed where so many have failed?"

  Arjun met her gaze without flinching.

  "Because I won't give up," he said simply. "No matter how many times I'm beaten down, I will rise again. Not for glory. Not for vengeance. But because someone must."

  For a long moment, Ishani was silent.

  Then, slowly, she smiled — a real, fierce smile.

  "You’re insane," she said. "But maybe that’s exactly what we need."

  She reached out, and this time, it was not a warrior’s handshake — it was a bond.

  "I’m with you, Arjun," she said. "Until the last flame dies."

  > "System Notification: Pillar Bound — Flame of the East (Ishani)."

  "Karmic Throne Power Increased."

  "New Ability Unlocked: Fire Lotus Bloom — Summon spiritual fire to shield allies or incinerate enemies."

  Arjun felt the connection settle into place — a golden thread binding their fates together.

  He wasn’t alone anymore.

  As the fire crackled and the stars wheeled overhead, Arjun and Ishani made plans.

  They would need more allies.

  More Pillars.

  And they would need to move quickly — because Vaikuntha would not remain idle.

  Already, the Sovereign’s shadow was stirring across the land, sending forth new horrors to crush the growing ember of rebellion.

  Arjun looked toward the horizon, where the first light of dawn was beginning to touch the sky.

  A new day had come.

  And with it, a new beginning.

  The Flame of the East had risen.

  And soon, all the world would know:

  The Karmic Throne was awakening.