Chaosbound: Elarith Chronicles

The battlefield's silence was a shroud, but within Aurel, the echoes of a different war raged—the war of his own making, carved into his very soul by the weight of a single, agonizing choice. Ron was gone. Cold. Erased. Yet, the phantom weight of his dying breath clung to Aurel, a visceral imprint of the Swordking's blade, of his own catastrophic failure. He'd been too weak, too slow, and Ron had paid the ultimate price. No victory, no grand vision, no future could ever scrub clean the truth of that moment. And that weakness? It was a ghost he would never again welcome.

A New Focus

The grand tapestry of his former purpose—the Malice Bloom, the Luminaries, humanity's liberation—frayed and unraveled, its threads suddenly meaningless. His mission, once a blazing star, was now overshadowed by a far more personal, consuming darkness. His vision, once broad, narrowed to a single, searing point: the Swordking.

The Unfinished Business

His fists clenched, thoughts honed to a razor's edge. The Athenari—they had pulled his strings, twisted his flesh into a puppet, warped his very existence. For that, they would drown in the wreckage of their own deceit. But their reckoning could wait. A more primal war burned within him, eclipsing even that righteous fury. Before he could dismantle an empire, he had to silence the torment that had clung to him for years, to finally close a chapter stained with blood and regret.

The Final Vow

His gaze lifted, drawn north, to the jagged peaks where the Swordking's dominion stretched, where the world's balance hung by a thread he alone controlled. Within Aurel, rage was no longer a flicker, but a wildfire. He had hesitated before, weighed down by doubt, questioning his own strength. But the time for uncertainty was over. No more faltering. No more turning away. He would end it. The war against the Swordking had begun, a final, irreversible decree. This time, only one would walk away from the ashes.

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Author's Note

🌒 Season Finale & A Bittersweet Goodbye

And just like that, we've reached the end of this season.

Every chapter, every twist, every quiet moment of reflection—it's all here now. The backlog is officially uploaded, and hitting this milestone feels surreal. To each and every one of you who's walked beside me through these pages: thank you. Your presence has been a steady flame in the dark, a source of motivation that kept this world alive.

What began as a simple pastime has grown into something far more meaningful. I've poured my heart into this story—its characters, its lore, its quiet tragedies and fierce triumphs. I'm still learning, still growing as a writer, but your support has made every step of this journey feel worthwhile.

But don't worry—this isn't goodbye forever. Far from it.

The echoes of the past still linger. The ripple effects of choices made, the scars of battles fought, and the mysteries yet to be unraveled—they're all waiting in the wings. The next season will bring new perspectives, fresh faces, and deeper dives into the world we've built together.

The journey continues. And I hope you'll walk with me when the next chapter begins.

In the meantime, if you're hungry for more, I've just launched a new story on RoyalRoad: "Godfall: Emmet's Dawn." Three chapters are already live, and I'd love for you to check it out.

For now, I'll be taking a long hiatus—to rest, to reflect, and to prepare for what's next. If you've enjoyed the ride, I'd be incredibly grateful for a review or rating. Honest feedback means the world to me. For me this story is good but I haven't heard anything from my readers so I'm really not sure if this story is good or not.If it's a bad review… well, maybe that's the universe telling me to keep this story just for myself. 😅 Or.. maybe I'll continue this story if you guys want me to.lol. oh well. I'm not ranting. I'm just curious.

Either way, thank you for being here. Truly.

This may just be the beginning.

Until next time,

Joe Lance