NOVEL NEXT Chapter 72: The Predator’s Claim
Scene 1 – In the Predator's Shadow
The storm ended with silence.
The golden blaze that had swallowed Jemil and Kaelina collapsed into a thousand drifting sparks, each one hovering in the endless void like embers that refused to die.
Jemil staggered forward, his lungs burning. Every breath carried fire, every heartbeat sent agony tearing through his chest where the mark blazed. The golden chains across his body were no longer just faint—now they were carved into his skin like molten brands.
Kaelina dropped to one knee, her blade trembling in her grip. She wasn't bleeding, but she looked as though she had fought through years of war in mere moments. Her spirit ached, her vow felt raw, scraped thin by the predator's relentless whispers.
And then—the voice came again.
You defied me. You clung to vows. You struck at chains instead of flesh. Bold… but foolish.
The colossal predator-blade hovered closer, its golden veins pulsing with hungry rhythm. The smaller blades in the void hung still, like wolves waiting for their alpha's command.
You think yourselves hunters because you fought together. But I have tasted your doubts. I have seen your curse, Chainbreaker. You are already mine.
The words wrapped around Jemil's heart like another shackle. His chest flared, the mark answering the blade's voice with a pulse of golden fire. He dropped to one hand, coughing, and when he looked up—Kaelina's eyes widened in horror.
Because for the first time, the chains were visible to her. Not illusions. Not whispers. Real bindings of fire and gold crawling across his chest, his throat, his arms.
"Jemil…" she whispered, her voice breaking. "It's… spreading."
The predator's hum deepened, vibrating through the void like a heartbeat.
One vow is not enough to break chains such as these. One bond is too weak. You cannot stand with him, blade-girl. He is prey. And soon, so will you be.
The colossal sword tilted downward, its point aimed squarely at Jemil's chest.
Unless he chooses otherwise.
Scene 2 – The Predator's Bargain
The colossal blade's tip hovered inches above Jemil's chest, the air around it humming like a living storm. Every pulse from its veins resonated with the burning mark, dragging his breath into ragged, shallow gasps.
Kaelina surged forward, planting herself between Jemil and the blade's point, sword raised in both hands. Her arms shook, but her eyes blazed. "If you want him—you'll go through me first."
The predator's laughter shook the void. Not mirthful—hungry.
So eager to die for him. So blind to see he is already mine.
Golden light flared, and Kaelina's own blade trembled as if it would leap from her grip to join the predator's call. She gritted her teeth, pressing down with all her strength, whispering through clenched teeth: "You're not taking him."
But the predator was not speaking to her.
Chainbreaker. Your wife bleeds her vow for you, but vows are dust without strength. Take me. Seize me. With my edge in your hands, no chain will hold you. Not the Mistress's curse. Not the doubts of your wives. Not even your own fear.
Jemil staggered to his feet, chest heaving, golden fire crawling across his skin. The predator's words struck like truth, sinking past will into marrow. Images flashed behind his eyes—him wielding the colossal blade, Kaelina at his side, the Mistress broken, the curse shattered. Freedom not fought for, but claimed by sheer dominance.
His hand shook. The mark on his chest flared so brightly it lit the void.
Kaelina turned toward him, her face pale but fierce. "Don't you dare. Jemil—look at me." Her voice trembled, but her grip stayed firm. "I would rather stand and burn with you than see you become something else. Don't let it steal you from me."
The predator pressed harder, its voice a growl.
Choose. Her vow—or my strength. One will break. One will bind. Decide, Chainbreaker.
The void pulsed, every floating sword angling closer, ready to strike if Jemil faltered. The colossal blade's light grew so bright it was almost blinding.
And Jemil stood frozen, caught between Kaelina's vow and the predator's promise, the mark burning like a furnace that demanded an answer.
Scene 3 – The Edge of Choice
The void shook with the predator's hunger. Blades rattled in the air, eager to descend, and the colossal sword pulsed like a heart about to burst.
Kaelina stood firm, her sword raised, though her arms quivered from strain. Sweat streaked down her temple, her body screaming, but her vow burned brighter than her fear. "Jemil. You're stronger than this. You don't need it—you never needed it."
Jemil's chest heaved as the curse flared. The golden chains crawled higher, twisting around his throat, his jaw, threatening to choke his voice. His hand hovered—trembling, desperate—half-raised toward the predator-blade's hilt.
Take me, the voice purred. And all will bow. Your curse will turn to power. Your wives will never betray you. You will not need vows—you will command them.
The golden fire inside him roared, surging to meet the promise. Jemil grit his teeth, sweat pouring, torn between two impossible paths.
Kaelina's voice cut through the storm, sharp as steel.
"Jemil! Look at me. I swore my blade to you—not to the predator, not to chains, not to fear. If you let it claim you… you'll break more than your curse. You'll break us."
Her words struck deeper than any blade. His gaze locked on hers, and for one breath, the fire inside him wavered.
But the predator pressed harder, its voice booming like thunder.
Choose. NOW.
The colossal blade's hilt lowered, glowing with irresistible light. Jemil's fingers trembled—then closed the gap, inches from touching it.
Kaelina gasped, eyes wide. "Jemil—!"
The void exploded in golden brilliance.
Next Chapter Preview – Chapter 73: Chains or Vows
The golden void becomes a battlefield of the soul. Jemil's hand hovers over the predator-blade's hilt, caught between Kaelina's vow and the whispering temptation of eternal power. The curse writhes across his body, its burning mark glowing brighter than ever before—no longer just a chain, but a brand threatening to consume him.
Kaelina refuses to back down, even as her body breaks under the pressure. Her vow is tested to its absolute edge, forcing her to fight not only the predator's will but Jemil's own faltering resolve.
And in that fragile space—between chains and vows, power and love—the predator bares its true fangs.
Will Jemil seize the cursed blade and risk becoming its prey, or will Kaelina's vow burn bright enough to cut through the storm?
The choice will define them both.
⚔️ The predator's whisper is louder than ever, the curse burns hotter, and Kaelina's vow stands at its breaking point. Will Jemil claim the blade and risk his soul, or trust the bond that holds them together?
👉 Keep reading to uncover the fate of vows and chains in Chapter 73: Chains or Vows—where temptation sharpens, choices cut deepest, and the storm of desire reaches its peak.