NOVEL NEXT Chapter 33: The Broken Gate
"Only a heart unlocked by trust can open a gate sealed by betrayal."
🌀 Previously:
Jemil met the Oracle on Floor 9, who revealed a devastating truth:
He created the Tower.
He lost his memories.
And he must reclaim his 13 wives to unlock its deepest secrets.
But one wife… may betray him.
Now, on Floor 10, the path forward is sealed by a forgotten part of his past — one only a true bond can break.
🏛️ Floor 10 – The Gate of Judgment
The climb led them into a vast courtyard, broken pillars strewn across a land scorched by magic and time. In the distance stood a massive gate, made not of wood or stone, but shimmering golden crystal, humming like a trapped scream.
"We've never seen anything like that," whispered Kaelara.
"This isn't a trial," Mira added. "This is a prison."
Jemil approached it. The moment his palm touched the surface—
FLASH.
Pain. Fire. A woman's scream.
He staggered back.
"It's locked with memory," he gasped. "Mine… and someone else's."
💔 The Forgotten Wife – Zhera
The ground cracked open behind them.
Out stepped a woman with silver hair, twin daggers strapped to her thighs, and eyes like shattered mirrors. She moved like a whisper and stood like a blade.
"You finally made it, Jemil," she said. "Took you long enough."
Kaelara tensed. "Who… are you?"
"Zhera," she said. "Former assassin of the Crimson Garden. Current wife number eight."
Silence.
Then Jemil smiled. "You're real. I dreamed about you — in smoke, in poison, in pain."
Zhera rolled her eyes. "Typical. I get married and then erased."
She glanced at the gate.
"You sealed this gate with my soul. Only I can open it. But not unless you earn it."
🩸 Trial of Trust
Zhera gestured — and the world around them twisted into black mist.
Suddenly, they were in a bleeding city, surrounded by shadows wearing Jemil's face.
"This is what I remember," Zhera said. "Betrayal. Lies. A husband who chose power over promises."
Jemil turned to her. "Then let me prove I'm not him."
He drew his blade.
But Zhera vanished — becoming a blur, slashing at him from all sides.
Each cut burned with memory. Each dodge pulled a flash of forgotten pain.
Jemil didn't fight back. He endured.
"I left you behind. I trusted the Tower more than I trusted you," he said between wounds. "But I'm here now. For you. No matter how many scars I have to earn."
Zhera hesitated.
"Why?" she whispered.
He dropped his sword.
"Because I still remember your voice in the dark."
💖 Unlocking the Gate
The shadows faded. The city dissolved.
Zhera stood before him, her daggers clattering to the ground. Her hands trembled as she touched his face.
"You idiot," she whispered. "You really do remember."
She kissed him — not with passion, but with pain and healing.
The gate behind them glowed. Then, with a pulse of light, it opened.
🧭 What Lies Ahead
Beyond the gate lay not another trial… but a palace.
Throne rooms. Empty halls. Statues of Jemil and his wives.
"This was our home," Kaelara breathed.
Jemil looked around, haunted. "The Tower… was once our kingdom."
📣 Call to Action
🔥 Who is your favorite wife so far?
💎 Drop a power stone if Zhera's entrance hit you hard
🗝️ What do you think lies at the heart of the Tower?