Chapter 0:

Prologue

Converging Fate


The evening air in the capital of the Central Continent, Toshing, was crisp and calm, as the citizens kneeled before their prince. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting golden hues across the grand city as people gathered in the vast palace grounds to celebrate the grand festival. It was a time of peace, prosperity, and tradition, where families, young and old, revered their leaders and honored the sacrifices of those who ensured their safety.

Among them, a figure stood apart—Navrat Zon, the second son of Emperor Rudhansh Zon. Draped in the royal colors of white and gold, he moved with an aura of calm dignity. His eyes, however, betrayed no emotion, as was customary for one of his station. With him walked seven royal soldiers, their eyes sharp and their postures rigid, as they made their way into the palace.

Navrat’s arrival was met with hushed reverence, his status as the heir apparent to the Zon family solidified by his reputation as a capable and virtuous prince. His older brother, Akansh, stood waiting at the grand hall, offering a nod of acknowledgment as Navrat approached.

As they exchanged brief pleasantries and took their seats at the grand banquet, the festival began in full swing. Music filled the air, and the people of Toshing basked in the lights of the grand fireworks display. The brilliance of the evening was not lost on Navrat, yet there was an unease in his heart. Perhaps it was the pressure of his title, or the weight of expectation that pressed upon him, but he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Akansh, sensing his brother’s unease, leaned toward him with a smile, “Navrat, let’s head to the mountains. From there, we can get a perfect view of the fireworks. The night is young.”

Navrat smiled faintly, his mind elsewhere. “Yes, let’s go.”

But just as they prepared to leave, a voice called out to him from behind. “Navrat, can I have a moment of your time?”

Navrat turned to find Nezu, the grand mage of the Zon family, standing in the shadows. With his long, graying robes and quiet, wise eyes, Nezu’s presence always commanded attention. He was a man of few words, but the weight of his gaze often spoke volumes.

“Of course, Uncle Nezu,” Navrat replied, with a calm nod. “I’ll be quick.”

Akansh glanced over his shoulder with a hint of irritation but offered a polite smile nonetheless. “I’ll meet you at the peak, brother.”

As Navrat and Nezu stepped aside, the mage’s serious tone filled the air. “Young master, what is your power level at?” he asked, his voice heavy with concern.

Navrat answered proudly, “I’ve reached the Advanced Transcendent level. I’m preparing for my breakthrough.”

Nezu’s expression grew graver. “Be careful, Navrat. I fear something... is coming. Take this.” He handed Navrat a ring, its design intricate and faintly glowing. “It will guide you when I am not around.”

Navrat accepted the ring with a light chuckle. “Uncle, are you talking as if you will leave me? Don’t worry so much.”

Nezu smiled faintly, but there was sadness in his eyes as he watched Navrat depart. “Forgive me, young master,” he whispered to himself. “If you only knew.”

Navrat ascended to the mountain peak, where his sisters and brother awaited him. The fireworks exploded in a dazzling display of color, but Navrat’s mind remained unsettled. Something was not right. The warmth of the night, the celebration of life, felt distant, as if the world were holding its breath.

Suddenly, the calm was shattered. A sharp pain surged through Navrat’s chest, and his vision blurred as he felt a sword pierce his heart. Blood poured from his mouth, and his knees buckled beneath him.

He looked up in shock to find his brother, Akansh, standing before him, a cold smile on his lips. Navrat tried to move, to reach for the sword in his chest, but his limbs felt heavy, sluggish. A vile poison had begun to course through his veins.

"Why...?" Navrat’s voice was hoarse, thick with betrayal. "Akansh... why?"

Akansh's smile twisted further, the betrayal cutting deeper than any blade. “Because I never wanted to share the throne with you. You were always the favored one, always the one everyone believed in. But that was never going to be enough for me. I’ve made my choices.”

Navrat’s gaze darted to the woman approaching, her red robes flowing as she walked with purpose. It was Zuna, his fiancée, the woman he had trusted. His heart clenched with pain.

“You too, Zuna?” Navrat’s voice broke. “Why?”

Zuna’s lips curved into a cruel smile. “How does it feel to taste the dust of your failure? To know you were nothing but a pawn in a game much larger than you ever realized?”

The world spun as Navrat’s consciousness began to fade. The pain was unbearable, but what truly tore at his soul was the sting of betrayal. His own brother. His own fiancée. He

had trusted them both with his life, and they had repaid him with death.

As his vision dimmed, Navrat’s last words were a hoarse whisper, “Why... just why?”

Before Akansh could reply, the life drained from Navrat’s body. He was gone.

But as Navrat’s body lay lifeless, a faint voice echoed in his mind. Secret Art: Converging Fate has met its requirements.

Suddenly, his body dissolved into light, as if he had never existed.

200 Years Later

The world had changed.

A bloody war raged in the Western Region, and in a small town, the once-thriving Blooming Lotus Sect was razed to the ground. Blood

stained the streets as its citizens were slaughtered mercilessly.

Ruhi, a young woman who had narrowly escaped with her life, fled the carnage, clutching her mother’s hand. But her heart sank as she witnessed the unthinkable. Her own brother, once a loyal disciple, had betrayed their family. He stood there, eyes cold, as he stabbed their father from behind.

“Run, Ruhi! Don’t look back!” her mother cried, forcing her to flee.

Ruhi’s tears flowed freely as she ran, hearing the anguished cries of her family, but unable to do anything to help. She heard her brother’s voice ring out, cold and detached. “I am now an Elder of the Heaven Sky Sect. This is the end of you.”

The sound of destruction echoed through the town, and Ruhi’s heart shattered as she ran for her life. If only she had been stronger. If only she

had the power to save them, to protect them from the enemies who had destroyed her family.

But as she neared the palace gates, a golden sphere suddenly pierced her chest, throwing her against the wall. She gasped in pain, unable to move. The laughter of her brother and his allies filled her ears as they left the city, leaving her in the wake of their destruction.

But then, something extraordinary happened.

A brilliant purple light engulfed her, and her body began to heal at an impossible rate. Her wounds closed, and she felt a surge of energy fill her being. The souls have converged. The required energy has been met.

She gasped as her surroundings shifted, and she found herself no longer in the familiar world she had known, but in a strange, unfamiliar place. She looked down at her hands, startled to find

them no longer her own. Instead, they were the hands of a girl.

“What is this?” she murmured, her voice now alien to her ears.

She stared at the mirror before her, disbelief washing over her. Did I... get resurrected?

But as she looked closer at the reflection, the name Navrat flashed through her mind.

Could it be? Could this be the very prince who had died 200 years ago? And what had happened to the soul of the girl whose body she now inhabited?

Divinity
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