Book, “The Corruption: Last Echoes of Aeldrithius”
Structure
Exposition
In the previous books, readers have come to understand that the world of Aeldrithius has already met its cataclysmic end. The once-vibrant lands, brimming with magic and life, have crumbled under the weight of betrayal, war, and divine interference.
Gyala, who had become a Saint before the end of the world, faces the greatest challenge of enduring multiple cycles just to help his boyfriend become the God he’s meant to become, knowing that a proper ascension will help restore their old world to its natural glory. Ellis and Gyala face the problem of not knowing they’ve gone back in time, forgetting everything that’s happened afterwards due to Aionexus’ influence. Eilis beforehand however, had been thrown into chaos in his own mind due to the weighing pressure on him to make things right and battle an Elder God in the meantime.
But her task is far from simple. As Gyala strives to help Eilis reclaim his true identity, he must confront the powerful and ever-growing influence of Aionexus, a malevolent force whose very existence threatens to erase all remnants of Aeldrithius. Aionexus seeks to control not only the gods but the very core of the world's shattered reality, and its reach extends into every corner of the universe. As Gyala and Eilis struggle against time and the pull of Aionexus's corruption, they must navigate not only the political and spiritual turbulence of a broken world but also their own growing bond. Together, they must defy the odds and resist the forces that threaten to plunge Aeldrithius into eternal darkness.
Conflict
The initial incident is where Gyala receives a threatening letter, a grim and unmistakable warning that his journey will take an even darker turn as a newly ascended Saint. The letter carries an air of foreboding from the moment he opens it. It demands that he kidnaps Eilis, the very God she has sworn to protect and help ascend. The message is cold and precise, outlining the consequences if Gyala does not comply, and alluding to a much larger, unseen force at play.
Gyala understands immediately the gravity of the situation. This is no idle threat. The message is too carefully crafted, too specific in its demands, to be ignored or dismissed as the work of an isolated faction or a passing moment of aggression. The person behind this demand has been watching, studying, and likely manipulating the events surrounding him and Eilis for far longer than he realises.
Rising Action
Gyala and Eilis first encounter each other in the lavish confines of a popular brothel where Eilis works currently. The establishment is renowned for having the best sex workers on staff, all of whom are free from the influence of Aionexus’ cult, but even its walls can’t permanently keep out the spread of their influence. Gyala, disguised to avoid attracting attention, enters with urgency, having tracked rumours of Eilis’ whereabouts after being threatened with a damming letter.
When he finally meets him, he’s struck by his ethereal presence- his green eyes burning with hidden potential, though his demeanour is more reserved from years of working in the military and being constantly used. Despite his initial hesitation, Gyala explains the situation after they have a moment together, warning him about the cultist’s plans. He explains that they intend to sacrifice him as part of a ritual to amplify their power and bring about the collapse of Aeldrithius.
Eilis is skeptical at first, accustomed to people trying to manipulate or exploit him, but Gyala's urgency and knowledge of the cult's inner workings slowly begin to convince him. Their meeting is tense, with the sound of muffled conversations and laughter from the brothel's clients creating a stark contrast to the seriousness of their conversation.
As the days pass, Gyala and Eilis grow closer. The warning Gyala gave him isn’t one he can forget, no matter how much he tries to bury it beneath the layers of his chaotic life. Slowly, Eilis begins to trust him, and the connection between them deepens. Gyala proves to be a man of action, unyielding in his desire to protect him, and Eilis finds solace in his presence, something he hasn’t felt in years.
Through this unexpected bond, they discover something more than just a shared understanding of the danger closing in on them- they discover love. Gyala, who has spent years in training to the Sainted Dominion, a sworn protector of sacred forces, begins to see in Eilis the answer to a long-forgotten prayer. Eilis, in turn, begins to recognise the enormity of his potential, the power he’s been running from his entire life.
Despite their growing affection, both understand the stakes. The cultists are not going to stop. They cannot. Eilis’s very existence is a threat to Aionexus, and the cult will stop at nothing to capture him. After a long night of talking, plotting, and gazing at the stars, they make a fateful decision. They will not wait passively to be hunted. Instead, they decide they must act. To thwart Aionexus’s twisted plans, they need to contact the goddesses of the Starhaven Pantheon directly. The goddesses, powerful and ethereal, may be the only beings capable of offering them the knowledge and strength needed to defeat Aionexus and protect Eilis from his inevitable sacrifice.
After making their decision, Eilis and Gyala go into hiding, preparing for the perilous journey to contact the Starhaven Pantheon. But the cultists of Aionexus are relentless, and despite their best efforts, they are never truly safe. The cultists, with their vast networks of spies and agents, track their every movement. No matter where Eilis and Gyala go, it’s as though the cult is always one step behind, closing in from every direction.
It’s during a seemingly normal day at a hidden sanctuary that they first realise just how far the cult will go. The quiet, secluded refuge where they had hoped to find some peace becomes the site of a violent assault. The cultists, having traced their location through whispers by oracles, launch an attack. Eilis and Gyala barely escape, and in the chaos of their flight, Gyala is forced to use his considerable abilities to protect Eilis. But their narrow escape only highlights the gravity of their situation. The cult is not only searching for Eilis- they need him. Desperate to capture him at any cost, the cultists’ obsession with Eilis is growing stronger by the day.
With each failed attempt to disappear into the shadows, Gyala becomes more acutely aware of how far-reaching Aionexus’s influence truly is. The cultists seem to have an uncanny ability to find them wherever they go, even in the most unlikely corners of Aeldrithius. It’s clear now that the cult won’t rest until they have Eilis in their clutches, ready to sacrifice him and bring about the horrific reign of Aionexus. As they flee from place to place, always on the run, the reality sets in: Eilis’s divine fate is not just a matter of prophecy- it’s a matter of survival. They must reach the Starhaven Pantheon before it’s too late, or they risk losing everything.
But no matter how quickly they move, the cult is always there, just behind them, in the shadows. And they will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Climax
The climax unfolds in a moment of eerie stillness, just before the storm. Gyala and Eilis have taken temporary refuge in a crumbling chapel deep in the wilderness, a place they believed to be beyond the reach of their enemies. Eilis has stepped away, venturing into the nearby forest to gather supplies for their next leg of the journey. Gyala, ever-vigilant, remains behind, his instincts warning him of an approaching threat. The air feels heavier than usual, the shadows within the chapel lengthening unnaturally.
It is in this oppressive silence that Mor Luthien strikes. The High Luminary, whose cunning and cruelty have orchestrated much of their suffering, slips through the fractured remains of the chapel’s walls, his presence almost spectral. His blade piercing Gyala’s heart before he can fully react. The attack is swift, silent, and merciless, a perfect execution of Luthien’s years of devotion to Aionexus. Gyala collapses to the floor, blood staining the holy ground beneath him as his vision begins to blur. He tries to call out for Eilis but realises it’s too late; he is too far to hear him.
When Eilis returns, finding Gyala’s lifeless body and the faint remnants of Luthien’s presence, the devastation is immediate. His death becomes the catalyst for his final transformation, pushing him to fully embrace his divinity, even as the weight of grief threatens to crush him. Gyala’s end marks the turning point where Eilis must rise, alone, to face the fate they had hoped to confront together.
Falling Action
Eilis is captured by Mor Luthien in the aftermath of Gyala’s death, his stealthy ambush leading to his unconscious capture. Bound and helpless, he is dragged into a shadowy corner of Aeldrithius, where he is left to the whims of Luthien, who gleams with triumph. But as Eilis drifts in and out of consciousness, he is drawn into the realm of his dreams, where an unexpected figure emerges- Merthicz, the goddess he had heard of but never trusted. She speaks to him from the depths of his mind, claiming she can help him ascend to godhood before the cultists can sacrifice him. Eilis, still reeling from the loss of Gyala and his own helplessness, is skeptical of her offer. He doesn’t believe that any salvation can come from a goddess who has so many secrets veiled in shadow.
Yet time is running out, and the walls are closing in. Eilis’s determination to survive forces him to make a reluctant decision: he agrees to work with Merthicz, if only to buy him enough time to figure out his next move. What he doesn’t know, however, is that Merthicz has her own hidden agenda. She is manipulating him, preparing to bind him to the will of Aionexus. Eilis is unwittingly walking into a trap, his desperation and grief blinding him to the true cost of his alliance with Merthicz, even as he becomes more entangled in her treacherous schemes.
Resolution
Merthicz reveals to Eilis that the final step of his ascension to godhood requires a dangerous exchange: in order to unlock the full extent of his divine powers, he must be infused with energy from his future self. The process is volatile, she warns, and there’s no guarantee he’ll survive the immense overload. His body will be torn apart by the surge of divine energy, and should he fail to withstand it, he will die. However, if he survives, he will transcend into the god he was always meant to be, albeit at a great personal cost. Torn between the prospect of fulfilling his destiny and the overwhelming risk of death, Eilis feels the weight of the choice settle heavily upon him. But the pull of his fate, and the promise of the power he’s always sought, overcomes his fear, and he agrees to the ritual.
The transformation is agonising. As the power from his future self courses through him, Eilis feels his body teeter on the edge of destruction, his mind flooded with memories that aren't his own. His soul, once tethered to the dying world of Aeldrithius, is stretched beyond its limits. For a brief moment, everything seems to implode, and it feels as if all of existence shatters around him. When the ordeal finally ends, Eilis is no longer the man he was. His ascension is complete, but at the cost of his humanity. The memories flood back to him- of the devastation Merthicz had caused, of her manipulation and betrayal, and of the end she had helped bring to Aeldrithius. With this newfound clarity, Eilis realizes the true horror of his own existence now. He is a god, but he is corrupted. The influence of Aionexus has seeped into his very being, twisting him into something unrecognisable.
In his moment of clarity, Eilis turns on Merthicz. Her betrayal, once veiled in promises of power, is exposed, and he can no longer tolerate the goddess’s deception. With a surge of divine power fueled by his corruption, Eilis drains Merthicz of her godly essence, unraveling her in a torrent of energy. The once-revered goddess, stripped of her powers, is transformed into a twisted, monstrous form- a demon born of her own greed and manipulation. As. Aionexus’s influence now fully controls him, and as he gazes upon the ruined world around him, he realises too late that he has become the very thing he once feared: a tool of destruction. The tragic irony of his ascension is clear- his death, his sacrifice, had been in vain. Aeldrithius is lost, and so is the man he once was.
Relations
Protagonists
Gyala and Eilis
Adversaries
Mor Luthien
Plot type
Book overview
Related Characters
Related Organizations
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