The throne room was different that day. No silk, no banners of celebration, no wine poured. Just the King seated on the cold, black stone of authority, his crown glinting beneath the torches. Beside him stood Amara, regal and silent, her eyes sweeping the hall with the sharpness of a hawk.
Soren Vask was first to arrive — BAM Commander, his steps heavy, his salute sharp as iron. Behind him came Daniel, head of soldiers, still carrying the scars of his recent punishment, his uniform pressed with quiet defiance. Then, one after another, the generals of the BAM and the commanders of the soldier divisions filed in.
Chris didn't rise. He didn't need to. His voice carried across the chamber like thunder trapped in marble.
Chris:
"You are not here as men with pride. You are not here as factions divided. You are here as the blood and iron that makes the Blackwood Union unshakable. And today, I want to hear from your own lips… what have you given me? What have you given this empire?"
The silence that followed was heavy. Then Chris's hand flicked once, a subtle command.
"BAM first. Soren."
Soren stepped forward, voice steady, eyes locked on the King.
Soren Vask:
"My King, the Blackwood Armed Militia has kept your borders sealed and your enemies' hearts trembling. We have secured trade routes, burned rebel outposts, and held the discipline of iron among our ranks. Our contribution is fear — fear that bends nations before they dare test you."
Chris nodded once, his expression unreadable.
Then he turned his gaze.
"Soldiers. Daniel. Speak."
Daniel stepped forward. His breath was steady, but inside he felt every eye cut into him. He bowed lightly and raised his chin.
Daniel Blackwood:
"My King, the soldiers are not only swords but the backbone of your empire. We have bled in wars that ensured the flag of Blackwood is planted in lands once unthinkable. We patrol your streets, keep your citizens breathing your law. Our contribution is loyalty made flesh — the blood spilled so your throne sits higher than the sun."
The hall stirred with murmurs. Soren's eyes flickered, sharp. Daniel had spoken boldly, almost too boldly.
Chris leaned forward, his stare pinning the two men as though testing them in invisible fire.
Chris:
"Soren brings me fear. Daniel brings me blood. But I am not a King who rules by halves. Fear without sacrifice is weakness. Sacrifice without fear is waste. So tell me…"
He rose slowly, and every soldier in the room instinctively dropped to one knee. His voice roared like judgment itself:
Chris:
"What more will you give me? What more will you carve into the world so that the Blackwood Union does not just live — it reigns forever?"
The silence was unbearable. Both Soren and Daniel exchanged a glance, their rivalry unspoken but alive in the air.
Soren spoke first.
Soren:
"Give me your command, and I will make the BAM a shadow in every empire's heart. No land will sleep without whispering your name."
Then Daniel's voice followed, unshaken.
Daniel:
"Give me your trust, and I will lead men not only to fight but to build. We will not just conquer for you — we will leave behind a legacy so no one dares erase Blackwood even in a thousand years."
Chris stared at both. Then a smile ghosted across his face — not warmth, but something sharper.
Chris:
"Good. Very good. You have spoken like men who know the throne is not your own. But words… words are cheap."
He lifted his hand, and Amara stepped forward with a sealed scroll.
Chris:
"Within this, your next trials await. Fear will not save you. Blood will not excuse you. Only results will."
The scroll was placed between them, and Chris sat back, his eyes glinting like fire behind glass.
Chris:
"Now go. Show me what your contributions truly mean. Show me that I was right not to replace you both."
The chamber emptied slowly, tension thick enough to cut with a blade. Outside the doors, Soren and Daniel walked side by side, silent, the sealed scroll heavy in both their minds.
But both men knew one thing: Chris was not just testing them. He was setting them on a collision course that might shake the empire itself.
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