The palace was quiet, too quiet. The golden veins glowed faintly across the walls and floors, pulsing like the heartbeat of a living being. But beneath that radiance, there was an unease—a silence that pressed down on Selene and her children, as though the palace itself held its breath.
Storm stood at the shattered center of the throne hall, his spear dim but steady in his hand. "We broke his staff. We broke his power. Why doesn't it feel like victory?"
Shadow's eyes narrowed, his fingers brushing the cracks in the marble floor. "Because he's not dead. And men like him don't run unless they have another plan."
Heart rested beside Soul, wiping the sweat from her face. Her power had left her drained, but her spirit burned stronger than ever. "We destroyed his weapon, but he still serves someone greater. He said the throne belongs to Veyron. Whoever that is… we haven't seen the true enemy yet."
Selene's gaze lingered on her unconscious son. Soul's chest rose and fell weakly, his veins still glowing faintly with chaos energy. She touched his forehead, her hand trembling. The power he carried frightened her—not because of its destructive force, but because of the cost.
The walls shuddered.
The veins of light flickered.
A deep voice, colder than the commander's, reverberated through the air. "So… the prophecy breathes after all. Four children, born of light and shadow. And already, you've broken my servant."
The voice didn't come from a man in the room—it came from everywhere. From the walls, the floor, the very air itself. The throne, cracked and scarred, pulsed once with crimson light.
Selene froze. The children stood ready, even Soul stirring weakly, his eyes fluttering open.
The throne spoke again, its voice dripping with authority.
"I am Veyron. And you… have stolen what is mine."
The golden veins recoiled as crimson began to seep back into the cracks of the palace.
The real war had just begun.
The crimson light bled through the cracks of the throne room, spreading like veins of fire across the marble. The air grew heavy, pressing down on everyone inside. Storm's spear vibrated in his grip, reacting instinctively to the dark presence.
Shadow pulled Heart closer, shielding her with his arm. "This… this isn't just an echo. He's here. His essence is bound to the throne."
Selene's chest tightened. She rose, placing herself between her children and the glowing throne. "Veyron, if you are truly the one who claims the throne, then face me. Do not hide behind shadows."
The throne pulsed, and laughter rippled through the air. "Brave words for a mortal queen who has no idea what she has birthed. Your children were never meant to belong to you, Selene. They are fragments of a prophecy older than this kingdom. And soon, they will kneel to me."
Soul, still weak, pushed himself up, his voice hoarse but steady. "We'll never kneel to you." His veins glowed brighter, a faint shimmer of gold fighting against the crimson that now filled the hall.
The laughter stopped. For a moment, the air itself froze.
Then—
The throne cracked open.
From within the stone and crimson light, a figure began to emerge. Tall, draped in shadows that moved like liquid fire, his eyes burning with an endless hunger. Though not fully solid, the sheer force of his presence made the children stagger backward.
Shadow whispered, "That's not a man… that's something beyond."
Selene spread her arms wide, her body trembling under the weight of his aura, yet her resolve unbroken. "You will not touch them. Not while I breathe."
Veyron's half-formed body leaned forward, his gaze piercing straight through her. "Then you will be the first to fall."
The throne chamber erupted with crimson lightning.
The clash between light and shadow tore through the throne room, shaking the foundations of the palace. Storm lunged forward, his spear blazing with lightning, striking at Veyron's half-formed figure. Each impact sent ripples through the crimson mist, yet the enemy only grew more solid with every strike.
Shadow moved like smoke, slipping behind the dark king, his blade flashing toward Veyron's neck. But the mist reacted before the blade could land, binding Shadow's arm mid-strike and hurling him across the chamber. He slammed into the marble wall, coughing but still pulling himself back to his feet.
Selene tightened her shield of light around Heart, who trembled but refused to let go of her mother's hand. "You're not strong enough yet," Selene whispered fiercely, "but you will be. Hold on."
Veyron's laughter filled the chamber, cold and mocking. "You think you can delay the inevitable? Every second I grow closer to wholeness. When the throne awakens fully, no force—mortal or divine—will stand in my way."
Soul's golden veins flared with defiance. He pushed past the pain still racking his body, his voice steady even as the energy inside him threatened to tear him apart. "Then we'll break you before that happens."
He raised his hand, summoning a sphere of radiant gold. The light was so fierce it blinded even his siblings for a heartbeat. When it surged forward, it struck Veyron square in the chest, forcing him back toward the cracked throne. For the first time, the dark king staggered, his laughter faltering into a snarl.
But instead of retreating, the throne itself pulsed, sending waves of crimson energy to shield its master. Cracks spread wider along the walls, and the floor split open, revealing veins of molten fire beneath the palace.
Selene's breath caught. "If the throne collapses, it won't just be this kingdom—it will consume the entire land."
Veyron smiled, his form now almost fully solid, his burning eyes fixed on them all. "Then watch your world burn."
The storm of shadows erupted once more.
The throne room became a battlefield of chaos and fire. Lightning from Storm's spear split the air, clashing with the waves of crimson energy that spilled from Veyron's body. Shadow reformed from the smoke, slashing with renewed fury, his strikes carrying the speed of a tempest.
Selene's light grew brighter, wrapping around Heart as a shield, but even she felt her strength waning. Sweat streamed down her face, her knees trembling as the throne's corrupt power tried to crush her spirit.
Soul stepped forward, golden veins blazing until his entire body looked like a figure sculpted from pure light. His voice rang out, steady and defiant: "We end this tonight!"
Veyron raised his hand, and the throne roared with crimson fire, forming a blade as vast as the sky. With a single swing, the palace itself trembled, towers crumbling and stone raining down.
Storm leapt to intercept, his spear clashing with the blade, sparks exploding. Shadow joined from behind, his dagger finding its mark and piercing through Veyron's shoulder. For the first time, black ichor spilled, hissing like acid when it struck the ground.
The dark king staggered, but his smile never faded. "You wound me… but you only feed me. The throne drinks from pain."
Selene fell to her knees, clutching Heart, her voice breaking. "Children… if you are ever to rise, it must be now. Together."
Her words struck them deeper than any blade.
Storm screamed as lightning poured through his spear, Shadow's form dissolved into pure darkness, binding Veyron's limbs, and Soul summoned every ounce of golden fire within him. Heart, though trembling, raised her hands and released a wave of pure warmth that struck through the crimson haze like dawn breaking night.
The four powers collided, intertwining into a single beam of light and storm and shadow and love—striking Veyron with unstoppable force. His scream shook the heavens, his form shattering piece by piece as the throne itself cracked apart.
The crimson blade dissolved. The mist retreated. The throne fell silent.
Veyron's voice, faint but venomous, echoed as he vanished: "This is not my end. The throne remembers. And so shall I…"
Silence.
The palace lay in ruins, but the children still stood, battered yet unbroken. Selene collapsed in relief, pulling them all into her arms.
For now, they had won. But the fight for the throne was far from over.