The Palace of Valdric loomed against a sky smeared with smoke and ash. Its towers, once gilded like beacons of civilization, now quivered under the relentless thunder of distant guns. The gardens — once a sanctuary of roses and laughter — had been reduced to mud, shards of glass, and shattered statues, the echo of what had once been joy.
Beyond the outer walls, the Azure Legion assembled like an endless ocean of blue. Banners snapped in the cold wind, cannon muzzles glowing faintly from unceasing fire. The air tasted of sulfur and iron — a metallic warning of what was coming. They were soldiers of the Durvane Empire.
Inside, the defenders of Valdric — men in black uniforms — clung to the last barricade. Smoke clung to their faces; the insignias once crisp on their coats were shredded by shrapnel. They spoke no words, only loading, aiming, and firing. Every volley was a dirge for a dying empire.
High above, in the shattered throne room, Emperor Maximus von Valdric stood beside fractured stained glass depicting the gods. The fires outside painted his once-white gloves crimson.
"Your Majesty," said General Kael, sword nicked and streaked with blood, "the inner wall is gone. They're flooding the courtyard. We can still detonate the East Wing — trap them inside with us."
Maximus didn't answer immediately. His gaze drifted to the far end of the hall — where his five-year-old son, Leon, clutched a wooden horse to his chest, fingers trembling.
The Emperor's voice was low, but steady.
"How long until reinforcements arrive?"
Kael's eyes flickered. "Too long. Hours, perhaps. The Eastern batteries are silent."
A tremor ran through the marble floors, dust raining from the ornate ceiling.
Empress Liora appeared, golden gown torn, soot streaking her face. "They're inside the servants' hall," she gasped. "Maximus, the East Wing— it's—"
A deafening explosion cut her words short. A tower collapsed outside, carrying a rolling wave of screams with the wind.
Maximus gripped the balustrade, staring down at the courtyard, now drowned in smoke. The once-proud banners of Valdric lay trampled in mud. "So it ends," he whispered.
Kael placed the detonator box on the marble table — a cold iron relic with a single lever. "One pull, sire, and the Palace of Valdric will never fall into enemy hands. We die as men should — on our own terms."
Maximus placed his hand on the box. His fingers trembled. He imagined the flames consuming the marble halls, the history books recording Valdric's end as defiant glory. But then his eyes fell on Leon — small, terrified, and clutching that toy horse — and the vision turned to ash.
A child's life outweighed any empire.
"Seal the charges," Maximus murmured, "but do not ignite them. Not unless I command it."
Kael hesitated. "Sire—"
"That's an order," Maximus snapped.
Thunder rolled through the courtyard — not from the sky, but from enemy cannons. Windows shattered inward, spraying glass like deadly rain. The inner gate had fallen.
Maximus drew his revolver; its shine dulled beneath the soot-darkened light. "Ready the last defense. We meet them in the Great Hall."
They came like shadows in blue. The Azure Legion swept through the corridors, disciplined and merciless. Black-coated defenders fell one by one, bleeding into the marble floors of their own palace.
Kael fought like a demon, blade flashing through smoke and flame. "Hold the line!" he roared. But the line had already crumbled.
Then, calm amid chaos, a tall figure entered: General Draven, commander of the Azure Legion. His cobalt coat gleamed as though untouched by the ruin around him. Soldiers parted as if he commanded the air itself.
Maximus lowered his revolver, chest heaving. "You've taken the walls. The East Wing burns. Do you still thirst for blood?"
Draven's voice was a knife of calm. "I did not wish to raze this palace. But you left me no choice. Surrender now, and perhaps I'll spare your heir."
Liora gasped. Maximus's grip on the revolver tightened.
Behind him, the detonator box gleamed faintly in the firelight. Kael's eyes flicked to it, waiting for a nod.
Time froze. Smoke and fire hung suspended. Maximus heard the pounding of his heart — or was it the palace itself? — like a pulse echoing through his skull.
Then clarity struck, sudden and bright. His hand hovered over the lever as if no invisible string had ever held it. Leon's terrified face, his wife's trembling hand — his heart lurched.
The sword clattered to the floor. "I surrender," he said, voice raw.
Kael's head snapped up. Liora's lips parted in disbelief. They had all thought the conqueror would never yield.
"I surrender this palace, my crown, my life," Maximus continued. "For my son. Spare him… spare my people."
Draven's expression didn't change, but slowly, he nodded. "As you wish, Emperor Maximus von Valdric."
...
Three days later, under a gray dawn, Maximus was executed in the courtyard of his ancestors. Liora stood beside him, serene despite her chains. Kael, last of the black-coated generals, stood bound at their side.
Before them, the Azure Legion awaited. Leon, held back by guards, stared red-eyed from the balcony.
"Live," Maximus whispered. "Live free of war."
A volley fired. Smoke engulfed the morning.
Then — everything froze.
Smoke paused midair. Soldiers hung mid-motion. Gunfire echoed endlessly, trapped in time.
Maximus closed his eyes . The world was silent. His body felt heavy, distant, unreal.
BAD ENDING 34
THE END OF A EMPIRE
...
A chair scraped violently.
"Are you kidding me?!"
A dark room came into focus: monitors glowing orange, cables snaking across a desk littered with energy drink cans. Player: AidenCross98 blinked from the interface.
Aiden ripped off his headset, face flushed with frustration. "No! He was supposed to blow up the palace! I chose the detonator!"
On screen, the Palace of Valdric burned, but Maximus was lifeless, the same cutscene looping with bad ending sign in the background
"This game is broken!" Aiden slammed the desk. Then the screen flickered. For a heartbeat, Maximus's eyes looked straight out of the frame — alive, accusing.
The monitor steadied. The palace still burned.
A voice whispered through the speakers, regal and unmistakable:
"Hidden route detected. Would you like to join?"
"Wha—what kind of choice is that?"
The option automatically selected: YES.
The screen went black, leaving only the faint reflection of Aiden's stunned face.