Night had fallen by the time he reached the outer gates.The new city — once his Ardyn — now towered before him like a beast carved from steel and ambition. High walls of polished blackstone glimmered under floating lanterns that circled above like silent predators.
Crowds moved in long, controlled lines. Nobody spoke. Nobody dared.The laughter, the music, the sound of life that once echoed through the capital — gone. Replaced by a chilling harmony of silence and obedience.
He pulled a tattered cloak from a fallen traveler's corpse earlier in the woods. It wasn't dignity, but survival. A king did not hide — but tonight, a king had to watch before he struck.
A checkpoint stood at the entrance. Strange devices scanned every citizen before allowing entry. The serpent emblem glowed crimson on each machine like an eye that never blinked.
A guard waved him forward.
"Name. Origin. Purpose of entry."
The king lowered his gaze, mimicking the beaten posture of the others in line. His voice came out rough, weary — almost convincing."...A wanderer. Seeking work."
The guard placed a cold metal disc against his wrist. The device flickered. Error. Silence. Then— it clicked green.
Access granted.
So the magic of the old blood still lies dormant enough to conceal me... Good.
He stepped through the gate. And as his feet touched the streets of his own kingdom — now alien and rebuilt — a memory surged. A flash of torches... screams... a crown hitting the marble floor... his brother's voice.
"Forgive me, brother... but the throne no longer needs a king."
The king's steps slowed. He could almost smell that night again — the burning tapestry, the iron scent of betrayal.
A young boy bumped into him, breaking the trance.The child's clothes were ragged, his eyes tired — but something in his expression caught the king's attention. A spark. A familiar defiance.
Before he could speak, a robotic soldier barked from the other side of the street.
"CITIZEN 2035 — CURFEW. RETURN TO YOUR SECTOR."
The boy flinched. Fear replaced the fire in his eyes. He scurried away without a word.
So this is what my Ardyn has become... a kingdom where even children fear the night.
He walked deeper into the city. Neon crystals illuminated the paths, replacing the old moonstones he once personally set across these streets. Where grand statues of ancient kings once stood in honor — now stood towering serpent monoliths.
His history… erased.
He paused at a broken fountain. The base still carried the engraving — worn by time, half-buried under grime and propaganda posters. He kneeled and brushed the dirt away with his fingers.
There, beneath it all, was a single word in faded golden ink — His name.
The world may have forgotten — but the stones still remembered.
His hand tightened.
"Brother… you stole my crown."He rose, eyes turning colder."Now, I will take back something far greater — the hearts of my people."