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Autumndusk, The COU Castle: Rulers Meeting Room, Time: 2:00 AM
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King Morgan was crying, a black eye prominent on his left side, as he struggled to read the paper he had been given. "The world... the peace treaty that I believed would save us all was nothing but a..."
His words were choked with sobs as he attempted to continue, "A lie." He wiped away his tears and pressed on.
"All their intentions were to weaken every one of our kingdoms, catching us off guard before launching their devastating assault." His voice quivered as he read further.
"They aimed to manipulate the threads of power in each realm, crafting their own twisted version of a perfect world." The room was filled with shocked and saddened rulers, their eyes fixed on the unfolding scene.
'Who could have done this to you?' Asmon's expression darkened, exchanging solemn looks with the other kings present. The atmosphere grew tense, the weight of the revelation settling heavily. Bada's heart raced as he witnessed the horrifying truth.
"The world we thought we understood, the alliances we trusted... all manipulated," Asmon's tone carried a blend of anger and resolve.
"We cannot allow these lies to dictate our path forward." A chorus of agreement and murmurs spread among the assembled rulers.
Morgan watched, disbelief etched on his tear-streaked face, as his words resonated with them.
"Everyone..." Overwhelmed with emotion, he broke down into tears of relief and gratitude.
"T-Thank you all so much! You are the best rulers we could have ever hoped for." As the overwhelming support of everyone enveloped him, Morgan felt that the long-awaited truth was finally surfacing, like the dawn after a long night.
However, little did they know that their journey was far from over...
BANG!
A sudden and jarring noise resonated through the air, shattering the serene atmosphere that had enveloped the room.
Gasps of shock escaped the lips of those present, and an eerie silence settled as the room's occupants turned their attention to the source of the disturbance.
King Morgan's image on the holographic projection had been abruptly cut off, leaving only a burst of static in its wake.
In the abrupt stillness, King Morgan's lifeless body slammed onto the table before collapsing to the floor with his entire head blown out, the force of the impact a grim testament to the violence that had just unfolded.
A chilling realization spread among the assembled rulers, their expressions etched with shock and disbelief at the unthinkable scene that had just played out.
Amid the shock and confusion, a voice emerged from the shadows, piercing through the tense atmosphere like a blade.
"I wanted to apologize for the inconvenience, as he went off script," the voice stated, its tone dripping with an unsettling calmness.
Slowly, as if materializing from the very shadows themselves, the figure responsible for this shocking act revealed himself. It was none other than Sugar.
"SUGAR!" Asmon's voice thundered through the room, a mixture of shock and outrage contorting his features as he sprang to his feet.
Bada, his eyes wide with disbelief, stared at his father, struggling to process the chaotic turn of events.
Before he could utter a single word, Sugar's mocking voice sliced through the air, a sinister smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Hey, old man! Sorry about him," Sugar taunted, his words dripping with a callous nonchalance.
"I guess you can't put me in a room with a Twilight believer, right?" He emphasized the irony of the situation, highlighting Morgan's misguided decision to align with the very faction that now claimed his life.
"My boy! What you're doing is a mistake in itself! We were about—" Asmon's voice rose, laden with a mixture of concern and frustration, his words cut off by Sugar's dismissive gesture.
With an audacious press of his finger against his lips, Sugar silenced Asmon, asserting his control over the situation.
"If anything could happen in the world, I decided that path on my own," Sugar retorted, his posture casual, as if he were lounging in a garden rather than amidst the chaos he had wrought.
His demeanor was a stark contrast to the gravity of the situation as if he reveled in the chaos he had unleashed.
The other rulers watched, a mixture of anger and disbelief swirling within them, as Sugar brazenly showed no remorse for his heinous act.
A tense silence enveloped the room, their collective anger and bewilderment hanging heavily in the air.
"Listen, all of you could lecture me on 'how not to kill a king,' but I decided that all of that isn't quite spicy enough," Sugar mused, his tone mocking and taunting.
"I want to make this more interesting for all of you. Twilight will be defeated by me and not any of you geezers." His words carried an air of arrogance as if he believed himself to be the sole savior in this grim narrative.
Sugar's laughter cut through the air, a chilling symphony of malevolence.
"You fucking bas-" Takahashi's fury reached a boiling point, his hands clenching into fists as he nearly stood up in protest.
However, Varian's steadying hand on his arm brought him back from the precipice of confrontation, reminding him of the tense balance that hung between them.
"Mark my words, old man! I am your enemy and the enemy of the entire world!" Sugar's proclamation was met with an air of finality as if he had pronounced a grim prophecy that would haunt them all.
The projection concluded, leaving the gathered rulers in a state of distrust, fear, and seething anger, each grappling with the weight of the impending storm that Sugar's declaration heralded.
"That boy...he was from Ulvala wasn't he? I feel that certain some should be held accountable for this..." Takahashi, the Emperor of Hasegawa and Cauli's father stood among the rulers, his features taut with recognition.
He was aware of Sugar's history, the former protector of Ulvala, and now, the accused killer of King Morgan.
On the other side of the debate, Valarian, the King of Ulvala, rose to his feet, his expression stubborn and resolute.
"Unfortunately, I already exiled him from my country therefore he's not part of my people." He vehemently denied Takahashi's demand, asserting that Sugar is out of his hands to handle.
Valarian's voice carried a tone of firm conviction, as he believed that Sugar's removal from Ulvala was the fitting response to his past transgressions.
The arguments rippled through the room, like waves of dissent clashing against the shore. Tempers flared, fueled by a potent mixture of grief, anger, and fear.
As the voices grew louder and the tensions escalated, the atmosphere became electric with the charged emotions of each ruler, all grappling with the enormity of the situation.
Amidst the cacophony of disagreement, Asmon, the revered figure of unity, raised his voice above the fray.
His words resonated with a gravity that commanded attention, echoing the wisdom and authority he had amassed over his reign.
"Enough!" his voice boomed, his eyes blazing with an intensity that demanded obedience.
The room fell into an uneasy silence, every pair of eyes now fixated on Asmon.
He stood at the center of the tempest, a figure of authority who sought to quell the storm of conflicting emotions that had taken hold.
With measured breaths, he continued, his voice steadier now, imbued with a mixture of disappointment and determination.
"This is not the time for division among us. Our kingdoms, united through years of struggle, cannot be fractured by this act of violence," Asmon's words were laden with a sense of urgency, a reminder of the fragile alliances they had worked tirelessly to forge.
"We must act with wisdom and temperance, not succumb to the emotions that Sugar's provocation seeks to ignite," Asmon's gaze swept across the room, capturing the attention of every ruler, imploring them to see reason amid the chaos.
"We will plan this out. Please, I want all of you to return home safely for tonight," Asmon's authoritative voice filled the room, a beacon of reassurance amid the tumultuous discussions.
He turned his attention to his son, Bada, and a silent exchange of understanding passed between them.
"My son, I want you to escort all of them back safely so scenarios like this never happen again," he entrusted Bada with the responsibility of ensuring their guests' safe passage, an order delivered with a sense of unwavering determination.
With a respectful bow, Bada acknowledged his father's command, ready to fulfill his duty and guide the rulers back to their respective castles.
As he ushered them out, a palpable sense of unity and resolve seemed to mend the rifts that had briefly threatened to tear them apart.
Once the room had emptied, Asmon found himself alone, the weight of his responsibilities settling heavily on his shoulders.
He stood amidst the quiet of the meeting room, the remnants of a tumultuous gathering lingering like echoes in the air.
His mind swirled with thoughts, his brow furrowed with the burden of finding a solution to the dilemma posed by Sugar's audacious actions.
Seeking solace in the solitude of the room, Asmon rubbed his temples, a gesture born of both frustration and fatigue.
"God, what should I do?" he murmured, his voice a mixture of exasperation and yearning for guidance.
His fatherly heart wrestled with the conflicting emotions that Sugar's betrayal had stirred within him.
But just as he pondered his next move, a voice intruded upon the silence, its presence unexpected yet somehow comforting.
"It seems you are in a deep one, sir," the voice remarked.
Asmon's gaze snapped towards the window, where a familiar figure stood, framed by the moonlit night.
It was Nick Crowell.
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